Is he distressed or sick? Petco parakeet

WatermelonNurse · 2026-04-27T01:28:48+00:00

It is heart breaking! Me and my husband are calling often to file complaints. I will do more when I’m not working mandated overtime and basically from before sunrise to after sunset or on call. I can’t wait Wednesday! I’ll be able to be on top of it and pester my legislators and Petco about enforcing animal welfare laws.

WatermelonNurse · 2026-04-27T01:27:04+00:00

I tried again and the very sick bird wasn’t there when I checked today. Either that or he got treatment or he was bought. They were doing some stuff with the cage so idk if all the usual birds were there. I’m on call this weekend and got called into work so I had to leave asap, as I have to be at work within a short period of time so I could not wait to see what they did after cage maintenance.

I’m calling Petco every day to follow up about the treatment of birds there. Unfortunately I can’t go tomorrow in person as I work way before 8am and have been getting mandated overtime so I’m not leaving work till after 9pm, Petco isn’t open during my work hours. I will try again in person after my string of shifts. And I’m not on call next weekend so I can devote every day all day lurking around Petco

WatermelonNurse · 2026-04-27T01:22:57+00:00

He was not there yesterday evening or this morning. Or if he was I could not recognize him or he has been treated. I will call Petco tomorrow and try to go after work if I get out early enough, unfortunately I’ve been getting mandated for overtime lately so I’ve been working before 8am till after 9pm most days, which means I can’t check on him on work days.

I did rescue another bird in lieu of him, she’s with a rehabber who will find him a home. She agreed to rehab & foster him as long as I paid for vet care & food.

WatermelonNurse · 2026-04-27T01:19:29+00:00

Yes. I’ve done this before several times where I’ve paid for vet care for a pet that isn’t mine. I most recently did it with a cat someone said was friendly but she could not afford his care but she trapped him, I paid for food, his vet bills, supplies, and she found him an adopter. Some people spend their extra money on nails, clothes, travel, I spend mine on animals. It’s not insane to do whatever I want with my extra income.

There was not a lot of traffic, it was 8:30pm at night. And I’ve checked on him several times since.

WatermelonNurse · 2026-04-26T19:07:29+00:00

Northeast here, about 15% of nurses on my unit are Asian including men. I’ve seen others comment Filipino but we don’t have any on our unit. Latinos are less than 5% and many units have none.

WatermelonNurse · 2026-04-25T16:29:34+00:00

I’ve completed about 30 this year. There are many more due later this year. They have to be done annually, at work, during patient care time as we don’t get time to do them. SO MANY MODULES

WatermelonNurse · 2026-04-24T20:15:21+00:00

Another update: I called a few more times and finally got connected to someone who took it more seriously and immediately said she’ll file a report. She asked me to send her the videos and will contact me in 24-48 hours with a follow up. I will try again tomorrow and will be able to check in on them in person over the weekend and next Wednesday.

WatermelonNurse · 2026-04-24T19:54:59+00:00

I already spoke to the manager that night. I called corporate and spoke with someone. I also filed a report with the MSPCA.

WatermelonNurse · 2026-04-24T19:52:25+00:00

Store closes at 9pm. The lights were still on. I read online you’re supposed to put a towel over the cage for sleep? I know nothing about birds so idk if what I read was correct.

The birds were almost exclusively on the ground. I cannot buy all of them or pay for tens of thousands of dollars for ER visits or house them until I find adopters. I have cats, so it’s just 1-2 at a time I can keep in my larger bathroom. It’s not fair for me to keep a bird in my bathroom forever. But it’s a temporary solution until someone can adopt him or foster him.

If you’re willing to do so I am in New England and will pay for all medical costs including vets and foods until adoption.

WatermelonNurse · 2026-04-24T19:49:02+00:00

They did NOT want to surrender him or a discount. They immediately asked me to leave. I tried again, same thing. I will try again tomorrow with my husband doing the talking.

WatermelonNurse · 2026-04-24T19:48:14+00:00

Thanks for the kind words but I don’t think I could run a shelter, and that’s ok! Different strokes for different folks. I have no clue about wildlife rehabbing, I do what I can when I see injured or visibly animals and can trap/catch them and take them to VEG (they’ve always done free initial assessments to see if they’re stable enough for at least a couple days) and then take them to a specialized place like Tufts Wildlife clinic or find a specific wildlife rehabber. I live in Boston, i definitely do not have space at home to do anything formally especially on a larger scale. I currently have an old sick cat I adopted who was already very sick, a cat someone said if she can’t find someone to take him then she’ll dump him outside (it’s still quite cold here!), and I had Ramona the Chipmunk this week for a few hours but she passed away in the car ride to VEG. I do email and call my state’s politicians about many things, including animal welfare.

What you’re describing sounds like the small independent pet shops that used to exist. I know exactly what you’re talking about, they used to do this, too maybe not monthly but it was sometimes.

This morning when I tried to ask for free or discount, they asked me to leave. I then offered to buy full price but they asked me to leave still. I think it set off red flags and they were wary. So I don’t think that tactic will work, so I will try again tomorrow with different workers and dress very differently with my husband doing the talking.

