Microchipping Your Pet Bird - 10 Reasons Not to Do It

By David B Weber

 

Microchipping is the process of implanting a device under you pet's skin that can be read with a scanner and used to positively identify your pet. There are reasons to have you pet bird microchipped and some reasons not to have your pet bird microchipped. This is often a personal decision that can/must be made by you and only you. There are some good resources on the internet about this topic and this list just briefly covers the subject. Check out the links at the bottom of the list to get more information about microchipping your pet bird.

1. The Procedure Requires A Vet Visit - A hypodermic needle is used to implant the device. The method and placement is critical so the procedure must be done by a vet.
2. Not Everyone Scans For Microchips - Not all vets, Sanctuaries and Rescues scan for microchips. While some scanner companies provide scanners free to SOME shelters, the scanners are expensive so not all organizations can afford them if they aren't provided for free.
3. There is No 'Standard' Microchip - There's more than one 'standard' chip so scanners must scan for all of them. The "Universal" scanners in use today do not scan for all microchips. Be sure to call your local rescue or shelter BEFORE getting a microchip implant to see if their scanner will scan the type of microchip that you are considering.
4. The System Isn't 100% Fail Proof - The 'Recovery' system fails if you don't update your registry record when it changes (phone, contact, address etc). There's usually a one time fee for maintaining your information in a national registry. Depending on the registry that you use, there may be an annual fee. Some registries such as 24petwatch are free.
5. It May Be Expensive - Microchips are more expensive than a leg band. There is a charge for the implant ($25-$50) and there may be a charge for maintaining your registration.
6. Microchips Won't Prevent Theft - The device will not prevent theft and isn't designed to prevent theft.
7. There is a Risk Of Complication - There is a small risk of complications with all medical procedures that break the skin such as infection.
8. The Microchip May Migrate Under The Skin - The microchip may migrate under the skin and make it harder to find/scan if implanted incorrectly. Some chips like the HomeAgain microchip has the Bio-Bond™ patented anti-migration feature which minimizes or eliminates this problem.
9. Microchip Scanners Aren't 100% Reliable - Not only do "Universal" scanners not read ALL the different variations of microchips, according to at least one study, the scanners don't have a 100% sensitivity for the microchips the scanners were designed to scan!
10. The Microchip May Need Replaced - Studies have shown that chips typically last at least 25 years which is enough for most animals (considering their lifespan). Most studies to date have been conducted on dogs and cats which have a considerable shorter lifespan than parrots. Is this long enough for some parrot species which some claim to live to 75 years old in captivity? More studies may be required as more long lifespan parrots are implanted.

Looking for more information? Here's a few links that you may want to check out.

• Kibibi's Top Ten Reasons to Microchip - Check out the other side of the coin before deciding if you want to microchip your pet bird or parrot.
• HowStuffWorks - Microchipping - Great source for understanding the Microchipping process.
• Dolittler - Microchipping - Great source for looking at some of the 'cons' for Microchiping.

The Author is the creator of the InfoSuperFlyway.com. It's a webpage dedicated to Kibibi a Congo African Grey Parrot with parrot recordings, funny parrot videos, top ten lists, parrot jokes, clicker training info and a large database of parrot articles.