- J&R Aquatic Animal Rescue took in 138 parakeets from a single owner during an exotic pet surrender event
- The owner said the birds kept breeding uncontrollably, making it impossible for her to care for them
- Experts estimate the annual cost of care for that many birds could range between $41,400 and $69,000
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
Amid the commotion of chirping birds, staff at J&R Aquatic Animal Rescue in Neenah faced an overwhelming task—counting their newest arrivals.
At the latest exotic pet surrender event, the rescue took in a few turtles and rats. Then, a woman approached them with a question.
"Do you take parakeets?" she asked.
John Moyles, the rescue’s director, said they responded without hesitation.
"Yeah, sure."
Then, she added: "Well, there’s a lot…"
From a Few Birds to a Flock of 138
The woman, who asked to remain anonymous, wasn’t even sure how many birds she had.
"When we were putting them away, checking them over, making sure they were healthy, and hand-counting them, it turned out to be 138 and not 100," Moyles said.
The woman had kept 138 parakeets in her home, but they had quickly become too much to handle.
"She said they kept breeding and breeding and breeding, and she wound up with 138," Moyles said.
How It Happens—And the Cost of Care
To understand the challenges of caring for so many birds, NBC 26 visited Roseberry Bird Rescue in Little Chute, a nonprofit specializing in rehabilitating abused and neglected exotic birds.
Jessica Brasch, the rescue’s founder, explained how someone could end up with an unexpected flock.
"They start laying eggs, and people who aren’t used to it are like, 'Oh, this is fun.' Two parakeets turn into ten very quickly, and that’s how they multiply so fast," Brasch said.
And when things go wrong, the costs can skyrocket.
"They don’t have any emergency vets over here. You have to go to Madison for that," Brasch said. "BluePearl stopped seeing exotics around here two years ago, and that is about $500 just to walk in the door for a bird that you maybe spent $20 on."
That doesn't even include the cost of daily care.
"I would say, plan to spend anywhere from $300 to $500 a year on your bird just for the one," Brasch said.
For 138 birds, that means an annual cost between $41,400 and $69,000 in food, medical care, and other expenses.
What’s Next for the Parakeets?
Despite the unexpected surrender, Moyles said the rescue was prepared.
"We’re so lucky that we have a facility where we can spring into action and take over 100 birds in a sitting," he said.
For now, the birds are not yet available for adoption, as they still need medical evaluations. Moyles expects them to be ready within the next week or two.
