Trouble in Paradise

Paradise Pets is the name of a pet store here in RI.

The owner ordered a dozen colored chicks for Easter. They are green, blue, orange and yellow and red, colored with food dye.

It is illegal to dye chicks in RI. the SPCA was notified by the post office, and confiscated the chicks, who are all doing well.

It is not illegal to dye chicks in Texas, where they came from.

The owner of the pet store said, "I didn't know."

Well, in his line of work, he should have known OR should have investigated if he didn't know! Just my opinion.

http://www.turnto10.com/northeast/ja...3-30-0016.html

Hmmm wonder what the thought process is then on the painted cats and the dyed poodles.............................

:( OMG they came from Texas.. I think it is illegal here.. The Pet Store Owner should have known ya think?? How so bad for those wittle babies.. Glad all doing ok..

Some people are just plain stupid!!! It just disgusts me!!! I love my chickens, and would never think that Dying would be cool!!:mad:

That is horriable :( :mad:

The dying trend that makes me sad is dying fish -- mostly that is done by injecting the fish with dye with a needle, or by soaking them in acids so that their protective layer comes off and then dipping them in dye, or using lasers. Quite a lot of fish die this way, and many more die from the cancers they get later.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Painted_fish

Blue_Frog I have heard about fish dying on my betta bourd and have seen a blood parrot cichlid dyed with a I *heart* u for Valintines day.

I honestly don't see what the big deal is. Isn't it just the same as dying a dog or cat? And like the owner said it just food colouring...as long as it dosent get in their eyes or on their beak.

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Originally Posted by buttercup132

I honestly don't see what the big deal is. Isn't it just the same as dying a dog or cat? And like the owner said it just food colouring...as long as it dosent get in their eyes or on their beak.

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As far as I can see, and pet store owner that purchases Birds like this are only out for the money! People see these, and just have to buy them for their kids, and then the birds suffer, and end up in shelters or die! Because it was an easter gift, and the fad soon fades!! And for the record, who the heck would dye any animal! Cat, Dog, Bird or Fish! There is no point! Poor babys!

When we were kids (I was about 6, my brother about 8) the girl down the street gave my brother a pink chicken for Easter. (I think she liked him...) Anyway, the chicken seemed okay... we had a mean little nasty dog though that loved to chase her. My dad forgot to put the chicken in her cage before he picked me up from my half a day of kindergarten. I went to the backyard to play with Pinky and all I found were little pink feathers everywhere.

Had the silly thing not been dyed, daddy could have gone and gotten a new chickie and we'd have never known Ginger (the nasty little dog) ate the chickie. My brother didn't care all that much, but it traumatized me for a long time!

Point of my stupid little sad story is ... I think it may be legal in Texas, as that's where we grew up...

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Originally Posted by buttercup132

I honestly don't see what the big deal is. Isn't it just the same as dying a dog or cat? And like the owner said it just food colouring...as long as it dosent get in their eyes or on their beak.

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It would be a bigger deal/more likely to be illegal than coloring a dog or cat's fur because it actually is closer to dyed fish... while the embryo is still in the egg (usually towards the end of the second week after a live embryo can be seen by holding the egg up to a strong light source) it is INJECTED with dye. Break the shell, inject the embryo, slap on some iodine and back into the incubator. If you do it later than the second week after a viable embryo is detected, then multiple injections are required.


When I used to do flocks of chicks and ducklings that I showed in fairs and such, I would put little dabs of food dye on them to differentiate them. I see nothing wrong with coloring a chick at all.

But dyeing a chick requires compromising its' shell, injecting it with a foreign substance for cosmetic purposes, and pretty much assuring that it is going to be an impulse buy, probably for a small child's easter present, by someone who has not thought through the logistics of keeping chickens.

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Originally Posted by buttercup132

I honestly don't see what the big deal is. Isn't it just the same as dying a dog or cat? And like the owner said it just food colouring...as long as it dosent get in their eyes or on their beak.

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It can make them very sick because there so young, they probably won't last too long if that dye is not removed, those chicks will want to preen them selfs and in doing so they can inject food colouring into there system.

Food colouring can make birds very sick, that's also why you should never dye water red to attrack humming birds because it can make them very sick.

That is just stupid! I can't believe someone would actually dye a chick! The poor things! This is one of the MANY reasons I don't like the Easter holiday! I'm glad they are away from the pet store owner and in good hands.

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Originally Posted by Argranade

It can make them very sick because there so young, they probably won't last too long if that dye is not removed, those chicks will want to preen them selfs and in doing so they can inject food colouring into there system.

Food colouring can make birds very sick, that's also why you should never dye water red to attrack humming birds because it can make them very sick.

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Once again, the dye is ALREADY injected into their system. So ingestion by preening would be pretty inconsequential.

Not to get too off track, but i wanted to bring to light something a little bizarre. Keep in mind the pets mentioned in these books had only vegetable dye used on them. The plus side is that I have found an earth friendly way to dye my own hair. I have wanted to, but haven't due to harsh chemicals.

My thought is that the way this is done is harmless, unlike what is done to the chicks. I still think the people are a bit nuts :rolleyes: :eek: Some of the prices these people pay to have this done!!!

http://www.amazon.com/Why-Paint-Cats.../dp/1580082718

I highly suggest seeing if your local library has this book. For me one of the most memorable "paintings" was of the neons (fish) (done on cats.) There were two or three stories in the whole book where i didn't think the person was a bit nuts for having it done to their cat. Some of the stories are a bit sniffly... others outrageous, and others will just have you rolling your eyes. Some are even thought provoking.

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Originally Posted by critter crazy

And for the record, who the heck would dye any animal! Cat, Dog, Bird or Fish! There is no point! Poor babys!

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