Need support. My pet is missing

[Thumperina]

I need an advice. What is the probability that 2 different cockatiels get lost in the same area at about the same time?
I can't get it out of my head. Can it happen that the store is not telling me truth? and what can I do to make sure they are not fooling me?

Once again: my bird is missing since Friday, yesterday a cockatiel was found 2 major streets away (I don't know how many blocks it is) and was taken to the specialized bird store where I dropped my poster a day earlier. They tell me over the phone that it was a different bird.
Many cockatiels are yellow with orange cheeks, while mine is white-headed without any orange or yellow (very beautiful). I think those are not so common. They could have interest as breeders, or they may know someone who is a breeder or just wanted such bird.
I don't know how to find the person who found the bird, to ask what it looked like. It all was posted on the Facebook. "We won't post a picture - you will need to describe the bird. The bird was taken to the X store - call them".

What could I do to get rid of the doubts I am having?

 

[pani]

Could you head to the store to see for yourself? Maybe bring some pictures of your bird as proof if they need it.

 

[Thumperina]

Of course I could go, but they have some closed or even locked rooms there (bird hotel, nursery with babies, etc). They understand I could come any minute so I doubt they would keep the bird where anybody can see him, in case there is a foul play.

 

[Azerane]

I don't see why you can't just go there and ask to see the bird. I completely understand the concern about the possibility of it actually being your bird.

Just go in and mention that your cockatiel has gone missing, you heard that one was handed in to them and you would like to see it, don't show them the picture until after you've seen it otherwise they could just say "oh no, we don't have your bird". If they refuse to let you see it I would be concerned, but I don't see any reason why they shouldn't.

Best of luck.

 

[Thumperina]

They have many birds and they KNOW exactly what mine looks like (a whole FB knows by now - I am having a big campaign to find him)
They can show me ANY cockatiel (who looks differently than mine) and say - this is one that was found. Or they can say that the bird was picked up.
The only efficient way is to get there and ask to show me all the rooms and all the birds who are currently in the store (I need to explain. Only part of the birds are for sale (actually, one room). They also have some birds as their own pets who live in the store and are not for sale. Babies who are not ready to be sold. Also birds that were brought in while owners are out of town)

But they have a right to refuse or even call police. Or they might show me if they have nothing to conceal.

 

[Thumperina]

don't show them the picture until after you've seen it otherwise they could just say "oh no, we don't have your bird".

this is not going to work. They want the person who claims he lost a bird to describe it before he can pick the bird up (which makes sense)

 

[Azerane]

Oh that's fair enough, silly idea on my part

I really hope that you do manage to find your bird though. The fact that cockatiels are such common pets and aviary birds, really doesn't make it so unlikely that a second bird was lost/found in the same area.

 

[Thumperina]

I don't think they are very common pets where I live. Also, birds escape not as easy and regularly as dogs and cats.