We took our bird Pickles here because he was very sick, in the 18 years of him being my buddy I have only taken him to the vet one time. I cannot begin to describe the emotional distress that I was in. "It has takin me 4 months before I could even write this review. Now that you understand the state of mind I was in, let's begin: I took Pickles in to see Dr. VanZant Who is extremely knowledgeable and did everything she could to help Pickles. I will say this about Dr. VanZant... she does not mix her words, she tells you like it is, to a fault. She comes off making you feel like you don't care for your pet and you're a horrible owner of your pet. "At least that's how she made me feel" now after talking to many people and I mean many people, including people that have worked with her in the past, they all said to me that Dr. VanZant is an incredible aviary veterinarian and truly cares for the animals "which I agree with 100%" but she is very rough around the edges. So I guess what I'm trying to convey in my review is... I would absolutely take my bird back to her, and we did until the disease I felt was too great for my bird and I had to put him down I also took my other bird Peaches in to see her for a blood work up because I was afraid that she might have also have gotten the disease that Pickles had. Let's make it clear Dr. VanZant is emotionally hard to deal with in regards to your pet but she is a damn good Doctor who will do everything she possibly can to make you bird better again and in all honesty I believe she did everything and beyond to help Pickles. So I highly recommend For The Birds, and Dr. VanZant, just be aware that she can come off very harsh, and has the disposition of a chair. Quite honestly I'd rather have someone come off harsh but is competent and will do everything in their power to help your pet "and loves your pet" than someone who is very caring twards me but has little knowledge or experience to help. That's my 2 cents, do with it what you will. Like her I did not pull my punches, just spoke the truth. Last things last: again I can't stress how much Dr. VanZant did for Pickles to try to keep him alive. I just wish she would have show a little more compassion for the ones who are grieving while their pets are sick or hurt. It is possible to speak the brutal truth in a compassionate manner. read more

For The Birds - Veterinarians Near Me - San Jose, California

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For the Birds is amazing! My baby girl has been going there since day one and always had great customer service when she needed care! They have always shared updates, pics, and what I like most is when they show me videos of her progress when the times she had to stay over night Thank you for your loving care read more

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I am extremely disappointed with this vet office. My bird has been a regular patient here, and when I first brought him in as a new patient, I paid almost $800. You would think that kind of commitment would earn some consideration. Recently, when my bird became sick, I called urgently for help -- but was told they could only see him the next day if I paid extra for an "acute" appointment. Otherwise, the next available regular appointment was FIVE days away. This is absolutely unacceptable for a sick pet who needs immediate care. What upset me even more was the attitude of the staff. There was no compassion, no urgency, and no sense that they actually cared about my bird's well-being. It felt purely transactional. I expected a vet's office to prioritize the health of their patients, not just their profits. I will not be returning and would not recommend this place to anyone who wants their pet to be treated with real care and compassion. read more

This was the most condescending and humiliating treatment I have ever experienced at a veterinary office -- truly traumatizing. The veterinarian's manner was the worst I've encountered in any professional, absolutely dreadful. Having knowledge is not the same as having good communication or respect, and this vet exemplifies that difference. Nothing was done for my bird that another vet couldn't have done, except I was berated in front of others simply for asking questions any caring bird owner would ask. read more

I would take my birds to For the Birds as a first choice. If I had known more about "For the Birds", our darling parakeet would have been saved due to this Vet's knowledge. I took our bird to a closer vet in San Jose and she gave him the wrong medication and diagnosis - and he died (and they charged me!). When I met with this vet, she told me exactly what was wrong with him and how he should have been treated. This vet also provides low-sugar treat food for parakeets and other birds. They informed me of what toys to buy, what not to buy, and what to feed the birds. I learned a lot from them. If you adopt or purchase a bird, please take them to this vet for early care. They are amazing! read more

Amazing!! Small space so leave your bird and come back. Only wish a waiting room to wait with your bird. BUT I will never go anywhere else!! Amazing Vets, food, safe toys, boarding that is unconditionally mind resting just knowing your bird will be safe, fed well and engaged. Highly recommend!!! read more

For The Birds - Veterinarians Near Me - San Jose, California

Very close to me. My birds seemed happy to go there. Only focus on birds Has boarding service as well read more

I want to thank Dr. Van Sant and staff at For the Birds for the care shown to Sammy. Our female Cockatiel Sasha will continue her care here as has been for many years. Sammy has been a part of our family for 19 years and is much loved. The loving compassion given to assist him peacefully from this life is more than we could have prayed for. As we move forward to a new reality and grief there is gratitude towards all who participated in his care. Thank you Dr. Fern, Tracy, and Corinna. read more

