Micro- chips

[Talon]

WOW! After reading this thread.

 

http://www.greyforums.net/forums/rescue-room/110257-found-cag.html#110362

 

 

Imagine how nice it would be for the family and this lost grey if he was micro-chipped and he was returned to his loving family? Reading something like this really makes you give micro-chipping your bird, a second thought. Although my thoughts have always been, MY birds will never get out and escape...no need to micro-chip...I must say I am having second thoughts....:huh:

[Talon]

Just found this link...

 

http://www.animalresearch.info/en/medical/veterinary/birdmicrochip

[Talon]

One more interesting link......

 

http://www.crittersonthings.com/microchipping.htm

[Carolyn]

Mika was microchipped before we received him, this was done by the breeder. After I received him we then updated the information and put him in our name with updated "Return" information.

If he were to be lost and then found and scanned - the information they would have on file would be

Our names

Our home phone

Work numbers

Cell numbers

2 - Neighbors phones

Address

And very important his Vet and his phone.

 

With this info on file we would have a good chance on a safe return.

Also this chip would help in the case of Mika being stolen and then identified to the righful owner.

 

We all feel this will never happen to you, but there could come a chance, so why not be prepared.

 

Carolyn & Mika

[Dave007]

Another side to look at

 

I was traveling around and I spotted a parrot that was in a low branched tree ( would never see the parrot if it was very high in upper branches). I never scan the tops of trees when I'm walking around. So, I approached and the bird didn't seem frightened. I talked to the bird and eventually he decided to come down and over to me but he was cautious. I looked at him and thought that he was real good looking and seemed to be getting over his fear of me. He came closer and closer and I offered my hand and he slowly hopped on. Slowly, I turned around and walked back to my car, put him in the back and drove home. I managed to get the bird into my house and gave him some bread and he took and ate it. I was happy and he seemed happy. I figured he would be nice to own.

I have a friend who has a chip implanted in his dog and if the dog ever got loose and captured, the dog would get very sad with that person and the person would go over to the vet and have the dog checked out. Of course the vet would charge money for his services. The dog is a domestic animal and can relay it's feelings to anyone who has him. The bird is a wild animal and already showed me that he liked me. There's lots of vets around that care for 4 legged animals but the nearest avian vet is about 30 miles away and actually, I don't even know what an avian vet is.

I'm a person who only thinks of myself and believe in finders keepers. Do you really think I'm gonna make any kind of effort to find a vet that will check for a chip that might not even be in the bird AND pay for it too?

How many lost birds do you know about that have been returned to the original owner because of a chip that was implanted? Matter of fact, how many birds do you know of that have taken off and been found? When it does happen and the person happens to be a member of a bird board it's the top post of the week because it's rare that it happens.

Chips for birds are just another sales gimmick.<br><br>Post edited by: Dave007, at: 2008/12/17 22:19

[BaxtersMom]

That is a very good point Dave. We took in a lost conure last Augest. We did post several online ads, called various pet stores, vets & animal rescues would have given him back to his original owners if they would have come forward but I was not going to take him to the vet and pay money to see if he was microchipped or not.

 

So I guess you kept the parrot? We did:)

[Poppy]

I agree with this .I lost my dear old cat (shes16 1/2) 3 months ago she is chipped and it was only by a sheer fluke we got her back again and she was only 100 yrds from where we live !

[Dave007]

That was a hypothetical. I wasn't referring to myself, only referring to how a large majority of people would react. Yes sad, but unfortunately it's a reality and many birds who've been chipped have flown into the wind never to be seen again. Whether they were found or just disappeared is anyone's guess.

[Luvparrots]

Wow, everyone must have more hard-nosed vets then I have. A couple years ago my vet put an injured kitten down free, has read a micro-chip free, and called me to come get my dog that someone had left with them after reading the animal hospital's number on my dog's tag, no charge! Or maybe because it's a small town and we're more friendly in this part of the country!!:silly: :kiss:

[Carolyn]

Dave, with this topic I am afraid that I have to disagree with you.

I feel that this is new to the bird world and therefore not proven yet but has started to gain attention.

