Trouble in Paradise

[Zippy]

That is horriable

[Blue_Frog]

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

[Zippy]

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.

[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.

[critter crazy]

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.

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!

[Scooter's Mom]

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...

[crow_noir]

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 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.

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

[Argranade]

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

Colouring any new born animal is WRONG either way, I already know it can get threw there skin and into there bodies but not everyone understands that, some people think they won't get sick from eating it .. like idiots who die water red to attrack humming birds! Again when preening them selfs there just injecting more dye onto there system ON TOP of that they have already been infected from dye traveling threw there skin..

[CathyBogart]

Sophist, if you read this article. it says the chicks were sprayed with dye.

[Sophist]

Hmmm the reporter says they were 'apparently sprayed with dye'. Maybe, but it doesn't how he reached that conclusion. Actually, the way it is worded, it sounds like the reporter just assumed they were sprayed or had it topically applied, like most people would assume. That is not the common method for dyeing chicks, so I still remain skeptical.

And if we are talking about dyed chicks in general, especially in terms of painted cats and dogs, etc., I still stand by my assertions .

Even so, I still think it is dooming these chicks to be impulse buys by people with no long-term plans who will be done with their new pets before they even get in their un-dyed adult feathers.

[Marigold2]

Well said

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!

[Sophist]

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.

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.

[buttercup132]

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.

THAT is wrong.

And for the record, who the heck would dye any animal! Cat, Dog, Bird or Fish!

I would. Not a bird or fish though and not as a new born or a baby.

[Suki Wingy]

I would only dye something full grown and only with nontoxic dyes. My dog had a blue and pink stripe for 4th of July 2006.

[Argranade]

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.

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.