For The Birds - Sammy Perez Laid to rest 5/1/21 - Veterinarians Near Me - San Jose, California

If you have a pet bird, please do not spend your money for care here. If you are a broke person who cannot afford veterinary for birds then it's best you steer clear away from this place. I once met Dr. Van Sant and the attitude she had was downright disgusting. Cmon, I am in an emotional panic because my former old bird was not feeling well. I was desperate for answers not hear someone be mean and unwilling to help. Van Sant is not only terrible but really power hungry. She is honest but doesn't really have the ability to show it. Way to toss your veterinary degree out the window. It seems like people at this bird hospital don't really know what they are doing. The operating hours for this place are terrible, with the lack of pet ERs that take birds it makes them a lot worse. read more

I drove my neighbor to take her cockatiel to For the Birds. I am the second 'Mom' to him and we were both nervous about what they would tell us about his health issues. Firstly let me state this very clearly: Dr. Van Sant is AMAZING! She is knowledgeable and just an incredible source of information. Who knew so many products on the market today and the historical instructions on how to care for a bird are wrong and can cause health issues? We both thought Dr. Van Sant was wonderful! She is direct but not rude. We both thought she was brilliant!! It was eye opening and so informational! The staff was incredibly friendly and knowledgeable as well! Which makes all the difference when going to an office. Thank you Dr Van Sant and to all the staff! On the drive back home there was a big relief that the little guy is on a better path. read more

Once I was able to get a hold of them the service was friendly, but do the limited hours and lack of voicemail response, my bird didn't make it and passed away... :( read more

I bought my scarlet macaw when he was 1 years old, he's now 5 and I take him to this location mostly for wing and nail clippings. All of the staff at this location are absolutely amazing and recognize my voice and know my bird by name which I'm always surprised by because I don't come in often. The pet store I bought my bird from was a little sketch so I immediately took him to the vet and paid over 600$ on blood tests to check for avian flu etc. they gave him a clean bill of heath. The feel confident with the staff when I bring my bird in and they know exactly how to handle him which puts me at ease. I always recommend this location to anyone who asks for a vet for birds. read more

For The Birds - Veterinarians Near Me - San Jose, California

I have taken my family of birds to Dr Van Sant for over 30 years now and she has always come through for my babies except for one awful time when my little girl a parrotlet named Kya was already too ill from her cancer diagnosis and there was nothing we could do about that. I still cry about losing my little girl but Dr Fern did all that she could for her and consoled me and even donated $ on her behalf to a bird foundation which was so compassionate of her. She did the same when my cockatiel who was almost 33 years old passed away that she had successfully treated for numerous illnesses over the years as well as a major surgery that he underwent with her. I recently took in my African Ringneck Nissy and lovebird Kaito who were both ill for well checks and I didn't even know that my lovebird was sick. Thank God she diagnosed him right away and gave medication to treat him. I realize that she can be very protective of the babies and can seem as if she is scolding the bird owners however I have learned over the years that she means well and is trying to advocate for your baby birds who cannot for themselves. I have come to not take this information personally as she truly does love the birds and is trying to get people to do what is right by their pets even though it can come across abrasive at times. I also feel that her delivery with this type of information has gotten much better over the years and I cannot imagine taking my bird sons to anybody else as I know that they are getting the best care possible by a doctor who only wants what is truly best for them which is all that I am looking for in the end. She really is the best avian vet in the area at least that I am aware of and I can't imagine taking my babies elsewhere as I know that they will be accurately diagnosed and treated well and I don't mind being humbled as a bird owner and parent of these babies as I know that the advice is coming from a place of love and caring and truly advocating for my little family. read more

I just want to say thank you to Dr. Van Sant and her team for caring for my budgie Splash this weekend. I am glad that I went and the care was excellent. Dr. Van Sant absolutely knows her stuff and really gave Splash a thorough exam and recommendations for his care and re-cooperation. Because this was an emergency visit it was quite expensive, but she did do some additional services for free which was very much appreciated. Splash is home and on the mend now and I am very grateful for her help today. I would highly recommend this clinic - caring people, excellent service, and a knowledgeable doctor. Thank you For the Birds - we will be back! read more

