Why I hate to buy pets in petshops!

[smallworld]

I was in another city yesterday and as usual had to visit the local pet stores

To my surprise they had a Mustache Parakeet and I was so happy because its not often that I've seen one for sale. It was a female, because of the black beak but her condition was more than just sad..

Her tail feathers, had been completely bitten and broken off. She had no tail. Her wing feathers were all bitten at the edges and fraying. In the same plexiglas enclosure was a blue ringneck, 2 pied redcrown parakeets, 2 cockatiels and I think a blue Rosella. The blue rosella was reasonably large and he had perfect feathering. The 2 cockatiels almost had perfect feathering as well. But all the other 4 birds in the 6 feet long, 8 feet high enclosure were in pretty bad shape. The blue ringneck was just shivering the whole time. The parakeets were in 2 separate corners, wings down and shivering. It just looked like the rosella was being a big alpha and bullying everybody else. He had this big perch all to himself, on the highest spot and was busy preening his feathers. I never knew rosellas were aggressive birds or maybe he wasnt I dont know (not his fault anyway).

They also had 2 plumheaded parakeets in a cage 1.5 feet wide x 1.5 feet high and 1 foot long. I could complain to the authorities but I know this wouldnt make a difference. They would be warned but half the pet shops here do the same thing.

But how could you keep so many different species of birds in a 6 feet long x 8 feet high x 2 feet wide enclosure!?!?! The prices were a hundred euros more than any breeder I've ever known to sell those birds and they were all in exception for the rosella in need of care and attention. Oh the best part was that they didnt even know what they were selling. They made up their own name for some of those birds.

I really hate petshops that do crap like that and alot of fowl words come to mind.

[333greenbean333]

That sounds horriable. I cant believe a pet shop would do that. My pet shop have huge indoor flight cages that are all seperted from differest species. and they have tame blue and green ringnecks that are free to rome the shop.

[smallworld]

Yeah it is and you're lucky to have a good pet store. You know there is one in the same city I live in. They have had 2 plum headed parakeets for about 10 months now locked up in a cage 2 feet long, 1.5 feet deep and only 1 foot high. You see people would be more than happy to buy them if they didnt over price all their birds. The result is, the birds getting caged up over a long period of time in such a small enclosure.

That same pet shop also sold a crossbreed between fischer's lovebirds and peachfaced lovebirds. Of course really attractive looking birds but when I asked them about it, they said yeah they'll breed just fine. Only most people know that most of the time such a crossbreed is sterile. I'm forced to go there to buy supplies. My only other option is to buy it online.

[effekt]

How horrible! Hearing things like that really bothers me. These are smart, social animals and to put them in a situation like that is absolutely cruel. They should be reported for cruelty.

From what I know of parrot behavior, it does sound like the Rosella is being a bully, as sitting on the highest perch seems to indicate they are top of the pecking order.

Bless those poor little souls


I won't buy pets from a pet shop for this very reason. I got my bird from a very responsible shop that sells only birds and they put a lot of care into them.

[Miss_Original]

That is soooo sad,

i work for a pet store and there is NO WAY we would treat a bird like that!!!!
We don't put ridiculous prices on our birds and the hand raised ones are handled EVERY day!! and they also have a few play gyms that they are able to hang out on!!

I am an avid Bird lover and would hate for any of my birds to be treated the way SOME stores treat their birds, that is why i make sure the birds we have are spoiled rotten

[Poppy]

Shame, that is horrible to hear I got mine in a petstore from a lady I have known all my life and who specialises in birds so mine were in peak condition. They came directly from a breeder to her store where I picked her up the next day. We do however have a local store that has big open "tanks" covered in sawdust and floor type perches and they mix their birds. They might be in clean conditions but they are cramped and nervous. I mean, once I went in there and saw a blue and gold Macaw in the same tanks as the Greys, ringnecks and other smaller parrots and it was bullying them around.

