The crazy things you see on craigslist!

[Rio Mom]

I was browsing craigslist out of boredom, and came across an ad that made my jaw drop! A person was willingly admitting to being a bird flipper! They said they get birds and sell them for more money! They were asking if anybody had a parrot that they wanted flipped! That's absolutley nuts, who in their right mind would call somebody and say, hey, I will sell you this bird, and then you go ahead and sell it again. Just so sad and shocking I had to share.

 

[andrea.faerie]

I raise bearded dragons too, and they're VERY docile, loving lizards. They're know as great lizards for beginners because the ease of their care (which is still extensive... but they're a hardy lizard) and no matter what you get, your lizard will almost ALWAYS want to be on your shirt and snuggle... i mean, you can't even get that from a DOG. a person posted that they bought the dragon, and got bored with it so they were just going to put it outside and who ever wanted it could have it... A DRAGON! This is in Virginia! and the poor creatures originate in Australia! they need high temperatures (95-110) and specific humidity levels I got so steamed... I contacted her and said some not nice things... someone came and got the lizard... it just kills me how people can be so cruel to their animals.... "oh, i just got bored with it so i dont want it" I can expect that from a little kid... but not a "grown" adult

 

[andrea.faerie]

here's one for a poor little hammie!

6 month old male hamster with his cage, food and bedding. he is brown and white and needs a new home. He doesnt get handled enough. He is young, so if you spend time with him, he will warm up to you. Re-homing fee is $15.

His cage is nice & clean

He hasn't done anything bad or bit anyone, we just don't want him
-------------------------
"we just don't want him" ?? REALLY?

 

[darkling]

I have an 18 yr old niece that does that.

She's gone through a dog and a guinea pig so far.

I always wanted a bearded dragon but I was afraid I'd kill it because they seemed so fragile.

 

[andrea.faerie]

beardie's really aren't "fragile"... they're a hardy little (mid size acutally) lizard. Granted, I've gone through my fair share of trial and errors with pets but I ALWAYS care for them... and they go to family members that want them if I can no longer keep them... (hedgehog went to lil sis, ferrets went to big sis, rats went to best friend, cat went to other best friend) the reasons for not keeping them isn't because I get bored with them though! or because I can't give them love it just makes me sad

 

[Spiritbird]

We had someone on the forum recently that was banned. This person wanted to post and ask the members if anyone wanted to give up their birds. He or she would gladly take them. How awful is this??

 

[andrea.faerie]

If I ever had problems with my pets... to the point that I don't think that human contact could help, I'd take them to a rescue, zoo, or sanctuary... I got my hedge hog from a lady that didn't want him because he was "too pokey" He's a gosh darn hedgehog! He was covered in feces and dirt... she held him out to me in a plastic bag with newspaper at the bottom I thought he was brown when I got him, but I gave him a bath and he turned out to be a Pinto!! He was very huffy... never liked human contact except after his bath... but he got a little better and I gave him to my little sister for her first apartment pet. But really... "I don't like him, he's to pokey! Take his cage, 50 bucks for everything" hedgehogs generally run from 200-500 dollars...

 

[mtdoramike]

The only bird flippers that are in my area that I'm aware of aren't what I would call bird flippers. I think most are bird rehabers. Kind of like house flippers. They buy a house that is usually in fairly poor shape then go in and rehab it, turn it into a really nice house and then turn around and sell it for a very good profit.

The flippers thaat I know willingly admit to being a bird flipper. They seek out those unwanted birds that have been cage bound for years that have been desocialized to the point that no one can handle them or someone who just hasn't spent much time with their bird so it's not as handleable as it once was. They offer a nominal fee and then once they have the bird, they start working with it and get it stick trained, step up trained and as social as they can within a relatively short period of time.

Is the bird a snuggle bug, nooooo, is the bird truely HAND TAME most likely not. But it at least gets the bird back in a position where it can find a good home. So although there are some flippers out there that buy a bird and then immediately turn around and resell it, there are also flippers that spend the time to evaluate the bird and spend the time to get it to where it's managable again.

But then there are some birds that a flipper might get that really doesn't need that much adjusting so they will immediately flip the bird to re-coop their investment. I've seen the couple I know do this and thought wow what a shame for that bird. But then again I realize that they do strive to find them a good home and like to deliver the bird to the prospective buyer to see how they will interact with the bird on their home turf and also it gives them a chance to do a low key home inspection.

I wouldn't hesitate to buy a bird from either one of them. I guess bird flippers serve some what of a purpose.

To me, flippers serve as much of a purpose as some of these Pet rescue centers that receive birds in for FREE or a small monetary donation, then quickly post them for adoption at an unrealistic price for a plucked bird with aggression issues as well as some other issues that they aren't even aware of. All the time gladly accepting donations from the general public.