I am stunned at this so-called "avian vet" location. I think they had a change in staff members who are less caring and less knowledgeable. I have a budgie who is CLEARLY a baby boy and they had to ask me how old it was and what gender it was. It should be the other way around, especially since the indications are visibly present. The budgie is like one of the most common household pets under cat and dog. Even after I told them the gender of my bird, they called him a girl on my way out with him. I brought my budgie who I've had for 2 weeks for a checkup, and they did NOTHING helpful. All they did was charge me for medicine he doesn't need and for administering fluids to my bird? My bird didn't need fluids. I paid over the phone because I couldn't see the vets face or anything (SIP), I had to go on trust - but after doing research online, I realized what my vet prescribed could actually be dangerous to my bird if certain variables were in place. Also they recommended that my bird stay overnight if I was concerned so they could "monitor" him. I predict all that would happen is id come home with a big bill of unnecessary charges and a frightened baby budgie. My bird had an overgrown beak, and they never noticed or brought it up during his checkup. A few weeks later, I called the office to inquire about a blood test. The lady who picked up the phone sounded sooo annoyed that I had questions about what it tested for. She took my number and said she'll call me back, but she never did. I really want to get my bird a blood test, but frankly, I don't trust the people here to be caring and knowledgeable or make good judgements for my bird. I believe that in the past, they maybe had knowledgeable caring staff, but I have no indication at all that this is the case today. It's a waste of a good brand: For The Birds Forgot to add: I scheduled an appointment and they made me wait outside an hour before they contacting me. I had to wait in the car and eventually just wandered through Home Depot while waiting for the vet to check my bird over the phone. Also, I thought they would call me during the checkup, but they only called after the checkup, after administering unnecessary services they can charge for. Be prepared for that. I hope this review makes change. read more

One of the worst vets I've ever experienced. Just like every dang vet on this planet, they are sweet with you until you're indebted to them. The second I left my cockatiel with them, their true colors came out. . SUMMARY: They are SOCIOPATHIC. RUN AWAY. Avoid, avoid, AVOID this vet at all costs. I am begging you with tears in my eyes, TRUST ME and RUN. . . REASONS THIS VET IS HORRIBLE (in no particular order): . #1 This vet was extremely passive-agressive. She had a massive attitude with me and smirked at me or laughed when I asked questions. She made fun of me right in my face for asking a question. She is a complete know-it-all who feels better making others feel horrible. She doesn't care for any degree of small talk and will give you a blank stare if you're friendly with her. She wants you to submit to her like a pushover and that's it. . #2 She implies you're an awful bird owner constantly. Literally everything you are doing is wrong to this vet. Everything from your perches to the food you feed and where your cage is placed in your home. The best quality supplies you use are all very low quality or dangerous according to her. She implies your bird is in horrible condition in several ways and that it's your fault. Every decision you have made with your parrot has been wrong and has led your parrot to the "horrible" condition they are in now. She acts very threatened when you show you know what you're doing and immediately contradicts you. She claimed my boy is more skittish than other parrots and that it's very unusual, implying I've hurt him. She then claimed he's eating the wall behind his cage even though there is now way he could be doing that and she would NOT believe me. She boasted about how much better her aviary is compared to mine too. She also told me something is clearly wrong with him and that he is lacking in many vitamins before she got any bloodwork back. She tried to make me feel guilty before she had any answers at all. . #3 They had very little practical communication with me. The vet gave my boy medication before she discussed it with me and upped the price on the quote without telling me. She also charged me a higher price than she quoted me at and didn't tell me the moment they were charging my card. So if I didn't have enough money in my account, I'd have overdrawn and would be charged a massive fee by my bank. I would've appreciated being told, "Hey we're charging your card now; the price will be yadda yadda." But nope. They don't have decency like that. . #4 She will charge you for things you didn't ask for, even after you express you don't need/want those things. She gave him and charged me for an expensive anxiety medication when I expressed that I did NOT want it. She bribes you to keep your parrot with them overnight so they can monitor them, even tho your parrot doesn't need it at all. She will shame you heavily if you deny any of her bribes. They charge $160 for one night with them on top of the bill, so be warned. . #5 She'll try to bribe you to buy other things you don't need. Example: Their vet diet (that is apparently soooo much better than the food you are feeding.) The best diets and products you buy she will shame you for buying and will claim you need to buy THEIR versions of them. . . Overall, this vet clinic was absolutely abhorrent. They're clearly in this for money and nothing else. They don't treat you with the golden rule and don't care how others want to be treated. That lady does not find joy in seeing you happy after getting your parrot back. She is extremely unfriendly, condescending, and should be put out of practice due to her severe inability to interact nicely with people. She seems socio pathic and is completely void of empathy. She should be incredibly ashamed of herself and I hope she reads this. read more

