# Any breeder's in Michigan... or anyone who ships?



## Shayla Fortune (Nov 29, 2012)

Hey everyone, I'm looking for a breeder in Northern Michigan, though may be able to work out with someone else in a different location, but I'd rather not ship if I can find someone near me...

Anyways, I had a great breeder but she just faced a tragedy within her flock so I don't think she's going to breed for a while... (see thread here: http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=36171 ) so I'm on a search for another great breeder that sells hand raised babies. If anyone does on here or knows of someone, please contact me! I am so impatient for my first 'tiel!


----------



## moonchild (Jul 29, 2012)

I know nothing about Michigan, except my boyfriend is from Grand Rapids. How close is that to you?

http://grandrapids.craigslist.org/search/pet?query=cockatiel&srchType=A

http://portlandor.ebayclassifieds.c...85.6680863&radius=LESS_THAN_75&output=gallery


----------



## Shayla Fortune (Nov 29, 2012)

echolalia said:


> I know nothing about Michigan, except my boyfriend is from Grand Rapids. How close is that to you?
> 
> http://grandrapids.craigslist.org/search/pet?query=cockatiel&srchType=A
> 
> http://portlandor.ebayclassifieds.c...85.6680863&radius=LESS_THAN_75&output=gallery


I'm about 3 hours north of Grand Rapids. I'm checking ebay classifieds and Hoobly right now, and plan on keeping an eye on craigslist as always. I'm also talking to people on my bird groups on fb that might have babies...


----------



## moonchild (Jul 29, 2012)

This ad seems promising to me: http://m.ebayclassifieds.com/baby-cockatiels-all-colors-including-fancy/v?adId=23037967#cockatiel But then again, it was posted a while ago...


----------



## cknauf (Aug 27, 2012)

I know there are breeders in western Wisconsin and in the Twin Cities, depending on how far you're willing to travel. I don't have any specifics but could contact the bird fairs in my area to find names. Many of the breeders are willing to travel some to deliver birds as well--you could meet halfway, possibly.

EDIT: Looked at the FB group, found a fair in Madison, WI. Probably farther south than you want, but a place to start?



> Madison, WI
> Exotic Bird Fair and Sale
> 
> 301 Cottage Grove Rd.
> ...


----------



## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

Contact the pet bird clubs in the area; they might be able to refer you to a breeder. There's a list of Michigan bird clubs at http://www.birdchannel.com/bird-community/bird-club-directory/directory-listing.aspx#M There are listings for all the other states too so you can check out any others that are within your range. 

There's a list of 56 Michigan bird breeders at http://birdbreeders.com/breedersinMI.aspx Most of them don't say what kind of birds they have and most of them give a phone number instead of an email address, so it'll be a nuisance to ask for information. But you can identify the ones that are closest to you and give them a call. 

There's a listing of cockatiels for sale in Michigan at http://www.birdsnow.com/cockatielmichigan.htm The only lutino I can see at the moment is a 10 year old male, but you can keep an eye out for new listings. Clicking on each ad brings up more info, and you can contact appropriate sellers to see if they expect to have any lutino babies in the reasonably near future.


----------



## Shayla Fortune (Nov 29, 2012)

thanks for the links everyone! 
I can't travel to another state for a bird... It'd be an obnoxiously long ride... no matter what way I go, it'd be at least a 4-5 hour drive to get out of the state and gas is too expensive to make a trip like that! 

I just got off the phone with a pet store that gets chicks in from breeders and hand raises them. They currently have a pearled, grey, and yellow/grey pied in and they will be ready in a few weeks. They are $89, and I can make a deposit now for $20 to reserve mine... I was kinda thinking about getting the grey though idk yet. I need to meet them. The pet store man also said that they MIGHT get lutino babies in next month... I'm not sure if I want to wait and miss my chance at these babies and possibly get a lutino one months from now or not... oh I hate uncertainty!! I'm hoping to go visit the babies sometime soon and make up my mind.


----------



## moonchild (Jul 29, 2012)

That's great! I'm sure you'll fall in love with one. The price is decent, too.


----------



## Shayla Fortune (Nov 29, 2012)

The boyfriend said that we can go tomorrow morning! He works a first shift factory job and we'll go once he gets out of work (he has a half day tomorrow) and check out the babies before I go to work at noon. I'm excited, but still a bit sad about my baby being murdered.


----------



## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

forget colour  go meet the babies. reserve the one that chooses you  that is the way to choose a bird, you wont ever go wrong that way. boy, girl, grey, pearl, pied, lutino... it doesnt matter too much. you could get a lutino and it can be completely uninterested in you. so i wouldnt worry for colour.


----------



## Shayla Fortune (Nov 29, 2012)

DallyTsuka said:


> forget colour  go meet the babies. reserve the one that chooses you  that is the way to choose a bird, you wont ever go wrong that way. boy, girl, grey, pearl, pied, lutino... it doesnt matter too much. you could get a lutino and it can be completely uninterested in you. so i wouldnt worry for colour.