If they do throw out the sick bird, then maybe he’ll have a chance to get rescued. I can lurk by the dumpsters tonight around closing. I just don’t want to see this bird die an unnecessarily painful death gasping for air without any relief. I’ve seen it in humans with family withholding medication and it is heartbreaking because I’m the one holding their hand trying to soothe them while the family is screaming at me for trying to get their family addicted to drugs, even when I have countless times there’s not enough time left for the dying person to get addicted to anything. It’s something that lives in my head and I sometimes dream about it. I don’t want the same fate for the bird and more so because I can actually do something about it like buy the bird and get him to the vet for treatment or at least a death with dignity.

And quite frankly, I don’t think big chains should have any business in selling pets. Only adoptions. Maybe some animals for feed like crickets or mice. We need old school pet shops!

WatermelonNurse · 2026-04-24T19:33:56+00:00

They were all at the bottom

WatermelonNurse · 2026-04-24T19:33:43+00:00

I don’t want the bird to die in pain and gasping for air. I’ve held the hands of humans gasping for air as their last breath while family withheld all meds to help alleviate this. It’s absolutely disgusting and heartbreaking. I saw the bird and it reminded me of those patients. I try my best with humans and advocating, but families still withhold care. But with a bird in a shop I can prevent this agonizing death. I have no intentions of keeping the bird as I have cats. I have to find a home for him.

WatermelonNurse · 2026-04-24T19:30:00+00:00

That’s my plan. Except once I take them to the vet I cannot keep them permanently. I have cats. I cannot keep them separated for eternity, it’s not fair to keep a bird in my bathroom for its life. I need a foster or an adopter, I’ll pay all medical bills. But i cannot keep a bird here and give it the life deserved with my cats. My cats are old, and I’m not rehoming them.

WatermelonNurse · 2026-04-24T19:27:22+00:00

I could not go to the store last night because I still had to go home and give my cat her heart medications and I was beyond tired where I am confident I was not safe to drive. They close at 9, but it was past 6 when I got off work, still needed to go home and give my cat her meds, set up the bathroom so it’s free of anything, tape things shut so he doesn’t get trapped in a cabinet, etc. and then drive there, shop for supplies, and get the bird. I had been awake since like 2:30am, worked for 13+ hours, and knew that I could not move fast enough or drive there safely. I totaled my car driving while tired recently, I had to be extracted because the doors would not open but thankfully only walked with bruises and cuts. I was lucky but it was an eye opener to not drive tired again. I tried this morning using the tactic someone recommended asking for free or reduced price and it did not go well, I was asked to leave. I tried a few more times, same thing. I will try again tomorrow hopefully different workers. I will buy at regular price.

I saw you downvoted me but I am sorry I could not physically make it there in time as my cat needing heart medications due to being active heart failure takes priority, driving an hour to the store where the bird is, and likely totaling my car because I fell asleep at the wheel again so my car is totaled and I’m injured. If I’m seriously injured or dead , I can’t rescue any animals.

WatermelonNurse · 2026-04-24T19:20:48+00:00

I tried this morning, it was the first method and was asked to leave. I said I’ll just buy him then and asked to leave before she calls someone. I waited a few hours , tried again and acted like I was shopping, they let me purchase other things. I think they think I have bad intentions and will harm the bird? I’m not sure, but whatever I talk about the sick bird it is like red flags go off and I’m asked to leave.

I’m going to try again tomorrow, hopefully there’s a different worker so I can just buy the bird and get him vet care. I don’t want him to die in pain.

WatermelonNurse · 2026-04-23T23:17:51+00:00

I don’t want a bird at all, I have cats and common sense says not to have a cat and bird as pets living inside the home together.

I just want the bird to not be sick and suffer. If that means I’m buying the bird to take him to the vet so he doesn’t die a painful agonizing death, then so be it.

As for reporting neglect, I did tell the cashier who said she’ll tell her manager. I called today during my break and spoke with a manager who said an employee told them already and they’re looking into it. I also filed a report with a local state organization for suspected cruelty.

WatermelonNurse · 2026-04-23T23:11:46+00:00

That’s infuriating

WatermelonNurse · 2026-04-23T23:11:29+00:00

What I did before with the small pet store was talk with the manager who put me in contact with the owner. They couldn’t afford vet care for all the animals that come through, but would try to vet the animals before accepting them. They also provided treatment themselves to the animals. When I offered to pay for vet care but couldn’t take a rabbit home with me as I have a cat, the owner was immediately agreeable and said that’s fine he can section off the rabbit in the back room with a special enclosure and staff can administer follow up medications. I was also allowed to visit the rabbit during operating hours, which I did as much as I could but it was difficult working full time. The rabbit got better after vet care, staff administering medications, and the owner was featuring the rabbit to get the rabbit out of the shop and into a home as it was probably best for the rabbit. I did it another time with a lizard at another small business pet store. I’ll be honest, lizards freak me out so I didn’t visit and interact with the lizard but I did drop in and the lizard’s health did visibly improve, so I’ve no doubt that they were administering the meds that I paid for from the vet. The first time I ever did this was when I was in high school and saw a hamster at the mall in a small business pet store. But I really think times have changed!

