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Post by nturn34 on Mar 10, 2011 17:18:15 GMT 10
Hi,
Im new to this forum.
And I was wondering which makes a better pet, Galah or Sun Conure? I am thinking of getting one of these two species for a companion parrot housed in an aviary I am planning to build. Where I live (Australia), galahs are about the same price of sun conures if not less hand raised. Which would make a better pet?
Thanks,
Nick
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kim
Newbie
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Post by kim on Mar 12, 2011 13:42:43 GMT 10
Hi Nick & welcome I personally think they're both awesome birds. Both can be noisy LOL, both cuddly, both playful, both can tend to bond to one person. There is a lot of similarities between them. I wouldn't think galahs are the same price as sunnies. If that is the case (IMO) I think it's a rip off. Galahs are a lot cheaper than that. Maybe you should look for other breeders or shops to see price differences?? Sunnies can fetch (I think) about 3-400AUD. They used to be about 800AUD so they've come down a fair bit. Now I am talking WA here so I'm not really sure if there would be any difference in each state. I would look for a galah at about $80, no more. You can definitely get them much much cheaper than 80 if you look around. I wanted a galah. Of course hubby thought that was too 'common' & didn't want one  I have got a sunnie. She is so lovely but as all sunnies, she can belt out a hell of a scream if she wants to. They're guard dogs. They will announce every person coming up the drive way, walking past, entering the house LOL They can't help themselves. |
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Post by avinet on Mar 12, 2011 20:56:09 GMT 10
Sun Conures are around $300 to $400 from private breeders in SE Queensland. If your buy a Galah for $80 it is definitely going to be a wild caught baby - and subject to all sorts of potential disease from the stress it has gone through. It also won't be hand raised and you will have to go through the taming process - also a cause of stress.
For a properly hand raised, aviary bred Galah expect to pay a similar amount to a Sun Conure - Galahs take just as much work to hand raise and are harder to breed.
As for choosing between them, they are really quite different birds, and for myself I would get a galah every time. That is because I just can't stand the squarking of the Sun. Lovely personalities but just too noisy at a frequency that does something unpleasant to my ears.
Galahs can be noisy but their sounds are much more variable, they will talk which Suns rarely do, and they tend to only be noisy for a short spell morning and evening, and then the rest of the time only when they get excited playing.
cheers,
Mike
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Post by carlsandclan on Mar 12, 2011 21:53:56 GMT 10
I'm with Mike - galah all the way! I could be biased, though.  A handraised galah will cost around $350 - although I didn't pay that much for my AJ. But then, AJ was a wild bird rescued out of the nest when the tree was cut down and he was only 2 weeks old. I paid for the costs of raising him. So if you came across a galah for sale for less than $300, I would ask a lot of questions. I have a friend with a sun, and as beautiful as they are, I don't think they have the personality of galahs. Galahs are SO cheeky! And they aren't as noisy - like Mike said, they are really only loud in the morning and evening, with a few 'galah' moments through the day. Good luck! |
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Post by avinet on Mar 12, 2011 22:58:35 GMT 10
I'm with Mike - galah all the way! I could be biased, though. I have a friend with a sun, and as beautiful as they are, I don't think they have the personality of galahs. Galahs are SO cheeky! And they aren't as noisy - like Mike said, they are really only loud in the morning and evening, with a few 'galah' moments through the day. Good luck! I've hand raised quite a few Suns and Galahs - probably around 40 Suns and 20 Galahs over the past 10 years. I was always glad when the Suns were ready to go to our shop for sale, but always reluctant to take the Galahs in and would look for any excuse to keep them at home a little bit longer. It's not that the Suns are not cute and playful, it is just that noise!! cheers, Mike |
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Post by nturn34 on Mar 13, 2011 19:56:47 GMT 10
Thanks everyone for the advice, ;D
I think a galahs the right pet for me,
I will soon start building the aviary and do a lot more research on galahs.
Thanks again,
Nick
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kim
Newbie
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Post by kim on Mar 14, 2011 11:39:02 GMT 10
I'm sorry guys but those prices are what I am talking about for here in WA. It obviously varies in each state but $300 is not an acceptable price to pay for a Galah where I live. We generally don't have them that high here & it doesn't mean they are wild caught either.
