KAYTEE MASS PRODUCING PARROTS?

The following information has been sent through various sources on e-mail, but I have tried to sort through some of the stuff that has come across. Apparently it is believed that Kaytee has some sort of plan to purchase 4-5 week-old parrot chicks, hand-feed them Kaytee handfeeding formula, and then mass-distribute the chicks to some of the larger pet store chains. Please read this article. Although we don't have definite verification of this story, it nonetheless is important for every bird breeder to know where his/her chicks are going. Don't be guilty of participating in a "puppy mill" type of business. Your reputation means everything.

Recently I have been made aware of your current program of buying young unweaned parrots from breeders. I understand they are to housed together and fed only twice a day. My understanding is that these birds are to be supplied to the Petsmart and other large chain pet stores.

I for one, and I know there are many others, think that this is wrong, wrong, wrong!!!! Baby parrots need to be weaned and socialized properly to make good pets. Limiting their feedings and housing them together without human interaction will only

produce a sad bird. Also the chance of a mass epidemic going through your facilities and spreading to major pet stores is not impossible. How can these birds be properly immunized if they are only in your facilities for 2 weeks? Who is going to train the pet store people in feeding techniques? The way babies are fed does vary between species. I buy a lot of Kaytee products but as of today I will cease to do so. Unless you inform me that these facts are incorrect I am also personally going to visit pet stores in my

Areas to complain about your actions and urge them to boycott your products, if indeed these are the facts. I am very disappointed at a firm that advertises its extensive avian knowledge would ever even consider such a program. I am more than willing to believe I may not have all the facts. Please advise me. And, please do not do this. Your plans could create the release of unsociable pet parrots into our natural populations in great numbers. This also would be disastrous.

I recently sent this letter to Kaytee products. We should all send something similar. I think we can have an effect. Importantly, we can also use the press. Remember how the news stations exposed puppy mills? (Note: I have stated ,if these are the facts.)

One way they can be reached is through their Website - http://www.kaytee.com/contact.html, email -   customerservice@kaytee.com. Later we can send e-mails to company officials. I personally would like to see their mailbox over flowing with our emails by tomorrow.

Although this has been stated before in other messages, this is some of the information I have at this point:

Plans include picking up chicks from 4-5 weeks old by van from several breeders. No feeding will be done in the van. The parrots would be warehoused at a facility in Las Vegas with the intent of only keeping them for 14 days. The facility can house up to 3,000 birds. They would be fed a modified Kaytee handfeeding formula with the addition of prophylactic antibiotics. The birds will only be fed 2 times a day and the plan is to keep them at the facility for no more than 14 days before they go to a retail environment - most likely one of the large pet chain stores. An important question - will the stores educate their employees about the proper care, feeding, weaning, and socialization of parrot chicks?

Several people from various organizations have called Kaytee directly ask them about the various points of their plan. There have been no denials as to the facts presented by Kaytee Preferred Birds in their attempt to find more breeders in California to sell baby birds to them. Statements were made by Ross Pittman, who I have been told is the Kaytee Preferred Birds, Manager of Sales and Procurement, that the company believes the plan to produce parrots on a large scale for sale to large pet chains would stabilize the market. He made a statement that he has moved over 100,000 birds through a Florida facility in 1999.

In my editorial in issue #46 of the Pet Bird Report, I discussed my serious concerns about the "Poultrification of Parrots" and why I think it is abhorrent to raise parrots with what I term "production ethics." It is my opinion that the large-scale production of parrot chicks with little or no concern for their emotional development can not be condoned by anyone who has genuine concern for the welfare of parrots.

I have been hearing rumors about the Kaytee plan for some time but only received substantiated information in the last month. As soon as I had any factual information, talked to several other people about this with the intent of getting information out about it. Although my editorial in #46 was in no way a response to this situation, it does offer my long term negative viewpoint about the production raising of parrot chicks.

There will also be further discussion of topic in PBR issue #47. I believe this is something that everyone who cares about parrots needs to think about seriously. This topic needs to be discussed thoroughly on all parrot-related lists so this message may be cross-posted.

This informative article has been reprinted from the Pet Bird Report. For more information about the Pet Bird Report, please contact: The Pet Bird Report, 2236 Mariner Square Dr #35, Alameda, CA 94501 E-mail: sallypbr@ix.netcom.com Web site: www.petbirdreport.com

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