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Our First  Trip To The Bird Show

If you are caught in someone else's frames
Break out!

It was a beautiful Saturday morning, the first day of the annual bird show our first adventure.  It was being held in town at the Convention Center.  Jerry and I already decided we really couldn't afford any new additions.  Not just for our wallet but also for the space needed for cage and play area.  We were  going only to get the feel of a bird show and purchase some toys for our babies.

At this point we really did not know what to expect to find at a "bird show" other than the obvious - birds.  Little did we know when we opened that door we were gazing at "Santa's Play land for Bird Lovers".  It was beyond our wildest imagine of what a "bird show" was all about.  After the initial shock we figured the best way to approach this was to divide and conquer.   We were mere mortals in a  land of beaks and feathers.

When we entered there were several tables filled with free pamphlets,  sample products and other literature.  Most of them were very informative.   We also purchased some chances on a beautiful yellow nape amazon.  I fantasized Charlie getting along with this beautiful baby.   After all I just knew we would win...wouldn't we?  We decided to start at the farthest left side of the building.  Working our way up and down the long rows of birds and other merchandise being offered for sale.

We stopped to look at each and every bird being offered for sale, trade or show.  For the most part they were all beautiful.  I value "cleanliness" as one of the upper most important factors in both raising and caring for ANY animal, birds even more so.  A  few  of the breeders did not even come close to  keeping their babies or their surroundings clean.  I found this a bit surprising since their goal was to find a good home for their babies (or at least to sell their product).  If it boiled down to being in the business for profit they would not come out a winner offering a dirty bird in a dirty environment for sale.  I suppose of ALL the major lessons I learned that day....that was the most important.

It was very obvious which breeders  truly cared about their birds and which ones only wanted to sell them.  We were novices but we were not the only ones noticing the true filth of some of the cages.  It was truly disgusting to see these poor babies surrounded with spoiled fruit, dirty drinking water, seeds and pellets laying on soiled cage floors that they could readily reach.  Who would want to purchase anything from breeders and vendors with this type hygiene.  Who you ask?  Several people, not because they were getting a good deal but because they wanted to save these babies FROM their breeders.  The sad part was a few of these birdies were already infected with disease.  The ones that could be saved cost several hundred dollars and lots of tears and heartaches, some were not so fortunate.  Because of the high cost, for care, and the ridiculous low odds of surviving they were put down.   We heard these horrible stories from a vet, we met later,  a clerk at the Pet Store and some who actually purchased these babies.

For the most part  the breeders were very concerned about their babies.  Asking more questions of the prospective buyer than the buyer was asking of the breeder.  I found this to be very rewarding and more than respected the ones that would not allow you to hold or even touch their babies.  People were walking  from one bird to the other touching each along the way.  Not realizing this is a good way to distribute disease very quickly throughout the entire building. 

There's that word  (cleanliness) disease/cleanliness, the two should go together like salt and pepper.  You can "never" be too careful when touching birds.  I was surprised to see so many people walk from one to the other touching, petting or picking up each of the birds.  Then when a breeder would ask that they NOT pick up their bird or the breeder refused to bring the bird from behind the table to be held, the customer would act like the breeder was just being  rude or selfish.  In fact, if the customer was really thinking, they would have realized that if THEY were purchasing a bird this should be the place to make a final decision.  This breeder not only would not let them touch the baby, but kept it behind the table so other people could not also.  The breeder was not being rude....selfish yes.....selfish for the sake of the baby bird.  There were other events I felt were bad  judgments, but there were also many happy uplifting moments at the bird show.

Each row  offered  bigger and better, sort to speak, birds, merchandise, and more and more toys.  So many toys I lost count.  Our very first purchase of the day was for a magazine that every bird owner should have in their library.  Bird Talk, in my opinion,  had more information to offer than any other  magazine.  When we signed up we were allowed to choose four of the past  issues.  I looked through all of them until I found four dealing with the larger parrots.  They were fantastic.  Filled with everything in words I could understand and stories that were so down to earth you could relate to each of them.    The next table was filled with toys.  I found several that I liked and thought Charlie and Sydney would have fun throwing around their cages.  Charlie didn't really play that much but I thought some of the brightly colored toys would give her the ambition to get moving.   We also bought her a huge ladder.  We knew she would love that one without a doubt.  She loved to climb as high as possible then scream to her hearts content.  Looking back that was not a smart purchase. *smile*

Just below the next table I caught sight of a cage.  It was so dark it was hard to tell what was in it.   Jerry leaned over the counter, just enough, to see two baby birds in the cage.  The breeder told us she thought one of them was sold and she would rather not bring out the other one because there were too many people around the table.  We understood and continued to shop for the toys.  She gave us a great deal on the toys we chose.  While we were looking the crowd moved along to the next table.  She asked if we would like to see the baby she had behind the table.  Without hesitation Jerry said yes.  She asked us to please wash our hands with the handy wipes she offered.  By far they were the prettiest birds we saw at that point of the show.  After getting Charlie I read a few books covering bird species, their habitat,  their diets, and their needs.  I knew from looking at these babies they were African Greys but they looked a little different.  She told me they were Timneh African Greys, they were smaller than the Congo's.

One of them took directly to Jerry.  It was climbing all over him, especially trying to get cozy and snuggle up to his neck.  She was making all the baby sounds and of course he was eating it up.  I was remembering our pledge of no room, no money.   I don't know which one cried the loudest when Jerry put her back.  Jerry or the grey!   The breeder was happy to see the grey take so well to us.  She said that is the number one concern about her babies, that they are placed where they are wanted and happy.  We told her of our decision of not adding any new babies right now.  She agreed but mentioned she would like to see us with one of her babies.  I think she also liked the play set in our kitchen.   Jerry showed her the pictures  of the play area.  Either way we left that day with the toys, free samples, pamphlets, Bird Talk, a few food treats and a horrible emptiness.  Jerry's was for the beautiful grey, mine for a gorgeous yellow nape amazon.  She was so playful, gentle, loved to give kisses and already talked up a storm.  She was a little older than the grey she was 9 months old.  Even though we lacked the money and the room,  Jerry and I were both disappointed when we left our very first "bird show".  We felt like we were leaving part of us behind.