The Truth About Parrot Breeding
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by Heike Ewing Ott Raising cute little baby parrots sounds like fun. And it's an easy way to make some extra money, right? The truth is that there's a lot more that goes into being a breeder than handfeeding and selling chicks. This article is an honest look of what being a breeder is really like — both the good aspects of it and the bad. |
I've seen several questions on the list lately that seem to inquire if getting a mate is a solution for plucking, or bad behavior, and/or inquiring about getting "a few birds and having some cute babies."
I'm here to tell you, folks, it ain't that easy - or simple!
First of all, regards the plucking - any of you who didn't see my -long- post about Andy and Jade, I'll recap: Andy was a plucker when I bought him. I got him a mate and he breeds very well. Not only did this NOT cure his plucking, but he "taught" his mate to pluck also!! In their case, I am extremely lucky in that they do not pluck their babies and their babies do not grow up to be pluckers. In many cases, plucking breeders DO pluck their babies, which requires you to "pull" them early and hand-feed them, and often plucked babies grow up to be pluckers, or pluck their own babies. NOT a good solution!
And for those of you who are thinking about going into breeding, let me tell you a little of what it's like:
Just before I sat down to write this note, I had to kill a cockatiel. He was terminal, and suffering. There was no way to fix him, or make him comfortable. I'd had him for several years and he raised some fine babies for me. Fortunately, he agreed and was ready to go - he died quietly in my hands.
Two nights ago we unexpectely found my best breeder hen parrotlet dead. She was one of the first three breeding pairs of birds I ever bought. There was no warning. She died of egg yolk peritonitis. Her mate is depressed and not eating well. Will I be able to find another hen in time to save him? I don't know. I'm looking, but there aren't many around here. I may lose him, too.
Four days ago a pair of cockatiels suddenly abandoned their nestbox full of chicks and eggs. It happened while we were at work - by the time we found them, all were severely chilled. Only one chick has survived under foster parents, and probably none of the eggs will.
In the wild, the survival rate of chicks is about 50%. The birds plan it that way. They lay extra eggs as "backup" in case some of the first to hatch don't make it. In captive breeding, I get on average an 80 - 90% survival rate. That sounds good, but think about it - one or two of every ten chicks that I see hatch and have hopes for will die. After setting up 3 pairs of English budgies, we only got four chicks. Two died in the nestbox, 1 died while hand-feeding. Only one chick survived to wean. It was their first clutch; they'll probably do better next time, but it's heartbreaking.
It's constant work, too. Every day the birds and nestboxes must be checked, fresh food and water given, and the cages must be cleaned frequently, especially when hens are on eggs and have those big, wet, smelly poops. Babies must be pulled and hand-fed if you expect them to be able to get good homes as pets, and when they are hand-feeding it's three or four times a day, every single day, without fail, no matter how you feel or what else is going on. You can't go anywhere for more than a few hours unless you can take them with you, and your schedule must be planned around theirs.
Once some babies have survived, been hand-fed for weeks, and are weaned and socialized, what do you do with them? As much as you might like to on the first batch or so, you can't keep them all. Probably you'd like to get a little money for them, even if it's a hobby. After all, you've had expenses: nestbox, cage, food, hand-feeding formula, supplies, baby toys, etc., not to mention your hard work.
There are several ways of trying to sell baby birds. You can advertise in the paper, you can go to bird fair(s), you can sell them to a pet store, or you can get a booth at the flea market.
Let's try an ad in the paper first - that seems the easiest and cheapest. Now, you will have people calling you whenever they feel like it - dinnertime, long after bedtime, 7am on Sunday morning, just any old time. And of course they want to come over RIGHT NOW, or they're going to call somebody else. So you let them come…. First, although they try to hide it, they're NOT pleased at the conditions they find. Somehow, even though birds naturally lose feathers, sling food everywhere, and squirt poop out the sides of their cage, YOUR house should be spotless. Or they'll say "My goodness, I had no idea birds were so MESSY." During their little visit, they'll want to pet every bird you own, for sale or not. They'll have hurt feelings if you say no, and be offended if you ask them to wash their hands. They'll spend hours picking your brain, manhandle your babies, try to chew you down on price even though you're already charging half what the pet store does, and THEN they'll promise to think about it and leave. You'll never hear from them again. (Mary, Donna, Jody, etc. - I am NOT talking about YOU so don't even go there!)
