# to expensive for a cockatiel or parakeet?



## memesoso (Nov 10, 2007)

hi,i was wondering is 140$ to much for a lutino cockatiel and for a gray 
it's 100$ are these cheap.by the way these are the prices for them at petland.at petco cockatiels are 110$.

parakeets are 15.99 at petland for fancy colors and others

at petco parakeets are 19.99

which one is the better deal and as of species,care and etc.


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## Mystry Mew (Jul 28, 2007)

Going by what I've seen in my area, those sound about normal, but remember, it's not the initial cost that's important; you'll be paying a lot more for food, toys, a good cage, and vet care anyway. The most important thing when looking for a pet is to look for a healthy one, somewhere where they're well-taken-care of.

As for your second question, are you asking which species you should get or which store you should shop at? The former really just depends on which one you feel is more suited to you after doing lots of research and how much space you have for a good cage. Not really something someone else can answer for you. The latter depends on which store is taking better care of the animals, which only people who go to those particular stores could answer.


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## Aly (Jul 30, 2007)

The prices are a bit more then what we have around here.. (ex. all budgies $10.00, normal grey tiels $70 or so, Lutinos $ 90..etc). The thing is the initial cost plays a very little part in the whole experience. As mysterymew mentioned, you would need to take a look at long term care and cost, time, etc. In my opinion, tiel and budgie maintanance is similar as far as diet, cleaning, vet bills, etc. My budgies personally need me alot less then my tiels do but that's because I have a whole flock and they entertain eachother flying all over the house..etc. They will both need your time and attention though. Which one do YOU like more? The better deal is for you to learn ALL you can about the one you want and do all you can to accomodate it (largest cage you can get, best food, toys, time, love..etc). Don't get one over the other because it's cheaper. It'll end up sitting in a cage by itself. Also, one thing I want to ask you is what will you be doing in 10-30 years? Going away to school, moving, anything that would effect where your bird ends up? Budgies can live 10-15 years and tiels can live 20-30 years so that plays a big role. You'll be responsible for them for their whole life and leaving them behind should not be an option.

On another note, this is just from my experience I would steer clear of Petco. Everytime I have went in there I find a critically ill bird. Their pet care (atleast here) is not up to par.


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## RitzieAnn (Nov 18, 2007)

I notice you're in "orlando" As in Florida? Well, if that's the case, have a look here. 

http://orlando.craigslist.org/search/pet?query=cockatiel

I got 3 of my 4 from http://craigslist.org I honestly think that paying "full price" for an animal, especially when you don't even know its real age.


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## atvchick95 (Sep 17, 2007)

i've never bought a cockatiel at a pet shop, i have priced them and one of ours ( not a chain one) sells normals for 45 dollars, There pearls were 85 and thier lutinos was either 95 or 100 

our chain pet shops sell normals for over 100 and lutinos are close to 200

Budgies range from 15.99 -19.99 no matter if they're "normal" or "fancy" but what ours call Fancy(rare) I call normal... When i bought sky ( Normal Sky Blue) he had a rare sticker on his box


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## olly&izzy (Nov 30, 2007)

I was at petland today and the cockatiels were 139.00 and 19.99 for budgies. Petsmart was 129.00 for cockatiels and 17.99 for budgies. I'm purchasing my hand raised and fed codkatiel from a breeder for 129.00 including the dna test. Another breeder was selling them for 100.00 but with no dna test. For me it was all about finding a tiel we loved and clicked with. Hope this helps. good luck!


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## xxxSpikexxx (Jul 30, 2007)

My Cockatiel Spike came too around 176.00 with tax that included his dna test. He is a pied cockatiel. He was from a breeder and was hand fed. I seen parent raised cockatiels in pet stores the same price as Spike was before tax. I would do a ton of research and don't forget to think about the future. Since they live a long time


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## birdieness (Jul 28, 2007)

Cost doesn't mean anything.

I got 

lilly from pets - unlimited ( the branch i now Hate!) for - $60 ( i know, stupid, who would pay that for a budgie. Apperently me. I was young and stupid but i wanted her and at that time i bought 2 )

Sonic From pets - unlimited ( different branch which i love) for 29.99 plus tax

Peek a boo From pet city ( love this store aswell) for 19.99

Shilo From pet city for 19.99

And Peanut From pets-unlimited ( one i love) for 29.99

The price ranges. I've seen them as low as 14.99 in pet stores and 10 ea on online add and papers here.

