can you microchip a bird

Notify local veterinarians and pet shops about your loss and the fact that your bird is microchipped. You should also contact avian specialists. Your bird will be scanned as above if it is brought to any of these locations, and you or a substitute contact will be informed. To let your neighbors know, you should also post signs and/or use letterbox drops in your neighborhood. However, don’t include the microchip number on these since it is private.

Although the procedure only takes a few minutes, you might be asked to stay at the clinic for ten to fifteen minutes after the anesthesia to make sure your bird is fully awake. You can complete the necessary form during this time if you would like to register your bird with the Australasian Animal Registry.

Birds can have microchips implanted to help with identification, just like dogs and cats can. The Australasian Animal Registry offers a national database that can help return a bird to its rightful owner if the microchip number is also registered there. This is particularly crucial in situations involving theft, ownership disputes, or loss.

The completed “Application for Registration” form is sent by the clinic to the Australasian Animal Registry. After the data on the form is input into the database, you receive a letter verifying this information in a matter of weeks. If your bird is later brought to a vet, it will be scanned, and the Australasian Animal Registry will be able to obtain your contact information from the database by reading the microchip number. It is your duty to update your contact information if it changes at any point.

Due to their high cost, birds are frequently the target of theft. The majority of burglars take the birds and sell them to gullible customers at “bargain prices”often accompanied by a heartbreaking excuse for why they are unable to keep them. Often, the microchip is discovered when the new owner brings their bird in for a medical checkup.

WHAT IS A MICROCHIP? A microchip is a tiny electronic device that is implanted into an animal. It is about the size of a grain of rice and is enclosed in a glass chamber. It is biocompatible and non-toxic. A scanner is activated when it passes over the part of the body that contains the chip. It then sends the chip manufacturer’s name and identification number to the scanner display screen. The person scanning then looks up the owner’s contact details using the manufacturer’s database. Microchips are designed to last 25+ years.

CAN I TRACK THE LOCATION OF MY LOST BIRD? No. This is a common misconception. Microchips are not GPS devices. They are unable to assist you in locating your missing bird. In actuality, the majority of scanners must be used inches from the bird in order to function. They are for the purpose of identifying found birds only. Though we’re not there yet, chips will eventually become sophisticated enough to include GPS technology. However, I would like to believe that the next generation of these devices they receive will have this feature since many parrots will live longer than the current microchips can function.

One of my best recovery tales involves a custody dispute that arose during a divorce. The woman petitioned for their blue and gold macaw, not because she wanted it, but rather because she thought it would be the best way to get even with her soon-to-be ex. He won custody of the bird. A few weeks later, she broke into his home and took the bird, saying it was a gift from someone else. Given that birds often have similar appearances, she reasoned that there was no way to be certain that THIS bird was his. Wrong.

To microchip, or not, is an individual choice. Some people would rather not subject their bird to any unnecessary medical procedures. Others dont want to experience regret should their bird escape. While it would be ideal if doors were never left open and birds were never taken, these things do happen. You ought to know your options PRIOR to the possibility of such an occurrence.

FAQ

Can you put a chip on a bird?

Vets advise that any bird weighing 100 grams or more can be safely microchipped. The procedure, while simple, should always be performed not just by a vet, but an avian specialist. Birds are fragile and a vet must know how to handle them to minimize stress.

How much does it cost to microchip a parrot?

Microchipping generally cost under $100 USD at the time of this writing. The procedure takes less than 5 minutes. Your avian vet will keep a record of the microchip number however it is usually up to you to register with the microchip company. Some microchip companies require an annual fee.

Do vets chip birds?

In parrots, although many veterinarians have placed the microchip into the pec[1]toral muscles, I often place them subcutaneously in the intrascapular region as well, knowing that they are more likely to migrate from this position.

Can I microchip my Conure?

That would include Conures and similar sized birds but exclude Budgies and Cockatiels or Kakariki. Now that chips are produced in smaller sizes, smaller birds are sometimes chipped.