BUT I NEVER SMOKE IN THE HOUSE!

Here are the reasons why I don't sell my birds to smokers

I think it is great when people do not smoke in their home or around their children or pets. I give them a lot of credit.That certainly takes dedication and a great deal of thoughtfulness for others. Standing on the porch is sub-zero temps to keep the smoke out of the house takes a real gentleman or lady, for sure!

But, having dealt with endless numbers of tenants, we know that there are those who REALLY don't smoke in the home, and others who just say they don't. We have no way of knowing who is sincere or not. And letting a smoke-outside-person carry one of my babies out the door and just hoping for the best is not something I'm going to do.

And here is the reason why. No one in our family smokes. But my husband works occasionally with someone who does. When he comes home, all I have to do is be near him with the odor in his hair and on clothes and my sinuses start reacting. His clothes have to go directly into the washer and he takes a shower. It bothers him too and we do not even want his clothes sitting in a laundry hamper smelling like that.

Being near someone who smokes, even though they might not be smoking at that time, gives me a sinus headcache, as it does my husband. If we are reacting that way to the odor from second hand smoke on clothes, it has to be the same for bird lungs and sinuses that are much more frail that ours. I have close friends who are dedicated to their birds and I know for certain that they do not smoke in their home. But I sure can smell it on them every time I'm around them.

It is not my intention to offend anyone. I believe we are to be good stewards of the little lives that are trusting us to make decisions that are best for them. My decision is that I would rather turn down a sale than subject these baby birds to cigarrette smoke and odor.

In the wild, they can fly away.

In captivity they don't have that option, so we have to take extra care.

There you have it...