As for the tiels most here for pet stores are all well over $100. Lutino's do cost more. There are no real breeders here. I was lucky to find the person who i got my babies off of. I paid $100 for both. They were 100 ea or 2 for 150 but because we came friend i got a deal. 100 for both. Not often you would find that.


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## Bea (Jul 26, 2007)

I would try to find a breeder if possible, for either a budgie or a cockatiel. You are more likely to get a healthier, friendlier and more reasonably priced bird from a breeder, and you'll have someone to get help and advice from in the early days of having your bird.


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## Many Feathers (Dec 30, 2007)

You'll usually pay about twice as much for a bird from PetCo, PetSmart, etc. than from a private breeder.

I'm in OK and normals start about $35 up to $100 for albino and lutino. Quite a bit more for emeralds and yellow faces.


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## PaulaLPN (Dec 28, 2007)

Im in NY we bought our tiels from a breeder for $50.00 each and she threw in a cage for nothing. Our pet stores around here sell the tiels for $129.00 My boyfriend bought my Lovebird from a smaller pet store for $79.00 I would rather buy from a breeder anyday.


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## Aly (Jul 30, 2007)

It's a bit backwards here. Tiels from the petstore are less then those from breeders. Both of mine came from a petstore-just because that's who I fell in love with. I have no preference-it's wherever you find that perfect tiel for you.


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## Jack's1stMatey (Dec 31, 2007)

There's only one breeder than I know of that's less than an hour away from where I live, but they sell them cheaper than the petstores. At Petco, Petsmart, etc, they're $140. The one at the petstore in my mall is $99, but it started out more, the poor thing keeps getting marked down  And the breeder gave me mine for $40 (I think he was suppose to be $60 or something, but he was missing his tail feather so she didn't want to charge as much).


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## xxxSpikexxx (Jul 30, 2007)

The pet stores here charge a ton and the breeders less. Even though Spike is priceless to me  He is the best thing I have ever bought


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## Aly (Jul 30, 2007)

I wonder why it's backwards here. I always found breeders to be more pricey and thought it was because they are ussually handfed and handled....that's why the petstores were less but reading all your threads it's weird that they're sold for less here.


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## Bea (Jul 26, 2007)

Babyluv12 said:


> I wonder why it's backwards here. I always found breeders to be more pricey and thought it was because they are ussually handfed and handled....that's why the petstores were less but reading all your threads it's weird that they're sold for less here.


If the pet stores are selling parent reared tiels of random ages and the breeders are selling handreared babies it makes sense for them to be more expensive.


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## allen (Aug 25, 2007)

ok i got stretch from my breeder for 50 dollars he is common grey and she sells budgies hand fed 25.00 parent raised 15.oo


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## Sarin (Oct 16, 2007)

Those are cheap going by what's around here. Cockatiels in petstores here average at about 250 dollars per bird.


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## Aly (Jul 30, 2007)

Sarin said:


> Those are cheap going by what's around here. Cockatiels in petstores here average at about 250 dollars per bird.



 !!! WOW!


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## Laura (Jul 30, 2007)

Sarin 250 for a cockatiel in Ontario Canada? WOW is that for a rare mutation? I am in Ontario as well and I have never seen any that expensive even in the bigger petstores that charge way to much


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## Sarin (Oct 16, 2007)

Yeah, petsmart sells them that high! The smaller ones Maybe around 120-150 per bird.

They were selling pieds, pearl pieds, whitefaces, and whiteface pieds for 250 dollars each!


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## Laura (Jul 30, 2007)

Thats crazy eh I got my pied for 75.00 hand raised and my whiteface pearl handraised for 85.00 those prices there charging are a ripoff.


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## allen (Aug 25, 2007)

me either the most i seen is 80.00


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## Aly (Jul 30, 2007)

The most here were from breeders are were the most 140.0


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## allen (Aug 25, 2007)

our pet smart sells them for like 60-80


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## Tiki (Dec 26, 2007)

Petsmart sells them for a lot, I forget how much, nearly $200 I think, which is crazy. I know a breeder who sells them for like $50.

Pet stores overprice their birds.


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