It never fails to annoy me

[usamma]

I don't know why I look at the ads every day for bird for sale on CL and other sites. I just feel sad for them and send them a bit of love. There's this one person who wants $300 for a cage that I paid $99 for at the bird expo (retails for about $199 on-line), and two cockateils of unknown age or health. In the ad the person lists the price they paid for the birds, cage, stainless bowls, etc and tries to convince people that they are getting a good deal for $300!! They have an identical cage with 2 lovebirds, also going for $300.Do they not want these birds to go to the best home possible, regardless of price?? Someone else wants like $750 for a 20 year old amazon parrot. He swears, eats "mostly table food.," and needs a seasoned owner who can handle him because he's protective of his current owner. For $750?? Why would you give up a pet that you've had for 20 years and expect to make a profit from it?

[Congobongo]

I'm finding a lot of people are getting savvy to that sort of thing. I've seen overpriced cages out there and overpriced birds that after posting and posting...the price just comes down and down.

[Ashling]

All I can say is, don't torture yourself by going on there.

[hsmoscout]

Originally Posted by Ashling

All I can say is, don't torture yourself by going on there.

That's my approach to it. Ever since I got Peanut and payed attention to how many birds, especially tiels, there were on CL I completely stopped looking.

[RubyMuse]

Annoyed is not the word.... Seriously, there is a substantial secondary market / bird brokering thing going on out there. We would be stupid not to recognize it for what it is.

In my area, the same person in Sterling, Va CONTINUOUSLY has lovebirds for "rehoming" over and over and over again... Annoying is not the word. How about "unethical" or "creep" that seems to fit better.

[pi77]

i feel the same way. there is a lady here in the charleston area that has gotten wise to being flagged on craigslist for being a breeder.

she now places ads for single birds to rehome. she makes up stories about having to rehome them. problem is when i have emailed her it ends up that she is a breeder looking to sell her most recent babies.

i find that a bit toooo much. 1... criagslist is not for breeders. 2... why would anybody buy a bird from a person who would LIE or otherwise be a bit shady?

[RubyMuse]

Originally Posted by pi77

i feel the same way. there is a lady here in the charleston area that has gotten wise to being flagged on craigslist for being a breeder.

she now places ads for single birds to rehome. she makes up stories about having to rehome them. problem is when i have emailed her it ends up that she is a breeder looking to sell her most recent babies.

i find that a bit toooo much. 1... criagslist is not for breeders. 2... why would anybody buy a bird from a person who would LIE or otherwise be a bit shady?

I never thought of it that way, but if the person is really lying and going to that much trouble to create fake stories then how shady are they? Here's a thought: if you are having that much trouble selling birds stop breeding. Sheesh.

[hollyhawkz]

Originally Posted by RubyMuse

I never thought of it that way, but if the person is really lying and going to that much trouble to create fake stories then how shady are they? Here's a thought: if you are having that much trouble selling birds stop breeding. Sheesh.

That's a darn good thought!

[maggy]

Makes you wonder what kind of back-up advise/help you would get from such a person? My birds breeder really checked me out, introduced Dusty to me at 3weeks of age, let me visit, and when she was completely weaned, sent me home with the baby with a card with her home and work numbers advising if I had any problems or questions to ring. These creeps don't give a rats, they are just after $$$. At least we on these forums can try to limit them a bit. Maybe we could start a "skunk" file of people we are sure about, those ripping people off or breeding inhumanely/unethically?

[LovelySydney]

I stopped looking at pet ads anywhere months ago - its too sad and its torture.