Petco Canary Winged Parakeet

[ScaryBird]

So there’s been two canary winged parakeets at my local Petco for 3 months straight now. Only two plastic toys at the top of their cages, and a divider between them. They seem like really sweet birds, and are apparently hand tamed. I’m thinking about “rescuing” one. Does anyone have experience with canary winged parakeets? How common are they? I can’t find a ton of information on them compared to some other birds. I find it strange that Petco has them, honestly. They had cockatiels in that cage before them, and they sold almost immediately. I just feel terrible for these isolated, bored, and probably depressed parrots.

 

[Aves]

@Porter @Dartman

 

[Matto]

Just curious. Any other canary-winged parakeet owners?

I was wondering if there any other canary-winged parakeet owners that are active on here. I have seen a couple over the past two years, but they have never been active here other than a short while. Is there any current canary-winged parakeet owners here that are still active here or am I the...

forums.avianavenue.com

 

[Dartman]

When I got mine in the early 70s the shop had a big cage full of them and I picked one for 18 dollars. Ralph was very aggressive and loud for such a little guy and would bite. I finally started working with him and fairly quickly he decided I was trust worthy and a friend. He was very loyal and affectionate after that but he didn't like my sisters in my room and would dive bomb them. If I was there he left them alone. He pody trained himself and would get antsy and I would hold him over a trash can and he'd go. If he was by himself out hanging out it was bombs away. He always was loud but had cute happy noises as well and thought he was a eagle.

 

[ScaryBird]

When I got mine in the early 70s the shop had a big cage full of them and I picked one for 18 dollars. Ralph was very aggressive and loud for such a little guy and would bite. I finally started working with him and fairly quickly he decided I was trust worthy and a friend. He was very loyal and affectionate after that but he didn't like my sisters in my room and would dive bomb them. If I was there he left them alone. He pody trained himself and would get antsy and I would hold him over a trash can and he'd go. If he was by himself out hanging out it was bombs away. He always was loud but had cute happy noises as well and thought he was a eagle.

How loud are they? I have a sun conure and lovebird... are they any louder than them?

 

[Dartman]

It's been a long time but he seemed really loud to me as a friend 12 year old. I think he was louder than a love bird, don't know about a Conure. I've had Pionus for years and they are generally quiet but when they wind up pretty sure they are louder. He seemed a lot bigger to me at the time, but I finally saw one at a bird shop and he was tiny but happy and brought back memories.

 

[birdy.929]

i don’t have any advice to add, but my local petco had a canary winged parakeet a couple months ago. he sold within a few weeks, but i wonder why petco started selling them...

 

[sunnysmom]

A lot of chain pet stores seem to have canary wingeds lately. (And then we get them at our rescue. ) I also fostered one for awhile. I adore them. The one that I had wanted nothing more than to sit on my shoulder all day. He really didn't like to play but loved to snuggle. A lovely retired woman adopted him so he can have all kinds of attention all day. He was a good eater and loved fruits and vegetables. I would listen to some videos of their chirps though. I thought mine was fairly quiet and his chirps didn't bother me at all. (I also live with a 'too.) But some of the other foster people with our rescue say they can't stand the sound of their chirping- too shrill or something.

 

[MnGuy]

I have definitely seen canary winged parakeets at some Petcos or Petsmarts (I forget which) off and on in recent years in my area (Minneapolis-St. Paul).

 

[ScaryBird]

Thank you all for the kind words and advice! I picked the little fella up today. I chose the one who had sadly lost a claw at some point in time with Petco. I’m not sure if it was something they did, or self-mutilation. Anyway, he was chirping very happily and running around the cage excitedly when he saw me, so I figured he’d be the best choice of the two that were there.

They had both been in that terrible enclosure since October 6th. After prying and making one of the employees talk to the manager about a possible discount, I got 25% off. His total came to $361. Apparently they have to weigh them when they sell, so the employee weighed him and said he was 6 grams. I weighed him at home, and he was 60 grams. Then after he was done weighing the already stressed out fella, he left the box he was in on the scale on the checkout desk, and it almost fell. Luckily I caught him and it. His nails are also growing at a weird angle. I think it’s because he only really used one perch in there.

After all that, he’s home now and doing great. He hasn’t bitten me yet, and even let me give him scratches.

Isn’t that cage he was in, awful?

 

[sunnysmom]

Congrats on your new bird. Did the store do a vet check on him? If not, I would schedule one and have him looked at. We recently got a new canary winged at the rescue and the owner said she had paid $450 for him. So apparently that's the range they're going for at pet stores. I hope things go well with him. What's his name?

 

[ScaryBird]

Congrats on your new bird. Did the store do a vet check on him? If not, I would schedule one and have him looked at. We recently got a new canary winged at the rescue and the owner said she had paid $450 for him. So apparently that's the range they're going for at pet stores. I hope things go well with him. What's his name?