But hey, it could be worse. Like the lady who bought a sweet, hand-fed young cockatiel from me. I probably spent three hours with her making the sale. Two days later she called me, then called me several choice names, and told me I had sold her a vicious, untouchable bird. ???? More concerned about my baby than my money, I immediately offered a full refund. I will never know WHAT she did to my sweet baby in 48 hours, but the bird I got back was a totally changed bird. He was absolutely terrified of hands. After two weeks of watching him bash himself up on the cage when I approached, and having him tear me up each time I tried to work with him, I gave up. I still have him, and he breeds for me, but it is still sad - he is one of the very few breeders I have that is -afraid- of me.
Well, so much for the newspaper ads. Shall we try the flea market? Sure. Just remember, people will walk up to you, money in hand, and take away your precious babies. You will never know how they care for them, if they keep them, or even if they survive unless the buyer calls back to complain. And if you refuse to sell - hoo boy, will they cause a scene! Bird fairs are a lot like flea markets, except the table costs more and there is lots and lots of competition and haggling over prices, plus the chance that your babies could get a disease from somebody else's….
Forget it, let's just wholesale them to the pet store and let THEM take the hassles. Sure. Let me forward you a few posts from the Avian Rescue list - horror stories about birds in pet stores. The pet store will feed your babies as cheaply as possible, not handle them, not keep them clean, and will probably let them die if they get sick. Even if they DO survive the store, they haven't been handled for days or weeks, and the new owner is likely to give up on them in frustration. Then they become a ping-pong bird, one that gets bounced around to various owners year after year until it dies or, if it's lucky, ends up in a sanctuary or refuge, or with a good breeder.
Are we having fun yet? Are we making money yet? NOT!
And there are countless more things I should tell you - How, in spite of all precautions and quarantine measures, a cockatiel carrying dormant psittacosis decimated my breeding flock and killed ALL of my babies. Then, because psittacosis is transmissible to humans, I faced having the health department confiscate and destroy ALL of my birds - even my pets. There was intervention and it didn't happen to me, but it could have.
Oh, and then there's noise - breeding pairs are noisier than pets. Some can screech so loud you think your eardrums are burst. Quakers don't have quite that volume, but the quantity makes up for it. Several years ago I got a "wild" pair and set them up in the "back bedroom." I re-sold them after two months because I couldn't stand the noise. I had cockatoos at the time that periodically rattled the windows and could be heard in the next block, but the almost constant noise from the Quakers (and some conures I tried) drove me nuts.
Breeding is a big job, and a major commitment. It can break your heart, take up ALL your spare time, and spend all your money. So, why do *I* do it? Two reasons:
One, I'm somehow "hooked" - I almost can't NOT do it. Once I got started, I couldn't - and can't - stop. And I can't tell you exactly why. I just know I feel incomplete and unfulfilled when I'm not doing it.
Two, I think that there need to be some breeders like me. Many breeders still keep their birds in small cages with no toys on the theory that if they have nothing else to do, they'll breed. By example I'm here to disprove that. My birds breed great with lots of toys in big roomy cages. Plus, I try to screen buyers, educate, help other breeders, and produce healthy, well-socialized babies that can bring joy to others. Still, it's painful sometimes, and hard work, and frustrating, and not half as financially rewarding as people think.
So, do you still want to get a pair or two of breeders and have some cute babies?
Followup Reply:
Judging from the replies I've gotten, I did my job TOO well.
I get very frustrated with people who think that breeding parrots is just fun and games - and easy money. Many people, when they find out what breeding is REALLY like, just can't do it. I don't blame them - it takes a certain kind of person to do it. However, the process can be rather hard on the birds. Like the lady who bought most of my breeders - where would they be today if I hadn't been ready to buy them back when she decided to sell them all again? That's why I try to paint a harsh picture, hoping that some of those who really shouldn't do it, don't - without getting any birds that have to be relocated when they find out they shouldn't be doing it.
There are many things that keep me going, here are some of them:
-The delight on a child's face when a young cockatiel steps onto his finger and "bows" its head to be petted.
-The people who call me, even years after the sale, to tell me about "my baby's" latest exploits and adventures.
- The elderly gentleman who sheepishly admitted that he bought a new Jeep so that his cockatiel wouldn't get too hot on the way to the lake cabin. (The a/c wasn't working well in the old one.)
