Need GCC Help - PetSmart Related

[napsack]

First I'd like to say hello. I needed some info and am a constant browser of this forum over the last 6 months and decided to post.

My girlfriend grew up around birds and now since we live together she really wanted one of her own. 3 months ago we got a 3 month old male turquoise GCC from a private breeder. He is beautiful, really smart, and nothing but energy. He is my favorite pet I have ever owned and he is like my baby. We basically do everything together and spend the whole day together. He's my best friend and he is spoiled rotten.

My girlfriend really wants another one. We went to PetSmart to get a few new toys and there was this beautiful baby cinnamon GCC alone in a giant cage. She played with him and instantly fell in love with him.

I know the golden rule is to go with a private breeder and PetSmart is not the way to go for obvious reasons, but she views it as we can take this baby out of a bad situation and give him a happy, loving home.

I spoke to the people there for awhile and he is 4 months old, told me he came from a private breeder and was hand raised and fed and they just got him last week. They had papers with all 3 tests, which were negative, and also had his vaccinations. I looked at him closely and he has no black tipped feathers indicating a vitamin A deficiency. I know when birds are stressed out or sick they tend to not eat but he looked well fed and extremely healthy. I also checked out his eyes and nostrils and they looked great.

I guess my question is, while you shouldn't get a bird from PetSmart is there a possibility that this bird is in fact healthy and disease free and I could give it a good home?

Like I said my girlfriend is an animal lover and she also knows about how PetSmart doesn't take care of their animals. Her view is since they have only had him for a week and lye ooks healthy she wants to get him and so he doesn't go through a tough time at the store of possibility get bought by a negligent owner since most people in Petsmart just say hey, that's a cool bird, let's get him, and don't know how to care for it.


ANY info is greatly appreciated, thanks!

 

[Phlox]

See, I'm in the minority, but I don't think just because something came from a pet store, its bad. Everything you said about this bird is better than you'll get from any one of a dozen backyard private breeders. You'll probably pay a little more from Petsmart, but if he's tested and healthy and you like him? I see zero issue with it.

Each store is different of course, even a chain, but the key thing is do you trust them?

My local Petsmart is a really nice clean store where they house and adopt cats from local rescues and all the animals at healthy and clean. My budgie is from Petsmart and she's 5 years old and doing just fine.

 

[napsack]

See, I'm in the minority, but I don't think just because something came from a pet store, its bad. Everything you said about this bird is better than you'll get from any one of a dozen backyard private breeders. You'll probably pay a little more from Petsmart, but if he's tested and healthy and you like him? I see zero issue with it.

Each store is different of course, even a chain, but the key thing is do you trust them?

My local Petsmart is a really nice clean store where they house and adopt cats from local rescues and all the animals at healthy and clean. My budgie is from Petsmart and she's 5 years old and doing just fine.

Thanks a ton, a friend of mine actually runs a cat adoption program and works with this petsmart in particular I am talking about and he says they are good people.

 

[RavensGryf]

First of all welcome finally!
Although as you know it's best to buy from a reputable private breeder if you want a weaned baby, BUT I wouldn't say just because it's at Petsmart it's a "bad situation".
IMO, the reason to not patronize the pet stores for birds is that they (and their employees) usually tend to know next to nothing about birds, and they have a lack of socialization in the store setting. You also can't get any info on the "breeder" or environment they came from.

ANY private breeder who isn't what they call a "closed aviary" and follows the strict protocols (including no visitors) CAN get diseases in their aviary and home. It is unlikely but possible anytime birds and bird people (with their clothes, shoes, and hair, etc) is in another bird environment it can spread disease. Of course that's if disease is present.
Please also note that while neglected, dirty environments are bad for obvious reasons (truly a "bad situation"), that is NOT necessarily where the 'big' diseases come from. More likely bacterial, parasitic or fungal infections in that case. Many times birds with the deadly viruses are beautiful on the outside and the only way to tell they're sick is diagnostic testing, and they can come from even a well meaning source. That's 'why' for the quarantine and testing.

Good luck no matter where you decide to get your next bird!

 

[Terry57]

My crimson bellied conure came from Petland originally. He was bought 2 weeks before we got him by a girl who then couldn't keep him. He is a great little guy
I think that your girlfriend's heart has already decided

 

[RavensGryf]

My Budgies Pix and Twigs came from Petsmart. They were tested disease free, and Twigs is normal and fine. Pix has systemic problems common to Budgies, but that is NOT Petsmarts fault.

