Spinner Posted January 28, 2010 Share Posted January 28, 2010 Hi all, I got an interesting question the other day regarding how much it costs to take care of our Greys. I thought I'd throw it out here to see what your annual or monthly averages are. This should include food, treats, toys, medical (vet), and other costs you might think of. Break out the category costs if you can and if you think the numbers are generous or conservative (high end or low end). So, what's your numbers say? Don't be bashful! I found the number I calculated to be really low considering the daily enjoyment I get out of it. I'll share my numbers later on. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joolesgreyuk Posted January 28, 2010 Share Posted January 28, 2010 On my! figures are difficult but owning a grey is cheaper than owning a dog or cat for sure! Greys are more expensive than a hampster, rabbit or similar though. My small macaw is much cheaper to keep than my CAG and probably only eats about a 1/3 of what the grey does. I've been frequently surprised by the cost of keeping my grey. Vet fees and/or insurance, food, treats, aloe juice, palm nuts, fresh fruit, vegetables, toys, cleaning fluid, kitchen towels - OMG do I use a lot of those! Even things such as vitamin suppliments, humidifier, ultra violet lighting. I have to say in my case not all of the above! I'm gonna have a stab-in-the-dark here and say £20 per week but I have two and they are spoiled! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane08 Posted January 28, 2010 Share Posted January 28, 2010 Well they do say they are the most expensive pets to own after a horses. So here goes, I have converted it into US $....this is for 2 greys. $100 a month on food $400 a year on vet bills (health check up not including any emergencies). Had 2 of those last year so that was about another $130 $80 on average a month for toys $200 on damage to walls and other things that had to be fixed. $100 on Insurance So that would equal a grand total for the year of nearly $3000. That is definitely on the high side I think and one reason might be because things are more expensive here.<br><br>Post edited by: Jane08, at: 2010/01/28 16:11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jessdecutie18 Posted January 28, 2010 Share Posted January 28, 2010 I'd say I spend $10 a week on Yoshi... initially I bought her and her cage and toys and food and playstand and everything for just under $2000 (yes, I spoil her) but now it is a new toy (I like to hand make them usually, because it's cheaper, or find sales at little local bird stores) about every other week... Every month I go get her new seed, treats (although she eats a lot of our food really, not that many treats 'just for her'), and Roudybush... which comes to about $30, especially if I throw a foot toy in there... So, as long as all goes good and no vet bills... after her initial big spend I now spend about $30 a month on weekly expenses like toys plus an additional $30 a month when I go get foods... She is like my monthly cell phone bill <br><br>Post edited by: jessdecutie18, at: 2010/01/28 16:11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jessdecutie18 Posted January 28, 2010 Share Posted January 28, 2010 Every so often I see something more expensive I want to get her though... like I've been looking at a harness for outdoors and another playstand... So thinking about this question again... $60 in the minumum monthly pay... but sometimes it will go up higher if I invest in something more pricey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JillyBeanz Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 Oooh - what a great question Dave - karma for a great thread!! Like the others it's difficult to work out! Comparisons on here have to be taken into consideration too - Jane lives in Sweden - so everything is so expensive in comparison to the UK (poor you Jane!!!) Initially I was spending £20 a week on toys for Harvey - that's passed, thank goodness!! I think that food wise it's probably less than £5 a week (jeez, I sound stingy)!! The only thing I specially buy for Harvey is the mixed veg he has (frozen) and it's only 99p a bag! This lasts a good couple of weeks! I buy his pellets in 20Kg bags - so this lasts forever and he gets all of the other goodies I'm preparing for the family - so the extra I'm feeding him would be wasted otherwise. His supplements are bought every six months or so - so about 10p a week! Now - the REAL cost of owning a grey here in the UK is the heat needed to keep them warm! It's advised that they don't get colder than 20C here in the UK - well, our houses aren't even 20C in the height of summer!! My heating has been on constantly since the start of December - I'm dreading my quarterly fuel bill. So, in conclusion - I don't think it is too expensive to feed one - just everything else that you need too!!!<br><br>Post edited by: JillyBeanz, at: 2010/01/28 20:02 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane08 Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 Jill how do you manage with £5 a week for food, I would love to know. Our 2 eat us out of house and home with all the exotic fruit that they have taken a liking to. Our fault I guess for introducing it to them, they get passionfruit, sharon, papaya, pomegranite, sweet potato etc. Even with the toys we get they destroy them in a day and then sit there waiting for us to put another toy in. Kea lately is like a wood chipper machine the rate she is going through the wood toys. Ok Dave spill how much does your little critter cost to keep.<br><br>Post edited by: Jane08, at: 2010/01/29 08:52 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pat Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 mine is still pretty high as were stocking up on toys,i find frosty breaks his perches ,so need new ones weekly.parrot toys are expensive here in england so i would say about £15 a week at the moment . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JillyBeanz Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 Ha Ha! I knew I would sound stingy! Harvey only gets fruit a couple of times a week (and we buy tons anyway for the family) and like I said the only "special" thing for Harvey is his bags of veg - everything else is what we would already have in the house. If we have pasta, he has pasta, if we have rice, he has rice - so really he isn't "costing" us anything (he hasn't been to the vet yet - he was last there in March on the day I brought him home so there's no vet charges involved yet). I don't pay insurance either. OMG - I really do sound neglectful don't I!! Anyway - I'm shuddering too to think how much Dave spends (along with the others with multiple beaks to feed)!!!! COME ON DAVE :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danmcq Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 I may have a little higher costs than others on food items. I buy in smaller quantities to ensure all foods are as fresh as possible and the least amount of nutrient loss is suffered. I do buy frozen veggie mixes in addition to fressh,which helps a lot just heating up a daily portion. These costs are only for my Grey, not conure. The costs listed are pretty much dead on. So: Fruits and Veggies: $15 weekly ( I throw out any left) Nuts: $6 weekly (Almonds and Walnuts) Harrisons Pellets: $16 month (95% waisted) Kaytee Fiesta Blend seed mix: $20 month Toys: $20 month (sometimes $40) Aloe Juice: $10 every 2 months Red Palm Oil: $8 every three months Annual Vet: $100 - $400 depending on tests Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talon Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 I don't want to know what I spend for 5 birds, so I don't keep track........ :pinch: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ecodweeb Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 I don't want to think about it. its around 30 bucks for two bags of food which barely lasts a month it seems, and the toys I tend to spend $20 minimum every other week minimum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockysMum Posted January 30, 2010 Share Posted January 30, 2010 If i worked out how much i spend on Rocky every month my kids would demand extra pocket money Lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbpittman Posted January 30, 2010 Share Posted January 30, 2010 Well here's my list for 2 Grey's per month: Harrison's - $32.00 Fresh Fruit - $15.00 (5 birds weekly) Fresh Vegetables - $15.00 (5 birds weekly) Specialty Seed Mix - $15.00 Dried Fruit & Veg Mix - $20.00 Nuts (Almonds & Pine Nuts) - $12.00 Aloe Juice - $10.00 Per month (5 birds) Red Palm Oil - $9.99 (about 6 weeks - all 5 birds) Annual Vet - $100-$500 (or more) per bird Toys - $50.00 And they still eat off my plate! No matter what we eat, they want some of it. Dixie is especially fond of stealing shrimp off of my husband's plate. Add 2 sun conures & 1 umbrella cockatoo: Zupreeme Pellets - $30.00 Aviay Cakes - $35.00 (Sterling loves them) Additional Nuts - $15.00 (Walnuts, pecans & brazil nuts) Toys - Sterling $50.00; Blue & Bean $25.00 Working on changing the conures to Harrison's - almost there. I've tried the frozen veggies and have had better luck with mine eating it if it's fresh. I didn't include the costs of treats as mine don't get "treats" so to speak, I use their pellets and dried fruits and veggies to put in their foraging toys along with the nuts. Dixie and Beau are both suckers for Cheeto's so I give them one about once every other week.<br><br>Post edited by: rbpittman, at: 2010/01/29 22:56 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lambert58 Posted January 30, 2010 Share Posted January 30, 2010 For just our 2 greys, this is hard to estimate. We have 4 other conures that nibble into our costs but I'll do my best: monthly costs: toys: $10-$50 depends on what the toy du'jour is. dry food, 1 bag of harrison's/month = $40 (shipping included) wet food: veggies, fruits, cereals = $100 (homemade mash is pretty cheap... maybe $20 for about 6 months worth) Nutriberries: $26/month cleaning supplies, including extra loads of laundry, paper towels, etc: $20 So, about $200 a month for just the greys. Add about another $200 for our other 4 conures. Then add in about $500/year for vet visits (assuming everyone is healthy). About $5k a year.<br><br>Post edited by: Lambert58, at: 2010/01/29 23:36 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lambert58 Posted January 30, 2010 Share Posted January 30, 2010 We actually buy two types of toilet paper: the super cheap industrial John Wayne TP (doesn't take crap off of anyone!) for cleanups instead of paper towels, and then the fluffy, comfy, happy stuff for us lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted January 30, 2010 Share Posted January 30, 2010 Talon wrote: I don't want to know what I spend for 5 birds, so I don't keep track........ :pinch: I only have two birds but I don't want to know what I spend, it might shock me.:whistle: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvparrots Posted January 30, 2010 Share Posted January 30, 2010 Haven't a clue and really don't want to know, it might make me cry!!!! :woohoo: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debandbella Posted January 30, 2010 Share Posted January 30, 2010 I have no idea what i spend, i just shut my eyes and hand over money constantly. Then its my horses turn as well, its no wonder im permanently skint!!! :blink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casper Posted January 30, 2010 Share Posted January 30, 2010 I really hate to think! Lets see..... About £20 a week on fruit, veggies Harrisons £30 a month £5 a week on nuts Insurance £40 a month Toys at least £80 a month Seed, chewy sticks etc £10 a month Zupreem fruitblend £10 a month Aloe juice £8 a month Im sure theres lots more but this is a basic list. I hate to think what I really spend!!! Jill I think you need to share your secret! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joolesgreyuk Posted January 30, 2010 Share Posted January 30, 2010 Caroline, I think you have to times Jill's fid bill by 4 for you zoo ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JillyBeanz Posted January 30, 2010 Share Posted January 30, 2010 casper wrote: Jill I think you need to share your secret! Ha Ha! I really do sound stingy - you are all making me feel terrible!! Harvey eats all the veg we would normally eat - I haven't bought extra because he's arrived (I'm sure he eats the stuff that would have otherwise been wasted). I buy a big bag of dried "salad beans" that I boil up once a month and bag in little portions - which only costs about £2. I buy my pellets in those huge 20Kg sacks and they last ages. Yes, toys are expensive - but I've only had Harvey 10 months (what!!) and spent hundreds on toys in the first couple of mad months - so we have more than any pet shop round here in a big curver box - and anyway - I'm finding that doorframes are far more attractive than any expensive toy you could buy!! And yes Caroline - I agree with Julie - mine is just one fiend - you have 4 (I shudder with anxiety!!!) :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted January 30, 2010 Share Posted January 30, 2010 Funny how you identify Harvey, a "fiend" really Jill, I hardly doubt that Caroline thinks of her greys that way but yes as far as fruits and vegetables are concerned it is as you stated, one bird doesn't eat that much so you don't have to buy more than you would otherwise. Food is not the big expense, the toys and vet bills far outweight the food expense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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