This place deserves negative stars if we want to be completely honest. I can only speak for my experience with Dr. Van Sant, but I hope to god her staff is much more professional than she is. I brought in a cockatiel who had an accident for a visit. The clinic is predatory with their work, do not ask for authorization, and simply put they overcharge. ($75 to wash and dry a bird per wash, crazy I know). My problems are as follows: 1) Only after dropping my bird off for the visit was I informed it would be charged as an emergency rather than a regular exam. Should have been cleared on the phone. 2) I had made it clear I consented to an exam and pain meds ONLY. The doctor then went ahead and provided other services without calling me to authorize this service. In pervious experience veterinary professionals ALWAYS call to authorize care BEFORE giving it and charging you for it. 3) When asking for an estimate, I was informed services I did not authorize were already completed and billed. I called to negotiate because the bill had suddenly multiplied to more than I could afford. Dr. Van Sant was beyond rude, bordering on hostile, and threatened to call animal control because I didn't want to pay the exaggerated cost for some services I could've done at home and did not authorize. 4) Dr. Van Sant does a fantastic job of trying to guilt trip you into paying your ridiculous fee, by saying your bird will die, or be horribly disfigured without her care. Combined with the fact that they bill before you even know what you got billed for, this is downright predatory and frankly a little disgusting. 5) Like others have mentioned they try to force you to take your bird back into a plastic box. When you refuse (because most people have plastic boxes at home), they turn their noses up at you In summary save your money, see another avian vet. This place is obviously only in it for the cash. Find a place that will actually care for our bird, not milk you for every cent they can. read more

I'm a new parrot owner. I brought in the Conure we had just bought from Petco because it looked like it had a poorly healed foot injury. Turned out that was exactly the case. Dr Fern spent over an hour with us-- not only looking over our bird, Sunny, but helping me brainstorm how to help our bird recover. She also spent time describing what changes in Sunny's behavior I should expect to see over the next couple years. We spent a good bit of time on nutrition as well-- how to keep our Sunny healthy even with the family foos allergies. Some of the negative reviews below surprise me, because Dr Fern was very explicit about not needing to run some tests because my bird was unlikely to have those diseases. It seemed to me like the office was trying to save me money, not the opposite. I grew up around doctors for humans, and this felt like exactly the kind of honest, specific, and expert feedback you want. read more

Echoing what many others have said - steer clear of this place and Dr. Van Sant, in particular. There are many better, honest providers who actually have the credentials to claim an avian specialization and who actually care about your bird. read more

***Update*** It seems like the doctor asked someone to reviewed my comment as FUNNY and add some additional positive comment for this place? IF you think killing my bird is funny, You are NOT a F*** Human being JENNIFER F. ********** My conjure passed away a few hours after treated here. She wasn't feeling well but definitely not to state that she couldn't make it through the night. During whole treatment process, lots of test were done and nothing found, the doctor gave my bird lots of injections anyways--which I should have stopped. At first looking at these mediocre yelp reviews, I kind of convince myself that yelp cannot judge a doctor's skills, but in this case it did. This doctor either professionally incompetent or simply don't care, either way I do recommend anyone to THINK TWICE before you come over here. This review is not posted out of angry but regrets--I wished I'd take my bird to someone else. I wish pet owners who can see this review can make better decisions so you don't have to go through the same pain I'm having right now. read more

Ok, I read all of these reviews. I will begin with bad before good. Does the Dr have poor bed side manor-yes. I've learned to deal/communicate with her. Is bringing your bird here expensive-yes. Do they do many tests, yes but birds are not like other animals and die easily. So I can't say there unnecessary tests. She also checks for underlying bird health issues beyond what you brought them there for. Also, if you can't afford care of a pet, maybe you should not have one (sorry for that! You chose to be a pet parent, they did not chose you.) Do you sometimes wait a long time after appt time-yes. But she is the only avain vet in the area, most other vets are "exotic" or "general" vets, not bird experts. While you wait, she's saving someone elses baby because yours may not be as critical. Does she make you feel like a birdie parent failure-yes. But that may be because she wants them under optimum care - humans be dammed! Now for the good. I do find her staff to be kind and helpful. For me, I don't care about her communication skills. I only care if she is a good vet. She really knows her stuff, she has your birds best health in mind. She lives and breaths bird health! I did have a bird die on me here but the bird was to sick when she got her and I do feel she did her best! I took my bird from a general vet to her, maybe to late. Maybe the illness was of a critical nature, she cannot perform miracles. Humans need to understand that birds are small and from the point they show signs of illness, they could be close to death. Humans need to understand that birds can bond to much with their owners causing either bad behaviors or physical illness due to being in a constant state of amorousness. My female birds are like that, it's a constant balance act keeping them healthy. She has guided me in this area. My Summary: She is the best vet in the bay area money can buy. I've learned to deal with her but that's because she knows her stuff and I trust that when in her care she will do what ever is needed to make them better. (FYI: She has softened and learned to communicate better with humans) Most importantly, I trust her more than I've ever trusted a vet with my birds before. For illness or injury, I would never go anywhere else. My question to review readers is: do you care if she's a people person or the best? Screw me, she's worth my patience. I'm not the most patient person to deal with either! read more