I think the problem often come in when it's a more commercial store. I bought my Jack Russell from the same shop out of pity and was charged more than twice what I would have paid from a breeder. their birds are way over priced too. I am wanting to breed my female ringneck but I often feel like we as humans domesticated these animals and they should be wild so why bring more and more of them into these sad situations? When I see them in the garden wild it just melts my heart because they are so much bigger and stronger than the ones you see in stores.

I also breed Yorkshire terriers and I have a strict home check policy as well as a contract for my babies when they arrive early next year so that I know at all times where my stock end up. the contract states that should the new owners not be able to keep them then they have to give me first option at taking the dog back or re-homing it. If i ever bred my birds I would be as fussy. some people dont see them as intelligent and sensitive creatures and it's very sad.

You should report the store for your own peace of mind as well as the welfare of the animals. a sick or weak aniaml should never be sold or left in those conditions

[Louie]

I think some of these stories are just horrible. A pet shop near me sells birds and I have seen a pair of adult ringnecks in a cage about the size I would keep 1 budgie in and their tails were missing feathers and the geathers that they did have were all broken and it was really sad . . . it annoyed me even more when I read the sign on the cage and it said they were being sold as a "breeding pair" . I have consistently been disappointed with the upkeep of the animals in that shop. I was buying some fish from there once and a young man who was working there was helping us out and showed us how to use a pH test kit and he got some of the water out of one of the tanks to demonstrate (after showing us what colour it should be) and when he did it the water was the completely wrong colour!!! He came up with the lousy excuse that the tank was being cleaned that afternoon . . . I did end up getting fish from there and they lived for about 2 weeks before dying one by one!!!

[solobaby]

i have a great pet shop that i go to me that has in door avaries and the tame birds are out of thier cages and the guys who look after the birds are real bird lovers , its about 45mins away from where i live. but there is a pet shop 2 mins away from me that i refuse to go to there is a macaw there that is so badly neglected that i called the spca who is busy building a case against them. its horrible how some people neglect their animals not only pet shops. what frustrates me the most is people who get birds without reading up about what they are getting them selves into then they get the bird and dont know how to handle them so they lock them up in small cages and then end up re homing them or giving them to the pet shop

[hootielou]

Can you report that shop? That should be considered animal cruelty

[evaleen]

u guys are soooo lucky... around here, the pet shops are HORRIBLE.
the birds are kept in clusters, with just enough space to manage to move to the food tray and back to the sing plastic perch they are allowd to have.
sick birds are not taken care off and left alone in the cages along with the other healthy birds. huh. healthy? its hard to tell if the are even healthy at all! cramp spaces... dirty water supply, just seeds to survive on, and the shops are soooooooo verry small!
poor lighting, humid and the cages will make u cry... its like a carpet of poop.

its a huge strain to go there to buy pets... cuz i u cant tell the healthy birds apart from the sick ones...
if i had enough money, i'd buy the whole lot and get them the proper facilities they deserv.

and apart from there, there arent many pet stores in bangladesh. so each tym i'm forced to go there and re-live the horror....

[WickedOne]

Nearly all the local mom and pop style pet stores that used to be in my town when I was a kid have all closed up and moved out of town. The only pet shops around now are a handful of aquarium shops, one actual pet store that has a variety, and my favorite place is called For the Birds and More. That is where I purchased my Luna. They work with local breeders, and all the birds in the store are caged by species. Every day there are volunteers that go in whose purpose is simply to play with the birds. Every single bird in the store gets play time out of their cages, and they are all in excellent condition. They have extensive knowledge in all the birds they carry, and aren't ashamed to say they aren't sure about something you ask, but they know of how to find the answer.
So I guess I'm lucky to have a connection with a good store like them. I get everything I need from them, and refer anyone I know that is looking for a bird or supplies to them instead of PetSmart or Petco.

[mgeorge]

I can't believe that would be a legit petshop as well. If anyone has to look after their back, it would have to be those pet shops who bank on being trusted to be able to sell their stuff. And if they are going to operate that way, I would not be surprised if the animal welfare society would come knocking at their door. I would think twice in buying from them as well.

