No dog? You bastards!

June 16, 2005 3:15 PM

Does anyone know of any stellar bird breeders in Portland, Oregon?

I've decided against getting a bunny, and the property managers of my building told me I can't have a dog (even though I'm the building manager), but I want a pet bad. My betta is pretty, but lacking a bit in personality.

So I'm going to get a bird. I've had birds before, but I need help deciding between a parakeet or a cockatiel as well as recommendations for good breeders that hand-raise thier chicks.

posted by Specklet to Pets & Animals (9 answers total)

Response by poster: Guess not.
posted by Specklet at 9:41 AM on June 17, 2005

Yeah, I guess not. Your landlord is rotten. Don't know anything about birds. Have you thought about a hedgehog?
posted by crapulent at 9:49 AM on June 17, 2005

Best answer: I have a bird-lady in my office. Here is her recommendation:


I would have them call The Avian Medical Center in Lake Oswego, 503-635-5672. Doctor Marli Lintner or the staff there should be able to point your friend to a quality, ethical breeder of just about any bird on the planet. http://www.avianmedicalcenter.net/door/

Also, Dr. Pamela Burke – “The Bird Doctor” mobile avian vet is another equally qualified resource – I don’t have her phone number memorized, but she’s probably in the book or yellow pages. She and Marli shared a practice for years, but now have their own. Dr. Burke has a full mobile service, complete with an excellent surgery room.

posted by jbradley at 10:34 AM on June 17, 2005

Response by poster: Thanks, jbradley, that's a good idea.

crapulent, I hadn't considered a hedgehog (but I was once bit on the stomach by a hedgehog named Harriet), and although I think they're rather charming, I'm looking for something a little more interactive...
posted by Specklet at 12:15 PM on June 17, 2005

Good luck with your birdies. What ultimately turned you away from the bunnies, if you don't mind me asking?
posted by crapulent at 1:26 PM on June 17, 2005

Response by poster: Oh, it was the chewing thing. I think having a rabbit could be very fun, but I don't think I have what it takes to bunny-proof my place. I've always got driftwood and dried plants and art projects and tassled pillows layin' around on the floor.
posted by Specklet at 1:40 PM on June 17, 2005

Well, if you keep them caged all the time it won't be a problem, but if you think rabbits can chew you ain't seen nothing until you have cockatiels. Imagine bunnies that can fly to the stuff you don't want them to chew (or, if you religiously keep their flight feathers clipped, can climb like monkeys to the things you don't want them to chew).
posted by TimeFactor at 2:28 PM on June 17, 2005

Response by poster: I definitely would not want to keep a bunny caged all the time, that would defeat the purpose of getting a pet. (I already have a pretty fishie to look at, I want something to interact with.)

And yeah, I know cockatiels chew, I've had two of them. I think I can handle it, though.
posted by Specklet at 3:25 PM on June 17, 2005

I meant that you'd keep the cockatiels caged, which I'm not recommending, just that, as you must well know, an uncaged cockatiel is chewing on something: fish gotta swim and birds gotta fly, unless they're cockatiels, in which case they gotta nibble. They are very adorable though. Good luck.
posted by TimeFactor at 4:10 PM on June 17, 2005