Did not get so much as a follow up "how is she doing?" call after my chicken's lengthy hospital stay ($1200) with zero diagnosis because that would cost even more. My girl didn't last even through the night and this place never bothered to call and ask. I have taken 3 dogs and chickens for veterinary care and every single one has called after every single visit. Not this place. Surprise! I have since found an amazing vet for chickens. Very familiar with poultry ailments with quick, honest, upfront answers without bleeding your credit card. PM me and I will be happy to share. Again, steer as far away from this nasty place as you can. Complete fraud and will tell you you are stupid in the meantime. read more

The service is great here & they are 100% honest with you, we've gone to a couple of vets and this vet has left my family and I in complete shock of how great they were to our bird Blue. Blue went in with a wing injury and bones out his skin and they kept him for 4 days and when we picked up Blue he was so much better, it was a relief! Another vet told us they had to cut his wings and I definitely said no and thankfully I found " For the Birds " . Thank you for your work! We are happy with the service provided read more

For The Birds - Blue - Veterinarians Near Me - San Jose, California

We've been coming here for many years (about 8) with our Pineapple Green Cheek Conure, Jacarè. My first impression wasn't great as the doctor does seem to come off as a scolding parent but I had to take into consideration that she's probably met a lot of people that don't properly care for their bird because they just haven't researched enough or whatever the case may be (pet abandonment). It's all in the best interest of the bird. We're also use to being scolded by our doctors in various ways. Again, it's for the best interest of optimal health and happiness. All the nurses/techs/front line have been very nice and generally chatty as they all love birds and have known us for some time. This is 1 of 2 good avian vets in the Bay Area and it's worth the 45min drive for us to get quality care for our bird. read more

This was like a yr ago by the way. Well came again since I have taken on a 2nd bird (not by choice but as an act of kindness). My Indian ringneck was acting quiet and sneezing often so like a good pet owner I rushed to make a last min appt. Again met Dr. FERN VAN something, and this time not only was she straight up rude but made us feel like horrible people for owning a bird and by her standards not taking care of him. So we run tests and find out he has a mild sinus/allergy thing, like most the animals in the bay area. We feed him only natural food, fruits, veggies, fresh water and non colorful or toxic toys. Yet were still doing it wrong in her opinion. It got to the point my husband had to tell her that she was "Nolonger being helpful and made made us feel horrible and worthless so maybe we should go elsewhere to not get verbally attacked every visit with You". She did apologize and changed up her attitude real quick so I appreciated that. Next time we go were asking to see Dr. Siri since she is very kind and very knowledgeable. read more

Terrible service. We scheduled an appointment a week and half before. We called in advance (30 minutes before appointment) to see if they were running on time -- they said they were. Well, as is OFTEN the case, they were running over two hours late. They took our bird, left her in an empty room for almost an hour without doing anything. It made no sense. The owner often contradicts herself, and will LOVE to tell you about how people shouldn't own birds (ironic given the number of them she owns). Came out and YELLED at us for not having an appointment? The same appointment they called to remind us of the day before? The same appointment we confirmed before going? In other words, absolutely no sense of organization management. She berates her employees out in the open waiting room. I feel sorry for them. She has just no sense of professionalism or emotional maturity. Be prepared to pay $75 for an 'exam fee'. No matter if you have done it recently. These 'exams' typically last about 40 seconds. It's a total con. That was it for us -- we told them we would never come back; and we won't. BY THE WAY -- the woman in charge is NOT an Avian vet -- she is a general vet who likes to pretend she's an expert in birds. read more

