Not too thrilled bird store

[Michael]

Kathleen and I decided to visit a different bird store today since we got a bit bored of the one we usually go to. They sold off all their Pois and haven't had any new ones lately so not as much fun. So the one we went to this time turns out to be a pretty famous one and we were interested how they do things.

My first impressions were actually pretty good. Having found a free parking meter right in front of the place and no trouble finding it, was definitely a good start. The store was well lit and clean. When we entered the bird room it was surprisingly not that loud. They had a lot of birds many of which were out while others were tightly packed in tiny cages.

I immediately spotted a young Red Bellied Parrot and was excited to see it. However, all attempts at step up or pick up were fled. There was a second Red Belly that seemed less skittish but still wouldn't step up. It looked like such a baby and the beak didn't look too sharp so I just grabbed it. It gave me a very tactful bite on the finger before I could restrain its head. Finally I got a hold and was able to pet it but it clearly wasn't enjoying it so I just returned it to its group. The bite ripped off a bit of skin and didn't hurt too badly but after a few minutes began bleeding profusely so I had to get a bandaid.

Two other friendly parrots I got to meet were an Alexandrine Parakeet and a Jardine's. These two hung out on my hand and accepted food. They were easy to hold and pet and were great fun. I got to watch the store owner hand feeding babies and found out that they are all bred in house rather than shipped in from breeders so the store's stock is seasonal. I was pretty surprised about the owner's willingness to sell unweened babies though.

I am always disappointed to see clipped parrots but it's the reality of how bird stores are and always will be. I was happy to find that most of the clipped parrots were more lightly clipped than at some other places. However, when one fell down it still dropped like a rock and must have gotten hurt. They had some very exotic birds on display including kookaburras, owls, a toucan, palm cockatoo, and a hyacinth macaw. Unfortunately all of these majestic birds were crammed in very small cages (well the cages were huge compared to what my birds live in but compared to the sizes of the respective birds in them, too small).

It took me a little while to get over the expanse of birds and begin to loath the store. I began to realize the store owner's disregard for the outcome for these birds. A couple were wandering the bird room checking out the Amazons. The owner brought out another Amazon that looked much older and was already vocalizing. He put the Amazon on the customer and let him play with it a while. The man was very impressed yet his wife was terrified of the Amazon. The few attempts she made to touch it, the bird tried to bite and she would shy away. The Amazon was definitely too overwhelming for her but alright for her more confident husband. After a half hour of interacting with the Amazon, the store owner made them an offer on the 3 year old parrot sounding not unlike a used car salesman pushing a certified preowned vehicle. "If you get the bird right now for $1000 cash, I'll thrown in that cage along with it!" he said as he pointed through the glass walls of the bird room at a 18x18x24 (my eyeball ballpark) wire cage. I was shocked at the pushyness and even further by the customers' willingness to buy it. I talked with them briefly out of curiosity and learned the parrot is 3 years old, they want a bird that talks, and that they didn't want a baby because it's more work apparently (I guess they were talking about getting an unweened baby to feed). I was shocked that people paid nearly as much for an older parrot as a baby on such an impulse buy. I've had people offer me older parrots that I didn't want for free so I was surprised how there could be any business in selling "used birds" but apparently there is. The cage was way too small for that bird and unlikely suitable for anything more than to be used as a sleeping cage or carrier. However, I doubt when people take a parrot home in a cage like that, that they go back to get a suitable cage for $500-$1000 again.

Another couple was impressed with the sweet Alexandrine Parakeet and asking about its talking abilities. I'm always surprised by how much people care about the talking cause frankly to me it's more of a nuisance than a highlight of parrots. The store employee that was responding to their questions was clearly pushing them not only to by on impulse but also to upsell them. She was trying to convince them into getting the more expensive Jardine's or a Caique instead. What parrot is most suitable to the owner (forget what owner is most suitable for the parrot) did not seem to be a major factor in mind. I left before they closed this other deal but I would be far more surprised that those people didn't walk out with some parrot.

Don't get me wrong, the store appears to be doing great business. I'm sure from the money perspective as well as moving inventory they are very successful. However, there does not appear to be much compassion or care regarding the long term well being of the birds. This is further demonstrated by the fact that absolutely all of their parrots were being weened onto a pure seed diet. The birds were also offered corn on the cob but no other variety of fresh foods and no pellets. This is a poor long term diet and I doubt most owners will want to or have success in converting the parrots to a better diet in the future. Good nutrition does not seem to be the slightest concern and this is further demonstrated by the pathetic selection of bird foods sold by the store. A couple seed mixes and the occasional fruity pellet mix variety was about what you can expect in the bird aisle of a typical petco. I didn't see a single one of the top 3 pellet brands offered at all. I suppose from the store's point of view it's better the birds don't live too long so that the customers can eventually come back for a replacement.

