no tails

[Myzomela]

Unfortunately, anyone can own a petshop or manufacture and sell pet/birdfood, without having to have any idea of what they are doing.

All we can hope for, as Di said, is that these guys go out of business-sooner rather than later.

The quality issue is not due to demand being too high. It is due to supply being too high, so birds are overcrowded and also due to a general lack of concern and pride in their facilities by the owners and how poorly it reflects on the business overall.

It also gives more ammunition to those who are against birdkeeping. We need to be careful because petshops are the most visible face of birdkeeping to the general public. Poorly housed birds in petshops reflect poorly on aviculture & give us a bad name.

[E Orix]

Sadly it is not modern action,some petshops have often crossed the line
Many years ago when I lived in Melbourne there was a pet shop owner who was able to get wild trapped yellow headed Gouldians.
In those days very very rare,anyway it was a weekly visit to see if any came in.During that time I noticed a Jacarinis male in very poor feather.
At each visit his feather condition seemed to be poorer.In the end I fronted the owner about buying it,being such poor shape price was discussed.
The owner made the offer $20(expensive) or nothing with the toss of a coin. I went home with a free bird.That poor near featherless bird eventually moulted out
to be spectacular.Old Ernie Reed gave me a female and today 35 years later I still have that blood line.Diluted alot I guess though.

[Myzomela]

35 years is a long time to maintain a bloodline.
Great effort!

[jusdeb]

The pluckers / self mutilators can be picked by sight so What possible causes are there for loss of tail feathers ?

[SamDavis]

Unfortunately, anyone can own a petshop or manufacture and sell pet/birdfood, without having to have any idea of what they are doing.

Seems crazy given the miriad rules and regulations from all levels of government.
I presume there is legislation that ensures birds (and all animals) are fed, watered and housed appropriately. I find it hard to believe, and frankly inexcusable, that pet stores attempt to sell birds that are not healthy - including plucked/missing tails. Apart from some of the excellent specialist bird stores, most Pet stores that I visit have birds that are sick and very close to heaven . Do they have no pride in their product? And commercially it's simply idiotic. Birds in pet shops (although for sale) are largely there for marketing - they attract customers into the store. Little wonder many people have a negative view of bird keeping.

[finchbreeder]

I think the Pet shops can only sell birds they have appropriate licences for. However for those that do not need licences there is no protection but the RSPCA.
LML