My pet purchasing experience was excellent. Though they do offer delivery, I visited them in…read moreperson to pick up our Parrotlet. Run out of their personal residence, it's like visiting an old friend. They were very nice, inviting, and you can see that they really care about their birds. They have assorted cages for the different stages of development. They have a separate room for the breeding pairs, and the owner goes to great lengths to make certain the birds are happy, and comfortable every step of the way. Our visit there was very educational. You can see that the owner is very knowledgeable about the breed. She treats each of her birds like her own children, and shows genuine concern that they are going to a loving home.
When we met our Parottlet, we were invited to the kitchen table where they have created a small playground for the birds to play. We were trying to choose between two birds. The owner placed the birds onto the play area, and the birds instantly came to life, popping in and out of burlap hide aways, climbing up and down wooden stairs, and merrily chirping about as they went. While they were playing, the owner went on to discuss the personality of each of the birds, gently scooping them up and pointing out the details of each bird's colors. The conversation was peppered with fun facts about parrotlets, and what we should expect in the next few weeks of development, which foods are best, and foods to avoid, etc...
With all of the stories we hear about some breeders, mindlessly churning out birds, puppies and kittens for profit, it is really nice to see that there are still breeders out there who are more concerned with the health and happiness of their animals. We had an outstanding pet buying experience with Noni's, and I would recommend them to anyone who is interested in owning a Parrotlet.
When we arrived home with out bird, we soon found that parrotletts like two things above all other activities: Eating food, and being scratched and pet. As a pet owner who is new to the Parrot species, one of the first things on my mind was, how do people train parrots to sit on their shoulder. I was happy to find out, they just naturally enjoy sitting on your shoulders. They will sit on your shoulder and preen, and chirp all day. Until they get hungry, or wish for you to pet them. They love to be scratched on the cheeks, under the chin, and the back and top of their heads. They also like to be pet from head to tail. Because these birds were hand fed, and lovingly handled by the breeder, they are really good about stepping up, being held, being moved from place to place around the house. They will generally follow you around like a little puppy, and to be fair, they are still a baby. Though they grow a little bit after you get them, they are very close to full grown after the first few months, and they don't get very big. I would say for comparison they are the size of a petite sparrow.
They are a really easy bird to get along with, and a good first bird. The breeder had clipped their flight wings, and mentioned that aside from keeping them out of danger, it would allow them to form a stronger bond with you, as they have to stay very close. With their wings clipped, they can only really slow their decent to the ground upon trying to fly away. As they grow, it is up to you it will be your choice as to whether you continue to keep the wings clipped or not. We chose to allow her wings to grow back naturally, and allow her to fly as she wishes. When you do this it is important to keep an eye on them, they are not as big as their larger parrot relatives, and their size can get them in trouble. They also do not know what is and is not dangerous, like flying into an open oven for instance. They won't go out of their way to do something dangerous, but like a small child, it is your responsibility to make sure their curiosity does not put them in danger. It is an interesting process to watch them when they first learn that they can fly at 100 percent. It takes them a few weeks to really get used to their new found abilities, and for the first few days they're like a drunken helicopter pilot.
They are very curious, and also fearful of new objects, or experiences. Sometimes, when you bring a new toy home for them, they will at first be terrified of it. Then after a while, and after you reassure them that it is okay, they will carefully start to play with it. After a few hours, they'll climb all over it, just like they've known it their entire life.
Unfortunately, I've run out of room for this review, but suffice to say, Noni's is a great breeder, their birds are top notch, very healthy, energetic, and full of personality. I would not hesitate to recommend them to anyone.
