Q: I breed birds as a second income. My clients are asking that I begin to produce some of the less expensive birds, such as nanday conures. My vet tells me that they are disease carriers and I should stay away from them. I know other people who have them and have no problem with them. What is your opinion on the subject?

A: Your veterinarian’s mind set is stuck back in the days of commercial importation. Domestically bred nandays are no greater risk than any other conure. Buy from a reputable source and wait for the birds to mature. In my opinion, even the other side of the coin is no longer a problem. The imported nandays that are available in today’s market have been around so long that any diseases that they may have been harboring would have surfaced over the years.