"Taylor was a 14 week old Gray parrot sold by a pet store to a man who had never hand fed a baby bird. At 15 weeks, he had a burn hole in his crop and chest. At 18 weeks he was dead. He died in the arms of the man, snuggled under his chin and finally free of pain. Whose baby bird was this? Who took this precious Gray, fat and fuzzy, and sold him into his death? Did the breeder give a thought to the future of this baby when he handed him over to the broker or to this pet store? Did he care?

How many babies were in the shipping crate? Where are they? Are they alive--or dead like this, sold into the hands of a buyer who had never hand fed a baby bird? Taylor will have lots of company from other baby birds sold into death. The Rainbow Bridge is getting crowded. I had a very hard time sleeping last night, thinking of my baby Gray sleeping safely in his brooder.

My dream will live. No client of mine will ever hold one of my dreams as he dies from a burned crop. Never. This has to stop. How many babies must die before the sale of unweaned babies is stopped? All of these sellers transfer the risks-health problems and deaths to the buyer. The only way this can be stopped is for the buying public to refuse to buy an unweaned baby bird and to refuse to patronize the pet stores and breeders who sell them. Please buy your new companion bountifully from a qualified pet store or breeder who sells only weaned babies".

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This heartbreaking story was written and is copyright by Bobbi Brinker. It is being used with permission in an effort to stop the purchasing and sale of unweaned birds. It focuses on just one of the agonizing ways a baby bird can die from being handfed by someone who is inexperienced. Before you attempt to breed birds, please receive thorough training from a qualified breeder.