Nick you might be best researching about this in your particular area.
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kim
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Post by kim on Mar 14, 2011 11:45:36 GMT 10
I've just had a look around my region. Some galahs are around 300. I personally would still not pay that price. I don't really understand why it's gone up so high in the first place. But we do still have some much cheaper galahs which I personally think is a more acceptable price for them LOL The average price around here seems to be about 170-180
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Post by Lewis on Mar 14, 2011 15:00:48 GMT 10
Hi, Kim
I to am in WA and breed and handrear suns but no longer breed galahs but do handrear for quite a few people,
SPekaing from experience Galahs cost 300-350 becasure of the time with handrearing some baby galahs can take up to 6 montsh to fully wean they are a very "needy" baby and love the spoon and it is extremly hard to wena them if u have other babies that still need weaning when the galahs are wenaed becasue galahs are very smart and know the sounds of the kettle turning on and the food being mixed up
In my handrearing room last year there was 25 babies at 1 time 3 of which were galahs along with alexs,port lincolns,budgies,tiels,lovebirds,suns, ringnecks
the galkahs were the oldets of the bunch and took just as long as every other bird to wean infact 1 of the galahs was the last baby of the season to wean
Personnaly my baby galahs come vet checked,DNA sexed, flight trained,and someties talking (depending on how long they are being fed for) I ask $325 for handrearing Galahs which includes all of ther above
Suns on the other hand i sell for $400 they get the same treatment as any other babies which inculdes the above. I never have left over sun conure babies as soon as my add is up on facebook or gumtree all baby suns are sold with deposits paid with in that day and there is always a waiting list
really asking 325 and 400 for those birds is very reasonable if the breeder is prepared to do everything in need for the birds
Lewis
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kim
Newbie
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Post by kim on Mar 14, 2011 15:56:24 GMT 10
I understand what you're doing & why. Eclectus parrots can take from 3 to 6 months to rear as well & there can be all sorts of complications from it. I don't hand rear ekkies BTW One was enough LOL They've dropped in price over recent years (still 500 - 800) though. What I don't get is galahs never used to be that expensive here. I could easily get one a few years ago well under that price & the average price was 80 to 180. Why the sudden price rise now?? |
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Post by carlsandclan on Mar 14, 2011 16:26:01 GMT 10
I think the price has gone up for a number of reasons, one being that the food isn't cheap! And catching wild babies has been cracked down on, thank god. I've actually noticed that galah numbers are in decline around where I live. And I went on holiday recently a bit further north, and again, there weren't the galah numbers. Galahs have long been a 'poor mans cockatoo' which is totally insane, but that is how a lot of people saw them. They haven't been valued by the greater population for many years. But that is changing - more and more Aussies are realising just how special these guys are, and they aren't just a 'common old bird that's everywhere'. My aunt and her partner have a friend who is tracking wild populations - so it will be interesting to see what he finds. Sorry to go off track a bit! lol But yeah, the costs of raising them is on the rise. And they have become more valued as companions. I'm sure there are other factors at work, too.  |
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kim
Newbie
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Post by kim on Mar 15, 2011 12:58:12 GMT 10
Thanks for clearing that up Though I haven't really looked lately (got hubby over the shoulder saying don't even think about it!!) LOL when i do look in our local papers the galah numbers seem to be steady. I haven't taken any notice of their prices though. So you've decided on a galah Nick? I'm still working on that one myself, I'd love to have one |
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Post by nturn34 on Mar 16, 2011 20:01:18 GMT 10
Yes I am quite sure that when I build the aviary I will buy a galah. Thanks again for the help everyone |
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Aimie
Addicted Member
Jax
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Post by Aimie on Aug 10, 2011 23:06:49 GMT 10
Hi I know I'm really late joining this conversation but I bought a Hand raised Galah in WA 6 years ago and he cost me $350 back then. I have looked recently and they are still $350-$450.
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I have got a sunnie. She is so lovely but as all sunnies, she can belt out a hell of a scream if she wants to. They're guard dogs. They will announce every person coming up the drive way, walking past, entering the house LOL They can't help themselves. 