 

[Kiwibird]

If you want this little darling, you better go get him before someone else does! There is no shame in getting a pet from a petstore, even a big chain one. So long as you plan to provide excellent lifelong care, thats what counts You will need to of course quarantine him from your other bird for a few weeks until he is examined by a vet and declared disease-free, but you would have to do that whether he came from petsmart or the best breeder in the country (just a basic new bird safety practice).

And I must say, I think these stores have been cleaning up their act in recent years. You don't see large parrots or "advanced care" reptiles anymore, and you only see adoptable dogs/cats from shelters instead of kitties and puppies from animal mills. And I haven't been in a petco/petsmart in a while where there were dirty enclosures or enclosures that lacked basic care needs. Their care sheets have gotten better and more comprehensive too, so I think they are paying closer attention to informing customers and I applaud them for that.

Let us know if you get the bird!

 

[napsack]

Thank you all so much, I greatly appreciate it!

 

[napsack]

My crimson bellied conure came from Petland originally. He was bought 2 weeks before we got him by a girl who then couldn't keep him. He is a great little guy
I think that your girlfriend's heart has already decided

Haha I think ur right about the her deciding part.

 

[RavensGryf]

And I must say, I think these stores have been cleaning up their act in recent years. You don't see large parrots or "advanced care" reptiles anymore, and you only see adoptable dogs/cats from shelters instead of kitties and puppies from animal mills.

I've noticed that too, and they're always clean. These big chain stores at least have standards to upkeep. It's 'some' of the independent pet shops out there that are 'iffy'. I like to patronize independently owned businesses, but unfortunately it seems a "good" independently owned pet store is not real easy to find .

 

[Kiwibird]

I've noticed that too, and they're always clean. These big chain stores at least have standards to upkeep. It's 'some' of the independent pet shops out there that are 'iffy'. I like to patronize independently owned businesses, but unfortunately it seems a "good" independently owned pet store is not real easy to find .

I think a lot of people got angry at the chain stores for being neglectful/filthy and were able to call them out on a national level and forced them to improve their conditions unless they wanted to loose business. When I got Leo (my leopard gecko) at petsmart (18 years ago, my how time flies and how long lived these critters can be!) the gecko enclosure had no hiding to speak of and was full of poop. The care instructions said to put sand in his tank and he almost died of a sand impaction because they gave bad information. I've seen major improvements in that kind of thing recently.

Private stores are still able to get away with it a bit more because only locals who have visited the store or heard through local word of mouth know the stores faults. Luckily, there are a few "gems" out there in the way of private stores. We had a wonderful bird store with wonderful owners in AZ and while it's a bit of a drive, I found one here that is awesome and they are clean and take good care of their birds. I still do shop at petsmart though.

 

[EnglishMuffin]

Kiwi has got a good point. Where I'm from back in the UK there was a little independent pet store they are selling illegal exotic animals (monkeys, lorises etc) in deplorable conditions. It operated for ages, totally brazen, because the only people that used it were people who owned/ were buying those animals and didn't want the police to find out. Eventually word of mouth got out and it got shut down.

 

[napsack]

First of all welcome finally!
Although as you know it's best to buy from a reputable private breeder if you want a weaned baby, BUT I wouldn't say just because it's at Petsmart it's a "bad situation".
IMO, the reason to not patronize the pet stores for birds is that they (and their employees) usually tend to know next to nothing about birds, and they have a lack of socialization in the store setting. You also can't get any info on the "breeder" or environment they came from.

ANY private breeder who isn't what they call a "closed aviary" and follows the strict protocols (including no visitors) CAN get diseases in their aviary and home. It is unlikely but possible anytime birds and bird people (with their clothes, shoes, and hair, etc) is in another bird environment it can spread disease. Of course that's if disease is present.
Please also note that while neglected, dirty environments are bad for obvious reasons (truly a "bad situation"), that is NOT necessarily where the 'big' diseases come from. More likely bacterial, parasitic or fungal infections in that case. Many times birds with the deadly viruses are beautiful on the outside and the only way to tell they're sick is diagnostic testing, and they can come from even a well meaning source. That's 'why' for the quarantine and testing.

Good luck no matter where you decide to get your next bird!

Also, thank you for the welcoming! All of you. I think we decided we are gonna get him.

