One big question most buyers have is "What is the difference between handraised and hand tamed?"
I am hoping to clarify that exact question during the next few paragraphs.
HANDRAISED / HANDREARED / HAND FED / HAND TAMED / AVIARY BRED / PARENT RAISED What is the difference?
HANDRAISED / HANDREARED
Handraised and Handreared means the same thing.
It is traditionally a bird that is removed from the nest as a young chick (prior to feather development) or egg and handraised by loving people in a well socialised environment to enable the bird to develop and become a well adjusted companion pet.
Handraised birds are spoon or syringe fed 90% of the time. Occasionally there is the requirement to gavage (force) feed young birds and as long as it is not adopted as general practice it makes no difference to the outcome of the bird.
A truly handraised bird will not be afraid of humans and will not be scared to accept a pat from a stranger. Some handraised birds will be a little cautious of strangers but will normally come round within half hour and begin to get curious about the strange face.
The exception to this rule is some of the larger parrots that do take a little more time to become adjusted to strangers and may appear scared - but will NEVER TRY TO BITE.
A truly handraised bird DOES NOT BITE unless of course it becomes scared or is hurt and in that case the scarer or hurter deserves to be bitten.
A truly handraised bird has been given lots of love and attention and has been introduced to all sorts of different environments and noises like vaccuum cleaners, barking dogs, yelling kids and slamming doors etc... It has been introduced to strange people and other birds and or animals. This socialisation allows the birds to become comfortable with change and not to "freak out" at the slightest different thing or change in routine.
COST: A truly handraised bird is alway more expensive than other forms of birds. This is because the carer has put in weeks and in the case of larger birds months of time and effort to produce a well adjusted pet that with future love and nurturing will become a loved and loving member of your family.
HANDFED
A handfed bird is a bird that has been taken from the nest at any age from egg to almost fledged.
It is then hand fed by humans as often as required for the age and size of the bird.
Handfed birds are 90% of the time gavage (force) fed with crop needles or crop tubes
Occasionaly the carer uses alternative methods of feeding, however the outcome is the same regardless.
A handfed bird is often purported to be handraised but has not had any form of socialisation or love and attention.
Handfed birds are often very skitish around people and will run from the hand of a stranger and in some cases attempt to bite total strangers.
This is due to the lack of socialisation and lack of "play time". Handfed birds are fed then returned to their box or cage and ignored till the next feed and the only handling they get is at feed time.
This is common in the case of carers caring for large volumes of birds all at the same time.
Handfed birds often become more and more independant over time and often wind up with behavioural issues later down the track.
COST: An honest breeder / carer will explain that their birds are handfed and they will be less expensive than a truly handraised bird as there has not been as much time and effort put into the bird as with a truly handraised bird.
HAND TAMED
A Hand tamed bird is one of two things first one being a bird that has been removed from the parents when it fledges (flys for the first time) and then bought indoors and weaned by the carer and handled regularly to become used to the hand.
The other one is a bird that has been raised by it's parents but has been handled regularly by the breeder while it is in the nest so that when the bird fledges it is still quiet and not too scared of hands then removed from the aviary, this form of hand tamed bird will be marginally quieter than the first form of hand tamed bird.
Either way the result is the same, a bird that will sit on your hand and tolerate people and possibly enjoy a scratch or two.
Hand tamed birds can over lengthy periods of time become wonderful pets but will never be a true companion pet like a handraised bird will.
Hand tamed birds still have all the wild instincts that are bred into them by their feathered parents.
Hand tamed birds are more likely to develop behavioural issues like screeching and biting.
COST: A Hand tamed bird should never be mistaken for a handraised one and will cost a lot less than either a handraised or hand fed one.
AVIARY BRED / PARENT RAISED
Aviary Bred and Parent Raised mean the same thing.
A Parent raised bird is a bird that has been hatched and raised by it's bird parents with no interferance from people.
Parent raised birds are mostly scared of people and will happily take a nip if they get the chance.
If a Parent raised bird is purchased young enough they can become hand tamed with a lot of time and effort.
COST: A Parent raised bird is the cheapest form of bird available as there has been no effort on the breeder in the care of the bird other than feeding the parents.
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With all that in mind some good questions to ask to make sure you are not being taken for a ride is things like:
What age was the bird taken from the nest?
(any more than 2 1/2 weeks for small birds or 4 weeks for large birds then adopt hand tamed unless there are unusual circumstances and the bird has received all the correct care and socialisation as a handraised bird - the carer should make you aware of this)
How much play time has the bird received?
How often has the bird been handled?
(If only at feed time adopt handfed)
Is the bird used to normal household noises?
And ask some general questions about the type of bird you are looking at things like common behaviours, problems and stuff like that.
A breeder or carer should be able to offer you all the required information about the type of bird you are looking at if not one would seriously question how much time has been spent with the bird if they do not know enough about them.
