# African greys.



## joshp1986 (Aug 27, 2012)

Hey guys ,iv always been interested in parrots but to be honest the prices you have to pay for a hand reared baby are slightly daunting.Is it possible to find a bird for a sensible price lol iv looked around quite a lot but the cheapest hand reared birds i could find were 995 pounds.


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## Guest (Sep 20, 2012)

how far you prepared to travel ? i paid nowhere near that for mine from a lovely breeder.

if price is an issue though why not become a foster carer for a bird , the bird always remains the property of birdline tho must point that out.

you MUST read this first to see if you can meet their criteria.
Birdline UK Parrot Rescue - Re-homing Information

birds available
Birdline UK Parrot Rescue - Looking for Homes (Companion)


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## hawksport (Dec 27, 2009)

£995 is a lot for an AG. I was looking at some a few weeks ago that were £650, the same as I was charging when I used to breed them


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## dorrit (Sep 13, 2011)

We paid very little for our bird but then he was on his last legs. We are his third owners and he has a lot of rehabilitation to do..

As with any pet you should be looking for a good breeder or adoption not just the price.
Decide what it is you want ( you say hand reared baby) and then look for a decent reputable breeder not just the cheapest.

Im sure you already know this but if you find the bird price daunting dont be shocked by cage prices, food bills and specialised vet care because none of those things come cheap either.


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## AlexArt (Apr 25, 2010)

Agree with all the above - you need to find a good breeder, the cheapest price is not the best way to go about looking for one as you're going to have this bird for potentially the rest of your life!, make sure it's not just someone who is churning them out for a fast buck as goodness knows what shortcuts they have taken. 
The initial purchase price for a parrot is the cheapest bit - as others have said the food/cages/vet/toys etc soon add up especially with parrot safe toys being at least £10-£20 a time and with a destructive parrot they can get through a good few a week, not to mention all the fancy fruit veg etc they like!!!
There are ways to save money on cages - I just bought my little rescue cockatoo an aviary as she came with a cage that was meant for a larger bird but IMO it was way to small for anything other than a canary at best, the aviary was cheaper than a cage too and far larger and probably about right for an African grey but bigger is definitely better! Here's my little 6x6x3ft aviary to give you an idea.









Other than that there aren't really many short cuts - you can make your own toys, there are folk who sell toy making parts which saves a bit of money. A rescue bird is a great option too - mine are both rescues they do take alot of time and patience to bring them round but it is very much worth it and I'd highly reccomend it!!!


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## joshp1986 (Aug 27, 2012)

Thanks for the replys guys.I already have a cage measuring.....
Size (in ft): 3 x 2
Depth (in m): 0.48
Height (in m): 1.60
Bar Spacing (in mm): 15

Im looking into rehoming a bird through birdline even if it is only temporary while i gather enough money to purchase my own.Im quite excited although theres no guarentee my application will be accepted i have look for breeders of AG in my local area but have had no success only local pet stores who charge way over the odds.If anybody could reccommend a breeder i could contact that would be great .


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## Freya'n'Sassy (Aug 13, 2008)

£995 is the sort of price you would pay at a pet shop. If you go to a breeder they are normally between £550 and £695. I bought my two from a breeder for £625 each. If you are not used to parrots just remember that African Greys are very sensitive birds and really need to build up trust with a person... And it doesn't happen over night!


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