Yeah, I'm not too worried about their color. It's basically birdie racism! But I prefer to have a lutino because I adore their soft yellow color (one of my three favorite colors; purple, yellow and blue). I'm soo impatient now because I will finally meet my first 'tiel. I'm going to play with all of the babies and try to make up my mind and put a deposit down. I think the babies are about 25-30 day old... do you think they are old enough to chose anyone yet?


----------



## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

If they're handfed and have been handled a lot they should be nice and sociable with humans.


----------



## Shayla Fortune (Nov 29, 2012)

tielfan said:


> If they're handfed and have been handled a lot they should be nice and sociable with humans.


Ok, I've never had a fully tame bird before, so I'm really excited and impatient. I just want to do EVERYTHING right.


----------



## eduardo (Jan 27, 2012)

I have a feeling tomorrow is the day I agree, the color doesn't matter at all. You are going to love them all, and then you'll bring two home, haha.
How many do they have?


----------



## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

Keep in mind that if they are handfed but have NOT been handled otherwise, they will be less tame than if they had the extra handling. A baby who has been exposed to a lot of different people will be more gregarious than one that has not.

Good luck, I hope they're all so sweet that it's hard to pick out just one!


----------



## Shayla Fortune (Nov 29, 2012)

eduardo said:


> I have a feeling tomorrow is the day I agree, the color doesn't matter at all. You are going to love them all, and then you'll bring two home, haha.
> How many do they have?


This will be my first ever 'tiel.  I'm a bit nervous but excited. I keep telling myself ONLY ONE... I'm going to be going to college next year and am going to try and rent an apartment and split the rent with a friend so I can keep my birds with me. I want to have my baby fully trained and such before I get a second one (if ever) so I think it'd be at least six months before I get another.


----------



## Shayla Fortune (Nov 29, 2012)

tielfan said:


> Keep in mind that if they are handfed but have NOT been handled otherwise, they will be less tame than if they had the extra handling. A baby who has been exposed to a lot of different people will be more gregarious than one that has not.
> 
> Good luck, I hope they're all so sweet that it's hard to pick out just one!


I think they are being handled daily by many people. they are at the front desk at the pet store and they allow people to handle them if asked. My friend handled them at the pet store a few days ago and told me that they are still available (I had considered getting my baby from there originally). I'm hoping for the best. I guess I'll find out tomorrow though.


----------



## Shayla Fortune (Nov 29, 2012)

Even better news! I found a breeder about 2 hours away from me that is willing to sell me a baby for $75! He/she is hand raised in a family setting and handled daily! He/she is a BEAUTIFUL white faced pied.


----------



## Shayla Fortune (Nov 29, 2012)

Here's a picture of my baby I am FOR SURE getting! 









(the one on the ladder)


The breeder is going to check the pelvic bone tomorrow for gender. He/she is hand raised and a bit cuddly, 8 weeks old and fully weaned. Doesn't bite and knows how to step up. I'm really excited! I can't wait until next friday!!


----------



## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

dont rely on the pelvic bone test. its not accurate. trust me on that one. person i got my lovebirds from did it. told me munch was a boy and mango a girl... DNA proves munch is a girl and mango is a boy. plus eggs prove munch is a girl too... point is, some birds have wider or narrower pelvic bones that contradict their gender. with a pied bird, either go by behaviour at about 6-12 months old OR DNA test (about $20-25) to know for sure. those are your best bets.


----------



## xoxsarahxox (Dec 13, 2010)

Congrats! He/she is adorable!!! I love the way his/her grey feathers are random and all over like that!


----------



## Shayla Fortune (Nov 29, 2012)

DallyTsuka said:


> dont rely on the pelvic bone test. its not accurate. trust me on that one. person i got my lovebirds from did it. told me munch was a boy and mango a girl... DNA proves munch is a girl and mango is a boy. plus eggs prove munch is a girl too... point is, some birds have wider or narrower pelvic bones that contradict their gender. with a pied bird, either go by behaviour at about 6-12 months old OR DNA test (about $20-25) to know for sure. those are your best bets.


I was considering doing DNA tests as well. Just probably not right away because I'm probably going to drop a huge chunk of cash on this bird for the cage and toys.



xoxsarahxox said:


> Congrats! He/she is adorable!!! I love the way his/her grey feathers are random and all over like that!


Yeah, that is what caught my attention. I love unique animals.


----------



## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Congrats on the gorgeous baby!!! Pelvic sexing is just like every other way of sexing, its not 100% (not even DNA, human error can happen.)


----------



## eduardo (Jan 27, 2012)

Aw, what a gorgeous baby Now the waiting...


----------



## moonchild (Jul 29, 2012)

Awesome choice! Such a gorgeous bird.  (Of course I may be biased as he/she reminds me of my Juju.)


----------



## Shayla Fortune (Nov 29, 2012)

echolalia said:


> Awesome choice! Such a gorgeous bird.  (Of course I may be biased as he/she reminds me of my Juju.)


Thanks everyone! I agree, he does look like your Juju! My breeder thinks my baby is a male so I'm working on male names so far... here's the naming thread I just made: http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?p=334483#post334483


----------