This is the place to go if you want an expert in avian care both medical and behavioral to help you and care for your bird. this is not the place to go if you want to be coddled and told that you're a wonderful pet owner. :). There's everyone else in the world to do that for you. The vets here have relevant scholarly and research experience in their fields and you're not subject to regurgitation of what you read on the Internet that may or may not be true about bird health and bird behavior the way a non-specialist vet or simply a less experienced avian vet is prone to, in my experience. I have an eclectus and most parrot information online does not apply to me - even the information that isn't out right wrong for a lot of other parrot species! You may want to check ahead as one vet may specialize more in one species than another - I don't know. it can get expensive if you choose to do all the bloodwork and fecal testing that's recommended. You can choose only to do some parts and not others to keep your costs low and get advice for what the vet thinks is essential if you're there for specific health reason. For example feather plucking. On your first visit you get a nice folder with all kinds of information about behavior for your bird and it's basically trying to train the owner to take care of the bird in an optimal way for the birds health. I thought that was clever and compassionate for both the owner and the bird. They have a little shop with some nice items like spray aloe and recommended pellets for sale. front desk staff are helpful and there is coffee. I do wish the testing expenses to qualify for boarding and the boarding costs weren't as high but I do recognize that it could be worth it to many people to have such medical expertise for their bird on hand. I haven't read the other reviews but I could see someone thinking the "bird-side manner" of the vets could be more direct than they are used to, but I personally love that and prefer things to be fact based and not glossed over if there's something I could be doing differently. I usually ask and admit where I know I'm likely falling short in my care. A lot of the issues for the birds we keep (as you may hear a vet say) is that they are not meant to be kept as pets. So some of the dysfunction I think we experience as owners is related to not being able to replicate as healthy a total living environment for them as we would like (I feel this way living in an apartment sometimes even as a human!). I personally would love more accurate information out there (like these vets give) about my species so that I wouldn't waste so much time doing the wrong things for him. So blood tests nasal swabs cultures most of that you get the results right on the spot which is nice. I've never felt rushed and that takes plenty of time with me to answer all my questions. The text seem really skilled and calm and helpful with birds and restraining mine. Mine is even trying a hormone implant to see if that helps with his feather plucking Well I work on some of the other environmental and diet variables. I didn't hear them screaming when they took him to the back but it was fun to see him on a tiny dose of Valium looking so relaxed. They handled him so well and he he didn't seem traumatized at all. read more

I've boarded my bird at many places in many cities over the many years that I've owned him, and this was the worst experience I've ever had. First, the vet insisted they do their own tests to verify his health condition, even though I had paperwork from another vet showing that he was in great health (no diseases, etc.). I was in a bind, about to go on vacation soon, so I agreed to the tests. They performed the services without giving me a price ahead of time - big mistake!! I was left with an OUTRAGEOUS bill that I had no choice but to pay since the work was already done. Like I said, I've been through this before and I've never paid even close to as much as I had for these same tests. The total for the pre-boarding tests was around $580!! At first I thought that was including the week-long boarding (which would have been a reasonable total), but it wasn't. Like I said, I was in a bind, so even though I was furious at having to pay such an expensive tab, I continued to board the bird with this vet. That brings me to issue number two. The vet decided that my food wasn't good enough (even though it's kept him alive and healthy for 20 years), so they decided to transition him over to their own special food during the boarding. So now I either have to continue feeding him their undoubtedly-expensive food, or transition him back to his regular food. Oh, and I wasn't given any of their food to bring home, so that "transition" is basically going to happen overnight - not good for the bird, but what choice do I have? Whether or not their food is truly better, their decision to change his food without asking me is completely out of line and irresponsible. It almost feels like a scam business - I really wanted to report them to the BBB after that no-estimate lab bill. I might still do it. The food switch isn't a reportable offense, but I feel it's even worse as it actually does harm to my bird. I'm not even going to start on the bedside manner of the vet - that's been covered in plenty of other reviews. It wasn't 100% bad, as they did perform a rush job on the lab tests and got us booked on short notice for the vacation. However, the price we paid (monetary and otherwise) was too high and we will never go back there again. After I post this review, I'm going to forget that this vet exists. read more