[Sixty Fiver]

I have been volunteering at my local pet shop for over a month and this was all brought on by a beautiful but rather shy Senegal parrot who took a liking to me, and me alone, and now we hang out together a few times a day to play together and meet new people.

Besides that I have also been spending time with 3 Conures and the most beautiful and gentle baby Plum Headed Parakeet (3-4 months old) who's favourite place to start her day is inside my hoodie where she feels safe and can peek out. She has been spending more and more time up on my shoulder this past week but often crawls back under the hoodie.

If I knew that Toulouse the Senegal would get along with my Ringnecks he(?) would be coming home with me... he is such a wonderful and gentle bird and will have to get some pictures... he likes me to tickle his belly.

All the birds are well treated, get lots of out of the cage time, and they have made me a few job offers to come in and work with the birds and do nothing else as they like people who have specialized skills and experience.

This is "Pumpkin"...

[Sixty Fiver]

Had a nice morning at the shop...

There is a new Cockatiel that came in about a week and a half ago and have been working with her every morning as she is very shy and her biting is more amusing than anything else.

Have been handling her inside the cage and she has been stepping up and allowing me to pet her but today she stepped up on the perch at the door, stepped up, and came out to spend a good half an hour to be groomed and petted.

Also got to evaluate her flying ability after her clipping as she is very strong and did escape when she arrived... am keeping her low to the floor when we work as I don't want her coming off and injuring herself. She made a few short exploratory flights and then was happy to come back up to me.

Seemed pretty happy to perch on my hand and let me help her with all those new feathers and she is about as soft a bird I have ever handled... and when I put her in she wanted to come right back out.

Pumpkin and I got some good play time and she too stepped up and came out and went straight for my hoodie... she likes to cuddle up in there until she feels ready to come out and do some exploring and once out, the last thing she wants is to go back in.

There is no bite in this little 'keet... her grabs are so gentle and it is nice to see her gaining confidence and seeking to explore a little more and she is much less timid.

The manager is so impressed she said she has an older Amazon (3 years old) at another store that needs to come here as she feels this store has the best environment for their birds since they get so much positive attention and time and need to be broadly socialized lest they get too attached to their staff.

It is nice to see this attitude where the animals come first and very few people come to buy birds that are not well informed and are encouraged to come in and play and get to know their new prospective family members.

[Sixty Fiver]

I brought my daughter in to help out today so while Pumpkin snuggled and cooed from within my hoodie she got to meet the baby 'tiel who was blissfully happy to be able to cuddle up with her for the better part of an hour.



Finally got a picture of Toulouse... have been away for a few days and this was one very happy bird who was cooing, kissing me, and offering to share his food with me.

[Sixty Fiver]

I was away in Oregon for a month and found myself worrying about my little flock at the pet store as well as my own feathered kids and stopped there on my way home from the airport to be greeted by a cacophony of happy chirps, squeaks, and dancing Conures.

Toulouse was beside himself with joy when I wrapped him up and gave him a hug, Pumpkin is in the process of moulting and looks like a boy what with all those bright head feathers coming in, and the cockatiel went to a new home as she was really so sweet. My daughter will miss "Sheila" the mean cockatiel who really wasn't anything but sweet.

Those Conures are happy little nuts and were all about getting scritches and "Holmes", a Pearl Conure with an attitude was incredibly lovey... she scares a lot of people and has a tendency to bite strangers but with me, nothing but goodness.

This is what a pet shop should be like... can tell that the birds were getting a lot of good attention while I was away and made sure one of male the staff gave Toulouse extra attention is she is standoffish and really prefers guys. He said they were getting along famously while I was away but can see how much Toulouse likes me.

My wife says we may have to bring Toulouse home and my only concern would be how my feathered kids would get along with her... despite her larger size she is not aggressive and seems intrigued by the other birds while mine might take offense.

[jhebert9]

We've got a great bird store (though I still preferr breeders), but most care only about making money!

[RingNecker]

I have alot of pet stores in my area that are bad with there animals Its a wonder why these conditions are not regulated or shut down.