Adding a pet to one’s family is a big decision not only because of all the emotions attached to the whole experience but also because of all the practicalities to be considered. Whoever says it is not about money, is either lying or plain ignorant. Because in the end, the reality of life is one needs money for the survival of oneself and all the family dependent family members, humans or pets.
That said, those thinking that raising an avian family member is inexpensive against the four-legged furry one are being the most irrational of all. And if that to-be family addition is the playful and demanding Quaker, it gets all the more costly. Now, if the words ‘playful’ and ‘demanding’ isn’t making sense in the last line, let’s understand the basics of living a life. And to understand it precisely, knowing the difference between the two major money-related terms is important.
Price vs Cost
Price and cost are generally used interchangeably and more often than often, either of them fit well. But while executing any kind of purchase, their differentiation becomes imperative. Especially if that purchase is going to have long-term implications.
So, price means the actual payment one pays upfront for transferring ownership to his name and hence, constitutes just the direct cost. But, the cost would include the price along with all the indirect costs in the form of maintenance costs throughout life.
For instance: Whenever a couple wants to expand his family by adding a new member in the family, the whole expense of providing him a good quality of life is worked out. And if the would-be parents can offer that level of care and life to the new member, only then the decision changes into action. The cost of raising a baby would not only include the prenatal cost but also the aggregation of costs incurred on baby food, diapers, education until the child graduates, clothing, toiletries, daily essentials, to name a few.
Hence, while considering to buy a Quaker, consider his cost not price.
Quaker Parrot price
Honestly, owning a Quaker parrot will not cut the buyer’s pocket deep. The average baby Quaker parrot price is $400. Prices of Quakers may vary from breeder to breeder depending on the demand and supply in a particular region.
Additionally, a reputable breeder will charge more for his Quakers for them being healthy and tested for all the diseases but a private local seller is likely to charge much less for very little care and attention paid to the chicks while raising them. Now, let’s first work out the price of all the famous Quaker parrot color mutations to know the minimum initial cost one has to incur:
Green Quaker Parrot Price
The Quaker parrot average price for his green color starts from around $250 and goes up to $550 depending on the fact how the bird has been raised and the scale of the breeder.
Blue Quaker Parrot Price
If one’s preference is a blue Quaker parrot as a pet, he’ll have to shell out around $400. It was a premium mutation in the beginning but not anymore. A blue Quaker is the most inexpensive Quaker parrot color mutation. But if one is looking for a rarer blue Quaker mutation like Parablue, then he might have to spend upwards of $700 and going up to $1200.
Yellow Quaker Parrot Price
A yellow Quaker parrot is the next commonly found pet Quaker after the green and the blue one. Anybody desirous of owning a rare yellow Quaker might have to spend at least $650. Many breeders charge much more than this base amount due to the rarity of this mutation.
Albino Quaker Parrot Price
This is the next rare color mutation of Quakers and you’ll have to find a breeder who has them in stock. The price for albino Quaker parrot starts from $800 and can go around $1100.
White Quaker Parrot Price
A white Quaker parrot can command a price anywhere between $1000 to $1600 or so depending upon the breeder. Though finding a breeder with a white Quaker would be tough since they aren’t demanded much.
Lutino Quaker Parrot Price
Rare to find, the Lutino Quaker parrot is an expensive color mutation due to fewer breeders opting for it. Apart from the time and effort to find a breeder who has them in stock, expect an upward of $1000.
Quaker Parrot shipping cost
This forms part of the basic price one pays for the bird as it is the conditional cost of delivering the bird in case one shops from home or from far off places. Depending on the shipping distance, it varies but adds at least $50 for an estimation. However, it is a personal choice of the breeder to charge as per his expected delivery cost and it may go up to $200 or so.
This Quaker Parrot price list is not definitive and may vary across the globe. This Quaker parrot price range for all the color mutations, in general, can command anything between $250 to $1600, sometimes stretching the upper limit to $2000 with the common colors on the lower spectrum of this range and the latter discussed mutations on the higher end.
Quaker Parrot Cost
Now as the basic price has been factored, let’s add all the indirect costs to the preferred color mutation. This will help in ascertaining the real deal.
What is the cost of keeping Quaker Parrot? This would include everything apart from payment one credits to the breeder. Beyond that, all adds up as Quaker parrot owning cost. Let’s list them here to add them while affecting all the monetary calculations before actual purchase.
Cage cost: A sturdy, medium-sized and good-structured Quaker parrot cage may cost around $150. Though, the prices usually go up to $1000 or so but then it all depends on the owner’s affordability.
Cost of toys: To keep the playful Quaker entertained, lots of toys would be needed. On an average, a toy would cost around $5 each. That cost can be lowered by making some do-it-yourself toys for the bird. To keep the cage filled all the time, you might incur around $500-$800 yearly on toys alone.
Cost of perches: Making the cage of Quaker look like his habitat in the wild, perches are a must. A minimum of 2-3 perches are advised. Since they might keep destroying them, it is a recurring expense and would cost you around $200-$500 yearly.
Cost of bird utensils: This includes the cost of bird’s food and water bowl and a bathing bowl too. This might cost around $10 averaged yearly. It might need replacement in a year or two, therefore, the cost has been averaged for a year.
Cleaning supplies: This includes the expenses one incurs for cleaning the cage and surroundings of the bird droppings. Take an average cost of $100 every year.
Cost of food: The major cost of owning a bird pet is the one incurred on his food. Fresh fruits and vegetables, high-quality pellet mix, nuts, and seeds can all cost around $30-$50 depending upon the source of procuring all this.
Cost of other essentials: These other essentials includes vitamins and supplements for the bird, mineral blocks, nail clippers, bird harness in case he needs safety while being out of the cage, treats, bird lamps, blankets and heating pads in winters, etc. All this combined can cost the owner an average yearly cost of around $100-$250 depending upon individual bird needs.
Cost of vet visits: This one ensures a healthy Quaker. And an annual vet visit might cost you anything between $100-$200
Bird Insurance: Though not a necessity, but a bird insurance is a good option. It is because a sudden need for surgery usually drains the owners’ pockets by a few thousand dollars. Hence, pet insurance is always a great assurance to have and it’ll cost the owner around $30-$50 depending on the insurer one chooses. A few companies also cover annual vet visits under this.
Final Words
A Quaker has a lifespan of about 20-30 years depending upon the care extended by his owner. All the expenses above can be summed up for a single year and then multiplied with Quaker’s average age. Even if one considers his life to be minimum, multiply it with 20 years and that would be the cost of owning a Quaker parrot.
Quaker is not as pricey as some rare parrot species. Even across the globe, the price is pretty much the same. For instance, depending on the color mutations, Quaker parrot price US is around $250-$1600; Quaker parrot price UK is $170-$1200; Quaker parrot price Australia is around $250-$1500; Quaker parrot price Canada is around $225-$2100; and Quaker parrot price in Chennai is around $325-$1400.
And if one is unsure about where to buy a Quaker parrot, get the bird home delivered, the most famed place is Petco. And the average Quaker parrot price Petco is around $150 plus shipping charges. Also, many bird lovers are against the idea of putting Quaker parrot for sale. And if you are a follower of this ideology, adopting a Quaker would be your best bet.