Another pet store storey

[Pips mom]

There is a small pet store not far from me. They sell puppies and fish, bunnies, guinea pigs, and a few smaller birds. Mostly the birds they have are cockatiels and budgies, but every once in a while they have some baby lovebirds! At the moment they have one of the clutch of babies left....poor little thing.....his clutchmate was gone and he was all alone! Made me so sad. I made the same chirpy sounds to him that I do to Pip and he looked at me like......hey...she speaks lovebird! If I knew he was a boy I'd probably take him in a second! Ok, so then I'm sad already thinking of this baby lovie all alone in a cage with no toys and waiting for a home. Well.....this store also has some rescue birds that are not for sale that they care for there. There is a male cockatiel always at the front who talks.....I usually can get him to talk for me, and I did today too! There is also a big military macaw, and another larger parrot that I don't quite know what he is! They had two african greys too, but recently found a good home for one, so now they only have one.....I have always enjoyed going there to see the birds! Last but not least they have a small cage with a cockatiel and a lovebird who live together as a bonded pair......how this happened I don't know, but they've been together now for a very long time and are always all snuggled up together! They are both quite old.....she told me that the cockatiel has to be in his 20's and the lovebird is not far behind in age.....it is very noticeable that this cockatiel is old.....the lovie still looks good, but he's very calm and not very active. Today when I went in this pet store, the cockatiel was on the bottom of the cage all fluffed and he even looked as if he was shaking a little bit. I tried to get him to move, but he wouldn't.....he just sat there and that little lovie kept going over to him and cuddling up with him. This pair is so bonded and been together for Sooo many years, that they are afraid what will happen when something happens to one of them, and it appears as if the cockatiel is starting to fail.......I felt so aweful and I mentioned it to the guy who owns the store and the birds and he said.....yeah, he's very old and I don't think he plans on doing anything and just letting nature take it's course. That poor little lovie! Here I was feeling bad for that baby being alone, but what's gonna happen to that lovie when his best buddy he's been with for all that time is gone?? That lovie has to be in his late teens too at least. Maybe the cockatiel was fine and just acts this way because he's so old and might have been tired......but it sure didn't look that way to me. I want to go back again and check on them and see how the tiel is doing. What can they do for this lovie to help him through such a hard time when the time comes?

[bookworm0550]

oh, sad :( keep me updated, poor little guy. man, i'm a sucker, i know i would have ended up taking home that baby. you are strong!!!!

[linda040899]

You're stronger than I am! I probably would have made an offer to the pet shop and taken both of them home! (That's why I stay out of pet shops!!) Other than bringing the older lovie home, there's really not much you can do. If/when he loses his life long buddy, he's going to mourn the loss, which is normal. If he, too, is older, he may not survive the loss. Hard to say.

Did you say that Pip might like a companion???? :whistle:

[bookworm0550]

I think pip came to me in a dream last night and said he wants a new friend ;)

[Pips mom]

You're stronger than I am! I probably would have made an offer to the pet shop and taken both of them home! (That's why I stay out of pet shops!!) Other than bringing the older lovie home, there's really not much you can do. If/when he loses his life long buddy, he's going to mourn the loss, which is normal. If he, too, is older, he may not survive the loss. Hard to say.

Did you say that Pip might like a companion???? :whistle:

yes......Pip wants a BOY companion! :D maybe we can get that baby DNA'd

[linda040899]

yes......Pip wants a BOY companion! :D maybe we can get that baby DNA'd
If the older lovie is a hen, she should be well past the age of reproducing. Maybe Pip would like two companions......... :omg:

[Pips mom]

Hey......that's true! Pip's attitude has always been...the more the merrier!

[thebubbleking]

Same as linda i would have brought them both home i am so weak lol

[cp.lovebird]

The older lovie would be a good friend for my Squeaky and the younger a good friend for Ducky! Good thing I didn't go to the pet store!

[Gator]

Awww, I feel so bad for all three birds.

[Pips mom]

I feel bad for them too......I'd take that older lovie in a second if they let me.....only thing is I don't think he's for sale or that they want to give him up. He belongs to the owner and I think they're afraid at this point to have any changes in either bird's lives because they are so old. I even offered to let them use a cage I have a while ago because their's is so small......but they said no because they had tried doing this and the birds didn't like it and they just want to try to keep everything the same for them so they won't have to deal with any uneccesary stress, so I wonder if bringing that older lovie home with me would even be a good idea, but then I wonder what they are going to do for that lovie.....if nothing, at least I have other birds here that would spend time with him. As far as the baby lovie goes.....he's not a bad price, but I'm too afraid of getting a girl! both of these lovies are the normal green color. I am going to go there tomorrow morning and check in to see how that cockatiel is doing.

[FuzzyAga]

I have a boy, Chickopea--Chickie. :) See him on home.rr.com/reflections.

[bookworm0550]

are you afraid that they'll mate and have babies?

[Pips mom]

are you afraid that they'll mate and have babies?

I'd just prefer to not have any egg laying going on here! I've always been afraid of this because my sisters female cockatiel died from egg binding. When I first got my Boss girl, I freaked out when I found out she was a girl! They told me she was a boy! I had to consider returning her for a male, but you know after a few weeks you already get attached and my Woody just seemed to love her so much.....I couldn't bear to take her away from him and listen the two yelling for each other! I really lucked out though and this has turned into the perfect relationship for Woody and Boss. They really love each other and even act like an old married couple! AND....no eggs! at least not yet.....I know and accept that I may have to deal with egg laying with them in the future, maybe once, or even twice, but Boss just doesn't seem into egg laying.....such a good girl!!! :D so I just keep my fingers crossed and hope and so far it's working!!!
This morning I went back to that pet store and the cockatiel seems to be doing well. Apparently he sometimes does this and I think he acts as if he's cold sometimes, maybe being so old has a harder time keeping warm, and I've noticed they have put their cage in the back before with a heater because of this, so I guess the cockatiel is going to be ok....for the time being! The baby lovie they have left actually seems in good spirits too, he almost looks happy in there all alone....all spunky and curious when I come over to talk to him! Hopefully he will find a home soon and all will be well at the pet store!!!! If I knew he was a boy, I'd take him! but I don't, so I'll give it a couple more weeks and see if he sells, then might consider asking them if they can DNA him. I can order the kit and hold onto it just in case!