Taking birds into stores.

[christoph29]

Hi

 

I was just wondering how many of you have taken you birds into stores? I took my congo to the pet store and while I was out I decided to run a few errands. We went to the Harley dealership first. I knew they wouldn't have a problem. A lot of people bring their pets in there. I then went to Bed Bath and Beyond. I wasn't sure, but I thought I would try. Coincidently the first person I saw wa the store manager. She loved the congo as did everyone else in the store. I spose it would've been different if I had a big dog with me. Who could turn away a beautiful Grey anyway?! When we got home he was wore out and took a little nap. Anyway, I just was curious on who else goes shooping with them

 

Christoph

[NerfGunWarHero]

I was actually wondering the same thing myself. I live in a place were it is socially acceptable to bring your 17 dogs everywhere with you, but if you happen to have one parrot you look insane.

[danmcq]

Yeah, just put a patch over one eye and no one will question you <br><br>Post edited by: danmcq, at: 2008/01/21 21:46

[Tari]

No if the signs say no dogs I would not take a bird either. And only in pet stores that don't sell parrots cause if their's are sich yours could get sick.

[Nychsa]

Awesome Christoph! How did you take him in? Did you have him on the Aviator Harness?

[Abdullah]

i second tari the birds at petsmart look like they wanna commit suicide ''they look sick too'' i read this story of this girl who bought her bird with her to a petstore like petsmart and her bird ended up getting sick..by the way did he stay on your shoulder was he moving around being nervous? i think thats cool though if he was behaving good in public i wanna train my young one when i get it to be always around me at public places

[Hannah_Rae]

I am planning on using my bird for education purposes, in my classroom as well as possibly traveling once he/she is older, so I want to expose Juji to as much as possible. There are many stores here that I think will allow me to bring Juji in w/o a problem, so once it warms up a little I think I will be doing some window shopping with my bird too.

 

Countdown: 4 days...oh my goodness

[christoph29]

Yeah, I won't bring him in if it says no pets on the door Bed Bath and Beyond didn't have that. Certainly not into restaurants and grocery stores. Nychsa- I have the aviator harness but I couldn't find it. It's a bit chilly outside so he just perched on my hand inside my jacket when outside.

 

I like bringing him to places with people that way he gets used to strangers.

[judygram]

I sometimes take my grey with me to work but it is a small company and not too many people there at one time, sometimes it is only me. I wouldn't take her with me shopping because she would have to be in the cage and not on my shoulder. I would be afraid she would fly off if she was on my shoulder.

 

And I would be afraid of taking her into a pet store with other birds just because of the risk of catching some type of disease.

[Kibibi]

:laugh: Very funny DanMcQ :laugh: But seriously, I'd be very careful about taking my bird into a pet store around other birds. The recent Petsmart quarantine is proof that it can be hazardous to your bird's health.

[dblhelix]

I too would be cautious and steer away from bringing them to pet stores. Particularly mass market types where (sad but true) the incidence of sick animals is higher due to the sheer volume they handle and challenges with controlling disease.

 

I am also am skeptical of the safety in boarding facilities if ever needed. We have not had to do this yet and are fortunate we have friends that happily take Kip in if we go away (like last week went skiing for 5 days). However, I have looked into boarding as an option from time to time, but am concerned about the potential to pass disease. On the other hand, just like you and me, they need to live a little! We cant keep them in a bubble! I guess its about balance and doing what you think is reasonable mitigation for the dangers inherent in life!

[christoph29]

I've never really liked how animals are kept at the mass market stores. From time to time I will take him to the family owned store where I buy my birds from. I trust them there and they like to see how he is doing too.

[NerfGunWarHero]

One bird store I have been too will not even let you bring your bird into the store unless you can show a healthy vet check certificate. It is a great thing I think, all breeders and store that have birds should be like that. Because he does that I trust to bring my grey there for nail and beak care.

[BMustee]

I have taken Elmo to my pet store (he was getting his Pollioma vac.) and into Petsmart. The petsmart in my town only has the little birds like budgies and Keets...but I don't take him near them...he only goes by the toys. His fav store is 7-11, I take him in there now and then, and one time he went into Davids Bridal. I was thinking that they were going to kick me out but I had to bring him to work to feed him and I had to check my dress fitting for my sisters wedding so I had no choice in bringing him. He was in one of those Kitty Cabs and everyone had to come see him. There were even a few ladies that worked there that were like "We'll watch him while your getting dressed!"

