Pet Store Issue

[TeamLane]

Hi everybody. This is our first post, but we've been reading since we got our two GCCs about three months ago.

My wife and I went out in early January to get our first birds. We started at PetsMart and acquired all the necessary materials one day and set it up that night. The next morning, acting on advice from one of the workers at PetsMart, we went to an exotic pet store in town to buy the birds themselves.

We thought it was great. There were multiple macaws on perches, along with Amazons and all other kinds of birds. We thought it was really interesting, but as novice bird owners, we didn't want anything that seemed so much more advanced. So we looked at some of the cages on the sides and ended up with our babies, Pineapple and Rio. Great birds, we love them to pieces, no problems with them at all (although our vet said the wing-clipping job which they did at the store was poor).

Now, as they have bonded with us and we've discovered how much we love birds, talk of obtaining more and bigger birds has become common. After spending the morning at the zoo and gawking at the parrots more than we ever had, we decided to go back to the exotic store to see more pretty birds.

When we walked in, it was totally different. All the perched birds were gone. There were no macaws at all. The side cages were still there, with more or less the same selection as three months ago. However, the GCC cage had only two left (as opposed to eight or so when we took our babies home). Both of the remaining GCCs looked completely different from ours. Their plumages were duller and their feathers were sort of shabby. Not at all the brilliant, lively creatures that ours are.

The most disturbing thing we saw were two Amazon parrots that were in a cage significantly smaller than the one our two conures are in. One of these birds, in particular, had a beak that was overgrown on the bottom and the top beak wouldn't close properly as a result. Its feathers were dull and very messy- I can't really describe it, but it didn't look good at all. This bird's eyes had some sort of issue where it looked as though it were crying. On top of all this, it was extremely lethargic and barely moved the entirety of the time we were in the store.

We don't know what to think. On one hand, we know it could just be an old, sick bird. But if that's the case, why does he have it on sale for $750? Some of the birds in the store looked great, but that Amazon, and to lesser extents, some of the other Amazons and those GCCs, did not. We have no idea if the owner is doing anything to help them, either. We spent much of the evening wishing we could do something for them. We are totally lost and heartbroken. Is there anything we can do to improve this situation and save those birds?

Additionally, I don't know if this has anything to do with it, but we live in a city on the US-Mexican border (the implication being that border control is nil and goods are FAR cheaper on the southern side of the border). I don't know what sort of regulation is in place in this field, but could smuggling have something to do with it? Could that be involved? Coincidentally, as we were standing next to the parrot enclosure at the zoo today, we made small-talk to a woman who casually admitted to having smuggled exotic birds from Mexico in the past. :52:

Last question...is there any "certification" process in the bird trade? Or even in breeding? Something to say that these birds were imported/bred with particular standards and inspections for care? What do you guys do to make sure you are getting your birds from a reputable source and not giving your money to someone who only sees the bird as stock and fails to treat them humanely? We would like to know so that, in the future, we don't financially support someone who gives these birds less than they deserve.

Thanks in advance for your time and help.

 

[noblemacaw]

Research...and communication. LOTS of research and run a background investigation (BI) on the breeder you are interested in. Word of mouth does well also when you are involved in your local bird community.

I use to visit El Paso/Juarez every two years. I know very well that the parrots in Mexico are not cared for the same way the US cares for the parrots. Even in a big box store they are cared for better in the US. I went to the market downtown Juarez and there was a pet shop with parrots that frankly I was appalled with their conditions and how they were kept. One of the macaws responded to me so strongly the shop owner begged me to take him. Of course I could not "cross" a large macaw so I could not take him.

The relatives I stayed with are very good people. They have a beautiful home and welcomed me with open arms. They always treated me like family and when my "bird knowledge" was learned about I was overwhelmed with requests to help with family parrots. Help tame them, clip their wing feathers, clean them, what ever they asked of me I did. It occured to me most people in Mexico are not up to date with parrot care, don't have specialized avian vets to care for them and they are only doing the best they can with the knowledge they have. I never faulted anyone if I saw a parrot that was not in the best of care but would share what knowledge I had with what they were able to do to help the parrot have a better/healthier life. I was asked to take the family white cap pionus because the parrot responded to me so quickly and was tame only for me. As much as I wanted to take him with me I could not risk "crossing" him somehow hiding him in the car.

