Frequently Asked Questions
This will not be a complete list, but it is the questions I am asked most often. Also this will be a work in progress so I'll be adding more to it as I go. These questions are General bird related, Questions to do with my breeding/available birds, etc.
Do Birds Need Toys?
Yes, With out a doubt they need a lot of toys, but not so many that it clutters up their cage, they still have to have plenty of room to fly around and move, If they open their wings fully and hit toys there are too many toys in the cage. Also they need their toys changed around and old ones replaced with new ones at least once a month,
Do All Birds Talk?
No, they do not all talk, even the top rated African Grey's there are many of those who are in there late 30's and have never spoken a single word. If a bird wants to talk it will, if it doesn't want to then it won't. Don't except them to talk though. And if that is your main reason for wanting a bird, then a bird is not a proper pet for you.
Where Can I Go Online To Find Safe & Not Safe stuff for birds?
There are many websites out there, including mine, that list almost all of the toxic/safe foods, products etc for birds. A General Google search will yield many websites, Just keep in mind a lot of those have incorrect information, so make sure you view a few sites before coming to a conclusion, if your still unsure - Ask me I'm here to help
Why Are Your Policies So Strict at K&M Breeding?
This is true our polices are fairly strict, and some may think it's a bit over board, But I've had to make my policies strict because of so many people who I refer to as "Tire Kickers" they're more or less window shoppers, they have no intentions on buying, but will take hours out of my time asking questions, or trying to make me lower my prices when they know from the start they are not going to buy and most are not even interested in owning a bird to start with.
I've also had a very large amount of No shows, People who swear they'll be here on a specific date and time And then never show up, never return my calls or my emails, and never give an explanation of why they didn't show up. This has caused me to hold birds for them that I could of otherwise had sold and placed in their new homes already. So I have had to make a lot of changes to how I have my policy, because of this. But it is for the benefit of the birds, more than any one else. I'm in this hobby to better the species I breed. Having people who waste my time, or are window shoppers, or bird flippers that buy my birds and turn around and sell them shortly after, That is not helping the species at all.
I've also had a very large amount of No shows, People who swear they'll be here on a specific date and time And then never show up, never return my calls or my emails, and never give an explanation of why they didn't show up. This has caused me to hold birds for them that I could of otherwise had sold and placed in their new homes already. So I have had to make a lot of changes to how I have my policy, because of this. But it is for the benefit of the birds, more than any one else. I'm in this hobby to better the species I breed. Having people who waste my time, or are window shoppers, or bird flippers that buy my birds and turn around and sell them shortly after, That is not helping the species at all.
Where is the best location to place the birds cage?
The bird(s) cage needs to be placed where the family spends most of their time, So if you spend most of your time in your living room then that is where you'd place the birds cage, Keeping in mind that the cage is not to be put in a spot where it can be hit with drafts from a door opening and closing, or from a window, air conditioner. Also never place your bird in your kitchen The fumes from cooking can harm and or kill your birds and its also dangerous with a stove/oven, hot pots, pots of water etc. , also never place your bird in a bathroom as with a kitchen the bathroom is a dangerous place. and not a place for a bird to live.
What is the cheapest bird I can buy?
There is no such thing as a "cheap" bird this is just a myth people have come up with, from reading all the wrong information online, A lot of people consider the Budgie Aka Parakeet a "Cheap" bird because most pet shops sell them for only $20.00 , This part is true, however that doesn't make owning the bird cheap, Also a lot of people think "Small bird, a small cage is all they need" again this is wrong! Even a budgie who is only roughly 7 inches long from tail to the tip of their beak needs a large cage They can't be cramped in a tiny cage or a round cage, Even a budgie can cost up to $100.00 if not more once you buy the proper cage, toys, and food. plus the bird. So there is no such thing as a cheap bird.
Can I keep my bird in a round cage?
The answer to this question is absolutely not! I was actually surprised that I saw round cages still being sold. Round cages are dangerous to the bird, for many reasons. One is it's not wide enough for the bird to open it's wings , the bird can't fly properly in a round cage, and there are no corners for a bird to hide in when they are scared and or stressed. birds need cages that are longer rather than tall and never ever a round cage. Those are to be used as a decoration if you own one and your birds are in them, Please buy a proper cage use the round cage as a flower pot or out on your porch to hold a candle or something. Please do not let your bird live in a round cage, You wouldn't like to live in a 2x2 cell would you!
What is "fancy"?, I saw it on your price list
When we here at K & M Breeding use the term "fancy" we're not meaning the same "Fancy" as a pet shop, their term means anything that is not of the normal mutation of the species (Ex: Budgies Anything other than Normal Green or Sky Blue is called "fancy"), When We use the term Fancy it means they are a more rare mutation for our area, also We use the term on birds with multiple mutations that are visually seen, that you normally don't find at local pet shops. Example: I do not consider Dominant Pied, Recessive Pied, Lutino or Albino in budgies Fancy because they are a dime a dozen, they're easily reproduced. but if it has a few other mutations mixed in and can be visually seen than it would be considered fancy
I've seen other breeders charge a higher price because the bird is Split to something, Do you do this?
No, I do not charge more because the bird is split to a mutation, most of the time the splits can not be guaranteed and even if they can be we still would not charge more for a split to mutation. And I am not sure why some breeders do charge more for split to mutations. But here at K&M We only Charge for the mutations that can visually be seen.
Are All Parakeets Parrots?
Yes, But not all Parrots are Parakeets ;) the term "parakeet" means any bird with a long slender tail, this includes Budgies, Quakers, Bourkes, Cockatiels, to name a few. the term "parrot" usually is referred to as any bird with a short ''stubby tail'' such as an African Grey or a Cockatoo. but in reality all hookbill birds are Parrots. Also the term "Parakeet" is also used for Budgies (which is short for their scientific name budgerigar) so using the phrase from above only with a twist, All Budgies are Parakeets but not all Parakeets are budgies ;). Budgies have no subspecies so A Budgie is a budgie, no matter if it's an American " Pet shop type" budgie or an English "Show type" Budgie - it's still a budgie, and they can be bred together with out making a hybrid :)
What Is A Hybrid Bird?
I will start off by saying no one should ever create a hybrid for any reason! with that being said a Hybrid parrot is a man made parrot - meaning it's when a human being takes 2 Parrots usually of the same species but 2 different sub species, Breeds them and they have babies the babies are then known as hybrids there are a lot of different types of hybrids, to name a few there is the Sunday conure this is a cross between a Sun Conure and a Jenday Conure, Another one is the Calico Macaw it's a cross between a Green -Winged macaw and a Military Macaw. There are many reasons why Hybrids should not be created and the breeders who do this on purpose need to be stopped.
What Is The Difference Between An English Budgie & An American Budgie
They're both Budgies, there is no subspecies of a Budgie, therefor you can not make a "hybrid" Budgie what they call a American Bred to a English Budgie is a cross. An American Budgie is what you'll find at a Pet shop, they're smaller and high strung, English budgies were bred for Showing you probably won't ever find one at a pet shop if you do it's a rare occasion. English Budgies have larger heads and their bodies are wider than an American Budgie, however they are the same length from Tail to tip of beak. when they perch they stand more proper than an American Budgie, they're also mellow, and their chirp does sound a bit different, an American budgie has a high pitch chirp (song), while an English budgies is more deeper toned Also English Budgies will cost more than an American Budgie.