This may seem a bit odd, but if you ask the correct questions, you can learn volumes about your new potential buddy. A good breeder will help you out along the way. A good breeder’s sole motivation is not to make money. A good breeder very much wants his baby parrots to go to good homes. So if in the process you forget a few of these questions, he’ll probably jump in and answer them anyway. These simple questions can help increase the chances that the baby parrot you bring home with you is healthy.
The first question to ask is when these birds hatched? You don’t want a baby bird who is too young to leave the nest. The breeder will let you know when you can take the bird home. If they are too young you can always come back again later.
Ask the breeder whether he kept the bird in a closed aviary. This is ideal as it reduces the chances that diseases will spread. With avian diseases spreading through the air they spread quickly so it is best to get a bird from a closed aviary.
Make sure you ask whether the bird has been tested for any diseases. If your young parrot has already been sexed then you will probably find that it was sexed at the same time. If the bird has indeed been tested for diseases then make sure that you ask for a copy of the results from the laboratory.
Whether a parrot is male or female does not make any difference to their qualities as pets, and you should certainly not be too concerned about that aspect of parrot keeping. Unless of course you are bringing your new bird home to live with other parrots in a shared aviary – in those circumstances it is very important to know whether they are male or female.
What has the baby been eating? This is probably one of the most important questions you could ask the breeder. Changing the baby’s diet as soon as you bring the parrot home can cause great distress to his system – and could even be fatal. The diet should be gradually to cause the least amount of stress to his system as possible.
You should always ask whether you can view the baby’s parents, and most of the time you will find that they are on the same premises as the baby and you can indeed view them. Don’t expect to be able to handle or hold them, as breeding parrots are not as tame as some others. However, do inspect them carefully to check that they look generally healthy.
Finally, you should ask whether the baby has been hand fed or parent raised. Even if the bird has not been hand fed, don’t worry as long as it has been socialized.
If you are interested in sexing parrots then check out http://ezinearticles.com/?Sexing-Parrots—How-to-Tell-If-Your-Parrot-is-Male-Or-Female&id=2257223