Clueless pet store employees

[Featheredsamurai]

I was at pet club yesterday with Rosie and walked near the bird section(on my way to reptiles, I don't like keeping Rosie by pet store birds) and over heard something that I haaad to intervene in.

a couple and their kids where going to buy 4 budgies and wanted the biggest cage available, which was a large cage with 1" bar spacing O.O I was proud of these people to want to get their budgies so much space but new it could potentially be their death. The employee helping knows nothing about birds and all they where trying to figure out was if the budgies could escape the cage or not.

I walked over and took over, explaining how too large of bar spacing can allow birds to strangle themselves and directed them to a 2'x3x cage with budgie sized bars. Luckily I had Rosie with me and could tell them the cage they had been thinking about was for a bird her size or larger. They ended up buying the largest cage available with the correct bar spacing. They also allowed me to explain the dangers of wooden dowel perches. I regret not going over proper diet, unfortunately I was in a hurry and once I got home realized my mistake. They seem like they will make good bird parents and will hopefully continue to do research.

 

[loverbird16]

Good for you. I always recomended forums too

 

[jewels04]

lol, I do the same thing. I have helped people at the pet store pick food out for their pets before. I am not even there too often but some people recognize me and think I work there and will walk up and ask me questions I have to explain I don't work there but usually end up helping them anyways.

Good for you for helping those people and their newly acquired budgies!

 

[MikeyTN]

Good thing you did that!!!! But what baffles me is what do you mean the dangers of wooden dowel perches???

 

[evesta]

I do this too but with goldfish. People grabbing a couple of fancy goldfish and a bowl. Nothing like guaranteeing your child a traumatic experience of their pet fish going belly up within a few days. Goldfish are some of the hardest fish to keep but everyone thinks they are starter fish. Get a betta if you want a fish in a bowl otherwise buy an appopriate tank and filter and change your tank water weekly.

 

[jewels04]

I do this too but with goldfish. People grabbing a couple of fancy goldfish and a bowl. Nothing like guaranteeing your child a traumatic experience of their pet fish going belly up within a few days. Goldfish are some of the hardest fish to keep but everyone thinks they are starter fish. Get a betta if you want a fish in a bowl otherwise buy an appopriate tank and filter and change your tank water weekly.

I still don't keep my betta in anything less than a 10 gallon with a heater. They look wonderful with all the free space!

 

[KatherineI]

I do this too but with goldfish. People grabbing a couple of fancy goldfish and a bowl. Nothing like guaranteeing your child a traumatic experience of their pet fish going belly up within a few days. Goldfish are some of the hardest fish to keep but everyone thinks they are starter fish. Get a betta if you want a fish in a bowl otherwise buy an appopriate tank and filter and change your tank water weekly.

I still don't keep my betta in anything less than a 10 gallon with a heater. They look wonderful with all the free space!

I had a Beta live for 2 years in a 5gal with filter. Everyone was shocked, but I changed his water weekly and took really good care of him. Then I went off to Basic Training and my Dad killed him :11:

 

[evesta]

I lost my betta Raul last year. He lived for almost 5 years in a large hurrican jar. I cleaned his bowl and water changed every week. He loved being in the kitchen where the action was. I love betta attitude, he was a beautiful. As for ranchu goldies I have some that are 7 years but I rehomed them because I was shutting down my aquariums and they aren't the kind that can overwinter in my pond. There were huge, the guy who took him was so happy.

 

[Customcasket]

Oh man. I've had plenty of Betta fish make it a few years. They just need proper care like any animal. Before birds I had fish. My family had a small tank back in the early 90s with a kissing gourami and some other fish. We then got a larger aquarium filled with all kinds of fish. My father got tired of taking care of the big tank and when all the fish except for "Kissy" died he bought Kissy a smaller tank to live in. Kissy just passed away earlier this year. He made it almost 20 years. He was HUGE too! I miss that fish. My father was so heartbroken when Kissy died. He gave him a proper burial in the back yard with the rest of our pets who have passed away over the years.

 

[ann]

i hate it when people keep betas in tiny fishbowls the size of a fist, it drives me crazy! and i know what you mean about pet store employees, i rescued two society finches from a pet supplies plus. one was panting on the ground. i told the guy it was sick and he said that he thinks its pregnant. birds dont get pregnant, also if it was laying eggs, there wasn't even a nest in the cage for them! almost the employees were teenagers and didnt know what they were doing. they are doing ok now, but one is still sick and i plan to get him looked at. thank you for what you did, maybe the employee learned something new too

 

[PetoftheDay]

I always recommend speaking up - ignorance can be cured by application of knowledge! There's no written exam to become a pet owners, but I often wish there were!