- Laughing so hard I cry when an unsuspecting guest stands in front of the baby cage while I open the door - and instantly becomes a human playgym.
- That inevitable moment when a chick first realizes that I am a source of food, and a friend, and comes towards me instead of trying to get away.
- The Mother's Day call I got "from Joey" - Joey is the Hahn's macaw who lives with (and supposedly works for as a toy tester - what a life!) the president of Fellner's Fine Feathered Friends, a bird toy manufacturer in Chicago. ( Buy XTC toys! Help my Joey keep his job! :P )
-The countless times that a buyer has called me and said, "I never knew a bird could be like this!"
-Trying to keep from laughing at a just-pulled baby parrotlet, no larger than the end of my thumb, who is threatening to kill me. (It isn't nice to laugh - THEY are quite serious about it!)
I truly love breeding and it brings much joy and laughter as well as sorrow into my life - but it can also bring great heartache, guilt, and pain to those who aren't "cut out for it."
35 Comments on The Truth About Parrot Breeding »
March 19, 2007
deborah bivens @ 6:45 pm:
My Quaker just layed an egg. I thought "it" was a boy. I'm lost as to what to do now……..He/She has no mate. Would like to have chicks, but what do i do now??????? Help!!!! Please.
May 5, 2007
felicita soto @ 11:07 am:
I would like how long does it take a quaker parrot to lay an egg after mating? thank you
May 30, 2007
Traci @ 5:19 pm:
Hi,
I want to thank you for the time and thought you took to post the information about getting into breeding birds. I don't think I have ever read an article that articulates the facts better. I have been breeding birds for better than 10 years now. I have told so many people the same things because I have taken in so many many cast aways it would break your heart. But, still, I continue to have my birds and take in their unwanteds…why? Because my life would be empty without them. I love every one of them, from the smallest parakeet to the largest macaw. I had to laugh at the visual of the parrotlet threatening to eat you…I have about fallen on the floor laughing with doves doing the same thing. And boy, are they serious!
Thank you for being honest about the whole thing and sharing your heart. You have to experience it to understand what it is like to loose a baby when you have spent an arm and a leg trying to save him, stayed up all night watching him and have him die in your hands anyway….to watch a complete stranger walk off with the baby that you just poured your heart and soul into for the last few weeks or months with the haunting thought in the back of your mind…what if? It is heart breaking and emotional to say the least. Why do we do it? When your baby just opens his eyes and you are the first thing he sees. The look in his eye as he lovingly looks at you as mommy, the parents that greet you with "Hi!!" and "UMM!!" because they know you have something for them…Once you have that, who could do without it? I wouldn't stop for the world!
God Bless You!!
June 8, 2007
esther @ 8:00 pm:
I would like to know how long it takes a quaker parrots egg to hach
August 10, 2007
Anne @ 1:25 pm:
Chances are that the egg won't hatch if your bird doesn't have a mate. It's "unfertilized."
Ann McLaughlin @ 8:53 pm:
can you please give me some info on how to breed quakers.
how long they take to hatch etc
October 4, 2007
Lynn Hannigan @ 7:54 pm:
How could you stop. You should stop because even though you get joy from seing the babies open their eyes, you should know the pain they feel when they are rehomed over and over like most birds are. I bred dogs and cats until i realized how bad owners were. They almost always rehome their pets like disposable animals. I think all breeders should be stopped. There should only be a small number of birds, cats or dogs bred until the orphaned ones fined forever homes. Your happiness is not worth their saddness.
October 24, 2007
Tammy @ 10:48 am:
I loved this article. I have raised Rottwiellers and Rabbits and have gotten out of breeding both (I still have my breeders, they will forever be my friends) because of my fear of the homes they might be going to. Especially the Rotts, most people don't have the correct attitude or understanding to raise big dogs. They are not a toy. Unfortunately I see alot of people with this attitude toward all species of animals. I have been to many animal swaps. the care these animals recieve keeps me to my own tent because I can't stand seeing what I can do nothing about. It breaks my heart. I have recently gotten into pet birds, I have been raising peacocks. Your article has made me decide to do some more thinking, I thought about breeding, now I think may be I better ask my heart about it too. Thanks
November 4, 2007
Jennifer Lilienthal @ 5:29 pm:
My boyfriend recently bought me a male baby quaker parrot who has been handfed and weened. We purchased him from a very reportable breeder who we have had dealings with before. My new feathered friend is very friendly except when I am trying to put his toys in the cage. He will lunge at me very agressively. Does this mean he will grow up to be mean?? He is also prone to screeching in the morning and crying every time I leave the room. Is this something I should be concerned about and am I doing something wrong to prmote this behavour? Thank you.