 

In Canada and I am only speaking for Canada right now, each Avian Vet does have a scanner, when a bird is brought in for any medical reason or just a wellness check, the bird is scanned and the information must match the person that brought it in.(If the bird has been chipped)

Also the Humane Society and the SPCA have scanners and scan every animal that has been picked up or brought in.

Pet Store are now starting to scan birds that are being brought in for sale by people, if the store does not have a scanner they can make arrangements to have an amimal control officer drop by to do it.

 

I no this idea is new and not yet proved over time, but if it just gets one bird back home I think it does deserve to be thought about, and looked into .

 

Carolyn

[Dave007]

Yes, maybe it's a small town and everyone may know everyone including the vet but again whether it's a free reading or not, you're talking about 4 legged animals which I already referred to. How about a flying bird like a nice looking parrot? AND, a bird doesn't have any type of tag on it that directly pertains to it's owner. Only the breeder's code ID initials, the state, and if you're lucky, the date of birth is on that ring around the bird's leg AND only if it's a closed ring. Or unfortunately it doesn't have any ring at all. There's a world of difference between a wild flying bird and domestic cat and dogs and all parrots are wild animals whether they're pets or not.

[judygram]

I will not micro chip Josey not that I feel she would never escape from me but I just don't think it is worth the trouble to do it and more than likely like Dave said if someone finds her they aren't going to check her for it, besides there is always the slight risk of some type of infection from it and I am not going to take that chance.

[Luvparrots]

Dave, the last thing I would ever want to do is get into a disagreement about greys or any bird with you, you are Dr. Flock, our Birdman of the Grey Forum, but I talked to my exotic pet/avian vet's office and they would read a lost bird for free if it were brought in. In my part of the country, the Northwest US, it is what our animal shelters and animal vets do. You are right, some people would just keep a lost parrot, but just in case... For the cost of $35 I am chipping my grey in the hopes that a kind person will try to return my pet if at all possible and I will do anything I can to see that happens with my beloved pets!! This is my personal opinion and, of course, I respect yours and anyone else's different opinion.<br><br>Post edited by: luvparrots, at: 2008/12/18 00:47

[Talon]

My 2 cents worth:

 

I like to think that MOST people are not that selfish and heartless. Yes, there are greedy people out there that would keep that beautiful parrot they managed to capture, but after some time, I think maybe they may be clueless and give that bird up to due the demands and needs of that bird. I like to think there are people out there like me, and our new member, who would do everything humanly possible, that would explore ALL avenues to keep that bird from loosing the only family it knows, and try to find his owners.

There are a lot of GOOD people out there that WOULD pay the $$ to have that bird scanned. It wouldn't matter to me if it was free or not. I would still make it a point to scan it no matter how much I wanted it. Too be that selfish, to find a bird or any animal, and just keep it without making any effort to find it's home is heartbreaking.....

 

I know that there are people out there like Dave mentioned, but I also like to believe it is the minority.

 

MY dog came to me micro-chipped. I have numerous pets over the years,never had them micro-chipped, and let me tell you, that to know, that if he ever got lost and was brought to an animal shelter, police station or vet, in my state, the first thing they do IS scan them. It is a comfort to me knowing there is a CHANCE he would be brought home to his loving family. Without it, he would be lost forever to us.

[BaxtersMom]

Since I took in a lost bird, this is how I feel about it...If someone finds a lost grey or any other kind of parrot I think the person who lost it should get the word out to all pet stores, vets, rescues, shelters and animal controls in a very large radius and online,too. A chip might be helpful to some but they need to get the word out too. I think the responsibility should be on the owner of the bird that got away not of the person who took it in out of the elements. I had enough to deal with as it was when I took a lost bird in had to spend a couple hundred dollars buying a cage and supplies right away. I called several of the animal rescue places and animal control, several vets, several pet stores and put up several ads online to try and find the owner who never turned up, then had to worry about where he came from. It was already a stressful situation and I didn't need a vet bill on top all that. Bonkers is a great bird but it was still a stressful situation unexpected like it was and it's not free all over.

