Bird enthusiasts attend bird mart at Pomona's Fairplex - DailyBulletin ...

Courtney Carbett, 9 from Riverside, pets her African Grey Congo parrot. (Will Lester/Staff Photographer)

POMONA - Bird enthusiasts flocked to the Everybody's Bird Mart on Sunday at Fairplex.

A variety of birds, cages, seed, feeder, vitamins, toys, perches and other means of spoiling pets were available at the 111th event.

"A lot of people see the outside bird as being brown, black or tan," said small business bird owner Elizabeth Shogren, "but then they come here and they don't realize how many different kinds of birds there are and the colors they come in."

Shogren, who is also a member of the Hemet Valley Bird Society, said that while birds can be pets like dogs and cats, they live much longer.

"This miligold macaw can live up to 75 to 80 years," she said. "When I tell people that, they usually say `I'm going to have to will it to somebody."'

In addition to selling birds, Eric Antheunisse, owner of Cedar Hill Birds in Lodi, provided tips for those looking to purchase a feathered-friend.

"There are two types of birds, pet birds and breed birds," said Antheunisse, who is also a professional aviculturist. "Pet birds are tame and are hand-fed birds, and if anyone is selling you a pet bird they should be able to take them out of the cage and put them in your hand."

Breed birds are not tamed, and are not meant to be because they are used only for the purpose of reproducing, he said.

Unlike most pets, birds' reproductive organs are internal, said Antheunisse, who has been breeding birds for 30 years. Birds have to be DNA tested to know the sex.

Some of the prices Sunday ruffled the feathers of a number of people at the bird mart.

There were birds being sold for less than $10, but others cost more than $1,000.

After a decade of not having birds, Zeus Villaflor of Carson decided to buy six parakeets. Each had distinctive colors and each was about 2 inches tall. Villaflor said they're the cheapest of birds, priced at $6 each.

"I didn't want to jump into buying

something expensive or a high-maintenance bird," said Villaflor, 25. "A friend advised me on which type of bird to purchase and these are lovely, easy to take care of and you don't have to pet them all the time."

Villaflor planned to name them once he got home.

Many bird vendors have birds as pets.

Cesar Fabian, owner of Maria and Artemios Birds in Arleta, has an African Grey parrot named Pancho that talks.

Fabian said birds offer companionship.

"He reacts to me and gives me attention - he's my buddy," said Fabian, of San Fernando.

Marta Armas bought three English budgies on Sunday that will join the 35 other birds at her Canyon Country home.

"I have cats, dogs, turtles. I love animals," she said. "And once I bought one bird I kept on buying more."

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Reach Canan via email, call her at 909-987-6397 ext. 425, or find her on Twitter @ChinoValleyNow.

Source: http://www.dailybulletin.com/news/ci_22064236?source=rss

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