My name is Axelle, & I'm a mad bird lover from Nth Queensland, Australia.
I've been breeding & handrearing cockatiels & budgies for about 10 years but have only a small menagerie of feathered friends these days compared to a few years ago. At the most - we had 97 birds, everything from a pair of Suphar Crested Cockatoo's, Zebra Finch, Budgerigars, Bourke Parrots, Red Rumped Parrots, Quail, Barbary Dove, & my loyal favourites - cockatiels. My special addition of a Quaker Parrot came after I'd disovered a pic of this cute little green bird & decided that I was going to research them... No one had them around here *probably hard to imagine as they're so popular overseas, & after many months of researching & saving, I managed to find a breeder 1000km from here & lets just say - life was never the same again.
... That was until recently, our family has been companion to a gorgeous Quaker named Strewth.
Sadly - Strewth passed away about a month ago after being attacked by a snake...
We are truly heartbroken.
I've never been one to "replace" family members & I certainly don't consider it as a replacement - but as you all will understand - once you've lived with a Quaker - you just cant live without one...
I've tracked down another - again having to get it from 1000km away.
Our new baby will arrivie by plane this week & I'm so stoked... Quite a bit younger than Strewth was when I got him nearly 7 years ago - at 9 weeks old ~ this new little feathery will be 5 going on 6 weeks old... I'll continue handrearing him/her.
Quakers are becoming increasingly popular - but where I live - they're still few & far between, as you'll gather by me having to get one from so far away.
I can't imagine them flying free in the wild & being in "pest proportion".
We share our home with 3 rescued cats - Eartha, Furball & Mungbean & 2 rescued pound pooches - Snatch & Darkshya...
Our bird companions are Cockatiels - Steggles (old guy - my first-bred & handreared in 1998), Ophelia, & Limpy, Snowy a white Barbary Dove, DD (short for Dogs Dinner - not a pretty name admittedly - yet appropriate, after being rescued from the jaws of a dog some years ago), & 2 still to be named baby budgies recently given to me.
The last little guys I handreared 3 years ago are Angel Wings (a pure white White Face Cockatiel) & Pigglette a grey cockatiel who is a real character. The cutest part is that he has learned to mimic Strewthy & even now that Strewth is gone, Pigglette continued his memories on with his words & noises that Strewth was known for
I've never bred & handreared birds as a money making venture - but moreso as a passion for the breed... & never on a large scale.. The most babies I've ever hand reared at once was 5 cockatiels & they were always homed with people who met my strict criteria. I've always hand-reared by spoon rather than by crop needle - just my personal preference & I find it much more satisfying to feed by spoon.
I'm supportive of rehoming programs & adopting pets who are in need of a second-chance home -
Unfortunately - thats not redily done here - well not with birds anyhow.
I've adopted many hand-me-downs over the years & sadly several years ago - had to rehome the majority of my birds at one stage. It's also nice to come across a breeder who does it for a genuine love of & breeds their birds for genuine reasons.
I'm glad to have come across this forum & I look forward to getting to know you & learning a lot more from everyone...
Nice to be around others with a similar passion.
I'll post some pics of my baby after I meet him/her Thursday.
Peace Light & Blessings,
Axelle
Chuckle - my apologies for the miss spelling of "Sulphar" Crested Cockatoos & the word "discovered"... 
