FOREST PARK AVIARIES - OUR POLICIES & PROCEDURES
ABOUT US!
“Dr. Geoff”, a Ph.D in Industrial Chemistry, has been directly involved to varying degrees with the breeding and welfare of many species of birds for over 50 years, both in the UK and now in the USA. His main avian qualifications are his extensive hands-on experience and his recent formal confirmation as a Certified Avian Specialist by the Washington D.C.-based Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council. Wife Dixie takes care of our Nursery area and progresses the general socializing of the pet youngsters individually as they progress through the final stages of their weaning process.
OUR “MISSION”
Our Mission at Forest Park Aviaries is to provide the highest-quality hand-reared and socialized pet- birds into the bird-loving market-place, together with some breeder birds, at competitive prices and to give our valued retail and wholesale customers our personal assurances of first-class back-up support, coupled with the highest level of personal integrity.
AVIARY LOCATION
Forest Park Aviaries is located on Route 82 in Columbia Station, Lorain County, Ohio 44028.
Aviary Telephone : 440-236-6355, e-mail : forestparkaviaries@adelphia.net.
THE EXOTIC BIRDS WE BREED
Our main efforts are concerned with the breeding and nurturing of various Conure species - Sun Conures, Green-cheeked Conures and their Mutations (Cinnamons, Yellow-sides, Pineapples, and “ split” males), Brown-throated Conures, Peach-fronted Conures, Half-Moon (Petz) Conures, etc., as well as normal Green & Blue Mutation Quaker Parrots, Pacific Parrotlets (normal green, blue & yellow mutation types), Senegal Parrots, and Fancy Cockatiels.
OUR NURSERY
When our baby birds are removed from their nest-boxes in our Breeder Aviary, they are transferred directly into our “closed” Nursery – a dedicated environmentally-controlled area remote from the Aviary buildings. Here, the hand-feeding (Kaytee Exact formula is used, with individual dropper feedings throughout the weaning program) takes place. Socialization, including introduction to toys, etc., then becomes an ongoing process until the weaned youngster leaves here for his/her new home.
BIRD AVAILABILITY
Pet- and breeder bird availability is regularly posted and updated both on our web-site, www.forestparkaviaries.com, and on www.birdbreeders.com, and elsewhere, to which Links can be found on the homepage of our web-site.
DNA SEXING
If DNA-sexing is required for any particular bird, such as at Avian Biotech/Animal Genetics in Florida, this is offered for an additional fee of $25. Results become available within just a few days.
FREE CONSULTATIONS!
We are reasonably generous with our time in informing and advising our customers – past, present and future, on request, by telephone or in personal discussion, towards assisting them in selecting their new or next “bird-of-choice”!
PET BIRDS versus BREEDER BIRDS
We are often asked to outline the differences between “pet-quality exotic birds” and “breeder birds”! We typically respond as follows:
Pet Bird - A "pet bird" is one that has been incubator- or parent-hatched, pulled early from the parental nest-box or incubator, handfed for a number of weeks until fully-weaned, feeding independently on a balanced diet, hand-trained and well-socialized. If some of these latter steps are not fully pursued, the bird may well revert progressively to his/her natural state, although this reversion is not necessarily irreversible and re-instatement to pet status can well be possible given appropriate care and re-training . Even if all the above steps are followed, different pet-birds would be expected to eventually display different individual traits, depending upon their genetic make-up inherited from their parents, their age when removed from their parents, degree of handling and involvement with humans, other home pets, etc., their exposure to toys and other “items of curiosity”, quality of training, and so on.