For the Birds is one of the avian vets that Mickaboo Companion Bird Rescue works with when we take in a sick or injured bird. There are two vets here - Dr. Fern Van Sant and Dr. Laura Bellinghausen - as well as several vet techs. They only see avians here - no cats, dogs, or other exotics. The practice belongs (to my understanding) to Fern Van Sant, and she knows her stuff. I do know that she has misdiagnosed (or missed a diagnosis completely) with the birds of other people I know, but I also know that is true for every avian vet Mickaboo works with. On the flip side, Fern caught an illness in my macaw that two other highly qualified vets missed - and she caught it when I brought my bird in for some in-person training on clipping his nails, I hadn't intended a full exam, but she caught the illness anyway. Throughout the treatment of the macaw, Dr. VS took the time to educate me about fungal infections in birds, treatment, taught my husband how to do at home treatments to spare us having to drive the bird in three times a week, Fern's bedside manner is, for the most part, abrupt and to the point. She believes strongly in proper husbandry for avians - and that is not a cheap endeavour at the best of times (more so when a bird gets sick). Laura Bellinghausen, the other vet at this practice, is young and is much more personable. She impressed me from my first visit, where she took the time to talk to me about what was going on with my budgies, and even allowed me to come pick them up on a Sunday (when the clinic is closed) to spare me an additional day's boarding fees. The cost of taking a bird here is higher than to other vets that say "sure, we'll see birds" - but I believe it's worth it. I've learned the hard way to know that unless a vet is seeing birds regularly and is staying up to date on the latest developments in avian medicine, they're not going to be able to competently diagnose and treat a bird. The loss of my first cockatiel due to inept vet care, and the amazing difference in my macaw now that he's been treated for something caught before it became chronic, are both testaments to this believe. read more

Dr. VanSant and her caring staff took wonderful care for my beloved African Grey, Shelley, in her last days. I found Dr. Van Sant to be honest, extremely knowledgeable and experienced in avian medicine and both my partner and I could tell that she and her staff genuinely cared for their patients. If you need an avian veterinary, For the Birds is the best around. Thank you guys from the bottom of my heart! read more

The doctors in this hospital seem very professional and friendly, but in fact they don't really know parrots. SHe's not as experienced as a seasoned bird player. The cost of an exam can be so high that it costs $400 to $600 to do a random checkup if your bird is ill. I feel like this is not good bird hospital that specializes in tricking novicen new bird feeders.they not know, the habits of different kind of parrots, the diet, where my parrot nearly starved to death，，，，Fortunately, I made a quick decision to get the parrot home in time. If there was anything useful in their hospital, it was to prescribe antibiotics for bird that i can not buy outside. ，，，Don't go to this hospital anytime if you have parrot although it is just for birds..!!!! read more

When I got my Blue Throated Macaw Mulligan, I could not accept my mother's recommendation that I take her here, where my mom had always taken her parrots. "No, Mom ... I need to find a bigger expert." blah blah blah. I was wrong. Mom was right. I hate when that happens. They are AMAZING. Completely wonderful staff, knowledgable about my bird and don't talk down to me. They also will let Mully board there when we go out of town, and do a great job at that, keeping her in nice cages surrounded by people and other birds. They are awesome. I am so thankful they are close to me, but I'd be willing to drive to them if they weren't. Highest recommendation. read more

I have been taking my parrots to For the Birds for over 10 years now. One of the reasons I continue to drive from Palo Alto to San Jose is that Dr. Van Sant knows her sh*t! She is there to offer advanced avian vet care as well as common sense advice-like take your birds outside!! Parrots are wild animals and as such have special needs that MUST be followed when bringing them into your family. Dr Van Sant realizes this and is up front about the realities of bird care and guardianship. Parrots are not pets. Dr Van Sant is an incredible avian vet and I will continue to bring my boys to her for years to come! Please don't retire! As far as patrons with billing issues...I always discuss what tests need to be done & the pricing with Dr Van Sant prior to starting the tests so I never have any surprises/problems with my bill. read more

She was the worst. We took our injured bird to her but all she did was charge us $600 for nothing (we had to take our bird to another vet who actually took care of her and charged us only a fraction of the price) and told us we are bad parents. Stay far away and take your pet somewhere else. read more

due to covid, i wasn't able to go inside so they asked me to put my cockatiel in a box & being him up to the door. i followed their instructions & i talked on the phone with the doctor for a bit before i left because he was going to stay over night. over the course of a 2 nights his visit & medicine cost me over $600 & they were insisting that i keep him there longer even though they said he gained his strength back. i talked to a few different doctors on the phone while he was there & one girl was very nice, i wish i knew her name. the others who i talked to were very rude, implying that i didn't care for him well enough & made rude side comments. (might i add that he was my moms bird & she gave him to me in this condition). once i couldn't afford to keep him there any longer (due to me not making any money from covid) they let me take him home. as we were doing the hand off at the front entrance i asked the woman there "how is he doing?" & she almost rolled her eyes at me & said "as well as he can be" & she shut the door on me. once i got him home i did everything that they instructed me to do with him. i made him a hospital cage, gave him his meds, checked on him constantly, & gave him all my love. after the week they recommended in his hospital cage they said i could move him back to his normal cage. he had his voice & energy & strength back so i was confident that he was healthy again. sadly, he passed away four days later. i am so upset, i will NEVER recommend this place to anyone after how they spoke to me & threw their judgements around. not to mention they weren't very helpful after i took him home either, they didn't answer many of my questions so i had to do my own research. do NOT go here. after spending almost $700, our friend Tapatío died. if anyone who works there sees this, y'all can put that in your notes, too. edit: i also would like to add that: -our bird was in our family for 8 years, he died on his 8th birthday. -THEY NEVER CALLED ME TO FOLLOW UP! to see how he was doing, i can't believe it. it felt like all they wanted was my money. -i believe his primary doctor's name was van sant or something??? he had a couple different people overseeing him i think. read more

