Health Guarantee
My goal with baby birds is to get them off on the right foot. We socialize with the babies every day as part of our handfeeding or hand-taming process. They are exposed to my kids, to each other (we raise them in small groups so they learn how to live with other birds), and we expose them to the ins-and-outs of a busy house. For the babies who have the right age and disposition, we also begin hand and step-up training. We do everything we can to get them off on the right wing, but they are still young and are individuals!
If you are wanting to interact with your bird outside of its cage-environment, I highly encourage you to spend time during your meet-and-greet. Ask questions and get to know your bird. Once you leave our aviary, that baby’s life and continued success is in your hands! We are available for questions and concerns at any point in your bird’s life. We also encourage you to seek out an avian vet in your area.
It is your responsibility to research proper avian care and common household dangers for your new pet bird prior to bringing him home. For example, did you know that many different kinds of fruits and vegetables can be a healthy part of your bird’s daily diet, but avocado can kill him? Do you use air-fresher plug-ins in your home? Did you know that these and many other aerosols are poisonous to our avian friends? Although we do our best to help educate all of our clients, we are not responsible for what happens beyond our home.
So, with all of this in mind, another aviary that I admire offers the following health guarantee for their babies, and so I am borrowing their words to offer the same guarantee for the babies sold from Polly’s Little Crackers:
HEALTH GUARANTEE
We are confident that when one of our babies leaves our home that they are at the peak of health, or we would be able to ethically do so. It is for this reason that we have a health guarantee on all of our babies. Please look over carefully what this involves so that you understand what is required on your part for this to be in effect.
REQUIREMENTS
For us to be able to honor this health guarantee, you must have your new baby seen by an avian vet within 24 hours of picking them up from our home. The vet must be an AVIAN vet, as a regular vet is not trained or qualified to treat and care for birds. Should the avian vet find a preexisting condition with the baby at the check up (with the exception of normal bacteria which often increase in number when a bird is under any kind of stress) we will either exchange the baby for another of the same price or refund your money and take the baby back. Please note that we do NOT cover or refund the costs/charges of your vet-appointment, even if a health concern is detected. Avian vet appointments can become very costly depending on if you decide to have blood-work or scans done, so please keep that in mind. If a pre-existing condition is found by your avian vet, please contact us immediately. The baby must returned to our care within that 24 hrs in order for the refund/replace policy to apply.
Before the refund/replace happens, we will need from you:
- Records from the vet of what tests were done, stating what the findings were from these tests.
- A copy of the examination reports.
- The name of the vet that examined them, as well as the number and address of the office where the baby was seen so we may speak with them personally.
- As a reminder, we DO NOT refund any portion of any veterinary bill, regardless of its findings.
MAKING AN APPOINTMENT
Avian vets often book up quickly, so please do not wait until you pick up your baby to schedule the appointment. Again, for the refund or replacement guarantee to apply, this must be within the first 24 hours of them going to your home. Birds health can decline quickly, and I have no control over the baby’s health once he leaves my home. We have no problem working on a pick up time that will accommodate their appointment if there is a reason this is needed.
Our aviary uses Parrish Creek Veterinary Clinic in Centerville, UT.
AFTER 24 HOURS
Beyond that guarantee, we are still dedicated to helping you within our ability if any health concern arise with your baby at any point. Keep our contact and reach out if you have questions or concerns. Our advice and opinion should never replace that of an avian vet. If you are worried for your bird’s life, please call your vet for help.
I encourage you to continue doing weekly weight checks (via a gram scale) at home. A persistent drop in weight is typically the first sign of a problem for our feathered friends. If you find that your bird is losing weight combined with lethargic behavior, please call your vet immediately. Your vet may have a tech available that you can describe your bird’s condition to and better advise you on emergency care actions until he/she can be seen. In an emergency, most can work you into their schedule, so please explain the situation to them. In my experience, the smaller the bird, the faster they decline once a problem starts. You may only have a couple days once serious distress is detected.
I offer free weight checks and wing trims to all of our babies, by appointment at our location. I do not groom other birds, or birds who have become aggressive and thus require higher restraint. Please keep in mind that if your bird appears to be under high stress during the grooming process, I will not finish. Birds who have high distress during grooming should be groomed only by an avian vet in case the bird falls into shock. Also, I will not trim wings on a bird who is found to have an active blood-feather shaft among the flight feathers. If this is found, a different appointment will need to be made for after the feather is ready. If your bird’s beak has become significantly overgrown to the point of needing to be trimmed, this is a sign of a health problem and needs to be seen by a vet.