Whenever I frequent my bird store, I don't leave without buying at least something. But in this store I really had no desire to get anything. Not only was this from my poor impression of the store but just because they had little selection and insanely overpriced items. Most of what they sell I've seen cheaper elsewhere so there was no point in buying anything and I walked out with nothing. Pretty disappointing store but at least we had fun handling a few of the birds.

[GlassOnion]

I know EXACTLY what you mean, those experiences are the worst.
Did you jump in at all to speak to the people interested in buying?

[Michael]

I talked to them briefly and more in a manner of asking them their intentions rather than talking them out of it. This was more to satisfy my own curiosity about the kind of people who buy there rather than to help them. I didn't feel like getting thrown out or causing a scene by saying what I really thought. I already wasn't going to buy anything and was there for nothing more than my amusement checking the birds out.

It took a lot of self restraint not to say what I really thought. This was the first ring necked parakeet I had come across that wasn't loud, bitey, and annoying. I think it was only because it was sooo young and not because it was better raised than the other ones. The people looking into buying it seemed so impressed but I have a hard time seeing them be able to deal with that bird 2 years from now.

Another thing that annoyed me was when a talked to the lady working there about some of the birds, she was trying to make it look like I don't know what the different kinds of parrots are called. I didn't insist on it too much because I'm going from memory but it turns out I was right on all counts. I talked about the Burrowing Parakeet they had there but she insisted it wasn't a parakeet and that it was a Patagonian Conure. I had trouble remembering if it is called Burrowing Parakeet or Parrot but it turns out it can go by both. Another that comes to mind was when I remarked about a pink colored cockatoo as a Galah, she told me no, that it's actually a Rose Breasted Cockatoo. Finally I saw several references to the Budgerigars they sell as "American Parakeets."

However, I looked up all the names since I got back (using the IUCN list as a basis for now) and found I was right on every count:

http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist ... s/142616/0
http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist ... s/142436/0
http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist ... s/142523/0

Furthermore, the names she used to call them are not even mentioned in the red list common names or in other respectable sources. I am well aware that these alternate names are commonly misused in American aviculture, but that was really snooty to be telling me that I am wrong while I did not say the same in return. I mentioned something like this is the name the parrot encyclopedias refer to them as and she even had the insolence to say that they are wrong. This is coming from a local bird store employee...

I try to be correct about the names I use for parrots for the sake of standardization and to avoid confusion. I had always been disappointed to learn of a parrot in a store by one name and hear another name elsewhere and go on thinking they're different until realizing they are actually different names for same parrot. "American Parakeet" has got to be the silliest one of all as they aren't even American (or specially locally bred like the English Budgie).

[TheNzJessie]

this sounds exactly like the pet store that is 5 minutes away from me, i never go to it unless its a must. not only are there supplies extremely overpriced but there is no compassion for the animals at all.

[zazanomore]

Sounds awful.

I have yet to go to a "bad" pet store. But if I ever were, I'm sure I'd have A LOT to say to the workers and anyone who was willing to listen.

[GlassOnion]

I would say whatever I need to say, even if I get kicked out. Educating people and potentially saving a bird's life from awful living conditions, are very worth getting thrown out of the store.

[Michael]

No, it's not. Because the store will go on doing what they do for all the time after I leave. However, by pissing off stores and getting a bad reputation, I would shut myself out of the potential of reaching the people online. Some stores let me post fliers and some day I hope to sell some of my products through them. Some stores recommend my sites or forum for people to get more information. To talk one person out of overpaying on a single bird would just get me shut out and lose the chance to reach even more people. I can't stop them from buying on impulse or get the store to improve the diet they ween their parrots onto. The best I can hope for is to educate people online and let them learn enough for themselves that they wouldn't want to further patronize stores like that.

[laducockatiel]

Yeah, but I'm a bit confused. Why did that guy want an amazon if his wife was scared of it? He should have known like us bird owners do that owning a parrot is a big responsibility and it will live with you for a very long time! If the wife is scared of it imagine what she would do qt home!

[Kathleen]

I was in a constant state of "awwww" for like an hour when I saw all the little young birds. I wasn't too thrilled about the store for many of these reasons but I was extremely thrilled about the birds. Birds that I hadn't seen so young before in person and have only seen adults in person or babies in videos or pictures on the internet.

[chadsnyder]

Thanks for the post! I am on the lookout for a good bird store (birds as well as supplies). I'm not sure how disclosing names of places and locations work on here, but I'd welcome suggestions for stores in the greater Provo Utah area!