# Any tips before going to the Bird Show?



## PixieDust (Oct 19, 2017)

My husband and I are finally going to take the plunge and get our first Budgie. We've both had them as kids and he's retired now and the show is within an hour's drive next weekend so NOW is the time.

I've had the cage and some toys for about a year, waiting for our lives to calm down a bit so that we have the time. I'm about to order some seed, avi-cakes, and pellets based on the reviews here, because I'm afraid they will be over-priced at the show.

There are also a few more toys I would like to get. I have two nice branches that have been curing on my deck since last spring. I plan to attach one to it's cage and hang the other from the vaulted ceiling in our living room and they need a few 'decorations'.

But is there anything I should watch out for at the show? I will be attending the NC Caged Bird Society show in Eastern North Carolina.

Any Vendors I should avoid? Any Vendors that you think are 'the best'? Any outrageously priced items I should definitely not buy there no matter how much I want it?

Any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated. :lovie 1:


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## Cody (Sep 5, 2013)

How exciting that you are going to have a budgie in your life again. As far as buying supplies at the show goes, I would make list of items that you like and get to know the going price for those items before going to the show, at least that way you will be able to know if what is being charged at the show is reasonable. I am in the Chicago area and in the shows I have attended around here the supplies are usually very reasonably priced. Be aware that birds brought to shows have the potential of being exposed to any contaminant that may be around, be it a pathogen, mites, toxins etc. The shows I have been to sometimes do not even have any budgies so if there is some contact for the show you may want to check with them to see if they can supply you with a vendor/breeder list so you don't make the trip for nothing. Also if they can supply you with a list and there are breeders in your area you could contact them and perhaps see their birds in their home instead of at the show. This would give you an idea of the care that is put into the breeding by the breeder as sometimes this can turn out to be less than what you would like. At the show you don't have any way of really knowing the conditions that the birds were raised in.


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## PixieDust (Oct 19, 2017)

Thank you for the tips. I will see what I can find out before I go.


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## StarlingWings (Mar 15, 2013)

I agree, and no matter what a vendor says, if their budgies don't look 100% healthy, don't fall for it - it's easy to fall in love with a bird when there are so many, but for the sake of you and your future bird, it's always best to buy from an ethical breeder who explains in-depth how they raise their birds. For example, they should breed in separate cages (not colony breeding!), all chicks should remain with their parents for at least 8 weeks, and they should practice co-parenting (which means they socialise their chicks with humans without taking them from their parents) rather than hand feeding (which pulls the chicks from the nests when they are young). Budgies that are co-parented tend to be more emotionally developed as well as more socially well-rounded than hand-fed birds. 

Have fun at the show! Best of luck


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## PixieDust (Oct 19, 2017)

Thank you. We're so excited!

I ordered some Harrison's Super Fine Pellets and some Dr. Harvey's Seed mix for starters. And of course will supplement with sprouts and veggies, of which we eat plenty!


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## Cody (Sep 5, 2013)

Great that you will be feeding a healthy diet, however, when you first bring the bird home you should continue to feed it whatever it has been used to eating , even if it is not what you would choose. The bird will be stressed enough by the change in its home and you do not want to add additional stress by trying to change its diet too soon. Please make sure you find out what the breeder has been feeding and continue that until the bird is comfortable in its new home, then you can begin to wean it onto the new diet.


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## PixieDust (Oct 19, 2017)

Will do! :yes:


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## RavensGryf (May 8, 2015)

It is always taking a risk of picking up deadly pathogens when attending a bird mart, bird fair, or whatever we want to call them.

Here is a link that explains it. Bird Marts by Ernie Colaizzi Although it was written a while ago, it still applies. Scroll down the page and you'll find where they actually did tests for deadly viruses by swabbing the tables in the environment, and it was there more often than you might think.

It's fun to go and see though.. some have beautiful exotic birds that you may never see anywhere else.

Many people who attend take off their shoes before entering the car and house, and clothing immediately after getting home and showering.

I personally wouldn't buy anything that can't be sanitized with an antiviral like F10. If you go, have fun. Just wanted you to be aware of the risk. I've been in the parrot world long enough that I know this is a valid concern.


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## PixieDust (Oct 19, 2017)

Whoa - thank you for that!


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## Cody (Sep 5, 2013)

One more thing to investigate is do you have access to an avian vet. Avian vets are sometimes difficult to find so it would be a good thing for you to see if there is one within a distance that you are willing to travel. It is best to know, should the need arise, you have someplace to turn to.


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## PixieDust (Oct 19, 2017)

There is an official Bird and Animal Hospital a little more than a mile from me.


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## Cody (Sep 5, 2013)

That's great, you should be all set then. Hope to see a new little addition soon.:biggrin1:


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## RavensGryf (May 8, 2015)

PixieDust said:


> There is an official Bird and Animal Hospital a little more than a mile from me.


Keep in mind too.. avian vets are very expensive, and the 'viral' diseases are not curable and are highly contagious. 
I once bought a beautiful parrot from an exotic bird store. Long story short; she acted and looked gorgeous and healthy. You can't always see illness in birds on the outside until it's quite advanced. She ended up passing from PDD. Later I came to find out that the store obtained their birds from a broker (person who buys cheap from 'any' source, then makes a profit by selling the babies, in this case to the store). This is mainly the type of person (brokers and under-educated breeders) that sell at the bird fairs.

I'm not telling you this to dissuade you, I just want you to know the facts before you make a decision to go.


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## PixieDust (Oct 19, 2017)

I have to agree. I was not happy with the vendors at this bird show. All the budgies were $10. The only table to have "hand tamed" budgies for $25 had two very small birds who were grabbed out of the small cage and held against their will, biting and struggling the entire time. I walked away just in hopes she would put the bird back in the cage and leave it alone. So we chose one of the others.

We chose one from a cage where they all seemed calm and happy. Not fighting or frightened. She (he) does not have a leg band. I did not think of that until later. She is about 4 months old and appears to be in perfect health. She does not lack for energy!

So we'll see. She is in full escape mode, being next to a window. It's odd because all she can see is a rock slope and another condo on a hill and a sliver of sky. Hopefully she calms down and decides not to die of stress and anxiety.

I have looked for breeders in this area but they are all at least an hour away, in the same direction as the show, so I can't help but think that many of them were there. So I am at a loss. If I ever do buy another budgie, I may just go the pet store route. At least it will be from a certified breeder and I can't imagine it being more stressed than this one.


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## Cody (Sep 5, 2013)

It may help her feel more secure if you keep the cage covered on 3 sides for a while. It is not unusual for a new bird to be freaked out for the first several days.


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*Congratulations on your new budgie.
I'm closing this thread now. *


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