Jennifer
December 29, 2007
Jennifer @ 2:06 pm:
hey my name is Jennifer Lilienthal too. Im from NE. I was googling, cuz Im bored, lol. And typed in my name. just thought Id say hi.
March 2, 2008
Gari @ 8:43 pm:
I am glad I found this sight. It seems to be an honest place. In 2004 I found out I had a brain tumor it sure took a toll on me , even though it it was not cancer. I found out in March and it wasn't removed untill Nov. Well My Daughter and I got got to go visit my Aunt for a month and she gave me a yellow crowned amazon and a themeh I already had two cockeils at home but her and I few home with My new birds so proud. This was in July of 2005 well the themeh took up with my husband I guess since it was a female but the amazon is totally Mine. Well while I was away a freinds husband was killed in July so she took off work untill Sept. She then went back to work so she gave me his Quaker parrot. I love all my Birds. I raised cockiels for awhile anyway I got up to 21 pet birds then I got sick again so I have had to cut back and It does hurt when you have to sell or fine them new homes you think to someone that will love and take care of them like you do.
April 7, 2008
kassabdra @ 4:44 pm:
hi, i would like to know about how long does it take them to mate or breed
April 30, 2008
jacob @ 8:49 pm:
i have 2 quaker parrots and they laid an egg, the person we bought it from said they were brothers. he wasnt truthfull about it. so what do you do with the egg? this is a first for any of the birds that we have
May 18, 2008
Flaka @ 11:51 pm:
Hi, My name is Amanda, i been searching for months about how to raise correctly a parrot since i was a little girl i always dreamed about having my own parrot. And i finally got it! I own a Quaker parrot he/she still a baby i thinks its aprocy 5 or 6 weeks old and i name him/her JALEN (means Bird of Light) and the breeder who sold it to me teach me how to hand feed him and i think i been doing a great job because he looks happy and healthy. But to tell u guys the truth im scare of how he is going to be when he gets older because i have a son who will be 3 years on december and my baby girl who is only 9 months. Im afraid he would harm my kids or my kids would harm my parrot behavior because fisically they wont because i watch them closely. I dream of a parrot well train and with great personality and most important i want him to be happy in our home. You guys got any tips for me? For the diet i should have him im well informed thanks to the info i have found online, And im still planing buying books and stuff like that so i can learn more on how to understand my Quaker. I know I will be a great mommy but i dont know if he will actually love me the way i already love him… =(
May 19, 2008
kim @ 10:45 pm:
Our quaker is a part of our family, or rather, we are a part of his flock!
He has been with us since he was 3-months old and has always been a part of the chaos at our house…that means we eat breakfast and most meals together, vacation together, always a part of any social event that we can be together. We are a flock. That is our responsibility as bird owners when we decide to take on a relationship with a bird. They can no longer have the way that wild life originally gave them, so we need to pick up the slack.
It is going to be very tough for you to give the quaker the attention it needs when you have such young children. Your children need as much attention as you have to offer until they are capable of doing things on their own…a quaker needs that much attention as well, in all fairness. I realize that your heart is in the right place, but chances are that right now is not the best time to start a relationship with a bird; they become attached for life (40 years for a quaker). Their world revolves around being loved, paid attention to and above all, being a constant part of the family. Just like your children must have it, so must your bird.
Please know that I understand that your intentions are so sincere; I do feel in my heart that in this very special time of your life, your young children's life and your quaker's life, it might be best for your quaker to be given to someone that can raise it with the love, attention and patience that it deserves and will also demand if its needs are not fulfilled…much like a baby and children.
You also are going to need time for yourself…
Please look forward to having a quaker when your babies are potty-trained, capable of dressing and feeding themselves in a civilized manner and when you are sane enough to take on another child (quakers are big babies!).
All of this is just what my heart is saying to say to you.
I wish you the very best.
Sincerely,
Kimberly
kim @ 10:48 pm:
Also,
I have an 11 year old and a 9 year old. I am speaking very much from experience when I am sharing this information with you!
