Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!csd4.milw.wisc.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!intercon!ooblick@intercon.uucp
From: ooblick@intercon.uucp (Mikki Barry)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: Re: Wild caught v. domestic (was Birdwatchers vs. bird owners)
Message-ID: <1329@intercon.UUCP>
Date: 2 Aug 89 15:52:03 GMT
References: <558@ncrorl.Orlando.NCR.COM> <3012@nmtsun.nmt.edu> <1316@intercon.UUCP> <8915@cs.Buffalo.EDU>
Sender: news@intercon.UUCP
Reply-To: ooblick@intercon.uucp (Mikki Barry)
Organization: InterCon Systems Corporation
Lines: 54


In article <558@ncrorl.Orlando.NCR.COM>, bjb@ncrorl.Orlando.NCR.COM (Barbara Bowen) writes:
> Those birds listed as endangered species are not allowed into this country
> as imports.  One needs a FEDERAL PERMIT in order to own/transport/whatever
> existed in this country prior to being declared endangered.  (See CITES.)
> In most states, one also needs a state permit to breed exotics (birds, fish,
> reptiles, whatever).  One must meet habitat, dietary and sanitary require-
> ments, and is subject to surprise inspections by the State Wildlife and/or
> animal control.  There are also laws PROHIBITING setting these exitics
> free.  If their own country doesn't want them, and no other country can
> take them in, perhaps extinction is the only recourse?

I just applied for my federal permits.  I'll let you know how long it takes.
Once the government gets involved with ANYTHING, you might as well wait for
years.  Oh well.

Having just become a breeder over the weekend (proud caretaker of 12 pair
of assorted everythings...I'll explain via e-mail for anyone interested),
I've been doing a bit of research on the breeding problems of domestic birds.
Many species, especially cockatoos make lousy parents if both are domestic.
Eggs often have to be incubated rather than letting the parents brood.  Other
domestics are so bonded to their human companion that they won't even take
a mate (apparently, some don't even know they *are* birds).  So, how does
one make sure to get a LEGAL wild caught bird for breeding?

If the government gets involved and has an "agency for breeding exotic birds"
or something of that sort, and subcontracts out to established breeders,
one would assume that they would issue a set of guidelines for taking care
of the breeders and hopefully the chicks the produce.  Since no two breeders
can probably agree on diet/sanitation/nest boxes/humidity/cage size/cage
condition/nesting material/lighting etc. etc., how can any set of guidelines
be issued, never mind adhered to?  

Current quarantine laws are also inadequate.  Just because a bird has a quarantine
band does not mean it has been imported legally.  Many people have been charged
with smuggling recently, and they were banding their birds with bands that
looked very much like the quarantine bands.  It used to be that you could
call the USDA with the band number and ask if the bird was legal.  Now, apparently,
that is very difficult to do.

So what can we do to keep a steady supply of domestics for the pet market,
while making sure we aren't buying smuggled birds?  (domestics for re-release
into the wild are much more tricky because of the human interaction necessary
to maintain the health of the chick once its born.  Those that have to be
hand fed bond to humans and if released, fly to the nearest person)  Although
smuggled birds are often cheaper, they could be carrying psittacosis and/or
Newcastles disease.  While quarantine only insures that the birds were fed
medicated pellets for 30 days (it takes a minimum of 45 to arrest psittacosis)
and if the bird has Newcastles it will certainly die during the 30 days (taking
the entire stock of the station with it), this does not mean that the bird
is healthy.  Does anyone have any ideas?

Mikki barry
--