There is nothing wrong with a bird that has been parent-fed. In fact, those birds are often bigger and healthier than hand-fed birds. Either a parent-fed or a hand-fed bird can make a good pet. If you want your pet bird to be accustomed to being handled by humans, though, a hand-fed bird is the better choice.

During handfeeding the baby bird learns to accept human handling - touch, holding, feeding. It gets used to the presence of humans and actually comes to accept humans as part of the flock. Being around humans becomes natural to the bird.

Only experts should handfeed birds. Many life-threatening problems can arise during weaning and experts know how to act quickly when signs of difficulty appear.

A bird that has been handfed by a professional will be more secure. The professional knows that good socialization is essential for baby birds and will take care of all medical requirements so that the bird is healthy. A secure, socialized and healthy bird will make an excellent member of the family.