Also, have a link established with your local avian vet as they are usually a lot less expensive than a 24 hour vet. An introductory exam will probably be only about $20-$40 and you’ll at least be able to gauge whether or not you and the vet click. Whether they’re knowledgeable or whether they just got the avian/exotic certification to be able to charge more. Just like doctors, all vets are different and our choices are usually based on location. Honestly, you’ll almost never need one unless something happens or if the bird is old but have one anyway and once a year, make sure the vet is still around, whether the office is still at the same location or not and that the doctor you initially talked to is still there.
One thing I will say though is that Vets, just like doctors… are human. They make mistakes. But, they also didn’t go into medicine for completely benevolent purposes. Sure they want to heal the sick and they took an oath but missionaries do similar “work” in regards to “helping” for no money. That is… and this is just a factor of reality… vets go into medicine to make money. Not that there’s anything wrong with that but it does sometimes skew diagnostic pathways. Most people have little to no medical training, very similar to knowledge and training on the inner workings of an automobile, even though most of us own one. That mechanic telling you to replace your blinker fluid or change the air in your tires from “winter air” to “summer air” is human, just like the vet telling you that you need to run this particular expensive blood test “just to be sure”. Most vets are on the up and up but it’s still a business and they too want a time share in Florida, just like you do. “Just to make sure” can be very expensive. That can also cut into the cost of possibly doing a procedure that can save your buddy but the vet’s tests have left you penniless. So now you lose your bird AND you’re out money and the only thing they can offer past that is “I’m sorry for your loss.” Vets don’t do charity. They WILL let your pet die if you don’t have the money. Plus, as far as I know (and feel free to email me and let me know if I’m wrong on this) the vet has the legal right to keep that pet and not relinquish it until you pay that bill, just like that mechanic has the legal right to keep your car until you’ve paid for the work performed. As with many laws in many states, LEGAL doesn’t always equate to RIGHT.
Many people choose (smaller) birds because they’re inexpensive. For less than $200 we had a bird, a cage, a carrier, some toys and at least 6 months worth of food. That’s less than vaccination shots alone for a dog or cat. Hell, parakeets are like $20. Since they can be relatively inexpensive, at first you may even regard them as “expendable”. Don’t get mad, this is just reality. But if your bird gets sick, vet bills can soar and soar fast especially if you don’t have expendable income. Not to mention, birds are more rare than dogs and cats so there is far less literature on them to diagnose from, and vets also don’t see them as often so if there is a rare condition, statistically speaking the vet may simply have never come across it before. If a human doctor sees 100,000 patients, statistically at least one will have Cystic Fibrosis or Hemophilia. Vets don’t see that many birds. So with birds it basically becomes process of elimination which means tests; Tests that cost money. Be prepared for that rare but possible situation.
Keep $10 per week from every paycheck and put it in a jar or envelope in a safe or hide-a-thingy strictly for bird vet bills. In 2 years you’ll have $1000 and you’ll be covered if anything happens. Yes because you CAN rack up a $1000 vet bill for a bird that cost less than 10% of that as you’ll see in the personal story I will soon tell. There are people who are going to get mad at me but again, remember, Apollo riding his chariot across the sky?… After experience in anything and/or the accumulation of knowledge, perceptions change. I joked that if Herbie (our first bird) ever got sick, a vet bill would be probably a minimum of $100. He cost $65. I said that I could throw him down the garbage disposal, get another bird and save myself $35. Now?… As you’ll read below, when a member of your family is in trouble, you’ll do anything to have them safe at your side. You’d never suspect that so much joy could come out of something so small. So you’ll either be prepared or you’ll be regretful.
If you’ve read this far, you have no excuse and I’m not going to be the one that has to live with that. You are. Again, don’t get mad, I’m simply being honest. Basically the reality of any similar situation is, it’s either your spouse tells you your outfit is terrible or everyone else at the party will… only not to your face. They’ll say it all right, but to your face they’ll say the exact opposite. You choose.