*face palm*

[ann]

Today I went to get bird seed at pet supplies plus, and stopped to see what finches they had in stock. All of the finches in the cage were labeled as zebra finches, but they didn't have any zebra finches. They had spice finches, orange checked wax bills, and one other finch. At first I thought it was a kind of canary, it was a sandy color with brown streaks and a horn colored beak. But then I did some research, and I think it was a female orange weaver. Its far fetched, but I can't think of anything else. The last finches I bought there were not being cared for, but these all look healthy . Orange weavers can sell for 80 dollars, but this one is selling for 34. I hope she goes to a good home. It just shows that if they paid more attention to their birds, the birds would be happier and the store would have better business. Has anyone else had similar experiences? ts been a while since I've been on the forum, I have tests coming up and its just been so busy, but it's great to be back

 

[MonicaMc]

I've seen jendays and sundays sold as sun conures.

I frequently see ads online of people selling various species or hybrids as something they are not.

Here is a hybrid macaw (Greenwing x Military?) being sold as a Greenwing (local bird to me)
http://images.craigslist.org/3K93Mb3Nb5L15Ne5F3d3l756169a87d781448.jpg

 

[Birdlover11]

And they say petstores know everything * snort * . I can't tell you HOW many times they mislabeled suns and jendays, and AGE . Don't get me started on age, gosh.

 

[Karigan]

Indeed. There is someone selling a quaker here in BC. I looked at the pic and it was a Green Cheek Conure! It's not even the same species!

 

[Birdboy]

I once saw cockatiels being sold as baby sulpher cockatoos

 

[MonicaMc]

Speaking of green cheeks.... ever heard of a "grey breasted macaw"???

 

[Birdlover11]

Speaking of green cheeks.... ever heard of a "grey breasted macaw"???

OMG ! That wins the award for " The Most Mislabled Parrot Species In The World " .

 

[ann]

it drives me crazy lol! every time i go in there, they have all the finches labeled as "zebra finches" for 34 dollars! the last time i was there, they had two sick finches, one looked awful. i told him they were sick and he said " oh...we think that one is pregnant" i bought the finches later, and they are healthy again and sitting on eggs . i have seen a few hybrid cockatoos and really small SCC, but never a "grey breasted macaw" . while were on the topic of hybrids, what's your opinion on them?

 

[ConureCrazy]

I saw a sun conure in Craigslist labeled as 'ULTRA RARE FLAME RAINBOW MACAW!!!!!!!! ONLY $1,000!!!!'
*facepalm* Poor sun conure.

 

[ann]

conure crazy, whoa, now that's a crazy name. i agree, the poor sun conure, if someone buys a bird based on a name like that, they probably aren't thinking of the birds best interest :0(.

 

[MonicaMc]

i have seen a few hybrid cockatoos and really small SCC, but never a "grey breasted macaw" . while were on the topic of hybrids, what's your opinion on them?

What is it that you'd like to know about them?

I can go either way on the subject, but as a whole, I am against hybrids. It is actually a pet peeve of mine when hybrids occur unintentionally, but I also feel as if the majority of our green cheek conures, senegal parrots and who knows how many other species being kept and reproduced here in the USA are hybrids. Not necessarily hybrids with other species, simply hybrids subspecies. I suspect there are several blue front amazons, yellow headed amazons (not just yellow head, but yellow nape, yellow crown, etc) and various cockatoo hybrids, too because people didn't realize that the two birds that they put together were different subspecies.

I'm "ok" with it as long as it is done responsibly. By this, I mean that the resulting offspring are not likely to have any health problems (prone to cancer, deformities, shortened lifespan, failure to thrive as chicks, etc), they look like hybrids, and they are sold as hybrids. Paired correctly, hybrid birds can be healthier than the parents! All that genetic code!

I'm not ok with it done irresponsibly, where hybrids look like pures, are sold as pures, or any other thing like that. Paired incorrectly, the offspring will not be as healthy or fit as the parents.


All in all, I am still fascinated by them! So much so that I've put together a group of hybrid parrot photos on Flickr! And some of the hybrids on there, as well as many that aren't, are simply fascinating!

Flickr: Hybrid Parrots

 

[crimson]

Our local pet store never labels anything, but keeps a book at the front, duh.
all the birds are way over priced, and mislabeled.
I've had to correct them a number of times(I'm in there quite a bit) on what type of bird they have.
Occasionally they underprice a bird, I usually buy it, I just figure...you snooze you loose!
they think they know it all, but really don't know anything about birds.

 

[MonicaMc]

Just came across an ad that irks me....

Here's the photo...

https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/738372_316650635112965_700281259_o.jpg

Ad says that you can secure a chick for $100, price goes up to $350, $150 to ship or $50 to deliver. They are being sold as cherry headed conures.

However, when you go to the direct image (rather than the image of the ad), the description reads as Mitred-Conures (CherryHead-Conured).


They are *not* the same species. In the image, the bird on the left *IS* a cherry head. The one on the right I suspect to be a mitred hybrid. The two birds are obviously not the same size, have different amounts of red, and aren't even the same color. Cherry heads are born 100% green. Mitreds aren't.

I don't know if this person realizes they are separate species or not, and from the info, it doesn't appear so.

 

[ann]

i agree with MonicaMc, i think it's ok as long as its done responsibly. I also think it's important that the buyer knows they are getting a hybrid.
@crimson, sometimes it woks out to the benefit of the buyer . at least with you they go to a good home :0).

 

[Birdlover11]

I saw a sun conure in Craigslist labeled as 'ULTRA RARE FLAME RAINBOW MACAW!!!!!!!! ONLY $1,000!!!!'
*facepalm* Poor sun conure.

LOL Yasmin . That sounds like the name of a Pokemon . If that person doesn't even know the name , let alone that it's not a macaw how can they care for it properly ?

 

[apaintedsparrow]

I saw a sun conure in Craigslist labeled as 'ULTRA RARE FLAME RAINBOW MACAW!!!!!!!! ONLY $1,000!!!!'
*facepalm* Poor sun conure.

LOL Yasmin . That sounds like the name of a Pokemon . If that person doesn't even know the name , let alone that it's not a macaw how can they care for it properly ?

Like a Pokemon! :snort: :coffeescreen:

Haha I loled good at that one.

 

[Featheredsamurai]

I once saw a military macaw on Craigslist for $400 D: poor bird was kept in bad conditions, and the people clearly know nothing about birds.

 

[ann]

Poor bird, honestly, I never recommend parrots to people so they don't end up like that macaw. I get so nervous when I see people looking at birds at the pet store. Let's hope these birds go to a good home.