Читать книгу Birds For Dummies - Gina Spadafori - Страница 34

The price of a pet bird can be considerable, starting from less than $20 for some small budgies or finches and climbing rapidly into the hundreds of dollars for some of the large common parrots and into the thousands and tens of thousands for species that are especially rare, large, or difficult to breed in captivity.

Bargain hunting is usually a bad idea when it comes to birds. Raising healthy, well-socialized birds is time-consuming and expensive, and the prices for these birds reflect the labor that goes into their raising. You have to wonder what kind of corners were cut when you find a price that’s out of line with what’s normal for a particular species in a particular area. Is the bird a medical time bomb just waiting to explode with the stress of a new home? A simmering behavior problem waiting to develop? Too often the answer is “Yes” to one or both questions.

Figure out the price you can afford to pay, and then shop for the best bird possible for that money. Don’t fret over the bird you can’t afford, because you can find many wonderful and underappreciated species in every price range, and they make wonderful pets. We’d rather see you spend what may seem to be an “outrageous” $50 on a healthy, well-socialized budgie with great pet potential than $20 on a mass-produced budgie of unknown genetics or health, or $300 on a sick or emotionally crippled parrot of a species that usually retails for considerably more. You’re better off with the well-raised and socialized budgie, trust us. Budgies are cool.

Also, consider reaching out to rescue groups for birds in need of a second chance at life with the right forever home. Just as in animal shelters with dogs and cats, numerous shelter birds may be just the right fit for you!

The cost of a bird is only part of the hit you take when you bring home a feathered companion. Cages, perches, toys, and more are expensive, and so is that post-purchase veterinary examination, but they all need to be factored in to keep your pet bird healthy and happy. For more on bird gear — what you need, what you don’t, and more — see Chapter 4.