Our Bird Prices
Budgies sexed $80 to $100 depending on mutation and colour.
Parrotlets sexed $190 to $290 depending on mutation and colour.
Lovebirds DNA sexed $140 to $180 depending on mutation and colour.
Cockatiels DNA Sexed $250 to $300 depending on mutation and colour.
Green Cheek Conures DNA sexed starting at $260 depending on colour and mutation.
Very seldom out of the ordinary mutations or colours may be more expensive.
We also have some parrots available at times. Prices may vary according to breeding season. If you are looking to have a specific bird hand raised by us we will be happy to give you a quote.
Why do hand raised birds cost more?
Aviary Birds:
Most birds you can buy online or at a pet store are aviary birds raised by the parent birds. They are not handled and are not tame. It takes a lot of patience to get these aviary birds tame as they have never been handled by humans; some may never become very tame.
Hand Tame Birds:
Are birds that have had their wings clipped and have been handled to be sold as hand tame birds. These birds are often not tame by choice but have to deal with humans because they can't get away; they can still make good pets and learn to bond with their new owner, however often when their wing regrow, they no longer wish to spend time with humans, they also often do not like to be handled.
Hand Raised Birds:
Hand raised birds are removed from the nest at 2 to 3 weeks of age and raised by a human until they can eat on their own. Because of the daily handling and interaction with humans they build a bond and feel safe around people. They choose to be tame on their own and enjoy being handled. Wings are often slightly clipped to help them bond with their new owner.
Let's take a look at what is involved in hand raising baby birds and what costs are involved.
Breeding healthy birds for hand raising.
All our breeding birds are selectively bought from good breeders. we quarantine each bird and make sure that they are of good health before they are moved in with our other birds.
Our birds are fed a healthy mixed diet daily of seed, pellets, cuttle fish bones, soaking seed with veggie and fruit chop. We add supplements and minerals to their diet to make sure they have everything they need.
We do not continuously breed our pairs without rest as this would be negative to their health and that of their offspring. During the rest time we still have running costs on these birds.
Our birds cages and accessories are regularly cleaned on a weekly basis, food and water cleaned and refilled daily. They are treated every 3 months for mites, parasites and worms. Nest boxes are cleaned and disinfected after each batch and replaced when needed.
Power costs and DNA sexing
To keep our babies warm and at the correct temperature when they leave the nest boxes, we use brooders and heat pads. These are on continuously and use a fair bit of power.
Some species of birds need to be DNA sexed to determine their gender. A sample of blood from each bird is sent into a lab for testing. Prices vary on bird size and are $10- $15 per bird plus postage.
Bedding and cleaning supplies
We go through a lot of wood shavings and equine pellets, as we clean our baby corner and nursing containers daily.
Bird safe disinfectant (veterinarian grade) is used to disinfect brooder, cages and containers each time they are cleaned.
These products are not cheap and add up over time.
Food, hand raising formula
We go through a lot of hand raising formula until our babies are weaned and ready to eat on their own. A 5kg bag of quality Hagen Tropican feeding formula costs us $100, 10kg Neocare formula $220. A baby bird needs around 10% of it's body weight in food each feeding and that every 3 to 4 hrs. We go through a lot of formula each week.
Once the babies start to wean, we go through a lot of millet, seed mixes, pellets, crumbles, egg and biscuit, soaking seed, fresh fruit and veggies. Baby birds are very wasteful when learning to eat. A lot of the food ends up in the cage tray and needs to be disposed of. We use quality seed mixes, starter food and pellets from Vetafarm, Avigrain and Passwell.
Vitamins and treatments
On top of our quality baby formula, we offer weekly added vitamins and supplements from quality brand such as, Vetafarm and Passwell.
Our babies are wormed twice before being re-homed. Once when we remove them from the nest then 2 weeks later again.
Sometimes medication may be needed, anyone knows they aren't cheap.
Utensils and supplies
There are a lot of supplies needed which are often only used once or need to be regularly renewed.
For feeding our babies we go through heaps of supplies:
- paper towels
- puppy pads
- syringes in different sizes (these only last a few days before the are no good and need to be replaced).
- feeding tubes and spoons
- wash cloth to wipe babies face (are exchanged daily and need to be washed)
- leg rings to mark our birds.
- replacing worn out toys and perches
Time investment
A lot of time and effort goes into hand raising birds. It is a full-time job without time off, even if we are sick.
Fresh from the nest they need to be fed every 2 to 3 hours, as they get bigger every 3 to 4 hours. They need to be fed from early morning till late at night.
This means we can't be out of house for long periods of time because babies need to be fed. If we want to go away on holidays a carer for our birds is needed and a person experienced in hand raising to look after the babies.
Birds don't have a lot of babies.
Although breeding and raising birds can be rewarding, it can also be a sad time.
Depending on breed of bird they can lay anywhere from 3 to 10 eggs, but not all eggs will be fertile. The eggs will take 18-24 days to hatch. An egg is laid every 2nd day, and once 2 to 3 eggs are in the nest the mother begins to incubate them. The babies will hatch in the same way, 1 baby every second day. Due to this you will have larger and tinier babies in the nest.
Sadly some babies do not make it due to several factors:
- They die inside the egg.
- They are too weak to hatch or survive.
- They don't get enough food because the larger sibling get everything.
- The larger siblings squash them because they are a lot smaller.
Advertising costs
To find good homes for our babies we need to advertise them. Gumtree listing costs and website costs apply monthly. Printing costs, sealable bags for starter packs.
A lot of time goes into making photos, videos and answering question and comments.