They said that he went to a vet before being shipped, and gave me a paper with his band number saying he tested negative for parrot chlamydia and PDD. He was in there since October 6th and isolated even from the other canary winged, so I’m guessing he’s fine. I also checked on him every week for that entire duration. I will have to go to the vet if his nail issue worsens or doesn’t resolve, though.

Yes, I would’ve paid the full $450 if they said they wouldn’t lower the price, but I really didn’t wanna give Petco more money. Canary winged parakeets have beaks that remind me of hawks, so I named him Clint after Marvel’s hawkeye!

 

[camelotshadow]

May you have many happy years with your new friend.
Photos!

Think its a good practice of Petco to weigh the bird even if they really goofed on yours. 60 grams seems like a good weight.

 

[sunnysmom]

They said that he went to a vet before being shipped, and gave me a paper with his band number saying he tested negative for parrot chlamydia and PDD. He was in there since October 6th and isolated even from the other canary winged, so I’m guessing he’s fine. I also checked on him every week for that entire duration. I will have to go to the vet if his nail issue worsens or doesn’t resolve, though.

Yes, I would’ve paid the full $450 if they said they wouldn’t lower the price, but I really didn’t wanna give Petco more money. Canary winged parakeets have beaks that remind me of hawks, so I named him Clint after Marvel’s hawkeye!

Cute name. My foster canary winged came to me with a parrotlet. It was an emergency intake situation so I took them both to foster. The canary winged did NOT like the parrotlet at all. And any time the parrotlet got too close, the canary winged would bite me- like he was saying do your job and keep that little monster away from me. LOL. That was the only time he ever bit though- and it wasn't really a bite- more like a hard peck but that sharp little beak is like a needle. But the good news is the "bites" didn't do much damage. Just a little pin prick.

 

[Hankmacaw]

There unfortunately is no reliable test for PDD. The most reliable and not all that reliable is a biiopsy and histology. They have no idea whether your bird has PDD or not.

I hate it when theses vendors lie so blatantly to their customers.

Enjoy your new bird.

 

[Porter]

Canary wings are sweet but very stubborn little birds.
They play and are active but tend to become perch potatos if you don't interact with toys WITH them.
They love snuggles most of the time but aren't prone to liking to be touched unless its a scratch now and then.
They can be very loud but not as loud as cockatiels.

 

[ScaryBird]

Cute name. My foster canary winged came to me with a parrotlet. It was an emergency intake situation so I took them both to foster. The canary winged did NOT like the parrotlet at all. And any time the parrotlet got too close, the canary winged would bite me- like he was saying do your job and keep that little monster away from me. LOL. That was the only time he ever bit though- and it wasn't really a bite- more like a hard peck but that sharp little beak is like a needle. But the good news is the "bites" didn't do much damage. Just a little pin prick.

He tried to bite me a few times, but realized I was a human and not a bird. The other birds in the room seem to make him a bit nervous. I’m guessing solitary confinement for 3 months will do that to you. He does really like human hands so far, though!

There unfortunately is no reliable test for PDD. The most reliable and not all that reliable is a biiopsy and histology. They have no idea whether your bird has PDD or not.

I hate it when theses vendors lie so blatantly to their customers.

Enjoy your new bird.

Eh, it’s Petco, so I automatically don’t believe a single word they've said. The only thing I believed for a fact of what they said, is that he was there for 3 months. I saw that part with my own eyes. I can believe he was tested for parrot chlamydia because he was isolated for that entire time and was always healthy.

Canary wings are sweet but very stubborn little birds.
They play and are active but tend to become perch potatos if you don't interact with toys WITH them.
They love snuggles most of the time but aren't prone to liking to be touched unless its a scratch now and then.
They can be very loud but not as loud as cockatiels.

He really is a total sweetheart so far. That being said, I love a sassy parrot. I’m guessing he had to revert to perch potato settings while in his Petco dungeon, as he mostly just sticks to one area of his cage right now.

My cockatiel is singing a beautiful morning song in honor of his breakfast coming soon. I believe he calls this song “scream until someone's ears bleed or until food appears”. An original piece!

Here’s a pic of little Clint after coming out of his carrier yesterday. I’m pretty sure Benji, my peach faced lovebird, was already scheming here.

 

[sunnysmom]

So cute. I really don't know why canary wingeds aren't more popular. I think they are great little birds.

 

[ScaryBird]

So cute. I really don't know why canary wingeds aren't more popular. I think they are great little birds.

That‘s what I was wondering! They seem like very unique little birds, and would make a nice alternative to the similarly sized green cheek conure. I’m guessing people don’t buy them because of their name and their colors. Canary winged parakeet isn’t exactly an eye-catching name, and neither are their colors. Like I said earlier, I think their most interesting feature is that beak—they look so much like a bird of prey beak! Mine also kinda moves like a bird of prey, but that may just be a personality trait of his.

 

[MnGuy]

So cute. I really don't know why canary wingeds aren't more popular. I think they are great little birds.

I think their colors probably don't appeal to a lot of people and their look can be interpreted as less "cute" than other parrots.