I have had parrots in my life for over 20 years. When I decided I wanted to get a Red Fronted Macaw I knew no one locally bred them. I did a lot of web searching, research and found one of the best RFM breeders in the country that is located out of state. She had been breeding birds for over 20 years and knew the RFM breed inside and out. This breeder was highly recommended and even then I still ran a BI on her. It was when my Avian Vet up here KNEW who she was is what sold it for me. I learned my vet knew who she was because the breeder is very involved in the bird community nationally and is active in parrot conservation. Not only did I get a well adjusted, socialized healthy baby parrot but I gained a friend as well.

I would first try to figure out what species you are interested in. Try to gain experience handling and learned about that particular species. I cannot tell you how many times I changed my mind with learning more about the species I was interested in as a companion. Sometimes after learning about the species you are interested in you learn that particular species is not the best for you. Once you know the chosen species is right for you begin the process of finding a breeder and weeding out the dodgy breeders from a "good" breeder to an "excellent" breeder.

Bringing a companion parrot into your life is such a personal decision that you need to figure out yourself how you want to begin the journey.

 

[MonicaMc]

It's possible the store has birds on consignment, or that they purchased birds for a cheap price and are selling them. You can always ask about the birds and try to find out the birds history and ages.

You can also report the pet store to your local animal control authorities, although if birds have food and water, there might not be much they can do.


Yes, it's possible the pet store somehow managed to get a hold of smuggled parrots, however I doubt this. If the store did somehow manage to get smuggled parrots, and sold them, they could get in a lot of trouble.



One may be required to become a licensed breeder, depending upon where they live, although many people do not get the license. Licenses vary state by state, and typically only apply to breeding dogs and cats. If a state does have licensing for parrots, it may not cover the smaller, more common species. License requirements may also depend upon the amount of animals bred and sold.

Become A Licensed Bird Breeder
Licensing and Registration Under the Animal Welfare Act


Other than that, there isn't much laws regarding keeping or breeding parrots. Some states may require "moving permits" or "health checks", but there aren't very many people out there that enforce these rules. Certain states do require that all birds or certain species of birds be banded. Two species (golden conures and blue throated macaws) cannot cross state lines *UNLESS* the appropriate permits are obtained from each state.


Unfortunately, the parrot community is largely unregulated. Here's a few sites if you want to look more into it. (both sides)
Welcome to Born Free USA
Welcome to the American Federation of Aviculture
Breeding Laws ? Hybrid Breeding Ban | Voren's Aviaries Inc




What noblemacaw said is quite true. Research. Research the breeder you are interested in. Research the store. If it's an accredited business, you can search the BBB for information about it. Not being BBB accredited doesn't speak badly for the business, though.


I currently have 7 birds, and 6 of them are rehomes. They came from other people who had them or were fostering them. Of the one that is not a rehome, she did come from a breeder, however she was a gift of sorts to me and I didn't know about her until she was in my home. Last time I purchased a bird was 10 years ago, and the last time I purchased a bird from a pet store was even longer than that. Of the 7, only one has a leg band.



The best way to know though if you have a captive raised bird vs a (legally) wild caught bird is if the bird has a leg band. Imported parrots would be 20+ years in age, have an open, round leg band with three letters and three to four numbers on them which could be traced to an import station.

Domestic raised parrots, if they have a leg band, the leg bands are typically square (not always) and closed (not always). A closed leg band can only be put on a young chick while it's still in the nest. An adult parrot without a leg band cannot wear a closed leg band without breaking their toes.


(square vs round leg bands may not make sense until you see the shape of the leg bands - square leg bands are "flat" and round leg bands are a circular ring)


Choosing Your Bird
Winged Wisdom Pet Bird Magazine - The ABC's Of Leg Bands - Identifying Birds
Decoding The Leg Band
Leg Bands
Tracing your band on parrot, parrot band, Why do breeders band, crimson bellied conures, lady gouldian finch for sale, gouldian fiinch for sale in AZ


Not having a leg band doesn't necessarily mean anything. Thousands of parrots aren't banded by their breeders. Some owners do get the leg bands removed since they could be a safety issue.

 

[goalerjones]

One possibility is there was a change in ownership since your last visit. There was a store here called Bird Crazy. It closed. Then another bird store opened in the same location. But the new store isn't as well kept as Bird Crazy was.

 

[Sheryl]

Welcome to the heartbreaking side of loving birds. Spend a little time on the internet researching parrot rescues. It's an eye-opener. You may decide to adopt instead. (Foster Parrots is one I support.) The $750 price tag I call ransom. Not much legal protection for them. Merchants can even sell toys that will poison pets with zinc and lead. I speak from experience. If you have a Humane Society or SPCA in your area you can call them for advice for taking action on that pet store. I love Amazons sooooo much. Bless you if you can accomplish its rescue. Sincerely, Sheryl.