The National Parrot Zoo/Sanctuary and rehoming your Parrot.

Websites are like Holiday Brochures - not everything is as perfect in real life!

Parrot Sanctuaries and Zoos are prime examples of how misleading websites can be.
You need to visit, in person, at least 3 or 4 times to get the true picture of how things really are.

The photo above shows a bird living in an outside aviary - in all temperatures and extreme weather conditions at The National Parrot Zoo, in Friskney, Lincolnshire. The picture was taken by a member of the public whilst visiting The Parrot Zoo and hardly matches up to the portrait painted on the Zoo's own website! There are several more photographs taken by visitors during the past season at the Zoo which are posted below... Please scroll down the page to view these.

Please be aware that the RSPCA have inspected this establishment and found it to be unsuitable as a place for birds to be rehomed.

There are no toys - nothing to relieve the boredom. Branches so thick they can only balance on them - not grip. Food and water placed on the floor easily accessible to rats and mice which urinate constantly and spread disease.

If you plan visiting a Parrot Sanctuary or The Parrot Zoo, with the intention of sending your bird there, make your visits unannounced -so no cosmetic changes can be done before your arrival.

If you are thinking of sending your African Grey to the Parrot Zoo, be aware of how many are already there and that, once amongst the flock, it is highly unlikely that your bird will be identified.

This means you could have paid the £100 "donation" required upon admission of your bird, plus committed yourself to 12 months of minimum £5 per month, also requested, even although your bird may die within weeks of admission.

It has been said that a large number of birds die within weeks of admission there.
How would anyone know if one of them was your bird?

It's quite usual for birds to have their leg rings removed after admission, making positive identification virtually impossible.

There are safer alternatives -try visiting Parrot Forums - where you will find people wanting to help -without charging you money or asking for donations.

You will be able to ask for recommendations of someone who would be able to give your bird a home - into a situation similar to the one he/she has lived in all their life. Not outside suffering temperatures that could take your bird's life - the way the low temperatures took the lives of more than 160 birds at The Parrot Zoo last year.

That was a staggering 10% of the birds registered there.

Using a forum would let you get to know the person first - visit their home, see how your bird will live. You would be able to draw up your own agreement and stipulate that you keep in touch and have proof that your bird is still alive.

Think and research very carefully and take as much time as possible - before making any decision.

A bird, once rehomed into The Parrot Zoo is totally 'non returnable' - no matter how much you may regret your decision and beg for it's return