 

[Dinosrawr]

My boyfriend works at Petland, and I know they do their best when it come to particular things. They don't know everything there is to know, and that's why sometimes you meet birds that have diets that are not necessarily appropriate. Cleanliness though is something they strive for, or at least at Brendon's work. The cages are cleaned daily, water bowls replaced twice daily, food bowls and water bowls are washed, perches are washed.

However, what I must mention is that purchasing from a pet store, no matter if your animal has a clean bill of health, requires quarintine. At Brendon's work, the brand new rose crowned that came with a clean bill of health randomly died. So did two cockatiels. There's so many people handling the birds that transmission after being in the store is what's dangerous, not what the vet check up says before.

So if I were you, I'd get another full blood panel done. Other than than... how could you ever say no to an adorable conure?! Let alone your girlfriend !

EDIT: omg. So many spelling errors... remind me not to use my phone for answering on the forums, especially when I'm running on zero sleep -.-

 

[Runnergirl]

I almost came home with a Sunnie from Petsmart during Christmas. He was a charmer and became my buddy right away. We just didn't have the money they were asking, and luckily he got adopted by one of the workers who took care of him...But if he hadn't, I would worry about him because I love the little guy!
... I think as long as you quarantine and you pick the bird that's right for you, it doesn't matter whether from a breeder or pet store. You can get great birds from a pet store or unsocialized birds from a breeder. Basically, you are doing all the right research and seem like you're on the right track.
Let us know how it goes now that you've made up your mind!

 

[kiwibird2014]

Hello. I just wanted to put my two cents in since I did purchase my Kiwi (pineapple GCC) from a Petsmart. Also I have worked at a Petsmart in the past. From what you have said I don't see any reason why you should be concerned about purchasing this little bird from that Petsmart. I will say most Petsmarts are very good and the employees care very much about the well being and care for all the animals. There are strict guidelines put in place to ensure that every animals gets the proper care and nutrition it needs, even if the employee does not particularly know much about the animal. Unfortunately, there are certain stores, Petsmart and private stores alike that neglect their animals. From what I have read this little bird has been well taken care of and the employees seem knowledgeable. The bird seems outgoing which means they socialize with it and give it the attention it needs. I am in no way saying Petsmart is the best place to buy a bird, I just kinda get upset when people say Petsmart is a horrible place to buy a bird because they think Petsmart doesn't care or don't know anything. The best thing to do is feel the store out if you are considering a purchase from them. If the store is clean, if the animals are healthy looking, clean habitats etc... and if they are not, complain to management!! It is not acceptable. I do know that Petsmart has a 14 day guarantee on their animals so if you suspect any illness in that time you can take it back and they have to take it to the vet and you can request to repurchase the animal. I hope that helps in the decision to get the little birdie because it sounds like a real sweetie

 

[MrsKay]

I have seen some beautiful birds in some of the larger stores. From what I have seen, most of them are clean if the management is good. As has been said they can sometimes be expensive.

 

[Colorguarder08]

I often stop in at all the petstores here in town to either compare prices or just see what they all have. The PetSmart here has a 2 week unconditional guarentee on the birds which most breeders if they offer a guarentee it's a 72 hour guarentee. When I bought Speckles back in April he looked healthy and the lady seemed to know a lot about each of the birds there at the time. However 9 days later Speckles died so I took him back and was offered another bird or a refund I choose the refund so I could wait until replace everything and inorder to replace the cage (actually get a much bigger one) food, treats,toys and play stands it's going to cost over $1,000 and thats not including the bird. However the same day I bought Speckles I also visited PetCo and they now only sell parakeets but they were feeding them sprouts and pellets but were using the aspen bedding you would use for rabbits. Now I refuse to purchase any animals from the locally owned petstore because they wont sell you an animal unless you purchase everything including the animal from them and they don't know a ton about their animals. I purchased a rabbit which I was told was a full grown adult and was about 2lbs at the time of purchase however over the next couple months it got to be close to 15lbs and I had to have 3 different hutches built for it (my cousin built them all for me) I eventually had to rehome her because after the third hutch I just didn't have the room for her. That store also has an all sales are final policy which I dont like I like to be able to return defective items but you can't there. So I really don't think you can say that just because it's a big chain store it's bad. Also you need to remember even those birds need homes.

 

[napsack]

So we went back to the pet store to go play with him and turns out it is actually a her! We got to hold her for the first time and she is beyond sweet! He immediately stepped up to my gf and just snuggled her chest and couldn't have been sweeter. Pretty sure we are gonna purchase her tomorrow!

 

[napsack]

here is a picture of her!