BirdsFirst

How to find a good foster home for your parrot.

By Greg Glendell. Tel. 0844 826 8456. or write to:

BirdsFirst, PO Box 1160AxbridgeBS26 2WD.

For parrot care advice, see:

If you can no longer keep your bird, you may be tempted to sell it to someone else. However, you cannot guarantee that this will be a good fate for the bird. Even if the buyer seems to be a very trustworthy person, there is nothing stopping them from selling the bird on to someone else once you have parted with your bird. They could sell him the next day, and he may go somewhere you would not like him to go to. Also, some so-called parrot sanctuaries are very dubious, and you should not be impressed by the content on their websites. In 2010 the National Parrot Sanctuary/Zoo near Skegness had an annual mortality rate of 10% of its birds; many simply froze to death in the winter. Always go and see any sanctuary and see how they keep their birds before thinking of letting them have your bird. To be sure your bird goes to someone you approve of you can always fostering the bird out yourself rather than sell it.

To do this, just place an advert in a local paper or on a website/parrot forum, saying you wish to foster your bird out to a suitable keeper. Describe the bird and its character in the advert. You might like to state in the advert that the potential fosterer should be in your area, so you can go and see them and the bird from time to time. Once your advert appears, you will get many people calling for more info, some just wanting a free bird! So you need to remind them that they will not be allowed to own the bird, but only keep it with your permission. They will also need to sign a formal legal document to that effect. This system is similar to that used by the RSPCA when fostering out their dogs and cats. The bird can be returned to you if the fostering does not work out, and you can always try to re-foster again; but the key thing is that you remain in control of your bird’s welfare needs, since you retain ownership of it.

When people start to enquire about your bird, you might like to ask some of the questions, below, to make sure they would be a good keeper of your bird. By this means you should be able to tell the genuine people from those who just want a free bird.

You will end up with a shortlist of some people who seem to be the best ones for your bird. So, you then need to go and see them and check that they have the time and space etc. to keep your bird well. At this visit, show them the agreement and ask if they would be happy to sign it, if you chose them to keep your bird. You might like to go and see 3 or 4 people, and pick the best from this small number. Then, when you hand the bird to them, make sure you both sign identical copies of the agreement and each party retains their own copy. Never part with a bird without this formal paperworkhaving been completed.

Some questions to ask of potential fosterers, with some suggested correct answers.

  1. What experience do you have of keeping parrots?
  2. What birds or other pets do you have now?
  3. Do you have a good specialist bird vet, if so who is he/she?
  4. What do you think would be a good diet for the bird(s) being fostered?

Answer for, say, greys and Amazons would be: Approx. 50% fruit and veg, 25% soaked and sprouted pulses 25% soaked & sprouted seeds.

(A seed-only diet could result in serious malnutrition).

  1. Do you know how to recognise signs of illness in birds?

Ans: Fluffed up feathers, lethargy, bird standing on both feet when sleeping. Discharge from nostrils/eyes. Bird unable to perch etc. Not feeding/excreting normally; change in weight.

  1. Can you describe what kind of housing you could offer for the bird(s)? Include size of cage/aviary.

Ans: Minimum cage size is determined by the bird’s wingspan. This is usually more than twice the length of the bird, from bill to tail tip. E.g. an Af grey or Blue-fronted Amazon is about 14 inches long, but each of these species has a wingspan of 28 inches.

  1. Do you know how long parrots can live for?

Ans: 25 to 65 years depending on species. The larger birds live longer.

  1. How would the birds be cared for when you go on holiday?
  2. Can you say why you would like to have the birds?
  3. (Re . companion, rather than aviary birds:

Are you familiar with the need to teach birds to accept some basic commands from you such as stepping on and off the hand on request and flight commands?

  1. Are you aware of the amount of noise and mess birds can make?
  2. How much time do you think birds should be out of their cages to fly around each day?

Ans: More than 4 hours a day.

  1. Does anyone in your house smoke? If so, how many people smoke? (Birds should not go to smokers’ houses)
  2. Do you know how to react to a bird which becomes aggressive and bites? What would you do if the bird became aggressive to you or to other people in your house?