Breeder Bird - On the other hand, a potential "breeder bird" can be a "wild-caught” bird, a bird that has been parent-hatched, parent-fed and so on, right through to reaching self-dependence and adulthood, or even a former mature or immature "pet bird" that has almost fully reverted to his/her natural state. The general attitude and responsiveness of the bird towards humans will reflect it's inbuilt and cultivated characteristics, ranging from extraordinary pet bird behaviour, with excellent bonding to humans, etc., right through to the the "wild" conduct typical of an natural outdoor bird. For breeding purposes, strong bonding to humans is not a good thing, since potential breeders need to give first priority for procreation by the breeder bird to maximize his/her bonding with their intended mate!
SALES REFUND/RETURN POLICY
Once a bird moves from the direct management of Forest Park Aviaries to his/her new owner, clearly principal responsibility for the welfare of the bird passes into new hands. Accordingly, our standing advice is to advise the new owner to obtain a full health check on the bird by a qualified avian veterinarian within 48 hours of purchase and to obtain appropriate advice from the vet re the ideal manner of introduction of the bird into his/her new surroundings, ongoing maintenance, etc. If for any valid veterinary reason the avian veterinarian advises in writing a prompt return of the bird to Forest Park Aviaries, obviously we will take all reasonable and responsible steps to determine a mutually-acceptable outcome to the situation.
Please note: “Personal Integrity is Our Guarantee!”
We should also note that we do reserve the right to charge to the buyer's account a daily bird maintenance & boarding charge in the region of say $7-10 per day in the unusual event that our customer unreasonably delays, for whatever reason, the shipping/pick-up of one of our birds beyond a reasonable period of time after bird availability has been confirmed with the customer by Forest Park Aviaries,
NEW BIRD HEALTH CHECKS – AVIAN VETERINARIANS
As noted above, a basic consideration points to all new birds entering a new environment to be given a prompt health check by a fully-qualified avian veterinarian. The bird could well become your new companion for up to some 15-30 years or more, so such a measure should certainly represent a most valuable upfront investment!
In Ohio, we are aware of:
Dr. David Hammond, Brunswick - Tel : 330-225-0095,
Dr. Jamie Lindstrom & Dr. Heather McDowell, North Ridgeville - Tel : 440-327-8282, and
Dr. Mandell, Cleveland Heights - Tel : 216-321-6040.
OHIO COUNTIES SALES TAXES
Bird prices quoted by Forest Park Aviaries are fully-inclusive of Ohio County Sales Taxes. Please let us know at the time of purchase if you require a sales receipt. Our Sales Taxation License Number is available to our customers, on request, for our sales both in Lorain County & when we operate as a Transient Vendor elsewhere in Ohio.
AIRLINE SHIPPING POLICY
Subject to any airline shippingconstraints imposed by the airline carriers, such as adverse weather conditions called for en route, we do airline-ship our birds by Delta Pets First/Delta Connection flights in to any Continental USA destination airport routinely receiving Delta Cargo Flights. For this, an additional all-inclusive cost to the buyer of $135, payable in advance of booking confirmation with the airline chosen. Other airline carriers tend to be significantly more expensive for this service. We make all the necessary airline shipping arrangements in consultation with the receiving party, we ensure that our shipping crate/kennel is constructed in full compliance with airline regulations, and we also e-mail to the buyer on the day of shipping relevant flight details, including Airbill/tracking numbers.
“FRIENDS OF FOREST PARK AVIARIES”
Generally, we invite our new buyers and longer-term Friends of Forest Park Aviaries to allow us to post their digital pics. on our web-site, which is regularly updated for their perusal and for the general enjoyment of visitors to our site. None of these images are copyright-protected, so they are available for downloading for addition to family albums!
OUR MEMBERSHIPS (all clickable Links below)
Presently, we value our memberships in the following organizations:
LOCAL SALES BY APPOINTMENT ONLY!!
Fact sheet prepared by:
Geoff & Dixie Gammon
Columbia Station, Ohio 44028.
***** Please kindly note that this Web-site and its various inter-linked sites are owned and managed by the Webmaster at Forest Park Affiliates. All these associated sites enjoy full copyright protection in terms of informational content and digital images of our exotic birds.
