The Christmas Pet-fad Rant

[IcyWolf]

Being a breeder I have been getting quite a few of these types of inquiries lately. We never promote our babies as being good christmas presents, or birthday presents or what have you, and now that I've been getting emails and calls from people saying I want to get so and so for so and so for christmas I have to just take a step back and explain to these people that these birds are a lifelong commitment. Now, there are those who genuinely want a bird and for the right reasons and are just using the holidays as an excuse to finally take the plunge, and I am okay with that, but these people that want to get a baby from us and surprise their son/daughter, husband/wife, etc with them is a no go for me. I have refused plenty of sales for people and have no problem doing it. Yea, it would be easier for me if I just sold a bird to whoever handed me the cash first but that's the reason I got out of the pet store game, I want to have control over where my babies go and what kind of life they will be living. Heck, I've ruined plenty of peoples plans to surprise people with birds(even people that have done research and actually want a bird) by making them bring the person who will be receiving the bird here to meet them. Not only do I want to get to know the potential new parents but I want to see how the bird reacts to them. It's happened more times than I can count that people have come here with their heart set on a parrotlet and end up getting a linnie, or that want a conure and end up with a budgie, etc. Sometimes when a bird picks you that is more important than the species or particular color. Sorry, went on a little rant there, I've just been hearing from a lot of people that obviously no nothing about birds but want them because it'll be the "coolest christmas present" *sigh* And don't even get me started on Easter, every year I see some of my idiot friends posting pics of baby chickens and ducks that they bought for their kids, knowing full well that these people live in apartments in the middle of the city. Not only is it not fair to those animals when they are too big to accommodate and no longer cute(to them anyway), but they are teaching their kids that animals are disposable. When I was a kid, we had to research every animal we wanted and prove that we not only knew how to take care of it but were committed to doing so. And we never got tired of them and just gave them to someone else because that wasn't an option.

 

[Rana]

I fully agree, people that just use the christmas thing as an excuses to get a bird, while they have done their research and actually WANT the bird is a different kettle of fish then folks buying them as a surprise.

Thanks Icy! really appreciate to hear a breeders point of view here. I mean from a money perspective i'm sure its a good time, but its so great to hear that your not losing your morals over it, because LOTS of breeders do...

I'll be sure to make another thread like this by Easter ...

 

[Amandastander]

I've also seen lotsa ads here in South Africa, pups ready for xmas, birds as a perfect gift, xmas kitty cats the list goes on and on, a pet is not a present, its a responsibility, one that most people take way too lightly!