Partner316 Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 I'm just curious as to how many people shop at huge corporate chains like PetCo and PetSmart for supplies, or if you guys and gals prefer to shop at local pet stores to support them. I've found that local pet stores are more helpful and willing to make you happy. Granted that's what they need to stay in business and making the customer happy is the only way to do so. I have also found that local stores will special order you anything you want. The store I go to will order me whatever I ask if they don't have it in the store, and they normally only charge me a few dollars over cost. I know many order most of their stuff for their greys and other birds online. But what about needing something quick so you need to run to the store to get it? So what do you guys do? -Nick- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eckobird Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 I prefer the local pet shops too. There is a really nice couple that owns a pet shop in my area and I have always gone to them for my cats and my bird. I find those corporate stores to be a little more expensive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casper Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 I really wish I could buy my supplies at the local pet store but none of mine stock anything for parrots except for the cheap seed mixes. They dont really keep any toys or anything either. Its great your store will order in for you. The online company I use offer a next day delivery service at an extra cost or it normally takes 3 working days so I just try to keep in front with the pellets etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tycos_mom Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 Thats very true that my local pet store will order anything I need or want I got my Boings and fruit skewers that way I order red palm oil on line the other day and then took Adaya to my vet only to realize when I got there that she sells the exact same red palm oil that I ordered for 8 dollars lss money. It really pays sometimes to buy things locally there is another pet store close to my home that make all their own bird toys they specialize in birds mostly although they do sell puppys ferrets and other critters birds are their Majority and let me tell you their toys are way way cheaper than I can even make myself and they are beautiful the largest toys they have are 20.00 and anywhere online the same toy would cost 50.00 I shop for toys there all the time. Its very hard to keep my MBS in check when I go in there so I only go about onnce every 3 months and stock up big time. other wise I'm sure I'd have allot more birds then I already have. The last time I was in there it was so hard to leave without taking the Cherryhead conure they had with me. It was so sweet and so wanted to come with me. I'm scared to go back to soon or I may have another bird (not):laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Partner316 Posted May 28, 2009 Author Share Posted May 28, 2009 caitb2007 - I do find that the larger chains do charge more for a lot of supplies. But there are a few things that are cheaper there and some that are more expensive at local. But really, I still like to keep local businesses alive. casper- what site do you order from? I would love to have a few online stores that I could order from for things that the store can't get for me. It is also ashame that your local shop can't order anything for you. Tycos_mom- I have had that happen to me before as well, order something online, than find it in the store or somewhere where you wouldn't expect for a lot less. I too recently found a small shop in a town north of me that makes and sells there own bird toys and they are so elaborate and they are very inexpensive. the most expensive thing I saw was $20 for a HUGE toy. I'll have to check them out soon. -Nick- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvparrots Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 I shop both online and locally. Whichever is on sale and depending on what it is. I'm always looking online, in catalogs and newspaper ads. If I see a pet store and I have the time I always check it out. There might be a sale going on!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Partner316 Posted May 28, 2009 Author Share Posted May 28, 2009 luvparrots - Sales are grand when it comes to animal supplies but I can't find any half the time lol. -Nick- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvparrots Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 Sorry Nick, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Partner316 Posted May 28, 2009 Author Share Posted May 28, 2009 Speaking of sales, as soon as I walk into the local pet shop today, huge table filled with sale items... but no bird stuff lol -Nick- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarolandFamily Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 I shop both too Nick, if I need something like RIGHT now then I'll mosey on over to Petco (there so high at times) then if they can wait I'll shop online. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Natasha Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 I shop at the petshop lol....:laugh: We have 5 petshops al of thems got toys,food ect. but they are darn expensive :whistle: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 I do most of mine online as I live over 25 miles from the nearest pet store and the stores that are around are pet not bird stores so the stock is limited, I find all kinds of variety online. I do a lot of online shopping at www.drsfostersmith.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lyric Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 We don't have a pet store in my town at all... so I either have to drive far away to go to one or just order online. Mostly I just order online. I also order from Drs Foster and Smith, but I'm always looking for the place with the best supplies at the lowest prices. I wish I had a store with great toys at less than $20! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raposa Posted May 30, 2009 Share Posted May 30, 2009 There is a small local pet shop that I go to frequently, if only to visit their HUGE blue and gold macaw, who has taken a liking to me :-) He is treated very well, by the way, I am happy to say. He's 27 years old and huge and healthy and ornery! I buy things from them when I can, but they actually specialize in fish and amphibians and don't carry much in the way of bird supplies, so I use the larger stores or shop online as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janfromboone Posted May 30, 2009 Share Posted May 30, 2009 My pet store will order anything I want, and I usually will buy from them. I order my bird food too from the local pet store. Still I get a kick out of some of the online bird toy makers. I like the Nalani toy site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Partner316 Posted May 30, 2009 Author Share Posted May 30, 2009 Raposa - The small local pet shop that I go to has 2 blue and golds as well, one is a total and complete stubborn girl. The other is a very loud but sweet boy, and he has also taken a liking to me, along with the Blue front amazon they have. *sighs* only if I could have all three. Janfromboone - I totally agree, it is amazing what people make toys out of. Half the stuff I have seen I couldn't imagine it being used lol. Judy Lyric - wow, do you guys live in really small towns? I love the scenery and the quiet in the country but I don't think I could live more than a half hour away from any bigger cities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SweetFX Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 The closet petstore for us is Petco at 40 miles. The good thing with them is they are always clearenceing the bird toys. Not in the bin but on the shelf. I got last week a whole bunch of those toys that look like baby toys for a $1.00 each rather than 9.99. Sweet. I get his pellets there. Petsmart is a bit further..50 miles. They are expensive but I can get the toy I want than and now and they seem to be a buck or two cheaper than foster and smith. Fosters is not too bad but they are not cheap. I save them for special toys or shop at radom online places. There are like 2 petstores in same area. They close really early, toys are so dirty/dusty, and they cost 2xs as much. I gone to a few pets stores about 100 miles from home and same thing...dirty over priced toys. It is not the best state to live in for birdies. I we lived in a busier state I would love to support local petstores, it is just not an option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raposa Posted June 2, 2009 Share Posted June 2, 2009 ~smiles at Partner316~ It is fun to have bird pals to visit, isn't it? Max, the blue and gold I mentioned before, is very much not for sale; they adore him. He has an interesting story. When the store owners bought the pet store from the prior owner, Max ame with the store. He's about 27 years old or so. And this past year, the store was broken into and Max was stolen. The theft was caught on film but they did not catch the thief's face. Max was missing for 3 months, and they thought he was gone for good, and then they got a "tip" that someone thought they had seen him. There had been many of these "tips" over the past few months and they did not want to get their hopes up, but it turned out that it WAS Max! MUCH skinnier (he'd been kept in a cage with a parakeet and fed only seed for 3 months) but definitely still Max. He was back to his assertive, ruler of the roost self within an hour of returning home to the petshop, and quickly recovered his weight. He is a great big silly clown of a bird and I think he is wonderful, and I am SO happy they got him back!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Partner316 Posted June 2, 2009 Author Share Posted June 2, 2009 That is so sweet! All I know about Gurdy is that her owner had to give her up because of ill health and she is a brat. I would gladly take home Yoshi. But I'm afraid he would teach Partner his horrible screaming lol. Ozzie and Partner used to be together so they are kinda the two I want together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doubletefarm Posted June 2, 2009 Share Posted June 2, 2009 I go into Petsmart for my cat and dog food, so I always swoop through the bird section and look at the supplies. I ordered my pellets online and my goldenfeast online too though. So far I've gotten most of my toys at Petsmart, but recently ordered a bunch from Nalani toys. (and can't wait!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbpittman Posted June 2, 2009 Share Posted June 2, 2009 I found a new bird shop today! It's on the other side of town from me, but only about six miles from my house. The only other bird shop I will go into is about 20 miles from home and is where I got Dixie. The shop I found today hand raises their babies and I was quite impressed with the inventory and knowledge of the owner. The owner has two amazing Too's and two Blue and Gold Macaw's who were extremely noisy, but very lovable. Sassy (the older of the B&G's) was quick to talk to me and even stepped off her perch onto my shoulder. It was amazing. I walked through the entire store looking at the toys and perches and supplies with Sassy chatting non-stop, my own personal tour guide. The prices were much better than I had expected since my small town actually has a SuperPets and a Petsmart in it. We can't get a decent restaurant, but two major pet chains. One of the most amazing things about this little shop was the "nursery". There were two very precious baby grey's who were being hand fed - one "nurse" who's only job is to stay with the babies her entire time there and another who is there in the evening with them. Now if I only had the room to add another cage to my office, my son would get his birthday wish - his own Grey! :cheer: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kittykittykitty Posted June 2, 2009 Share Posted June 2, 2009 I haven't been in a chain pet store for years! There is a bird farm about two miles away. Thsy breed CAGS and have MANY other birds also. There is another large bird farm about 30 miles away between Riverside and Corona (CA). I go there very seldom, however. Precious came from Parrots Naturally in Tarzana (CA). We have mail ordered from them. There are two, or were, local pet stores, one with food and items for dogs and cats (no animals) where I bought human grade cat food. (They had a fire and had not reopened the last time I went to town.) The other is general with an emphasis on acquatics. I shop with local merchants whenever possible. There was a pet store on the way to our bull dogs' veterinarian. I stopped whenever possible to talk with the two macaws. They were awsome, but not as awsiome as my grey:ohmy: :silly: :lol: !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PekingeseMama Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 I'd love to be able to buy my parrot food and toys at the local pet store, but they don't stock anything for parrots. I have to drive 20 minutes to get to a PetSmart or Feeders Supply instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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