Baby Starling UPDATE --Found his home--

[TinkleTurkey]

I have two rescued, human-imprinted baby starlings. Since they are an invasive species, I won't be attempting to release them. I'm keeping one, would like to find a home for the other.

If you live in southern California and you are familiar with the species and its capacity to become an amazing pet - or you'd be interested in learning - Please contact me! The sooner he's in a new home, the sooner he can begin bonding with a new family.

S/he is absolutely free to anyone who is dedicated to providing proper care and attention.

 

[Moonkit]

That sounds like a really interesting pet.. makes me wish I was closer to you. Although, I have to ask.. what is their behavior like? Will they sit on your finger/shoulder/head/leg for hours? What do they eat? How interested are they in toys? Are they destructive? Can they be trained to poop on command (my conures learned.. my friend had excellent luck with her cockatiel, but I never tried with mine)? Are they calm or flighty at any sudden noise or movement?

 

[TinkleTurkey]

Starlings are amazing pets. They are well known for their ability to mimic, as well as some parrots. Although unlike parrots, they don't have a strong beak to bite you with and they don't screech. I had one for several years that loved to sing, would mimic my laugh, say his name, bark like a dog, ring like a telephone, squeak like a rusty hinge, and say a variety of phraises. He also mimicked local songbirds when I put his cage out on the porch.
They are very social and loving, although like most birds they prefer not to be stroked, but love to sit on your hand or your shoulder, if you leave the room they will inquire as to where you've gone... "chirrr?"
Their eyes are positioned toward the front of the head, as they use their beak to probe when looking for food. They are also curious about everything, they will probe the pages of a newspaper or a book, they will flip things over to see what might be under. They will pry your fingers apart and peek through.

they also aren't flighty at all, starlings in the wild live in huge flocks and they seem to love chaos. They love loud music, the tv, and social events where there is lots of things to see and hear.

Starlings are omnivores, they have a high protein diet but also eat a variety of other things including grains fruit green vegetables. I feed mine catfood (as the base) insectavor pellets (ordered online), cooked eggs, applesauce, lettuce, cottage cheese... They will eat just about anything a human can eat if its healthy and natural.

 

[Bossroo]

Starlings are EXTREAME PESTS !!!

Flocks are Very destructive to all vegetable, fruit crops, and eat newly planted grain crop seeds, and ripened grain heads. They also eat songbird, dove, quail, etc. eggs and nestlings.

We kill, maime and destroy any of them on sight on the farm.

Just one species of birds that I would celebrate if it were to go extinct.

 

[AquaEyes]

It's a good thing there isn't a species as intelligent as we are that could feel the same about our effect on the planet.

Anyway, I think it'd be fun to have a pet starling. I raised a bunch of baby birds I found over the years, always hoping for a starling, but only ever finding native and foreign "sparrows" (I know, very naughty...all were exposed to my yard while they were still following me around, and I showed them where the feeders and bird baths were...and when they finally lost interest in me and flew off, they had a better chance of survival than if I left them to die). There are a bunch of pet starling websites you can find, with lots of information regarding care and diet. And if you're really curious, look for pictures of some of the mutations that are bred in Europe.

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

Quote:
I really don't think this post was helpful on this thread.

I think keeping a starling for a pet is a cool idea

 

[JulieNKC]

If I was closer...
I hate the wild starlings that steal all the food from my birdfeeder, but when I was younger I had one I rescued from a nest in our eaves before we sealed it off. She was a great pet. She never learned to talk( that's why I wanted to keep her), but she did learn several wild bird calls. She was curious, always into everything, and friendly to everyone. Not cuddly like a conure, but would hop up and say hi to anyone.

 

[reveriereptile]

If you go onto YouTube and look up videos of pet starlings there are some with them talking. I like watching them.

 

[TinkleTurkey]

Yes they are pests, that is why I do not want to release them. Tehcnically they can be kept, they are not protected since they are not a native species. I've heard in some areas fish & game tends to frown upon it, but its not illegal.

And yes, I have seen the mutatations. I always wished that I could get one!

 

[AquaEyes]

Quote:
Isn't it ironic that species native to the US are somehow considered "too holy" or something to be kept in captivity, but there's nothing wrong with owning a related species that comes from another country? When someone says "I'd love to keep a crow for a pet" the response is "You can't do that, they're wild animals, and it's illegal" but it's OK to buy an African pied crow instead.