Pet birds

Pet birds in South Africa: what to check first

Updated 4 November 2026

The online prices in South Africa for pet birds are for guides, toys and food rather than for live birds: books cost from about R 143 to R 1,050, and a Nutribird B14 maintenance food listing is about R 1,099, according to sellers' websites in November 2026. No price for a live bird appears in these results, so ask sellers for a quote per bird. The quickest way to get offers is to create a request on BlaBlaPrice.

Permits and local by-laws

Local by-laws matter more than price. The City of Cape Town's animal keeping by-law of 2026 controls the number and kinds of animals residents may keep, and a separate animal keeping by-law from 2021 sets standards for keeping animals on premises. In the Western Cape, a published guideline says birds in captivity need a permit only if the species is classified as protected. In KwaZulu-Natal, animals may be kept in captivity only at a registered facility unless they are exempted. Check the by-law for your own city before you buy.

Care rules and imports

A code of practice for parrots says they must have access to sunshine, and African Greys kept in shade for breeding need sunny aviary access for at least six weeks. Imported animals and birds that go through quarantine need an indemnity declaration attached to the application form. Ask the seller for the documents before you pay.

Season: plan the cage for summer

November is late spring in South Africa, and summer runs from December to February. The sunshine rule for parrots applies all year, so set the cage in a sunny position before the summer months arrive. The results give no seasonal price pattern for birds.

What to put in your request

Name the bird species, its age and sex, and how many birds you want. Say whether they must be tame and what colouring you prefer. Add the documents you need, the cage size in centimetres, your city and your budget. Ask about any permit the species needs, because some species are protected.

Offers come through BlaBlaPrice, which is free for buyers. Describe the bird in the chat and add a photo if you have one. BlaBlaPrice's AI looks through sellers' websites and price lists in South Africa and shows the prices and businesses it found, while registered sellers reply in the chat with their own offer and terms. Your contacts stay hidden until you decide with whom to exchange them. For food, cages and other supplies, also compare pet supplies.