OK, I'm off my soap box now.

 

[andrea.faerie]

I understand what you're saying, I think what everyone is referring to is those people that get a bird, then immediately re-sell it for significantly more. I'm all for fostering, my boss does it with cats and I do it with small animals like ferrets.

 

[schristensen13]

CL kills me with regard to pets...I can't stand it! One this morning was a woman rehoming her 6 mo old pit because he gets excited and sometime knocks down her 16 mo old. What did you expect from a PUPPY?!?!? Now she is having another baby and is worried about the dog trampling it...do everyone a favor and just say that YOU weren't ready for the commitment of a pet and YOU should have thought it through more.
Also had a friend on FB post that she rehomed her kids' (3 and 7 yrs) hamsters last night but they will be so surprised at their new kittens she is bringing home toddy....can't believe people sometimes.

 

[andrea.faerie]

It makes me sick... I think people that throw away companion animals like that should have to serve jail time.. or community service... :/ No way am I a PETA advocate or anything... But I do believe that if you make a commitment, then you should honor it.

 

[Abzeez]

I HATE craigslist, but yet I am on it almost everyday, as I am still looking for a cage. There was one add in my area that read, "Large parrot cage $400, and the cockatoo comes with it for FREE." Eh.

 

[Rio Mom]

Mtdoramike, those people you know definately are rehabers doing something wonderful for birds! Maybe they should talk some sense into whoever this person is! They make no mention of being able to help birds, just saying they want to sell other peoples birds to make money, so sad. We need more people like the ones you know!

 

[Abzeez]

All you can do is flag the add, and hope it gets removed.

 

[darkling]

Here's something I keep thinking about.

When is it okay to rehome your pet?

I mean like, with Hannibal ... I know that finding him a new home was the right thing. It became very apparent to me that I simply could not handle him properly and I didn't want him to develop any bad habits if I could avoid it. But a lot of people would say that I never should have gotten him in the first place if I wasn't confident enough to handle such a large bird. Or that I was just giving up on him. And there was an entire thread that had to be removed because of people's opposing opinions to what I was doing. (Well, not really their opinion but more like how they expressed it ... anyway.)

The lady with the pitbull puppy may not have realized how active and rambunctious a pit pup can actually be. The hedge hog lady may not have considered the fact that hedge hogs are prickly little creatures. I know that sort of thing *should* be common sense but does having a lack of common sense make someone a bad person?

 

[Abzeez]

Nope, but it does mean they didn't do research before they bought the pet, and if you go through craigslist adds there are just to many of these pets. There are way to many that just simply do not want to take care of their impulse buy anymore.

 

[Sabbath]

Remember reading Craiglist when I was first looking at birds to get and there was someone selling a xbox 360 and as a bonus he said he would throw in a free parakeet, I was surprised that Craiglist would even let that go up.

No lie by the way.

 

[mtdoramike]

Here's something I keep thinking about.

When is it okay to rehome your pet?

I mean like, with Hannibal ... I know that finding him a new home was the right thing. It became very apparent to me that I simply could not handle him properly and I didn't want him to develop any bad habits if I could avoid it. But a lot of people would say that I never should have gotten him in the first place if I wasn't confident enough to handle such a large bird. Or that I was just giving up on him. And there was an entire thread that had to be removed because of people's opposing opinions to what I was doing. (Well, not really their opinion but more like how they expressed it ... anyway.)

The lady with the pitbull puppy may not have realized how active and rambunctious a pit pup can actually be. The hedge hog lady may not have considered the fact that hedge hogs are prickly little creatures. I know that sort of thing *should* be common sense but does having a lack of common sense make someone a bad person?

No it does not. I applaud you for making that decision early on and not wait until he developes more issues. Hannibal is young enough that a semi-experienced bird person can straighten him out. What I HATE to see is people getting their income tax check and going out and buying a parrot because they saw the bird show at Bush Gardens and thought they would be neat. Then because they decide they don't have time for the bird anymore when they realize BIRDS REQUIRE A LOT OF WORK. They stick them in a cage leaving them there for months if not years then try and pawn the bird off on some poor unsuspecting sap. That is whe the viscious cycle starts from home to home to home until BAM it hits the rescue center unless a GOOD bird flipper or rehaber steps in before then.

 

[Rio Mom]

Darkling, you were very strong to do what you thought best for Hannibal.

 

[dna]

OMGoodness I saw that post too! I showed my husband and we were just shocked. I have been worrying since about it, because who knows how long this person (who obviously has no care for the birds themselves) has them or what he is feeding them, etc. Ugh people make me so angry!