Thats good reading. lol. I didn't know you should ask a pet store owner all those questions

That is a good article.

Abbs, can you put that one over in the Bird Care Articles so we can refer folks to it?

Annie

 

Yes, Abby...can you?  It's good reference for everybody--you know how us old folks and our memories are . 

 

Pwac, sometimes you'd be amazed at how little pet store employees know about the animals they take care of.  And it's amazing how much mis-information you can get from caretakers who don't know what they're talking about.  And when buying from a private individual, I'd always ask about noise and biting, IMO.  If they're just trying to unload the bird they definitely won't tell you, if you watch how the owners handle it (of course you want to handle the bird yourself first, don't you?) and they grab gloves or a big stick or you see the bird looking like it's gonna rip their face off....chances are you might want to look someplace else.  

Well we definitly have a petstore here who I think they don't know a thing about any kind of animal.

This was good, but i was actually expecting something much more extensive!

 

Here are things I look for too

 

#1. Any time you are thinking of getting a bird, do a great deal of research on the different Species you are thinking of as possibilities!

 

Buying from a Breeder:

 

Give the breeder a chance to tell you the 'bad news' parts first...They get lots of brownie points if you are looking at, for example a Cockatoo or a Conure, and the breeder asks you 'Do you know how loud they are???  etc' 

I really expect a breeder to ask ME alot of questions...I want them to want to know how much experience i have with birds, with that specific species/type of birds, etc.   

 

Ask to see pictures of the parents (mainly aimed at a closed aviary, even in this situation they should have some pics available)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Slightly OT Question:  Since we're touching on pet stores and their lack of knowledge with birds....I'm at a bit of a dilemma with one local pet store owner.  The man is nice as he can be, and I think he has the very best intentions towards his birds, but he seriously lacks knowledge about them...any time I do spot something that I just can't stand to see and say something(as politely as i can), he jumps to fix the issue...but I'm frustrated that he isn't taking the initiative to learn what he needs to know to take care of his animals properly...I can't quite decide what to do :(   On the one hand, he's not treating them horribly (before you're imaginations get ahold, it's not 'OH MY GOD'  type bad...just not right, things like keeping it too cold in the store, a bird knocks it's water off and it doesn't get refilled very fast, but does get refilled, he says they get veggies, but I've never seen so much as a carrot shaving in there and i visit regularly, cages not as clean as they should be, but not so bad that it crosses my eyes)

 

 

any ideas or suggestions as to things i can do to try to help these birds???  They could be in a far worse place, I've seen them...and like i said, i think if i can figure out a tactful way of getting him going in the right direction, they'd be ok...he's not unfeeling or uncaring towards them, just the opposite, he just needs to LEARN what and how to take care of them right and i really believe he'd do it...now how do i say that without sounding rude, which would be counter productive?

 

by the way, he's been inspected by the health department etc and cleared

Ask him if has the internet and invite him to join a bird group.

 

Indy

good idea, I'll try that! 

Thank You!

You could also type up a list of good veggies to feed to birds. Ask if he would like copies to give to new bird purchasers.

Maybe he will take the hint and feed better.

Annie

I like the idea of making a 'birdy buyers guide' and offering it to him (my best friends a breeder, which he knows, and as she's very concerned about his birds as well, it would be pretty simple to have her offer it 'I just made this to give to my buyer's if you'd like some copies for yours.....)  I'd like to put in some things like 'safe temps for birds' and 'why birds should never be without water' and 'training and behaviour tips/what not to do'

 

I know he knows the right foods to feed, and which ones never to...and he tells buyers about feeding fresh foods.  It's possible i guess that he's feeding them the veggies really early or late, but the reason i don't think so is that the cage papers have too much stuff in them to have been changed recently(looks like they are only changed weekly/maybe bi-weekly), and i don't know about his birds, but mine leave plenty of evidence lol

 

and next time I'm over there I'm definitely going to try to get him on a group :)

either this one, one on yahoo, or myspace.  There are great bird groups everywhere, although this is the most active one I've found in a long time :D