cottontiel
New member
- Apr 8, 2016
- 82
- 0
Last month I ventured down to one of the independent bird stores I used to frequent before I moved cities, and upon entering I was almost immediately trampled by a little girl running around unsupervised. She couldn't have been older than maybe eight at MOST. I kind of brushed it off. I figured she must've just been excited to see all of the free-roaming exotic birds chilling on their cage tops.
I proceeded to talk and interact with the birds as I normally would, took a look into the nursery, and followed up by heading into the bird room where the special needs birds and finches were kept. My boyfriend was with me, and this just so happened to be the day he decided to get his first bird.
While he and I were picking out a cage and supplies for the parakeet he fell in love with, I overheard one of the sales associates talking to the mother of the little girl I mentioned prior. Apparently they were interested in purchasing a bird, but it was clear to me that the mom had no clue what having a pet parrot entailed. The associate recommended one of their hand-reared green cheek conures (which I KNOW to be amazingly friendly and well-bred as I have 2 friends with GCC babies from this place), but upon hearing the price the mother kinda wrinkled up her face and asked for "something cheap". I could tell that the sales associate was a little thrown off by that, as was I. The associate responded by saying "Oh... well surely your daughter would prefer a bird that she can interact and play with not just leave on display, right?" to which the mom just shrugged dismissively.
It was at this point I began pleading internally that this woman would give up on the idea of buying a bird. I could tell she had no interest in giving one a proper home. She didn't even want to hold one! The only other bird the sales associate could recommend was a cockatiel, but he was a skittish baby and the mother was suddenly put off by the idea of having to put in the work to tame it. I wouldn't even recommend a fish for this lady. Animals are NOT disposable!
I don't know, I guess I just get really protective of these animals. I see how misunderstood they are, and how easily people brush them off as soon as they realize they won't talk or do tricks for them right away. Heck, even my boyfriend's family and friends don't like my 'tiel because he won't let them pet him (he's very scared) and "just poops all of the time".
He's been called a "little a**hole" more times than I'd like to have heard, but I know how sweet he really is. Not everyone can be a bird person.
I proceeded to talk and interact with the birds as I normally would, took a look into the nursery, and followed up by heading into the bird room where the special needs birds and finches were kept. My boyfriend was with me, and this just so happened to be the day he decided to get his first bird.
While he and I were picking out a cage and supplies for the parakeet he fell in love with, I overheard one of the sales associates talking to the mother of the little girl I mentioned prior. Apparently they were interested in purchasing a bird, but it was clear to me that the mom had no clue what having a pet parrot entailed. The associate recommended one of their hand-reared green cheek conures (which I KNOW to be amazingly friendly and well-bred as I have 2 friends with GCC babies from this place), but upon hearing the price the mother kinda wrinkled up her face and asked for "something cheap". I could tell that the sales associate was a little thrown off by that, as was I. The associate responded by saying "Oh... well surely your daughter would prefer a bird that she can interact and play with not just leave on display, right?" to which the mom just shrugged dismissively.
It was at this point I began pleading internally that this woman would give up on the idea of buying a bird. I could tell she had no interest in giving one a proper home. She didn't even want to hold one! The only other bird the sales associate could recommend was a cockatiel, but he was a skittish baby and the mother was suddenly put off by the idea of having to put in the work to tame it. I wouldn't even recommend a fish for this lady. Animals are NOT disposable!
I don't know, I guess I just get really protective of these animals. I see how misunderstood they are, and how easily people brush them off as soon as they realize they won't talk or do tricks for them right away. Heck, even my boyfriend's family and friends don't like my 'tiel because he won't let them pet him (he's very scared) and "just poops all of the time".
He's been called a "little a**hole" more times than I'd like to have heard, but I know how sweet he really is. Not everyone can be a bird person.
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