I can relate - when I first put veggies in F&F's cage they acted as if I was trying to poison them! I just kept adding millet to the veggies and voila - yipppeeee! Now they don't even require millet in their veggies - yaaaaay - finally! But pellets? I really don't think I've ever seen them eat the pellets at all, and I'm thinking of switching to a different one, or discontinuing them entirely.. The struggle continues to convince these guys to eat pellets & veggies too. I have Harrison's.
UGH! And hooray for great improvement!Unfortunately, Indie came from a home where the person was literally doing everything wrong.
She was kept in a tiny cage because "she would be scared if they got her a bigger one". She was on only Zupreem Fruitblend Pellets, except most of her diet was millet spray. Her only toys were a little mirror and a hand-me-down little pom pom toy. It was covered in dirt and grime. She had never been to a vet, and her friend died after falling from his perch and being left paralyzed on the floor. She was extremely antisocial and was terrified of hands. Her feathers were full of pinfeathers and she was plucking.
Luckily, Indie is such a great bird today. She looks amazing and has learned to look forward to her morning meal of vegetables and sprouts. She falls asleep against her favorite person's (My dad ) hands. She even flies to our shoulder when we wistle.
Its true even smaller reptiles are treated as throw aways hermits are notorious for this. They are the betta of the small reptile world. They need as much care as an exotic with food varied diet salt and fresh water ECT... As a quick research showed me when I was handed them as a classroom pet with a tiny kritterkeepr and calcium sand which not inly stinks when wet ans thet need ot wet but is deadly to them.I don’t think half as many people would buy small birds so willingly or impulsively if... they were aware that their new pet, over the time of its life, should cost them much more money than the initial purchase, as well as learning the truth regarding commitment, time and effort these pets deserve, unfortunately most bird newbies get told something like... a small bird such as a budgie only needs a tiny cage that fits neatly in your bookshelf, only needs watering and feeding like most indoor plants etc. If people knew and believed these little weeny fluff butts really require a much bigger cage, with different perches, a better variety of foods, to receive vet care etc- pet stores who rely on these high turnover sales would go broke. Cute easy to care for birds sound just like bringing home an ornament.
Until the wider public learns to challenge their own thinking, and of course the advice of pet store employees, I think fish, smaller birds, rabbits and guinea pigs are going to continue to be treated like disposable and easy low maintenance pets.
Pet stores are a business.... businesses are there to make money legally.
Until welfare laws regarding these smaller living creatures change I don’t feel that pet stores will be honest about the responsibility level involved in properly caring for these tiny creatures- they give enough information for these animals to survive a while but not live a life they really deserve.