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Friend of the Feathered
Bappie
Joined: 20 Nov 2005
Posts: 79
Location: Humboldt, CA |
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Just thought I would share...
Today I reluctantly went to Petco, since my usual bird store was closed. I ended up buying a Comfy Perch for Cosmo, and pellets.
Their bird room was locked, so i waited around for an employee to come and unlock it, so I could see the conures. FIRST OF ALL, the birds are WAY overpriced-$550 for a conure!!! I waited around for about 10 minutes, browsing at bird stuff in the meantime...i finally had to go to the checkout stand to ask if ppl were allowed in the bird room. She had to call on the loud speaker for someone to go to the aviary, and FINALLY someone showed up. I went in. The man unlocked the cage, and said "this little guy HATES me, so he probly won't come out." Sure enough, he reached his hand in and the conure ran away from him. I did the same, and it readily hopped on my hand LOL. It was a cute little guy--but $550!!! YEAH RIGHT!!!
I was somewhat impressed with the conditions of the cages, although the conure cage was a bit small. The budgies were in a HUGE tank, but I'm sure they would have liked some bars to climb on too....why do they keep them in tanks?
I was dissatisfied with two things: the fact that the emplyees seemed to know nothing about the animals (I asked about the conure and the guy had NO clue), and also the horrible customer service. There was nobody aroung ANYWHERE while I was shopping, no "hellos," no nothing. 
What do you think of your Petco?
I also just found out that they get their birds from Kaytee's Preferred Pets--basically a giant bird mill, where the parrots are kept in the SMALLEST possible cages (just enough room for a nest box and food). They spend their whole lif breeding and most have feather-picking problems and other behavioral problems. Petsmart gets their fids from the same place--no more chain pet stores for me. |
Tuesday November 22, 2005 6:38 pm |
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shirin
Moderator
Joined: 27 Apr 2005
Posts: 7405
Location: Canada, Toronto |
Hi 
I've never been to Petco, but I worked at a big chain pet store here in Canada for about 4 weeks before I decided I couldn't take it anymore. What you have described is so typical  The people that I worked with were always saying things like, "oh that bird hates me", or "that bird is psycho", or "don't get near that bird, he's vicious", and I handled all those so called psycho birds just fine. When I worked there we spent basically ALL day just cleaning the cages, and then cleaning them again. It looks really impressive to the customers, but none of the birds are being handled or socialized as a result  Oh and the Budgies in that store were kept in tanks too! What they're not good enough to waste a cage on?! Anyway I know exactly what you mean  |
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Tuesday November 22, 2005 7:57 pm |
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Parfie
Fledgeling
Joined: 14 Oct 2005
Posts: 387
Location: Prineville, Oregon, USA |
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Petco is not my favorite place, but to their credit, they did start me my bird loving, Amazon loving adventure. That's ALL the credit they get! My first Amazon Blue had Psittacosis, and it was a very long road for him but he lived. I know that AT THE TIME they did not only buy from Kaytee, because my bird did not come from there and after Blue got sick, I called the breeder to let him know. Eventually we became friends and I got to see EXACTLY the cage he came from and the aviary in which he was raised.
Tiels/Keets are kept in tanks in Petco/Petsmart to reduce the possibility of the transmission of Pssittacosis which is very often carried by these birds, but they do not necessarily become sick with it, they just pass it on as I understand it.
I do not know of the Kaytee Preferred Pets and/or their living conditions or the way they are raised. However, I did read a fascinating speech by a very renowned breeder in the US named Howard Voren at http://proaviculture.com/30yrs.htm
He discusses some of these issues with bird breeders and Petco/PetSmart and while not the 'main stream' view, after being a breeder of 30 years and making a living at it (AND) being good to his birds... I thought his view was just as valid as everyone elses.
