Rachel Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 Hello everyone, I'm another new person here... I don't own a Grey yet, but I LOVE birds (and all animals!). I bred and showed budgerigars when I was younger, and although they hold a special place in my heart I have been birdless for some time. I am finding myself leaning toward a Timneh Grey through some pretty amazing stories I've read on different sites (good and bad). I'm looking forward to learning lots about greys before making a final decision. One thing I'm not sure about is the cost of a Grey in Australia, but I'm sure its going to be an unpleasant surprise! Does anyone have any information on prices in Australia...or if there are any breeders in QLD. To tell you the truth I'm not even sure if Greys are only imported here, or whether we are allowed to breed them. Any information would be so welcome. thanks for your time, Rachel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sticks_n_stones Posted March 16, 2007 Share Posted March 16, 2007 Rachel, I haven't the foggiest idea what a grey would cost in Australia, but I can tell you our experience here in the USA. We lived in Wisconsin when we bought Watson. We paid $1,500 for him. We moved to North Carolina several years ago and learned that the going rate was about $900. As you can see, the prices are all over the board here, and I expect you might find the same thing there. Have you done an internet search for grey breeders? Often they have websites and will provide contact information. Some even post pictures and prices. Good luck in your hunt. If you find a good one -- and I really believe most of them are good -- you'll have a friend for the rest of your life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 16, 2007 Share Posted March 16, 2007 Hi welcome, Rachel - I hope you will enjoy this forum From the internet I gather prices are between $750 and $1000 Obviously I don't know if there are any 'discount deals' etc. in Australia on this kind of sales. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachel Posted March 16, 2007 Author Share Posted March 16, 2007 Thanks very much for your replies. I'll expand my search on the internet to discover more. Thanks for the welcome to the forum, I don't think I'll be able to contribute much but I'm sure going to enjoy reading and learning. I'm very much looking forward to a grey feathered friend for life! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 Good luck in your search for a TAG, Rachel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mcgyver Posted March 27, 2007 Share Posted March 27, 2007 You will find that greys are quite expensive ...a pair will cost you about (AUS)$14,000. The split up is like $4,000 for a male and $10,000 for a female. Where I bought my hen it was the other way round $4,500 for the Hen and $10,000 for the male??? There are not many breeders in Australia as far as all my searches reveal. I purchase my bird recently after searching for the last 2 months. BEWARE ...there are people selling Greys out of Africa for about (US)$400-$700, if you are not careful, you could end up paying $6000-$8000 in air fares plus the 2-3wk Quarantine time in customs at about $10-$15 a day ... in addition to the cost of the bird??? I can help you with the names of two breeders in NSW and they are very professional and if you are in Queensland they would ship the bird to you. The birds are expensive for this very reason ...they are rare?? Cheers...Rick<br><br>Post edited by: Mcgyver, at: 2007/03/27 16:52 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sticks_n_stones Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 Rachel, be very careful about buying your grey from a country where they live wild. Some unscrupulous people catch the birds to sell. The conditions under which wild parrots are held are deplorable -- truly cruel. Wild greys no longer can be imported into the U.S. because of this. I don't know the regulations in Australia, but it might be a good idea to check. Mcgyver might be your best bet for finding a grey, but WOW -- is that ever expensive! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachel Posted April 6, 2007 Author Share Posted April 6, 2007 Thanks Mcgyver, I was expecting around the $3-5000 mark but not quite the $10,000! Wow! I would be really interested in contacting your NSW breeders either way though. I definitely have no interest in purchasing a bird from Africa! I've read a few different websites about what these bird catchers do and its terrible. I am curious about looking in to purchasing a baby from America, which will probably still end up cheaper than $10,000...but I'm not sure if this is legally possible in Australia. I'm still doing some research. Thank you so much for your reply, I appreciate your time, Rachel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sticks_n_stones Posted April 6, 2007 Share Posted April 6, 2007 Rachel, within the past few days I've seen a lot of advertisements for greys with prices listed around $800 USD. Of course, the downside is that you can't see the bird (if you're from out of the country) or the environment where he's been raised. I have no idea about the rate of exchange between your country and mine, but judging from the prices quoted here, you could fly over here, stay a few days, select a bird and return home a heck of a lot cheaper than buying one in Australia! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotsmun Posted April 7, 2007 Share Posted April 7, 2007 I have a CAG here in Australia, she is four years old now and i got her hand reared once she was weaned. I paid Aud$4500 at the time.Now i believe the price is around the $8000 mark. The last 2 years have not seen many birds being produced apparently......hope this helps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotsmun Posted April 7, 2007 Share Posted April 7, 2007 I have a CAG here in Australia, she is four years old now and i got her hand reared once she was weaned. I paid Aud$4500 at the time.Now i believe the price is around the $8000 mark. The last 2 years have not seen many birds being produced apparently......hope this helps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mcgyver Posted April 7, 2007 Share Posted April 7, 2007 Hi Rachel ...regarding the reply by 'stick-n-stones' Going to America will cost you more, what you are missing is that you have to freight the bird over, it will nearly cost the same as your air-fare. Just to give you and idea, ...to ship a bird one way from Africa is between $6000-$8000, so the air-fare from America will be more. ...now add to that the quarantine stay of about 30 Days at about $15+ a day and finally add the cost of the Bird which will be about (AUS)$1100 if the the bird is worth (US)$800. Now you have to consider what the bird is going to go through ...it will be shipped from where ever your going to buy it ....put on a plane and knocked around for 17-18 hrs it will then spend 30 Days in quarantine next to who knows what animal, could even be a cat and then finally after 30 days you get your