Sincerely,
Kimberly
May 30, 2008
rico molina @ 4:27 pm:
WHAT KIND OF NESTING DO I NEED FOR MY QUAKER PARROTS
Teresa @ 6:47 pm:
This is for Amanda. I disagree with the comments that Kimberly gave you. I don't see any reason that you can't have a happy home with your children and your bird. I have three children, a daughter who is 10 and a set of 2 year old twin boys. I also have a pair of Quaker Parrots and I raise parakeets, of which I currently have 13. I keep my cages in the family room so the birds feel included and can be near us and all of the activity. My daughter gets the birds out for playtime. They are allowed to fly around the room. The boys like to hand the birds treats, apples are a big favorite. One of my sons likes to walk around with a bird on his shoulder. Of course I supervise the activity anytime the birds are out of their cages. I think that pets are a wonderful thing for children. They teach them responsibility and to be loving and caring. Encourage your son and daughter (when she is older) to interact with your bird. It will be good for both child and bird.
Good Luck and enjoy your bird.
Teresa
June 14, 2008
kym @ 9:50 am:
my mother has a quacker parrot. she has layed about 15 egg. everytime she has one she bats it around. well she had one on wed and another one on fri this last one she is trying to keep it warm by sitting on it. she has no mate she is all alone. can you tell me why she is haveing them and why she is trying to keep it warm thankyou
kym
June 26, 2008
kirsty jepson @ 6:05 pm:
WOW!!
Reading this really made sense!
Your fids are all very lucky to have such a lovely mummy!
I have owned a grey who was second hand and advertised as tame….he was (ish) although not tame enough not to nearly take off my 2 year olds finger so unfortunatly he had to go! I did vet the new owners though and he will come back to me if ever he is to be rehomed again (which doesnt seem in the future as hes a mommys boy at the new home hehe)
i currently own a pet shop cockatiel! who after many sore fingers and lots of frustration will come to me and be ok with me (doesnt like strokes though) but he wont tolerate any other human being! Today i brought home a 6week old quaker! i am finishing the weaning at my request and am in love already! birds are my passion have been since i was small! I do look to breed but in many many years and when i am confident i have all the right equiptment and experience to do so!!
More people should read what you have wrote!
We need more breeders (fid lovers) like yourself!!
June 27, 2008
BiBi @ 9:16 pm:
I have a quaker that is 13 years old and has just laid an egg. She has never had a mate so I suspect the egg will not be fertile. How long should I wait to remove the egg
from her. Further why is she having an egg at this age. Willshe be ok??????
Thank You In Advance,
July 7, 2008
matthew hill @ 1:06 pm:
hello, i purchased a pair of quakers about a month ago and they have been very enjoyable. this past weekend one of them laid 3 eggs over a 4 day period, how many will she lay? she is sitting on them and is very protective but does not mind the normal getting into the cage to clean and change water and food. i was also wondering, she had emptied most of the food out of the food bowl and laid the eggs in that, it is a metal bowl will that have any affect on the eggs? i had to put a second food bowl in for them and they are using that properly. thanks, matt
September 4, 2008
Jenny @ 7:11 pm:
Hi I have a quaker parrot that just turned a year old I belive he is trying to mate and that is why I had to look for his perfect match. So now I have the couple he trys te get close to her but they end un byting each other is this normal or they dont like them selfs at all?
Is this the tipical Quaker dance?
Plz help
Jenny @ 7:15 pm:
I bellive she can lay about 3 to 8 eggs I would recoment you to add some straw or something to keep her eggs worm because since she is trying to encubate metal bowl will not keep the heat.
Well I hope I helped you
October 21, 2008
Lee Baker @ 1:03 am:
I just wanted to tell you a few things. I love your article. Im glad that there are breeders like yourself. I am an avid bird lover- I have finches, parakeets, sun conures, doves, cocatiels, amazons and african greys. I am not a breeder- but have a few things to add. I noticed that some were upset about breeding but, truth be told, the birds I recieved from great breeders are quite a bit more enjoyable. And truth be told they are happier. I also have some that were rescued- some are darling, while others are untouchable- and I took them just to see that they are taken care of. But dont give up hope, there are some of us out there- buyers- who absolutely love our feathered children, and amist all the bad homes some may go to- there are still some really good ones too. Thanks, and kiss a birdie for me!
March 7, 2009
david f @ 5:06 pm:
what does it mean when a quaker parrot bows its head in a circular motion?
