Poor Lil' Thing - Strawberry Finch in Denver

[CoMtnGal]

Stopped by Busy Beaks store in Aurora today - I really just need to stop going there. Bad customer service and the birds are crowded. Well today there was a nearly naked and lame Strawberry Finch there. A male I think. "came in" with a group of Zebras and two Gouldians. They wanted $150 for the poor thing. I just couldn't do that, but darn it..

[Tish]

Stuff like that really breaks my heart. I think if we could all us bird lovers would save all the birds in need, I know I would if I could.

[isobea]

CoMtnGal - I know what you mean. It just breaks your heart not being able to rescue him. I once saw a cage full of European goldfinches (probably my favorite birds, remind me of home) at a big bird mart. Their feathers were in pretty bad shape, claws and beaks overgrown, their red masks pale and the wrong food mix in the dishes. If I had had the means and space I would have bought them all.
Did you try offering half price for that little strawberry boy? I love strawberries because of their nice song (and beautiful color if they get enough sunshine).
Iso

[w.l.]

It is annoying when a bird is already in poor condition, only likely to get worse at the sellers, yet they still want a high price for it, isn't it?
Strawberries are lovely little things even out of color, and fully colored males are true gems.

[lovezebs]

CoMtnGal

Sorry to hear about the poor little Strawberry.
They are sweet birds, and because they are rare, people feel that they can charge an arm and a leg for them.

If it's not too far from your home, I'd be popping in there every few days to see how he's doing. Befriend the manager and mention that if the bird dies, they'll get nothing for it. I would also offer a word to the wise, about diet and housing, and how birds in better condition always bring in better prices.

[CoMtnGal]

No, I didn't make an offer on the little thing, they came across as if the $150 was a deal.

[Sally]

My very first Strawberry was a little hen that was in a cage with Zebras at my local Petsmart. She was plucked, and every time I went in there, she was plucked more. Finally, she had a bald head, bald back, no tail. I asked if they could reduce the price on her. The manager explained that Petsmart policy is that individual store managers cannot change any prices. However, he said that there was no rule that said he couldn't give me the bird!!

I went home with that little girl that day, and that started my love of Strawberry finches. I didn't even know what a Strawberry finch was at the time! lol

[Icearstorm]

CoMtnGal
It really bothers me when these pet stores sell animals that they know nothing about and don't take adequate care of. There's a Pet Supermarket near me that has a zebra finch isolated from everyone else with a plucked rear end. It was all puffed up and had labored breathing, but when I mentioned it to the employees, they didn't care. Not to mention that the cage bedding looked like it hadn't been changed in a month and the water was full of droppings. They sold water dishes that clipped on the side of the cage and had less room for poop to fall in, but they used the wide-open, rather unsanitary ones for the birds they were selling instead.
Sometimes it feels as if the pet stores are just trying to guilt people into buying their animals, despite the fact that sickly ones that are "rescued" by casual pet owners will usually die anyway.

[Jen]

CoMtnGal
The same thing happened to me at Pets Mart. I asked to see the manager regarding a poor little Spice Finch with a leg hanging like a thread, obviously broken. The manager had her removed immediately and asked if I would be interested in adopting the finch after it went to the vet and "if it lived" through whatever happened.

I left my number with her and after that the manager would call me on occasion when they received a bird that needed adoption. I took on several birds that needed a home, some with special needs, and I was someone who didn't care what they "looked like".

Go back and talk to someone and leave your number....you never know....

[lovezebs]

Jen

I have had similar experiences, and have apparently come to be known as the bird rescuer.

Whenever my pet shop has a bird with some special needs, it ends up with me.

A couple of 'old and fluffed up Zebras', who turned out to be two as yet unmolted babies, a crested Socie with a deformed foot, a Gouldian stuck in molt and in terrible shape, another Socie with a half a wing, an Owl that couldn't fly properly, several birds from another pet shop, who had been there forever and were looking for a retirement home, a Parrot finch, who'd been in the shop forever and was badly plucked....

Some have blossomed into lovely birds with good care and nourishing diets, some have since passed away, but I still don't hesitate to take them in. For as long as they have, at least they enjoy their lives, away from small glass cubicles and dozens of people staring at them and tapping on the glass.

[CoMtnGal]

Update on the little Strawberry..

My husband and I went back today to look. Poor little thing still alone in a small cage. Different staff there, store was busy. The gal that helped me said the price was $75. I asked about his sore foot and she pulled him out - seemed surprised at the foots condition, wouldn't sell him to me but gave the bird to an assistant and said to take him to the vet tomorrow when she goes, with instructions to administer baytril. Told me she thought the foot might need to come off. I left my number and said I was interested and will check back Tuesday as I know they are closed Monday..

To be continued..

[stargazerwolf]

Awww. I think Strawberry finches are so pretty! I hope the little on actually gets help or they let your take her.

[w.l.]

CoMtnGal

I hope you get him eventually.
Anyway, sounds like that store is not that bad after all.
I am quite impressed they are sending a sick $75 bird to the vet rather than happily dumping it on an interested customer.

[CoMtnGal]

w.l. Me too. I hope that is what actually happened.

[lovezebs]

CoMtnGal

I really hope he gets the treatment he needs, not just gets put in the back room .

I would phone and check up on him. If they know there is some interest, they may actually get him the help he needs.

Poor little fellow.