I Am So Mad At Petco!

[gbird]

The Petco I used to work for got in a GOLDEN MANTLE ROSELLA PARAKEET

They are selling it for $299.00. It's a beautiful bird




The Rosellas are a more difficult parakeet to train and will need a lot of patience, as well as a loving but consistently firm handling and close interaction. These birds are not really considered a beginner's bird.


Now in the Petco I worked at, the majority of customers have trouble keeping Parakeets alive. This is a very advanced bird, and I have been told that this particular one is very aggressive. It just sits in it's cage, doesn't play with toys, or interact at all. Has to be handled with a glove. Why this bird was ordered in is beyond me. They will have trouble selling it, and if they do sell it, I can bet it will to the wrong family. Someone will buy it because "it's pretty" They aren't great talkers, and take alot of care and patience. In fact I was just told today that they had to clip it's wings, because everytime they take it out to show someone, it fly's into the windows.

I think everyone should write to whoever they can, to do something about this particular Petco. It's in Lakewood Colorado. They either need to stop selling animals, or shut down completely.

Again, I am so glad I got Pita out of there and that Bee & Hunter got Bella out. It breaks my heart.

[gbird]

OK, I just called and they are going to have the district manager call me. I have to say something, or it won't get changed. The animals can't change it.

I don't know why I'm nervous.....I don't work there anymore, and I don't think they can do anything to me. I'm just telling the truth.

to be continued......

[raddaughter]

Ugh, so sad... I was just at Petco today and was going to vent...

I went strait to the bird room, of course. They use those up and down stacker cages, and on the bottom, a litttle mini macaw. His beak was still very light (like, almost no color) and I learned he was 12 weeks old. This bird was incredibly sweet, and I was able to give him some love. Poor guy, if he didn't cost $900 I would have taken him home. When I had to leave, he gave me that dreaded call that pulled at my heart strings

What made me angry though, was that the 'species' was a Red Sholdered Parrot (???). I wasn't sure, but I could swear there is no such thing. Then, after I heard he was 12 weeks old, that he was already partly weaned. I am going to feel stupid if I am wrong, but I could have sworn that a 3 month old bird shouldn't be mostly weaned I mean, labeled wrong, kept in a cage that was so close to the ground, BLUE water (yes, blue) and seed that looked old. OMG, ot broke my heart. If I had the money, I would go buy him, but I don't. I prefer Petco just because they take better care of their animals, and carry better products. But this, grrrr.... some people just don't get it. The woman who was the bird specialist must have felt the same way, but she can't do anything about it. It is the manager of the store.

Sorry, I just had to vent on this

[raddaughter]

I love rosellas, but I don't think a pet store like Petco has any business selling them. The bird store I like makes sure the owners are knowledgable, and I trust them with their birds (which is why I want to buy an ekkie from them) but I don't think I would from a pet store like that...

[Zoe's Mom]

Hahn's Macaws are sometimes referred to as Red Shouldered Macaws. They are great birds too. I wish I was closer because I would go scoop him (or her) right up!

[Buteo]

The other factors you mention (spoiled food & water) are just NOT right for any bird. However I'd like to point out your anger is misplaced on one issue: the bird wasn't really mislabled.
Another name given to the Sev "Mini" Macaw is the "Red Shouldered Parrot" due to the red patch on the inside of each wing.

[raddaughter]

Thanks for the clarifactaion! I have never heard them called Red Sholdered before, and I have seen many birds mislabled. Thanks again!

[FairLight]

There is a beautiful Rosella at the Bakersfield CA Petco. He looks so depressed. He just sits, or sleeps with his head tucked under his wing.
I hope someone will fall in love with him and give him a good home.
He's been there for several months now.
They should (if they insist on selling birds) sell only Finches and Parakeets.
The larger birds are just too needy for a chain pet store.
I can't bring another bird home. Abbie (CAG) simply won't permit it! :o)

Linda In CA

[Tullysmom]

Now that's interesting... I was just on ************* talking about how in my po-dunk town at this little Mom and Pop pet shop there is a golden mantled Rosella. Which was bought from guess where? Petco. We have one in our town but I refuse to buy anything from anymore because of a P'let incident that I was involved in. (whole story is on thread in the P'let forum) Anyway, someone bought him, didn't like him for whatever reason and then sold it to the little pet shop. And there he is sitting and has sat for months. I actually contemplated buying him but after chatting with "Tiki" realized he is not the bird for me. They are stunning but....I can't have a bird that I can't interact with. Just not for me. I am shocked that Petco is selling these birds. Really shocked. Although if I really think about it, it's not that shocking. It's totally about profit and not the welfare of these birds.

So what happened when you talked to the manager? Nothing but lip service I'd bet. That store really irks me.

[homebird]

A lot of people have little to no idea about the aviary type birds.

There are some cases of Rosellas being a good pet but they're an exception i hear. You see them at pet fairs as well.

I came across a Swift Parakeet before i got Laker, my Budgie. I could find very little about the species as a pet, so ended up emailing a breeder in Australia. He kindly wrote back that they are best kept in a flock of their own & in an aviary settling. Here was this delightful & entertaining & interactive Swift in the pet store but no one knew about his real needs Now he might be a good candidate for being a pet - but his species isn't known for it. It drove me crazy to see him for almost a year in a cage 12" square - for an aerial acrobat that's a life sentence.