Birds for sale in Pet store

[Birdlover42]

I went to a pet store today and saw a blue quaker for sale. He came to where I was and scratched and bit at the glass. I wanted to scoop him up and take him home or at least hold him or talk to him. He was in a glass enclosure so I wasn't able to interact with him. I felt sad that I wasn't able to have any type of contact with him. Then when I saw the price for him I felt sad and angry at the same time. I do not understand pet stores trying to make such a profit off of these precious creatures and don't seem to care about good homes for them. I'm thinking of calling the corporate office and stating my thoughts on this. Just wondering if anyone had an opinion or thoughts on this?

 

[hrafn]

Pet stores that sell live animals do so for the sole purpose of making bank. Some do care for their animals well (or as well as possible in such an environment), but most don't. And unfortunately, the corporate heads don't care.

I've had success in the past in convincing store managers to improve the set-ups they have (ex. providing proper toys, maintaining correct humidity, etc.), but I doubt any manager or corporate head would entertain the idea of altogether ridding themselves of the income provided by pet sales. It's all about that cheddar.


That being said, it never hurts to make your voice heard! A company's customers are its life blood.

 

[cnyguy]

I once pointed out to the manager of a pet store that their puppy prices were almost twice what others were selling the same breeds for. The reply I got: "If you don't like the prices, get out of my store and don't come back." Calling the corporate office may be better than doing nothing, but unfortunately may not get the results you'd like.

 

[Birdlover42]

The response from the guy at corporate was have you ever heard of free enterprise? He was extremely rude and uncaring. We also contacted PETA .even though it may do no good I'm glad we spoke up and hopefully brought some light to this type of situation.

 

[SandraK]

The Petco near me has had 2 gccs for a good six months priced at $449-$499 (one was a "fancy" conure i.e. yellow side). They've been discounted now to $299 and the normal gcc was sold. Poor things are in plastic cubes next to each other w/no contact and some of the worst toys I've ever seen. If I could, I'd buy it just to get it out of there but I know it'll be replaced in a week or two and it breaks my heart. They so wanted to interact with me.

 

[hrafn]

The response from the guy at corporate was have you ever heard of free enterprise? He was extremely rude and uncaring. We also contacted PETA .even though it may do no good I'm glad we spoke up and hopefully brought some light to this type of situation.

What a #+×÷@&$%!!!
"Have you ever heard of free enterprise". Ugh. Yeah, you ever heard of basic human decency? Of course not.

I'm not a fan of PETA at all, but contacting your local humane society might help? Although generally, as long as an animal has food, water and shelter, there's not much that can be done legally.

 

[Birdlover42]

Sandra that's how I feel. The blue quaker was scratching and pecking where I was standing but there was no way to talk or interact due to the glass. The cinnamon green cheek conure was the same way and so active but no where to climb and no toys. The conure looked like a baby and so tiny. I am heartbroken anrgy and disturbed that these poor little guys are being treated this way. What else concerns me is that when inexperienced bird people come in and see this they will think it's okay to just stick them in a cage without proper care or toys. If the staff are treating them this way then how are they going to teach a new bird owner how to take care of them????

 

[SandraK]

You won't get much help from anyone unless the birds are kept in atrocious conditions and have no food, water or shelter. Keep in mind that for many they're "just birds". And they equal income.

 

[Birdlover42]

What a #+×÷@&$%!!!
"Have you ever heard of free enterprise". Ugh. Yeah, you ever heard of basic human decency? Of course not.

I'm not a fan of PETA at all, but contacting your local humane society might help? Although generally, as long as an animal has food, water and shelter, there's not much that can be done legally.

Exactly! My fiance was talking to the jerk and absolutely went off and they got into an argument with many choice words from my man. Also what about PETA do you not care for? Just curious. This is the first time I've contacted them and don't know much about them. I just feel so desperate and heartbroken about this situation!

 

[hrafn]

Exactly! My fiance was talking to the jerk and absolutely went off and they got into an argument with many choice words from my man. Also what about PETA do you not care for? Just curious. This is the first time I've contacted them and don't know much about them. I just feel so desperate and heartbroken about this situation!

PETA is just like that corporate guy: it's not about the animals, its about the money.

They believe that animals should never be pets, and in this belief they do truly horrific things, such as stealing dogs from yards and euthanising them.
In 2011 only 2.5% of dogs and 0.4% of cats surrendered to PETA got adopted, because the rest were killed. And that's a trend they carry on every year. People who worked for PETA have told stories of bags full of puppies getting thrown in the garbage.

They also compare meat farming to the Holocaust.

And that's just the tip of the iceberg.

It's really just a monstrous, evil corporation. There are too many good ones in the world to give PETA an ounce of our money or concerns.

 

[Mizzely]

My green cheek was at a petco in one of those cages. Seed mix, dirty water and a single hardwood drawer pull as a toy. $450 and 10 months old. I took her home and she was one of the best birds I've had !

 

[Birdlover42]

Wow I have not heard anything about PETA and have done no research! But I sure will now and thank you for your response! Mizzely I am so happy you rescued your baby from those awful condiotions. If I was wealthy I would buy these birds and foster them until I could find good homes for them!

 

[SandraK]

My green cheek was at a petco in one of those cages. Seed mix, dirty water and a single hardwood drawer pull as a toy. $450 and 10 months old. I took her home and she was one of the best birds I've had !

I'm still thinking about it but I'm supposed to reduce my flock a little in preparation for the move to FL.

 

[Birdlover42]

I'm still thinking about it but I'm supposed to reduce my flock a little in preparation for the move to FL.

Are you thinking of rehoming your bird?

 

[SandraK]

Plus what I really don't like about Petco & Petsmart is that they don't have a flipping clue about the sex of their birds. I've always wondered about the fact that they claim to have their birds vaccinated but can't tell me the sex.

 

[SandraK]

Are you thinking of rehoming your bird?

My bird? Bird(s) as in 1 sun, 5 Quakers (1 is blind), 13 gccs and (when I last tried to count them a couple of days ago) approx 31 tiels (they kept moving around because they figured I was trying to catch somebirdy).

 

[Birdlover42]

I doubt pet stores dna test their birds. I don't think they care and they just want to make a profit which is why they charge $800 for a Quaker parrot! I don't know anything about vaccines for birds. What vaccines do they need?

 

[iamwhoiam]

I doubt pet stores dna test their birds. I don't think they care and they just want to make a profit which is why they charge $800 for a Quaker parrot! I don't know anything about vaccines for birds. What vaccines do they need?

The Petsmart near me gets conures that have been vaccinated for Polyoma virus. Don't know if the smaller birds they get in are vaccinated. Maybe the 'tiels are??

 

[SandraK]

I doubt pet stores dna test their birds. I don't think they care and they just want to make a profit which is why they charge $800 for a Quaker parrot! I don't know anything about vaccines for birds. What vaccines do they need?

Petco & Petsmart don't DNA their birds. My point being that since they claim that their birds are vaccinated against polyomarvirus and chlamydia, they could just as easily DNA them at that time.

 

[Birdlover42]

I feel lost about the vaccines with birds. I have never had a bird that was vaccinated. I've had cockatiels in the past and now have a quaker. I'm concerned that i need to have her vaccinated? And if the pet stores claim to vaccinate their birds I'm wondering why they don't go ahead and DNA test them? Any thoughts on this?