If you poke around that site a bit there is also an article on Bird Behaviorists that I also found fascinating! He is responsible for acquiring the first Blue mutation Yellow Napes and he's quite knowledgeable. I believe his site is www.voren.com
I will go to Petco/PetSmart when necessary, but do not normally go. I usually do all my critter/fid shopping on the net, because the nearest Petco/PetSmart store to me is 40 miles one way. Sigh.... I love country ife, the drive just sucks |
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Tuesday November 22, 2005 8:02 pm |
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Cathy
Kamikaze pilot
Joined: 02 Apr 2005
Posts: 6673
Location: Omaha, NE USA |
I go to PetCo/PetSmart for bird suppies, other than food, but I would never purchase a bird from there, even tho they are all SO cute! |
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Tuesday November 22, 2005 8:06 pm |
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Friend of the Feathered
Bappie
Joined: 20 Nov 2005
Posts: 79
Location: Humboldt, CA |
Well i don't think i will go at all anymore--i don't want to give them any of my money! i thought about just going for supplies, but that's still giving them money which lets them get fids...poor fids |
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Thursday November 24, 2005 2:01 am |
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Parfie
Fledgeling
Joined: 14 Oct 2005
Posts: 387
Location: Prineville, Oregon, USA |
Out of pure curiousity, did anyone read the link I provided in the earlier post? It is kind of long, but IMO well worth it  Not always do we all agree, but it was quite startling to me to ummm see the other side of the fence so to speak. Anyway, just curious. In case you hadn't notice, I read ALOT for my birds |
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Sunday November 27, 2005 8:27 am |
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Shelly
Bappie
Joined: 02 Feb 2006
Posts: 80
Location: Redding, CA |
quote:
Originally posted by Parfie
Out of pure curiousity, did anyone read the link I provided in the earlier post?
Yes, I read it. I worked with a breeder that would get birds from homes that no longer wanted them. Some of these birds hated humans! They where really sad cases sometimes. She would start looking for a mate and once found would set up a flight cage for them. These birds would come alive after beening put in the breeders barn. You could hear them talking and singing and yelling at each other with no one to get mad and yell at them to shut up! Once in a while a really sweet one would come along and we would work with it and rehome it to some one who did not want a baby. I will only get my birds from a breeder. As the link said if they did not care for these birds they would not be in buisness. |
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Monday February 6, 2006 12:34 am |
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shirin
Moderator
Joined: 27 Apr 2005
Posts: 7405
Location: Canada, Toronto |
quote:
Originally posted by Shelly
As the link said if they did not care for these birds they would not be in buisness.
I disagree with this statement, there are A LOT of breeders out there who are only in it for the money and don't care at all about the birds or what types of homes they go to. |
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Monday February 6, 2006 12:38 am |
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z24wkit
Egg
Joined: 27 Mar 2006
Posts: 7
Location: Mass/NY |
i regretfully used to work for petco b/c i needed a college job and if you saw the undercover pics i took while working there of the birds and other animals it would make you sick
and yes i tried contacting the news companies and humane companies but it gets real complicated after that
i have pics of baby conures and pionuses that dont even have all their feathers just siting on mechanic shop towels covered in their own feces and standing in it that is about 2 inches high |
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Wednesday March 29, 2006 1:30 am |
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Cheeta
Moderator
Joined: 06 Apr 2005
Posts: 7972
Location: Australia |
Oh yuck!! that is just soooo wrong!!! i don't know how anyone can do that to baby birds!! it's just soooo sad. i can't stand seeing things like that, or even just hearing about it! |
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Wednesday March 29, 2006 5:54 am |
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Sue
Joined: 13 Jan 2005
Posts: 10102
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Ohhh that's just terrible! 
I'm wondering how they can do this to these poor animals? |
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Wednesday March 29, 2006 9:19 am |
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shirin
Moderator
Joined: 27 Apr 2005
Posts: 7405
Location: Canada, Toronto |
Did you ever forward the pictures to the SPCA or PETA? |
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Wednesday March 29, 2006 2:54 pm |
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z24wkit
Egg
Joined: 27 Mar 2006
Posts: 7
Location: Mass/NY |
the human society yes
not peta yet, i have one more roll of pics i have to get developed
i have over two rolls of pics of animal neglect and abuse of all sorts of animals |
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Wednesday March 29, 2006 3:35 pm |
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shirin
Moderator
Joined: 27 Apr 2005
Posts: 7405
Location: Canada, Toronto |
That's great that you're being proactive about making a change.. I really hope that they do something about it. Please let us know how things turn out. |
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Wednesday March 29, 2006 3:44 pm |
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jmeloo
Egg
Joined: 16 Apr 2006
Posts: 23
Location: USA |
I visited a local Petco this afternoon. I didn't find it impressive. They didn't sell birds there too (thank goodness). |
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Tuesday April 18, 2006 12:46 am |
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