On a sadder note..

[AmyMyBlueFront]

....While Joe and I were at the ALLPETS...there was a house with two normal grey 'tiels in it..one was definitely a male ( all yellow on his face and head) and I believe the other to be female ( not as much yellow) and they were just sitting on the floor of their house with eyes closed.
I DID open the door to try and get one on my hand but they squawed and climbed the house walls..only two small perches,one on each side,and a small water bowl half full and a small bowl of food..the bowls were plastic budgie bowls.

There was a sign on the cage.."Two Cockatiels and cage..$249"
I know they sell their baby tiels for $229 a piece. ( So HAPPY I got BB from a competent breeder,who had Beebs parents on sight and knew his hatch date).
I felt very sad for these neglected pair,and I mentioned to the girl in the bird section of my concern in their health..little water and food etc..
She looked at me rather sadly and just said " I know...."

GRRRRRR seeing things like that just p.m.r.o.


Jim

 

[Puck]

That's the main reason I'm always afraid to go into pet stores. I am always worried about what I will see. Especially because there are several types of "exotic" pets that I am well versed in that pet stores often seem to know NOTHING about caring for, particularly snakes and birds. And all I can think is that if someone who recognizes when birds and snakes and certain lizards are miscared for is seeing this many poorly cared for animals at the petstores, what other sections of animals at these petstores are ALSO full of badly cared for animals I just don't recognize it because I don't know anything about chinchillas or ferrets or whatever. You just want them all to have happy lives, you really do.

 

[Mariar]

I have a big mouth..and have learned from my sister who could steal anything from right out in front of you....but it's really hard to see stuff like that. Write to the company president...tell him what you saw. It might help.it might not, in that case tell the local animal activists group...every state has those. I've contacted a few for a situation I'm in..waiting for action. Good luck.

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

That's the main reason I'm always afraid to go into pet stores. I am always worried about what I will see. Especially because there are several types of "exotic" pets that I am well versed in that pet stores often seem to know NOTHING about caring for, particularly snakes and birds. And all I can think is that if someone who recognizes when birds and snakes and certain lizards are miscared for is seeing this many poorly cared for animals at the petstores, what other sections of animals at these petstores are ALSO full of badly cared for animals I just don't recognize it because I don't know anything about chinchillas or ferrets or whatever. You just want them all to have happy lives, you really do.

Mitch...They also had a young Rosie that was in an open display,who was VERY friendly and lovey..with all sorts of toys and different types of nummys to nosh on.
She climbed right onto my hand and wanted skritches galore. $2800.00!

It was a shame to see that obviously she is well cared for and socialized,while these two poor 'tiels where basically shoved in a cage in the corner.

Jim

 

[Puck]

Mitch...They also had a young Rosie that was in an open display,who was VERY friendly and lovey..with all sorts of toys and different types of nummys to nosh on.
She climbed right onto my hand and wanted skritches galore. $2800.00!

It was a shame to see that obviously she is well cared for and socialized,while these two poor 'tiels where basically shoved in a cage in the corner.

WOWZA! I got my girl for $1300! $2800 is a LOT of money! I am guessing the pretty pink color wins a lot people over.

I guess someone in the store put more value on the Rosie than the 'tiels, which is just so sad. Cockatiels are such AMAZING birds and definitely make better pets for your average Joe with no birdie experience than Rosies do (and also don't take up 50% of your living room when you end up buying it a cage that could fit an Orc). Of course, if I worked in a petstore I would be that person who named every single budgie and created complex soap opera-like life stories for them then insisted on filling every customer who came in on what Howard and Marco were doing with Rachel last week on the rope perch before Benji flew in and wooed her away to the foraging ball where she found her true love in Rocky. Seriously, though, you would think people working at pet stores would at least FEED the birds well. I really just don't understand what goes through their heads...

 

[GaleriaGila]

Horrible.
I don't even go into pet stores. I shop online almost totally. When a pet shop trip is necessary usually for our dog), I send my ol' man in with specific instructions... we consult by smartphone as needed. When he complains, I remind him that I bought the Rickeybird during a bird store visit.
That does the trick.

 

[Teknogeddon]

There's a teil in our pet store (Pet Supplies Plus) that has 3 little teils in a flight cage. There's one that has a shredded tail, ruffled crest, and looks like it's having a bad day. Pretty routine it'll sit in the corner and stay still. The other two are all over the place, but that one just... sits. It's around $280 or something similar. Chain store, no surprise it's overpriced...

If my allergies could handle a tiel, and/or I could have two birds, I'd take it home. I'd deal with the allergies. Apartment + Dust bird is just a bad combo. I just feel so bad for it.