[BMustee]

Everywhere else I take him he is on his Feather Tether and people think it is so funny seeing a parrot on a leash.

[watchout]

I would also like to get Maui outdoors once it warms up a little here in Michigan. I have a Feather Tether, but, Maui doesn't like it so far other than to be a chew toy. I am going to order an Aviator and see if I can get it on him easier. I would like to take him out walking in the Spring and maybe to where I get my hair cut.

[danmcq]

I agree with the others that say to stay clear of pet-stores. I always play with a Sun still being weaned at a Petsmart I frequent. The had a Large display cage filled with Cockatiels, then the next weekend had a large sign up that they were not available as they were being treated for a disease......The Tiels never were put back out....I assume they all died. That was 5 weeks ago.

 

The Sun looks terrible this weekend. It's feathers are ruffled and it's tail feathers look like they have been chewed to hell...I feel sorry for the wonderful little guy. :-(

 

Needless to say, I will never take Dayo into a Petstore and I wash my hands better than a Doctor when I come home from a Petstore.

[Hannah_Rae]

I'm thankful that our local pet supply store doesn't carry animals...haha...except fish And I never step foot in the actual pet store b/c it is HORRIBLE!!! I went in last week to see if they had changed at all and ended up making comments to myself the whole way through. AHHHH!!!

 

Anywho, if today is any indication, Juji will adjust to a harness/flight suit very quickly and we will be out and about in no time. SOOO EXCITED!!!

[danmcq]

LOL Hannah, thanks for adding a smile and some excitement to this thread! :-)

[spookyhurst]

Out of curiosity, do any of you buy bird toys at pet stores that carry birds? Someone on another board has a grey that got mites from a toy she bought at a pet store. Poor guy became a feather plucker.

 

I've taken Nikko shopping a lot in her Adventure Pack. Most places welcome her (or at least they don't say anything about it.) I used to take her to Walmart, but not anymore. I was in the sewing department getting some fabric and a cranky employee asked if Nikko was a helper bird. I hadn't a clue what she was talking about, but then she said there was a law that said only helper animals can come in stores. She didn't actually tell me to leave though, and still cut the fabric I wanted, so I just finished shopping and left :blink:. First time anyone said anything to me (employees usually make over her), so out of curiosity, I looked up the law on the internet. It stated that non-service animals are not allowed in places where food is being prepared or served. It made me feel kind of guilty about picking up a pizza last summer. They didn't have it ready, and it was really hot, so Nikko and I stood over in the carry out area waiting. The employees all made a big deal out of how cool she was though, and no one told us to leave. I also had her at a McDonald's in Walmart. My mom sat close to the exit with her while I ordered, and she was kind of in the cart with the rest of the bags, so maybe no one noticed. I've also had her in the mall, and there's food places there. But there are also pet shops :blink:. When we took Nikko to the vet once, we stopped at a nearby mall to have lunch. We put her in a chair in the food court, and I figured since she was contained in her carrier, it wasn't a big deal. Guess I was wrong. The Walmart lady was the only one that's ever said it was illegal though, so most store people must not not know or just don't care. A drugstore I go to even told me I should bring my little dog in too, and just put him in the cart with a towel/blanket. She says people do it all the time, and that they like to see the pets.

 

Anyway, I'll just keep taking Nikko to non-food stores unless someone tells me to get out.

[christoph29]

Yeah not taking them into food stores does make sense. People don't really like that. But it's not like people send their pets out of the house when ever they eat either, but then again you never know how healthy or unhealthy other people animals are.

 

Thanks for mentioning the adventure pack. I've never seen one of the and it looks pretty good.

[poochbabe]

My Rubes used to go everywhere with me in her PetPocket carrier. She particularly like Target because she liked to immitate the scanner just minutes before the clerk was about to scan. She was hard to see inside the pack and the clerk would start to put items in the bag and I would have to tell them that it didn't scan and explain. Then all the clerks would come over and visit with her. She also rode on my motorcycle in that pack and went hiking. I should note that she was a wing plucker and had NO flight feathers ever so I wasn't afraid she would fly off or anything and I always had the pack zipped and secured on my body like a backpack in the front when on the cycle. She also rode in the car in the passenger seat on the handle of a naked wicker basket that I seat belted in. She would look into the cars next to me at lights and say hello. Freaked people out! I miss her but Ganesha is coming along nicely and hopefully he will enjoy some of those things as well.