March 30, 2009
Robert E.Lee @ 1:15 am:
What an amazing post.Thank you. You have just described what I hope to be my next life endeavor.My wife and I are contemplating a move to South Carolina, Florida, that neck of the woods,build off the grid and breed Parrots.Thank you again for the post and I'd love to be able to email you again. Many questions.Thanks, Bobby Lee
May 5, 2009
margaret jackson @ 3:16 pm:
Will my beautiful hand raised Quaker forget me when i go on 3 weeks holiday.
May 21, 2009
suzanne still @ 6:16 pm:
I will try to tell my story of my quakers and other birds without being too boring .two of mine are rehomed they just gave them to me cage and all ,paco and buffy then someone gave me two females tilly and bonnie and my mother gave me her male clyde.tilly has maternal instincts so she bonded with my green cheek conure so all are paired off however although one pair had eggs once no hatchlings and tilly lays often but i know greencheeks and quakers won't have youngins'.i have had my tiels several years now right now 8 of them.except for the babies(4) of one pair they are also paired off. they are pretty much either bonded or just cage companions.i wonder now that i have had success with the tiels breeding if i gave my quakers a nest box would they breed they should all be old enough now when i first got them the females were both under a year old except tilly she was 4. my birds can be so cool lots of talking laughing and the only 3 drawback's noise level and they are very cage teritorial so they will bite occasionally and are of course a bit messy .i can sometimes hold them and pet them but have to be careful.i absolutely love and adore them and would love more birds but would like a baby of my own that will hopefully not be a biter like my quakers are like i said i still can hold them some and they call me momma and my husband daa-da and say a ton of things and are great but i wonder how having them now for a while if they will try to have babies.the females are now about the perfect age so what do you think.sorry such a long story but i just have to ask your opinion .one more thing we built them a pretty neat flight or small aviary for day time use this summer.will try to send a few pics if i have any on my new computer.
July 19, 2009
Roxie @ 8:17 pm:
I was reading your website and I think your intentions are meant well but alot of birds are growing extinct in the wild, which is why there are no regulations on breeding in the US. Alot of people take on a resonsibility that they arent suited for. However I dont believe ANYONE is suited as beginners. Everyone has to start somewhere. I have been raising orphaned wild animals for years and I have sat up many many nights with a sick baby looking for answers on the internet and have had many sucessful releases. Not always, but more often than not, I find what I need. If a person is actually willing to go the extra mile to aquire the education somehow of taking on raising or breeding birds, then I say go for it. Like you said, survival rate in the wild is alot less than in captivity, so why not at least give it a try. Live and learn. I am debating on breeding parrots. I have the time, and I will get the education….my heart is there. I hope you will post more positive things and put your experiences and help out there for people to learn.
August 9, 2009
cece @ 2:30 pm:
I have had my quaker parrots for 18 years now and my girl quaker Timmy is pregnant. She has laid eggs in the past but the last time she laid she broke all off her eggs as if she was angry. What should i do to help her out? When she lays should i remove the eggs and put them under a heat lamp and hatch them myself? That is if they are fertile.
August 12, 2009
girl @ 2:34 am:
Breeding quakers can be challenging, especially when you consider the fact that once you sell them they are somewhat out of your hands. I would be sure to educate your customers on the fact that quakers are prone to extreme plucking problems and they need to be prepared to care for them for their entire lifetime, not just when they are young. To be a responsible breeder you would, of course, want to assure them that you really do care about all the birds that you sell and because of that you would be willing to take the bird (s) back for whatever reason at WHATEVER age.
August 16, 2009
Michelle @ 5:04 pm:
we were told our quaker was a male, well today he/she laid an egg. can males lay eggs or is he a she? also, what should we do with the eggs?
September 14, 2009
cassie martinez @ 1:23 pm:
I live in Cape Coral florida and want to purchase a baby quaker. What is close to where I live to purchase one?
September 17, 2009
Phillip @ 12:57 pm:
cassie, i live in naples and we just recently bought a blue quaker from a lady in bonita springs. she runs a small shop in the flee market there. im not sure if she has any more quakers but get in contact with her and see. its called "For the Birds" her name is Maryann Fitzpatrick. her store number is 239-992-9921 i have her home number but dont want to post it publicly with out her consent. she recently came to my home and did a bloodsmear for me so that we could sex the quaker. tell her my name she knows me im sure she can direct you to may have birds in the area if she doesnt have anymore. good luck