I am so upset right now. I know most of you know I used to work at Petco, thats where I got Pita, and were Bee got Bella. Anyway...several months ago , long after I quit they got in a Gold Cap Rosella....which first of all they shouldn't have gotten in at all, since it's more of an Aviary bird...well a few weeks ago I called to check on him, and he was found dead in his cage from a bacterial infection. Apparently the water bowls hadn't been being cleaned well enough. Since that, they have bleached & repainted and completely cleaned the bird room & cages. Then they got in 2 P'Lets....one kept his head tilted to the left, and Peggy took him in and it turns out he had lead poisoning. She has since taken him home, named him Lefty, and he is doing fine. I took Pita in to visit with a few people about a week ago, and when I looked in the bird room, the 2nd little P'Let was on the bottom of the cage all puffed up. I asked Peggy "why is he on the bottom of the cage?" She said, "I'm taking him back to the vet tomorrow.

Well I just called to see how he was, and talked to one of the assistant managers. Poor little guy didn'ty make it, another bacterial infection. Then he said that just last week they got in 2 new baby GC Conures, that they are hand feeding....he even said, "we shouldn't have gotten them in because of all the problems we've had with the other birds"

I just want to cry! Why can't they see there is a problem?

I think I told you guys that I had called and expressed my concerns a while ago. Well, when I went in, I found out that it was brought up to the manager, and they were making changes......APPARENTLT NOT QUICK ENOUGH!!

I am not coming down on all Petco's, just the one I worked at....Lakewood Colorado.

Please say a prayer for the little animal baby's in there.

That's so horrible! Something needs to be done for sure!

Oh this is so so sad. I don't know what to say, I'm a little too upset right now. I'll come back later.

I am almost tempted to call someone and report them. If I remember correctly, all the Petco's were in trouble with Peta years ago....


Any suggestions as to what can be done, to have someone go in there an inspect everything, and the conditions? Petco does have an Animal vet sort of person that goes around to all the stores and checks, he was appointed after I made my complaints.......but this is getting rediculous.

That is horrible!! Oh man stories like this break my heart. All those birds will definitley be in my prayers!

Gala, the people you are talking about are the ones we need to educate and not get mad at, they don't know any better. Talk to the employees of Petco, have them join our board. Maybe if they join they will ask questions should they think they have a sick bird.. We may be able to help them with emergency first aid and push them to seek an avian vet. Many birds loose their lives due to an owner or in this case pet store staff not knowing when the bird is sick.

Maybe we need to pass out cards at Petco to help bird owners and bird store employees take care of their birds. If we could save one birds life it would be worth the effort.

I think all petco's are pretty much the same nationwide.Our local store has killed so many birds from improper hand feeding and horrible conditions it should be a crime.We bought a wonderfull little RB2 there years back just so they couldn't kill the sweetheart.I knew we would not be able to keep her but she had to be taken out of their asap imho. $2,500 later and a couple years here she lives with my son in laws Mom who survived cancer and needed something in her life.We packed her up lock stock and barrel and sent her to Maryland where she is just thriving now in a one birdy home.Would have loved to keep her but she just hated the Macaws to the point where she was starting to pluck. Now she is just fine and for over 2 years never touches a feather .This is one from Petco that wound up just fine

Thats a great idea Gary, only thing is, the 2 main people that care for the birds, both have birds and are experienced. It's just that, same as when I was there, you have to get it into the head of management and coporate, and they are only concerned with sales. I can't begin to tell you the arguments I would get into with management about what the birds needed. Half the time I would buy food, toys, millet etc etc out of my own pocket. I would go into the bird room at least 5 times a day and change water, give treats, spray baths, and just spend time with them.

I know the 2 that take care of the birds, and they do know birds. That Petco also has an Avian vet they have used for years. It's getting the fact that these are living, breathing, thinking, animals, and they should come first like the slogon says, but in retail, it's all about the $$$$$

I'm going to look into some things. I have to talk to Peggy first. She's one of the ones that takes care of the birds. She took the little P'let , Lefty, home, and he's as happy as can be. I want to hear from her what happened.

Thanx for all the input, please keep it coming....this just breaks my heart!

I feel ya babe.

I never told this story, but when Pita was still being hand fed, I was on that night, and someone had just fed him. It was right as I was getting off. Peggy called me into the back room and Pita was just making this weepy, crying, painfull moaning sound. Seems the girl who hand fed him, had the formula to hot, and may have fed him from the wrong side. I took him into the office and just held him. He clung to me....we called the vet and she said it sounded like he may have burned his crop, and to let her know if he poops. So I sat there for 3 hours after my shift ended until he pooped.....and boy did he poop. We called the vet back, he was back to himself, and she said he should be OK, but to bring him in the next day, we did, and he was fine.

That girl has never delt with the birds again. Of course we had a different Ass. manager at the time, and She knew her stuff. After she left it all started going bad.