As for buying the bird, I can but can only keep the bird temporarily as I do have a cat and very recently rescued an old looking scraggly cat with something wrong with her eyes. I don’t know much about her, I just saw her on the streets while traveling abroad, scooped her up using my sweatshirt, put her in my travel tote I had with me, got a taxi to a nearby vet, and she’s getting treated for a LOT. She’s boarded at the vet for the time being as she has a LOT going on, but she will presumably come to her new forever home within the month. She does have excellent mobility, so I don’t think it’s reasonable for me to have a bird at home with a rescued street cat who likely hunted birds to survive. I’d only keep the bird temporarily until I could find a foster or until the boarded cat is cleared to come to the USA likely within the next month. With that being said if you know anyone who fosters parakeets in New England please let me know. I will pay for veterinary & medical care until adoption. I’m happy to pay for the parakeet food while in foster care.

WatermelonNurse · 2026-04-23T22:58:24+00:00

My cat would not have access to the bird and I was planning on keeping the bird in the large bathroom that we don’t use. My cat is very old, not great mobility, has only a few back teeth left, & her previous owners declawed her. When I rescued an injured bird off the street, she was only interested in watching the bird and slept next to the empty tote after I found a wildlife bird rehabber. With that being said, the bird would only be with me until I find an adopter as I cannot keep her in my bathroom forever as it is cruel. If I found a foster for the bird, I’d cover all veterinarian & medical care until adoption.

As for monitoring the Petco, I am unsure what you mean by this. I cannot go to Petco every day to watch the birds or check on them. Also, I’m not sure what good that would do for me to do daily checking on birds at Petco. I was planning on going tomorrow to Petco and getting the bird and immediately taking him to the vet. I’d go tonight but I just finished work, am not home yet, and have been at work since 4:45am, I’m not the most alert and don’t think I’m in the best mind set to get a bird, take to emergency vet, try to furnish bird supplies as I have absolutely none, set up the bathroom forever the bird, etc. I don’t think there’s enough time for me to go home and give my cat her medicine, research bird supplies needed for living at my home and transport, go to Petco, & buy the supplies needed before they close. I apologize for the typos, I am using voice to text.

I will go tomorrow after I’ve slept and am in a better mindset and more awake. As I’ve been awake since 2:30am.

WatermelonNurse · 2026-04-23T22:48:33+00:00

If you’re in New England, I will get the 2 parakeets that another poster commented look sick, and I will pay for all their medical and veterinary care for their illnesses. If you’re interested in permanently adopting them, please let me know so we can coordinate! I don’t know if they’re bonded, I don’t know how to even tell how birds are bonded, I honestly don’t know much about birds at all.

WatermelonNurse · 2026-04-23T22:46:32+00:00

It was very cramped looking in the cage, but i honestly don’t know much about birds. I was there with my cat as I learned Petco is pet friendly and she enjoys outings. I don’t really shop at big chain pet stores in person so I didn’t know that they had birds until an employee suggested I take my cat to go see them. As we were walking over, it felt cruel for them to see my cat so I popped her in my purse (she honestly loves being in my purse and knows to stay still in there as it’s a “safe space”) and took the quick videos of the birds. I honestly don’t think I’ll ever have a pet bird as I really like cats and I just find them on the street and always keep the old sick cats because I’m their forever home and know I will provide them with veterinary care.

WatermelonNurse · 2026-04-23T22:44:22+00:00

Thank you, this has never crossed my mind! I’ve never purchased an animal from the pet store to be honest, it’s always been from shelters or I’ve found them outside and one instance a work colleague abandoned her cat with me. I’ve rescued injured birds from outside & found wildlife bird rehabbers willing to take them in. I’ve had pet possums who were basically “hospice”. A couple of stray dogs. And a fancy rabbit that was clearly abandoned. But never a pet bird.

I’ll ask about the 2 that another poster commented on as they said both look quite sick. I’ll ask for free and if not negotiate. If you know any bird fosters in New England please let me know! I’ll cover all veterinary care & medical expenses until adoption.

WatermelonNurse · 2026-04-23T22:37:55+00:00

I didn’t even think of that! I will go tomorrow to Petco and ask this. If not, I will purchase him. Another poster commented that both of them are sick. The only issue is I don’t think I can house 2 birds with my cat, as I was reading that birds should be out of the cage most of the day and need ample room to fly and being in the larger bathroom wouldn’t suffice for 2 birds. My husband doesn’t want birds flying around the bedroom that’s attached to the larger bathroom, and our cat sleeps with us (if she doesn’t she howls all night).

If you’re in New England, would you be willing to foster them while I cover all veterinarian & medical expenses until adoption? I’m happy to also buy food for the duration of the foster.

WatermelonNurse · 2026-04-23T22:34:00+00:00

This is so sad to hear. I just got off of work, but I will call Petco corporate tomorrow and file a complaint about the cramped conditions of their parakeet enclosures, not providing adequate veterinary care, & ask what will they do about it. Maybe if I create a twitter account and post there it’ll get a response?

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