absolutely stressed and terrified bird?? I would almost bet you will end up with a bird that feather plucks, after going through that kind of hell. One last thing to consider ...if after a while there is something wrong with your bird, are you going back to America to exchange or get your money back?? ...if you buy a bird in Australia the breeder is rearing birds in Australia with food and problems assosciated within Australia, so you get advice relevant to your bird. Greys might be more abundant in America but the American breeder can only advise you with American stuff which is most likely not available in Australia. My last point ...because greys are more popular in America they are bred like budgies so the care and quality would be less important because they are plentiful. ...on the other hand the Grey being fairly rare in Australia sees more care in the breeding, hand rearing and the overall appreciation of the species. I say this from experience, as my bird Nandi, now 6 months old would have to be the most well natured bird I have ever had. The Vet, who is also a specialist on Birds and has written many books, praised Nandi on her structure, color, health and nature. To me I got what I paid for and more.<br><br>Post edited by: Mcgyver, at: 2007/04/07 14:56 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Monique Posted April 7, 2007 Share Posted April 7, 2007 Referring to the last post, I do not think that Greys are "bred like budgies". Having talked to many breeders in search of our African Grey, and having purchased a bird directly from a breeder before I can tell you that everyone I have worked with so far has been very conscientious of their birds health - development in health, feeding, fledging, their philosophies on when to pull the chicks and start hand-feeding, their policy against selling unweaned babies, their interest in my home and experience - wanting to make sure I will be a good home for their baby, and last but not least, their willingness to be available for questions for the life of the bird. I have bird people I have met and not bought birds from (one who doesn't even breed any more) who are always wonderful to work and help with. If Australia does have a 30-day quarantine I agree you don't want to look at shipping. I would check into it, though, because those types of laws can change and vary by animal so I would ask. I would also check pricing. Most airfares are not near that expensive. We used to be pursuing dog showing and I know England to US was less than 1000 US Dollars (or 500 British Sterling) to have a dog shipped over, and no quarantine period. Just don't give up and look at all your options. If a Grey is what you want I think you will find a way to get one that works for you!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreyMiester Posted April 8, 2007 Share Posted April 8, 2007 I'm lucky, My TAG was only $750.00 hand feed. The bird has only been around humans since birth and My breeder is close enough to my home that I am able to see it once a week while it's beeing weaned. I can't imagine paying more than $1500 MAX for this bird. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachel Posted April 8, 2007 Author Share Posted April 8, 2007 Thanks everyone for your replies. Each one has given me food for thought! I'll continue my research but Im thinking I'll probably end up sticking to an 'Australian made' bird, because of the stress factor. I agree that a baby grey is probably not going to cope very well with 30 days in isolation? during quarantine (and neither would I!). I would like to think authorities would have more sense that to place animals beside each other which would increase their stress level unnecessarily though, ie cat next to bird. In regards to Australian breeders compared to elsewhere, if anything I would have thought that Australian breeders, having such limited breeding stock would have more chance of onbreeding existing problems through lack of selection. I'm sure this is not the case though. I think it doesn't matter what country you live in, there are good breeders and bad breeders and you just have to arm yourself with knowledge to weed out the bad. Anway, am on the job! thanks again, Rachel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotsmun Posted April 8, 2007 Share Posted April 8, 2007 There are not many breeders of greys here and mostly any hand weaned bird will be be given alot of attention and human contact......you should be okay, i fell in love with my girl at 12 weeks when she said hello.......what can you do, they are such great birds to have the pleasure of their company....... hope it all goes well for you<br><br>Post edited by: scotsmun, at: 2007/04/08 13:07 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giggles Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 best of luck Rachel..I am in the same boat as you atm... beware of the scammers though they advertise as if they are in Australia but when you ask for more info they are actually in Africa, I am saving like crazy and researching madly while I look for a breeder here also. I am in Gladstone...good luck and if you should find your breeder I would be very grateful for any info you care to pass my way ...cheers hope you find your little pal soon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abdullah Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 thats expensive 4000! wow and i thought 1500 was a bit pricey but understandable lol...i created a price thread a while back we were discusing prices it might be be demand and rarity that affects price..in the US u find alot of breeders specially sometimes in one place..so prices drop to 750 to 900 at times which is understandable...i thought austrelia had a strict rule about bringing animals to the contrey specially parrots? thats what i heard atleast im not sure..but a friend of mine lived there and a few years back we were discussing this..something to do with birds or animals that are not native to austerlia not being allowed to be imported or something..again not sure..but i think its because of the effect some of the animals that have been bought by people from outside the countrey which now are driving local wildlife next to extention? em i right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abdullah Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 <br><br>Post edited by: Abdullah, at: 2008/01/20 07:52 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christina Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 Can you guys get imported birds? I did some research just recently as we were offered a position in Australia...we turned it down as you can not import birds into Australia (not even pet birds). I suspect this is due to the bird flu. I know they are listed on the CITES as okay, but if you call the embassy, they currently have a ban on importing birds. The same with New Zealand, we could have gone there too. I'm sure that is why they are sooo expensive. Good Luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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