Aussie Finch Forum

Three times over the years I have had people decide my birds would be better with them than I.
Each time it has left a bitter taste.The last time on todays values about $12,000 worth and not a trace
Somone had to have received them,that is why I and others are reluctant to tell.
These days when visiters are around security devices are disguised or not elaborated on.
Sadly it is the times.

djb78 wrote:And for this very reason is why some breeders don't wish to sell to the public so that nobody knows exactly what they have or how many. I know a gentleman that won't let anybody at his house but would rather meet somewhere else, the only problem is that you can't pick the birds directly and there's always a chance that if something else catches your eye that you might purchase it which I told him and all he had to say "well what else you after tell me and if I got it you can buy" the problem with that is I let my eyes do the buying sometimes and buy a good bird just on looks even though I don't need it- always think to pair it up later.

For security reasons I understand the why some sellers insist on meeting in a car park somewhere, but to me it also raises alarm bells about them, maybe the birds are stolen and they don't want me to know where they live or maybe they keep them in poor conditions and don't want me to see it, you also feel a bit underpressure to buy when the person has made the trip to bring them somewhere.

I only keep gouldians can't say how many but i have 2 big dogs

I live in a town of about 1500 population. Birds were stolen whilst the owner was being buried!! Do what you think is best to preserve your property and enjoyment.

I keep a range of finches, Canaries, Quail and doves. But as I only have 3 avaires set up and 1 waiting to go in place, it's quite a small selection. Do understand the concern of major breeders as I have helped a major breeder to get over such a devestating theft. Can make a previously very trusting person almost paranoid at every little thing and prone to wakeing to check for months. Not a nice thing to have happen. And they manage to vanish so completely.
LML

You should be able to keep whatever you want to, however you also need to consider that with birds (animals or anything else involving money) you should only invest what you can afford to lose.

This might sound insensitive but this is what I live by.

I think that the people who advertise on Gumtree or other sites and only list King Quail or Doves and also have more expensive birds in their collection don’t understand the potential risks. I wouldn't have just anyone around to buy my cheap birds.

The reality is that if someone wants to steal your birds they will!!

Its a pain in the neck but birds for sale here are caught and then potential buyers are met in the garage or if they have travelled they come into the kitchen for a cuppa .
Honestly I dont think I have a problem with people that travel , its the people in my immediate area that are of concern .
I wouldn't say I have an expensive collection but I would say for someone in need of cash they would look like easy money , that's how it is in Dubbo .

My loss would mostly be emotional as I have the collection I want and love them all .

Its not only the loss of birds its the feeling of violation , that you aren't secure in your own home .

thehammer wrote:You should be able to keep whatever you want to, however you also need to consider that with birds (animals or anything else involving money) you should only invest what you can afford to lose.

!!

I agree that you should only buy birds that you can afford to replace . . but replace in the event of losses due to reasonable circumstances, so that rare or expensive birds are not sitting alone without a mate and thus not breeding

To say that theft of birds or any other commodity is a part of life is a pretty sad comment on society

I have lost birds to weather events and to human events . . . philosophical about the first; bitter about the second

The 'human event' was kids, not baby kids but teenagers who did not steal them, but went to a lot of trouble to cut locks and release

I prefer the inconvenience of freighting birds to having strangers visit . . if that is paranoia then I've got it in spades

A little bit of paranoia goes a long way in the prevention of bird losses.

Some one may want to steal my birds and possibly be successful but they will find it far far harder these days.
As I have said before,my personal opinion is it is not someone that comes to buy your birds but a person who has listened
to a conversation or been told.
What really gets up my nose is that people will still buy them and in most cases would be well aware that they were not the sellers birds.

Just think back in the 70's, the aviculture society here in Victoria had a booklet that was issued to all members that contained all members names and addresses, don;t think it would go down to well these days