I walked into Petsmart tonight to wander around and kill some time and of course check out the birdies and kittens for adoption...When to my surprise I saw a lone cobalt Linnie for sale $349.99...I asked about him but the staff had no info on the sex or otherwise just that the bird came from their supplier in Florida and that only the bigger guys (conures) are tested for anything and surprisingly a few months ago when I was looking at a baby GC I had asked to see his paperwork..the only info that was provided was that the baby tested negative for New Castles Disease. The staff were too busy to take out the Linnie and the girl said he hadnt been there long but wasnt sure if he/she was friendly or not...very cute and full flighted...Its amazing how popular Linnies have become !!

Well, if you could see my little linnie right now you would understand why they are popular. She is snuggling and talking to me (bird talk) and I feel like I have one of those large parrots that I see so many of you have. Only mine is little and quiet. What could be better than that?

Thats funny, I was recently shocked because the localk petsmart here also recently got in a lone cobalt Linnie for $349.99 and a black headed Caique they are trying to sell for $1199... It was cool to see because in the years I've lived here, they've only ever carried budgies and finches. I feel bad though because they are awsome birds, but have been there for several months already....

Yeah, at those prices those birds most likely will be around for several more months - unless a spur-of-the-moment/impulse/sympathy type customer walks in one day or over a number of days, gets emotionally attached (or the $$$ means nothing to them) and then this person plucks down 2x as much as they can get a same species bird for elsewhere, from some breeders for example.

I'm not sure why these pet shops ask so much for their birds and thus usually have them hanging around for so long. I would think it makes more sense to sell them quicker and then just replace = more profit in the long run and more steady customers prolly (coming in to buy food, toys, etc.) ?

Wow, that's a steep price, more than I see Plets priced for around here. I, too, hope that the price doesn't drive anyone away.

I am glad that the Linnie word is spreading faster and faster though - they do sound like fantastic birds.

Linnies are wonderful and amazing...I wish I had twenty of them...I just loved watching them interact and play and burrow in the colored carefresh at BP..theuy were so funny together...And the Linnie at Petsmart was a very vocal little fellow

Actually, That price for the Linnie is the going rate for a cobalt. It is a good price from a pet store. That is how much I ask for my hand fed babies. (And I am a fair breeder)
I do not know if that bird was hand fed. But you figure for a hand fed bird that was hand fed around the clock every 2 hours, then 3 hours until weaned. It is not a bad price for all the work that goes into raising a sweet little socialized bird. JMO

Here i n the pet stores if hand fed they are usually more bucks$$ about 50.00 more...b.c.

One gets what one can for a Linnie or any species bird - depending in the area one is located (supply & demand works everywhere I believe). It is the same amount of work to handfeed a budgie. I don't think anyone gets $350 or anywhere near that for one of those cute lil birds (who I believe has better speaking ability than a Linnie and IMO is even prettier /more colorful than a Linnie).

I personally have 10 Linnies that I keep in a large outdoor flight where they can colony breed if they like or not breed - they enjoy being birds (either way) with lots of room to fly around and play with toys and their friends. After I get babies (if I do), I will prolly keep the first clutch from each pair and then offer the others for sale to good homes.

If someone wants to give me $350 for a Cobalt or any other color, I will take it but in this area I doubt if anyone will pay more than say maybe $250.00 - if I am lucky to even get that - however if the potential new owner seems like he/she will provide one of my babies an excellent forever type home and promises to keep it fully flighted in a large flight with proper lighting and a playmate, then I would let one go for a very good discount (if picked-up locally of course) which IMO is a more reasonable price for a bird that size - considering its abilities. I think in time the prices will drop way down anyway from the $350 area - we will see if I am correct on that or not.

All I know is that the prices for Linnes here starts at $350 and goes up, the more rare the color the higher the price