Sell Pets Online
Check the paperwork first
Do this before you advertise. A number of parrots and other birds are CITES-listed and cannot be transferred legally without the correct documentation. Some species also require registration or ringing. If your bird came with paperwork, find it now; if you are unsure whether your species is covered, ask an avian vet or your national wildlife authority.
Selling a CITES-listed bird without documentation can be an offence for both you and the buyer, and it is the kind of thing that surfaces later rather than at the point of sale.
What birds are worth
Bird prices vary more than any other pet category, from a few pounds for a budgie to four figures for a hand-reared parrot. The variables that matter:
| Factor | Effect |
|---|---|
| Species | The dominant factor by far — be precise, "cockatiel" not "small parrot" |
| Hand-tame vs parent-reared | Hand-tame birds command substantially more |
| DNA sexed | Raises the price for buyers who want a known pair |
| Cage and stand included | Significant — good cages are expensive |
| Talking or trained | Raises it, but do not overstate; buyers test this |
| Plucking or screaming | Lowers it, and must be disclosed |
| Bonded pair | Must go together, narrowing the pool |
List your bird
Reach buyers who search by species, and screen their husbandry knowledge before you share anything.
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Preparing the bird
- An avian vet check, not a general small-animal vet. Birds conceal illness until it is advanced, and an undisclosed condition will wreck the sale.
- Identify the species precisely, and the age and sex if you know them. Say so plainly if you do not rather than guessing confidently.
- Write down the diet in detail — exact pellet brand, what fresh food is offered, and what the bird actually eats rather than what is provided.
- Record the routine: sleep hours, out-of-cage time, favourite people, words or sounds it knows, what frightens it, whether it is flighted or clipped.
- Find the leg ring number and any registration paperwork.
Writing the listing
- Photograph in natural light without flash. Whole bird in frame, plus a shot of the cage and setup.
- Lead with the exact species and whether the bird is hand-tame, steps up, tolerates handling, or is strictly hands-off. All of those are sellable; misrepresenting them is not.
- Be explicit about noise. A buyer surprised by the volume returns the bird, and it is the single most common reason parrots are rehomed repeatedly.
- Disclose plucking, biting, screaming or fear of hands. Experienced keepers often take these on knowingly — but only if told.
- Say whether the cage, stand and toys are included.
- State the expected lifespan. Many buyers do not realise a parrot may outlive them.
Checking the buyer knows bird care
Bird keeping is easy to screen for, because experienced keepers answer a handful of questions instantly and inexperienced ones cannot:
- What birds have you kept, and what happened to them?
- What would you feed? (A seed-only answer is a serious warning sign for most species.)
- What size and shape is the cage, and where in the house would it go?
- How many hours a day would the bird be out of the cage, and who is home?
- Which avian vet would you use? (If they cannot name one, they have not researched.)
- Do you use non-stick cookware, scented candles or aerosols? PTFE fumes kill birds, and knowing that is a reliable marker of a competent keeper.
- Do you have cats or dogs, and how would they be separated?
- Do you understand this species may live for decades, and who takes it if you cannot?
Refuse: anyone wanting the bird as a surprise gift or for a child, interest in breeding from it, plans to keep a highly social species alone, no avian vet, vagueness about cage size, pressure to collect immediately, or a request for several birds at once.
Transport and handover
- Move the bird in a small secure carrier rather than its full cage — less room to be thrown about.
- Cover the carrier partially to reduce visual stress and keep the car quiet and at a stable temperature. Birds are very sensitive to draughts and temperature swings.
- Send the cage, perches and toys if included, unwashed. Familiar objects matter.
- Send at least two weeks of the current food with the diet written down.
- Take payment in full at collection, and hand over any CITES or registration paperwork.
- Tell the buyer to leave the bird alone for the first few days beyond food, water and quiet company, and to contact an avian vet promptly if it stops eating — birds decline very fast.
Frequently asked questions
How much can I sell my bird for?
It depends almost entirely on species and whether the bird is hand-tame. Budgies and cockatiels are inexpensive; hand-reared parrots command far more. Search listings for the exact species within a wide radius, since bird buyers routinely travel, and adjust for tameness, DNA sexing and whether the cage is included.
Do I need paperwork to sell a parrot?
Sometimes. A number of parrot species are CITES-listed and require documentation to transfer legally, and some need registration or a closed ring. Check what applies to your species before advertising — an avian vet or your national wildlife authority can confirm.
Should I include the cage?
Usually yes. Good bird cages are expensive, buyers value them highly, and a familiar cage removes a large source of stress from the move. If you are keeping it, confirm the buyer already has appropriately sized housing before agreeing anything.
How long does it take to sell a bird?
Budgies, cockatiels and other small birds usually go within a few weeks. Larger parrots take two to six months, because the pool of keepers able to house a bird that may live for decades is genuinely small. Plucking, screaming or biting extends this further.
Can I sell bonded birds separately?
No. Birds that preen each other, sit in contact and call when separated should go together. Splitting a bonded pair commonly causes calling, feather-plucking and appetite loss, and many species should not be kept singly at all.
