It’s crucial that you walk in without fear, because the animals can smell fear and will devour you
The psittacosis pandemic of 1929-1930 would be my guess.
It was mentioned in the psittacosis article someone posted.
I actually knew someone who died of that parrot disease. Psittacosis? He caught it off a budgie.
Here it is: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psittacosis
You can rescue some as I have. Birds are very unique and fun, but fragile and want as much love as they give (which is a lot).
I have two conures, one was “too loud” and ignored in the corner of their garage for a few years until he started pulling out all his feathers and chewing off one of his toes, at which point he was donated.
It took about a month to get him to trust me. He will not stop attacking his own feathers, but now does so in a relaxed, quiet way while on my shoulders. He loves to just hang out with me while I’m doing some design work or programming, calling from the open door of his cage in a certain way when he wants to shoulder surf. He’s afraid of everyone else, but I know him, his body language tells me that he likes being around me.
They are a unique gift in terms of a life form. I wouldn’t buy one. Go for a rescue, try to sense their personalities as you talk to them.
Honestly i always found it cruel to own a bird as a pet. Birds are meant to fly. All bird owners just either keep their birds in a cage or chained up all the time. They never get to fly their whole lives, or they’d fly away. Imagine being born with your upper limbs with the purpose of flying and never doing it because someone needs a pet bird.
Parrots were about 6 or 7X their current size back in those days, so it was irresponsible for this shop to have ever hosted them.
Suddenly, there was a terrible roar all around us, and the sky was full of what looked like huge bats parrots, all swooping and screeching and diving around the car, and a voice was screaming: “Holy Jesus. What are these goddamn animals?”
Fear and Loathing in the Pet Store.
PARROTS WERE ABOUT 6 OR 7X THEIR CURRENT SIZE BACK IN THOSE DAYS, SO IT WAS IRRESPONSIBLE FOR THIS SHOP TO HAVE EVER HOSTED THEM.
Thanks. Was about to ask because I did not get it and thought it’s an US thing.
“It’s just pining for the fjords” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZw35VUBdzo
