Parrot Stars — Local services in Wheeling Township

PLEASE READ IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING BOARDING YOUR BIRD!

Firstly, the store used to be amazing. The past manager was extremely nice and loving to us and all the birds. However, the new manager is the opposite. I have always gotten bad vibes from her and her smile is extremely fake. However, the store itself had a pretty good reputation so we got our cockatiel (Mochi) from there. We already had a budgie (Disco) at home. When we were picking up the bird, they basically forced us to buy more than $50 of food and treats. Since most of the food seems high quality, we bought most of it. (This is important information for later.)

Fast forward more than 2 years later, we had to go on a vacation and had to fly and couldn’t bring Mochi and Disco. So, we decided to board them at Parrot Stars, since we didn’t know anyone else that could care for them for the week.

Firstly, when we dropped them off, they wouldn’t let us go in and see what cage Mochi and Disco were going to be in, let alone set up a comfortable and familiar space for them. They said it was for safety reasons, and it was their rule, even though when we discussed the conditions earlier they said we could set up the cage (lies). During our vacation, we called several times asking how Mochi and Disco were doing, and they always said they were doing very well.

When we went to pick them up, we first noticed Disco had dried blood on her head. The staff then carelessly told us that Mochi had a “few” blood feathers and that was the cause. However, it was way worse than that; Mochi apparently had a night fright and lost ALL of his left flight feathers, and it’s obvious from the dried blood and the wound that it happened on the first few days. Also, under BOTH wings he has plucked a lot of the small feathers, due to stress and mistreatment. Thus, they were all LYING to us when we called and they said Mochi was doing very well, in addition to LYING straight into our face and not directly telling us what happened to Mochi’s flight feathers. (I was the first to say that Mochi was missing all his left flight feathers and they agreed after.)

Also, Mochi lost almost 20% of his body weight and is extremely underweight. We provided Top’s pellets and some other food that he usually eats for them to give, and allowed them to give their seeds because we buy/ bought our seeds from them. However, when we picked our birds up, the seeds/pellets in their bowl were NOT the (expensive and good quality) food they forced everyone to buy; it was very LOW quality food, and Mochi didn’t even want to eat them even though he loves his seeds.

Moreover, he has become very skittish and sleeps with one eye open, always observing his environment. After talking to other bird owners, it can be agreed upon that not only was he neglected, but also mistreated. He seems very traumatized by whatever happened during his time in boarding. Also, Mochi is basically stuck to the window looking outside, like he hasn’t seen the sun in ages.

Disco is fine physically because she is an independent bird, but she is way more aggressive and wild (from them manhandling her instead of using the stick we provided to get her to step up).

We will NEVER be putting them in boarding at Parrot Stars again, and I suggest everyone not as well. Listen to the reviews! We will also never go there ever again because all they care about is the business and have lied to us...

MY BIRD DIED!! Stop buying birds from these people!! They are overpriced and are not handling them correctly. A bird I received from them became very ill and died two days after I got it home. I was heartbroken. Unsure why the bird fell ill(will explain why it was their fault later) I called for a replacement because of their guarantee. They were EXTREMELY reluctant to follow their own guidelines to replace the bird and gave me SO much flack. Upon making me feel like it was my fault at all cost and seeming to disbelieve me, they ran me through numerous questions with plenty of attitude(all while I was mourning my lost pet mind you).When I finally arrived to receive the new bird, they treated me like I was the reason the bird died making me question my own reality at this point. I took my second new bird home and the same thing began to happen to him!!!! I tried all the remedies and luckily the heating pad kept him alive through the night and he made it! He slowly recovered and was well again. He was near my other bird’s cage and was trying everything he could to get to my other bird and was extremely difficult to handle and would always fly to my other bird in his cage. Then it dawned on me that they let these birds get so untamed because they didn’t handle them much at all(probably only when people wanted to buy them) and so they bonded to each other in their cage at the store. Almost all of their birds are much older than a baby bird and so they have all been building bonds with other birds that they are spending all their time with. Because of this they were falling ill due to separation from their bonded pairs!!! I almost lost two birds to their negligence and inability to admit their faults….

They also won’t let you leave without buying a ton of their products. As I have LOTS of kinds of bird food at home and didn’t need at least two of bags of foods they require you to buy. They still refused to let me leave without buying their food. The banners all over the wall provided proof that they are receiving commotion for the bags of food require people to buy with their birds. And they aren’t even all healthy diets for birds. Disgusting.

They just want money and are very arrogant when they have no leg to stand on as they are causing birds to die and making people feel bad like it’s their fault for it. Absolutely sad excuse for a place that is supposed to care for animals. And I KNOW it wasn’t anything to do to my house situation because I’ve had hundreds of birds in and out of my home that all stay at least 30 days. Birds of all sizes and species because people give them to me all the time. And not a single bird has died or almost died, big or small, besides BOTH of the birds they gave to me. And I saved the second one because I had the same species of bird living in a cage next to him (which was always and still is healthy) My heart still aches from this experience. I hope my comment helps someone avoid making these...

Don’t believe the negative reviews.

Of course bird owners that truly care about their birds don’t clip their wings.

I have had my bird - tiel for over a year now - I got him when he was a few months old. He’s surprised me by his intelligence and has been very healthy with no issues. He continues to learn new phrases and songs. Parrot stars has quality birds and their process ensures quality bird owners where birds can thrive not just exist. I’d definitely get another bird and refer anyone to them for a bird.

Parrot Stars is a reputable bird store and by no means “a bird mill”. I recently was in search of a male cockatiel. Parrot Stars has so many beautiful birds to choose from including more than a dozen Orange-cheeked and White-faced cockatiels. Parrot Stars goes above and beyond to care for all of their birds. The bird cages are: clean, spacious, well ventilated, filled with tons of toys/perches, and the aviary adequately lit. The birds are fed more than just dry bird seed mix. They feed all the birds at least a three different types of bird food mixes including a custom veggie/seed log daily.

I’ve been there several times and during some visits some of the birds have been allowed out of their cages. They try to rotate some of the birds so they have what I called “flight time”.

They also have a huge selection of all types of toys, foods, perches, cages, and other miscellaneous products.

Parrot Stars has adoption requirements and training that have to be met prior to adoption.

This store goes above and beyond making sure the birds go to proper homes, are properly care for, and each bird owner - new or experienced - have the necessary tools, resources, and knowledge to adopt a bird or birds.

I wouldn’t think twice about buying another bird. I’ve also boarded my bird here and he was very well taken care of. They can trim your birds nails before picking them up. Trimming nails is just one of many services they provide. Other bird owners have boarded their birds here when completing home renovations.

I love this store, I have been to two other birds stores prior to this one and hands down Parrot Stars is better than Birds and Beasts or Something Fishy Pets.

Some other person who reviewed Parrot Stars recommends Something Fishy Pets. Something Fishy Pets has gone downhill; their birds especially the one cockatiel in the cage along the back wall is obese, unhealthy, hisses upon approach, hides and its cage is filthy. The birds are kept in small breeder cages, their bird boxes are chewed-should be replaced, do not have adequate light, and filthy. Many animals are not properly taken care of. As of January the store is under new management due to Ron going down...