Great option for chickens, and Fern (doc) is the best. I came to them with an adult lavender orpington in respiratory distress, and the care they gave was top notch. I did have to pay an extra after-hours fee because I arrived just before closing, but they did an excellent job of both caring for the bird, and in giving me the information I needed to smartly take care of the rest of my flock. It's a long drive for me to get to their office, but I feel Fern and all her staff are worth it. read more

The wonderful people at "For The Birds" saved my precious Alfie's life. I can not thank them enough for their time and efforts and help to both Alfie and myself. Dr. Van Sant was professional, direct and informative and you could tell her deep desire to care for birds. Now, becuase of them i still my bird and i purchase all of my feed and toys from them. Thank you so very much. read more

This place is horrible. Bad customer service. The vet swears that society should not domesticate birds yet she makes money by our domesticated birds and makes you feel bad for owning one. The rudest heartless vet I have ever met and I'm upset that we gave her a chance and our business. I told her how our bird was kind and sweet and she said it was only because the bird was sick. That can't be true because my sick bird attacked my daughter but chose to be kind with me. Just shocked how a professional office could be so cold and tactless. Definitely seems to know about birds but her bird jargon cannot be understood by your average person. Please find someone else to give your money to. You deserve better and so do your birds. I wish I could give this place no stars. read more

The vet knows her stuff, but she's arrogant, abrasive, and unlikeable. Took our parrot here for a general checkup - we kept getting warnings about everything we were doing wrong (okay, we read up on bird care, but there are always things to change). On the other hand, being threatened with your bird dying, and being told they're not meant for pets, is another thing. Seriously, the vet said it like 10 times. The vet claims she leaves her birds out in the backyard because they're "cold adapted" - this might be true, but our winters can have frost here in the bay. "Not about to freeze to death" is not the same thing as "comfortable in the cold" - I'm not leaving my birds in the backyard just because the vet is crazy enough to. Plus, everybody knows the backyard wild birds can transmit diseases to your pet bird, right? Lastly, was asked to fork up something like $100 for them to do a fecal (poo) smear under the microscope. Vet came back and said "there's some strange orange stuff all over - don't know why." Gee thanks for the diagnosis, I could've smeared her poo on a glass slide on my own and seen that it was orange from her food. Waste of money, and unimpressive. read more

A few years ago my family's amazon parrot had a horrible accident which ended with Dr. Van Sant amputating his wing. The surgery went beautifully, and the Doctor actually took our bird to her home to begin with to make certain everything was healing well. Our bird has been part of the family for almost 30 years and it meant a lot to us that he got such dedicated care. It appears that things have gone way downhill since then. I now work near this clinic at a place that serves a lot of pet owners, and I've tried to recomend people take their birds here a few times. Every single one of them has come back with stories of being basically told that they were horrible pet owners and that the birds' problems were all their fault. I took all of this with a grain of salt until I stopped in one day. I had a customer with two birds who he was trying ot get off of seeds onto a healthy pelleted diet. I called the clinic to ask if they had a handout about switching the birds to a healthier diet. The receptionist was rude, and tried to tell me that he couldn't have a handout if he wasn't a client of theirs. She finally agreed to give him one, and I decided to go over there and get it myself so that my customer didn't have to deal with the rude receptionist. I walked in, and the receptionist was sitting there typing...didn't look up, say hello or I'll be with you in a moment, nothing. I waited....waited...finally I asked her about the handout. She sighed like it was a HUGE inconvenience and went and got me the paper. She handed it to me and I left without her even having acknowledged that I was there. How lovely. I now recommend my customers go to Dr. Govers at West Valley Animal Hospital down the street. He knows birds and he's a kind person with a friendly staff. read more