FINCHforum

I went to Petsmart today to look at the birds. There were 3 zebras there and they all looked sick, they were closing their eyes, and they just didnt look happy...........it made me sad


Sandy

I know I always feel bad seeing them on display like that. When I managed a pet store back in the day I was very protective of the birds and people taunting them or banging on the bars and glass. I was in petsmart the other day and watched an unattended young boys about 6 years old beat his fists on all the birds enclosures. Wanted to slap him upside his head behaving like that. I did ask him to stop and he walked off to torment something else I am sure. Even worse for them when they dont feel well.

Sandy, what PetSmart? The one in North Buffalo is usually very good and I have bought my Isabel pair from there

hi sandy,
i understand how you feel. the petsmart here by my house in ontario has had the same 2 parsons finches and one plum head male for over a year. i feel so bad for them.... their diet and cage space is so limited. every time i go there to pick up live food for my chameleon i look to see if they are still there. i think its because of the price of these birds, they are very high here in ontario.

tinysparrow wrote:hi sandy,
i understand how you feel. the petsmart here by my house in ontario has had the same 2 parsons finches and one plum head male for over a year. i feel so bad for them.... their diet and cage space is so limited. every time i go there to pick up live food for my chameleon i look to see if they are still there. i think its because of the price of these birds, they are very high here in ontario.

I was gonna say I wouldsnatch them up!! And then say the price part Our petsmarts carry nothing close to that variety

dante,

dont' enable me! i am tempted my finch addiction is pretty bad at this point.

Save them!

I went to petsmart the other day, there was a SINGLE female, the VERY SAME single female that was there a month previous with the SAME issue. She had a very over grown top beak. It was the same finch but her beak was longer. SOME PEOPLE GRRR!

Kaite, what species?

It was a Zebra

oh

there were also three very sad looking cockatiels. the canary looked happy and beautiful though!

My petsmart doesnt really have hookbills besides parakeets, they do have an adorable little sun conure now, so happy playing!! First hookbill ive seen there

kheather wrote: I was in petsmart the other day and watched an unattended young boys about 6 years old beat his fists on all the birds enclosures. Wanted to slap him upside his head behaving like that. I did ask him to stop and he walked off to torment something else I am sure. Even worse for them when they dont feel well.

Sometimes I wish retail stores would put another slight barrier/viewing distance (even if its a couple of inches) between the potential customer and the birds themselves. The birds seem to understand that if there is another layer of protection, they would feel more safe and secure.

The PetSmart I go to usually have zebra finches that don't look too healthy but they don't look too bad either. My white female was very healthy when I bought her. When I check out the zebra finches, they may either be flying all over and chirping or snoozing away. Since their cage is pretty high up, small kids won't be able to do anything like bang at their windows, although they can do that to any of the other finches. However, all the other finches look fine and beautiful. Can't say the same for those diamond doves; I would see those birds sleep or sit in a branch fluffed and looking around.

Too bad the zebras can't hear anything through that window though. I used to always have the temptation of beeping to them and they would always respond back. When the PetSmart used to be at an older location years before, the birds' cages had a small vent in their windows so they were able to hear me through that.