It is breeders like this that give the rest a bad name

[r2rusmc]

This past weekend I had the distinct displeasure of meeting a semi-local breeder of macaws.

He was selling a few pairs at auction. How he was selling them is not the issue.

I struck up conversation with him when he brought them in on Thursday. This one pair he claims are proven. **They lay 3 fertile eggs three times a year. A great pair, good parents.

Why you getting rid of them? **They are too noisy.

When did they last lay? **2 years ago.

How old are they? **I don't know, I've only had them 6 months.

Um, since they've done nothing for you how do you know you don't have two males? Have you had them sexed? **I've seen their babies advertised in Birdtalk for years, I know the people I got them from.

How do you know they aren't done breeding or just worn out? **I don't. Don't care, I'm selling them.

So you're ok with advertising them as proven breeders even though you've had no success with them? **Sure am because why would the other people have given (given not sold) me a bad pair?

Um...riiiiiight.

On to the next day, yet another interlude with this man.

He learns that tame/handleable birds bring more money. What do you think he did?

He took and clipped one of the other pairs and was walking them around on his arm saying they are tame.

I was freaking livid. He clips the birds wings to humble them so that he can hold them on his arm and allege them to be tame.

Hate to admit this but I was glad to see that the birds put up a fight. His hands were pretty bloodied.

I ask him if he's OK lying to people about them. He says it isn't his fault if others can't handle the birds since he obviously can.

He then went off on this tirade of how good he is with his macaws and yadda yadda yadda.

I walked away before I said something he'd regret.

It is people like this that infuriate me. I can't even picture the type of "nurturing" that the baby macs could have gotten from this man. There is a lot more to this conversation than I care to post but it only infuriates me further.

This man is the type of small time backyard breeders that cause all the grief for the hobbyist breeder.

People really suck.

[expressmailtome]

That is horrible. It goes to show that money really is the root of evil. I can not imagine trying to sell breeders as tame to make more money.

Matt

[amanda143]

So far I think we have been very lucky to meet really awesome people in the bird world. I also know that there are horrible people every where. You are right though, there are breeders like that out there that give the rest of us a bad name. There are also some really lousy customers out there. You wouldn't believe the kind of calls and emails I get asking for free birds to adopt, or exchanging other "services" for birds. Some really crazy people in this world. I think I'll try calling microsoft and asking for a free computer. :/

[becca623]

Poor birds. I hope they got in some good bites. I'm afraid if I went to an auction, I would want to kick someone like that in the shins.....or at least tell him off.

[r2rusmc]

The animal industry brings out all types.

[expressmailtome]

Originally Posted by r2rusmc

The animal industry brings out all types.

The worst part is that this is one area where there is no room for these kinds of people.

Matt

[Valo's Moirana]

grrrr...... nothing more to add

[odhinn]

Originally Posted by r2rusmc

People really suck.

I have said this for years.


10 years ago, I would have separated a guy like this from his teeth. Now I just look at them and see them for what they truly are...SCUM.

[redwing13]

touche' Odhinn