http://www.birdtricks.com/blog/carnival-abuse-of-budgies/ Fri, 10 Sep 2010 17:33:14 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 http://www.birdtricks.com/blog/carnival-abuse-of-budgies/comment-page-1/#comment-12553 Mike Sat, 12 Sep 2009 15:26:25 +0000 http://www.birdtricks.com/blog/?p=2643#comment-12553 Robin, I think you are probably more of an exception than the rule. While you work at a pet store, you also rescue unwanted birds so you only want to see them sold into good homes. However, I don't think this is the case for most pet store employees. Either they don't care at all and don't know anything about what they are selling (often the case) or they are knowledgeable but just trying to move stock and upsell the customer. It is a natural contradiction to try to scare your customers from buying what you are selling but that's the way it has to be done. On first sight customers could never realize how demanding a Sun Conure can really be. While ideally customers would come in already informed about the bird they seek to buy, this clearly is not the case and it's impossible to pre-inform everyone. That is why it is important that pet stores take the responsibility of informing the customers of all the downsides to pet ownership as well. Perhaps if pet stores were required to take back unwanted birds, they would think twice about who they sell them to! Robin, I think you are probably more of an exception than the rule. While you work at a pet store, you also rescue unwanted birds so you only want to see them sold into good homes. However, I don’t think this is the case for most pet store employees. Either they don’t care at all and don’t know anything about what they are selling (often the case) or they are knowledgeable but just trying to move stock and upsell the customer. It is a natural contradiction to try to scare your customers from buying what you are selling but that’s the way it has to be done. On first sight customers could never realize how demanding a Sun Conure can really be. While ideally customers would come in already informed about the bird they seek to buy, this clearly is not the case and it’s impossible to pre-inform everyone. That is why it is important that pet stores take the responsibility of informing the customers of all the downsides to pet ownership as well. Perhaps if pet stores were required to take back unwanted birds, they would think twice about who they sell them to!

]]> http://www.birdtricks.com/blog/carnival-abuse-of-budgies/comment-page-1/#comment-12552 Robin Sat, 12 Sep 2009 15:19:04 +0000 http://www.birdtricks.com/blog/?p=2643#comment-12552 I agree with all that you said. I work in a pet store and there are a lot of people that are "impulse" buying so I make sure to tell them the time and work involved with keeping a bird. I even tell them that birds can be very messy and that stops a lot of them. LOL. With budgies especially, I remind them that they are intelligent and loving companion birds, not cage birds like finches. I even ask if they know an Avian vet because they need check ups just like our dogs and cats and most say, "I did not know that they needed to go to the doctor". It's funny, most people ask the same question: "Do they talk?" I tell them that all birds can talk but it is up to them if they want to. As for the sun conure I do not think the person did any research about the bird and is expecting it to be their instant companion, that takes trust building, time and patience. Some people just don't get it and it is very frustrating. I have 27 birds of my own and several are from people that could not keep them anymore and had no one to take them. I have learned to say no because my flock needs my time and attention and too many birds limit the time we have together. I hate to do that because I want to know that they will not be neglected or abused. I have a green cheek that was a second hand bird and she drove me crazy for a couple months. It has been two years now and she is my best buddy but it took a lot of time and trust building. Selling conures is the hardest for me because they are sooo smart and adoring that people want them but do not want to listen to any advice, how hard can it be, it's just a bird. Conures are nippy birds. Breeding season is usually a very nippy time and there is molting time grouchiness. I could go on and on. I agree with all that you said. I work in a pet store and there are a lot of people that are “impulse” buying so I make sure to tell them the time and work involved with keeping a bird. I even tell them that birds can be very messy and that stops a lot of them. LOL. With budgies especially, I remind them that they are intelligent and loving companion birds, not cage birds like finches. I even ask if they know an Avian vet because they need check ups just like our dogs and cats and most say, “I did not know that they needed to go to the doctor”. It’s funny, most people ask the same question: “Do they talk?” I tell them that all birds can talk but it is up to them if they want to. As for the sun conure I do not think the person did any research about the bird and is expecting it to be their instant companion, that takes trust building, time and patience. Some people just don’t get it and it is very frustrating. I have 27 birds of my own and several are from people that could not keep them anymore and had no one to take them. I have learned to say no because my flock needs my time and attention and too many birds limit the time we have together. I hate to do that because I want to know that they will not be neglected or abused. I have a green cheek that was a second hand bird and she drove me crazy for a couple months. It has been two years now and she is my best buddy but it took a lot of time and trust building. Selling conures is the hardest for me because they are sooo smart and adoring that people want them but do not want to listen to any advice, how hard can it be, it’s just a bird. Conures are nippy birds. Breeding season is usually a very nippy time and there is molting time grouchiness. I could go on and on.

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