Fill out our adoption inquiry form on our website. Tell us a bit about yourself, your household, your experience with birds, and which bird you're interested in adopting. There are no trick questions — we just want to start the conversation on the right foot.

Our team reaches out for a relaxed introductory call. We'll talk about your lifestyle, daily schedule, living situation, and what draws you to the bird you're interested in. This is also your chance to ask us anything — about the process, the bird's personality, or what to expect.

We schedule a Skype or Microsoft Teams video call where you walk us through your home. This gives us an early look at the environment, lets us connect with your household, and helps us flag anything worth discussing before the in-person visit. It's low-key and usually takes under 30 minutes.

Birds have extraordinarily sensitive respiratory systems — things that are harmless to people can be deadly to them. During both the video call and home visit, we look carefully for the following:

• Kitchen proximity: Birds must never be housed near stoves or cooking areas. Non-stick (Teflon/PTFE) cookware releases fumes that can kill a bird within minutes, even when you can't smell anything.
• Air quality: No incense, scented candles, wax warmers, plug-in air fresheners, or aerosol sprays anywhere near the bird's living space.
• Ventilation: Proper airflow throughout the home, with no exposure to fumes from cleaning products, paint, or smoke.
• Electrical hazards: Exposed wires, unsafe outlets, or gaps where a bird could become trapped are identified and resolved before adoption is finalized.

A member of our Safe Perch team visits you in person. This is a collaborative walkthrough, not an inspection. We want to meet your household, see the space firsthand, and help set everything up for a smooth transition. Most adopters find this visit to be the most helpful part of the whole process — think of it as a bird's-eye-view house call from someone who genuinely wants things to go well.

Every species has different requirements, and the right setup matters more than most people realize. We review cage size and bar spacing, perch variety and placement, enrichment and toys, and where in the home the bird will live. If anything needs adjusting, we'll tell you exactly what to look for and help you source it if needed.

A healthy bird needs far more than a bowl of seeds. We walk through species-appropriate nutrition together — the right balance of pellets, fresh vegetables and fruits, safe proteins, and foods to avoid entirely (avocado, onion, chocolate, and others are toxic to birds). We'll also talk through foraging enrichment and feeding routines so your bird arrives to a home where mealtimes are already working.

Some of our birds come with ongoing medical needs — we'll be transparent about everything before you commit. All adopters must have an established relationship with an avian vet, or commit to scheduling a first appointment, before adoption is finalized.

Birds are prey animals and naturally hide signs of illness. Having an avian vet who knows your bird is one of the most important things you can do. If you don't have one yet, we're happy to help you find an avian-certified vet in your area.

Once all steps are complete, our team reviews everything together. When we're confident it's a good match for the bird, we move to the adoption agreement. We go through the terms with you in person, answer any final questions, and make it official. Then we help you plan for your bird's first days home — what to expect, how to create a calm settling-in environment, and when to reach back out to us.