Ans: Do not contest any unwanted behaviour, nor try to ‘dominate’ a bird. Just calmly walk away from it and leave the bird on its own for a few minutes. Make sure the bird has calmed down before interacting with it again. Use reward-based training methods when asking a bird to accept some basic requests from you. On no account should any punishment or even threat of punishment ever be used on any bird for any ‘bad’ behaviour, due the problems this tends to cause. ‘Bad’ birds should never be returned to their cage as this causes further problems.

15. How would you describe the nature of your household and your family? Are you a quiet or calm family? Or busy and frenetic etc?

16. Are you happy to keep the bird on a fostering basis since I wish to retain ownership?

Below, is the type of agreement we use when fostering out a parrot. You can always vary this agreement to suit your own needs, but it should look something like this. It is important that both parties have a copy of the identical agreement and that both copies are signed by both parties. It’s much the same as the agreement you sign when exchanging contracts for a house, except that here, nothing is being bought!

THIS AGREEMENT is made the ……….day of ………………………………...…….20………

BETWEEN [Your name here ]……………of [ your address]………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………

hereinafter called “the Owner” and [Name of keeper ] of [ Keeper’s address]………………….

……………………………………………………………………………………………………….

hereinafter called “the Keeper” regarding one [species of parrot]……………………………parrot known as [state bird’s given name]……………………………………

with ring number…………...and/or microchip number:………….….hereinafter called “the parrot”.

IT IS HEREBY AGREED AND DECLARED AS FOLLOWS:

  1. Title to the parrot is retained by the Owner. The Keeper will not sell, exchange, loan or give the parrot to any other party, nor will the Keeper move the parrot from the Keeper’s address, as above, without having prior permission from the Owner.
  2. The Owner is not responsible for any damage the parrot may do to the Keeper or to his/her property or to anyone residing in or visiting the Keeper’s property.
  3. The Keeper will not allow the parrot to breed.
  4. The parrot’s wings shall not be clipped.
  5. The Keeper will be responsible for the costs of keeping the parrot, including veterinary fees, and housing for as long as the Keeper keeps the parrot.
  6. In the event of loss of the parrot by theft or escape, the Keeper will inform the Owner immediately. In the event of the parrot’s death, the Keeper will inform the Owner immediately and give the corpse to the Owner for a post mortem examination to be carried out.
  7. The parrot will have access to a cage or aviary of a size greater than [State minimum size of cage or aviary required, as per species’ needs] which will be fitted with perches of natural branches and the parrot will be encouraged to take daily exercise by being out of the cage for several hours each day. The cage will be fitted with some toys to ensure good environmental stimulation and some or all of these will be changed from time to time to maintain the bird’s interest.
  8. The parrot will have access to a range of suitable foods and water at all times.
  9. The Keeper will inform the Owner as soon as possible of any illness or behavioural problems experienced by the parrot and at least once a year of the parrot’s general health.
  10. The Keeper will ensure that the parrot is examined by a specialist avian veterinary surgeon at least once a year for the purpose of determining the parrot’s general health. The Keeper will inform the Owner at least once a year of this and any other health checks.
  11. The Parrot will not be displayed at any show for any financial or egotistical gain.
  12. The Owner will have occasional access to the parrot at any reasonable time of day, endeavouring to inform the Keeper of his intention to see the parrot beforehand.
  13. The Keeper will ensure that neither s/he nor anyone else will smoke in the same room or air space in which the parrot is kept.
  14. The Owner may remove the parrot from the Keeper if any of the above conditions are not abided by or if in the Owner’s opinion the parrot is not being kept in conditions conducive to its health and well-being.
  15. The Keeper may return the parrot to the Owner at any time, endeavouring to inform the Owner beforehand of his/her intention so to do. Once the parrot is returned to the Owner, the conditions in this agreement will cease to be operative.

Signed by…………………………………………………...on (date)………………………..….

the Owner

Signed by……………………………………………….…..on (date)……………………………

the Keeper

Witnessed by………………………………………………..on (date)……………………………

Print name of witness………………………………………………………………