 

 

I can't help it, I found what luvparrots said very offensive and I have to comment on it. I have lived in several states from the east to the west coast and find there are friendly people in all states, not just in that part of the country where luvparrots lives. And just because some vets won't check the micro chips for free doesn't mean they are "hard nosed" That equipment is very expensive and has to be paid by somehow.

 

Bonkers the conure is not a bird we would have chosen. We wanted to find the owners and give it back. Now we have an added responsibility since we took him in to make sure he is cared for. We did not keep him because we wanted a free bird. I can not get turn him over to just anyone because I don't trust putting him in a home where I know nothing about them or how he will live. I have already seen too many bad situations where people don't know how to properly take care of parrots.

 

Bonkers does not even have a leg band and think he is too small to be microchipped too.

 

Post edited by: BaxtersMom, at: 2008/12/18 02:51<br><br>Post edited by: BaxtersMom, at: 2008/12/18 02:57

[Carolyn]

It seems that this subject on microchipping is becomeing a debatable item.

 

While micro-chipping is a know way of identification for our 4 legged friends, it is very new to birds of any kind, so therefore it has not by any means been proven.

 

Yes the scanners are very expensive, and while some vets may choose to charge and some not is up to the individual vet and how they feel. Our agencies in Canada (Humane Society/SPCA) do not charge. Since this post I have called 3 private avian vets in MY area and asked if they would charge to scan a found bird to made an identification, all 3 said they would not.

 

It makes no mattter that you live in a small town or a large city, it is the end decision of the vet or agency to decide if they choose to charge or not to charge. As Erika noted, the equiptment is very costley.

 

But again I must point out that this is just a new area being touched on "the micro-chipping" of birds, so slow down and don't jump to any conclusions just yet. And remember every area of every country is different. In my pasted post I just pointed out what my area Ontario, Canada is doing to help re-unite owners, where other areas or countries may not be doing anything, and waiting to see if this works.

 

If a vet charges is his business not ours, if one does there may be others that don't, so it does not mean that they are "hard nosed".

 

Read up on this new subject, it may not be for you, but you will have learned something.

 

Carolyn & Mika

[Talon]

Carolyn, That was an excellent post! Very nicely written, and very much true!

Karma for you!!

[Dave007]

Carolyn

 

Yes, it was lovely what you just said. BUT you're very inconsiderate because since you're in Ontario, the least you could have done for me is to tell me what your favorite hockey team is.

Ever see the right winger skating around on the perimeter with 2 defensemen crowding the goalie so he can hardly see> Then the winger gets the puck and puts in a short chip shot that caroms off the goal post, hits the goalie in the mask and then bounces in right behind him. It's even more exciting when it happens in overtime. BANG, game over.

[Carolyn]

How could I have missed that point Dave of course its the "MAPLE LEAFS" I am just an old softy for the underdogs:blink:

 

You must be a real hockey fan as I have seen that you do enjoy the ocassional "slap shots" so to speak:laugh:

 

hehehe

Carolyn & Mika

[judygram]

Carolyn wrote:

You must be a real hockey fan as I have seen that you do enjoy the ocassional "slap shots" so to speak:laugh:

 

 

You have no idea Carolyn:whistle: :blink: :laugh:

[Dave007]

That's my only true sport. I love all the teams. I'm what yiou would call an avid fan to say the least. I thought the Calgary Flames were good. To bad they disolved the franchise. I've got all the games of Grettzky on tape when he was with Edmonton and won 4 cups in a row. Those were the days. Am I a hockey fan?

 

Well the start of my Email address is Grettz@

[Carolyn]

I can only imagine and I DO have a good imagination:laugh:

 

Carolyn & Mika

[judygram]

Do I know Dave or do I know Dave, only I know for sure!

 

 

{Feel-good-000200BB}

[Carolyn]

Dave

 

I am horoured to be able to call Walter Gretzky a personal friend of ours, he has worked so hard with us on many projects with the kids here in our area. I have only the greatest and deepest regards to him and his family.

 

 

Carolyn & Mika

[BaxtersMom]

{Feel-good-0002006E}