My daughter and I want a bird. (Well, actually a pair.) We've decided
against cockatoos and macaws. We're leaning toward quakers or conures.

The place we want to adopt from ( thegabrielfoundation.org ) is worried
because parrots are prey animals and ferrets are predators. Apparently
no one whose had ten ferrets has ever tried to adopt from them before.

From an animal management point of view, it doesn't strike me as a big
deal. Ferts stay on the ground unless they can climb. Birds like to be
high and they have that wing thing going for them. Plus, if somebody
gets obnoxious, I can stick them in their cage. Also, I don't think I'd
have ferrets and birds having outs at the same time, 'caus that would
just be too chaotic.

The worry is from a fear and stress factor. I wouldn't want to bring a
bird into my home and have it be constantly afraid. That's not good for
anyone.

I have ten ferrets. Frankie is old, adrenal, obese, and doesn't do
much. Smiles is old and has insuloma and doesn't do much. Josie is
pretty shy and I think she's oldish and she doesn't do much. Nikki is
tiny and has TMJ and can't open her mouth to eat kibble, so she lives
off of soup. She's seriously height challenged and hasn't even figured
out cage levels yet. MooShoo and Stella are nuts and do nutty things.
Lizzie is very busy and she's always into things. Gracie and Ursa are
capable of being turkeys, but generally refrain. Jared is a sweet
heart, but fancies himself an escape artist. The girls are more apt to
climb, and the girls are more apt to fight. They tend to keep their
tiffs within their species, however.

So, my question is, does anyone have experience with ferrets and
smallish birds? Do they get on together? Are they afraid? Do they get
over it?

Thank you,

--Gwen Nicodemus
[log in to unmask]
303.875.9395
www.ShinyNewts.com

[Posted in FML 7188]