Awesome little pet shop :) I found my two little cockatiels (Picachu and Pichu) there. I got them as a few month old babies and now they are all grown up. I found them as very healthy birds unlike many birds you find at chain pet shops. Claudia is very knowledgeable about her pets and cares a great deal about keeping them healthy. She also educates her customers, especially the new pet-parents. She chooses are staff members with great care - every single one of them are always so helpful whenever I go there. I get my birds' nails clipped there and board them there whenever I go out of town. Claudia and everyone else takes good care of my parrots when I'm away. Aside from cockatiels, they also have conures, cockatoos, macaws, canaries, parakeets, african greys, amazons, and many other varieties of birds to be adopted. Basic Birds also has some fish, bunnies, and cats for those with different choice in pets. Their shop is full of good pet food, toys, and other supplies. I can't say enough good things about them - really nice shop even to visit! read more

I've stopped in this store over the years to pick up safe and creative toys for our parakeet, but your Basic Bird really came through with amazing customer service a month ago, and I didn't even buy anything. I called the store for advice about the best way to move our budgie from California to Northern Michigan. Do I fly? Do I drive? Will she be so stressed, she drops off the perch and dies?? I got lucky with the woman who answered the phone (I later learned this was Claudia, the owner). She spent several minutes on the phone patiently explaining how I could safely convey our bird, Lulu, via both car and plane, and she answered all my questions and shared her own experience with transporting birds by car. Because of Claudia and Your Basic Bird, I felt calm and prepared as I drove for four days, nine hours per day, with Lulu in her cage in the car. As it turned out, although she seemed slightly bored (her favorite hanging/swinging toys having been removed for her safety), she was perfectly fine and a real trooper. She has settled in beautifully, and I could not be more grateful for Claudia's willingness to share her experience, knowledge and support. I will continue to tell anyone with bird needs to go to Your Basic Bird -- which is still, by far, the best bird store I know of in the East Bay. read more

I echo the sentiments of another reader who says that Your Basic Bird is the best place to board your bird. Claudia and her capable staff have taken care of our parrot and before that, our mynah for many years. The cages are cleaned daily, the staff knows every bird by name, dietary preferences and temperament. They sell exotic birds including hand raised babies and offer grooming, food, toys, cages, boarding as well as solid advice on bird care. YBB always treated our birds as family members. read more

This is my second review. I wrote one in 2008 that has been "filtered" for some reason only known by Yelp! Your Basic Bird is a great bird store - truly one of the good ones where the birds are well cared for. We bought our gray parrot there in 1998 - she was 8 mos. old and came to us as a very sweet creature. No doubt because of the hand feeding and care she received from Claudia and the rest of the staff. We board her there often and she really likes being with the other birds. They feed her well (fresh veggies, treats, etc.) and let her play outside of her cage when time and conditions permit. She acutually jumps into her carrier when she sees the travel cage being set up. Of course, she always likes to come home to the main flock, but everyone at Your Basic Bird is definately her second family. I completley disagree with the comments about the staff not being friendly - I have never experienced anything other than fine customer service. The other comments about "profiting" from replacing birds are misguided. Circumstances sometimes occur where a companion bird needs to find a new home. Having a resource like Your Basic Bird to help with this transition is a gift to the birds and their prior and future owners. Also, the comments about the noise level are also misguided. Dogs bark, birds make noise - it's what they do! read more

I've boarded my African Grey out there whenever I've gone on vacation or on a business trip and they've taken very good care of him. P.S. He's the one that was doing all the meowing and teaching all the other parrots how to meow as well. read more

The owner is a wonderful lady. Kind and caring of the birds and staff. It's a nice atmosphere overall with natural light and space between birds. They take very good care of them- giving them fresh fruits and veggies in addition to proper seed and pellets. Buying seed in bulk is extremely cheap here. The birds have great attitudes and seem happy and well adjusted. The prices for their birds are a bit higher than what you might find searching around, but you know you are getting quality. It's a nice place to stop by and visit for fun. By far, it's the best bird petshop I have ever visited. read more

Slightly overpriced, but very good service, friendly staff, knowledgeable owner. They're very good at wing clipping. Bird food in bulk (even the hard-to-find pellet). Great location, I'd recommend this shop to bird parents. read more

This is the place to go for birds. Most pet shops are store fronts for abused animals. Even my own grey came from such a shop before I learned a bit more. Over the 2 years I have patronized this shop, my respect has just grown. This owner has made profitable a genuine caring and expertise with birds. Yes its noisy, more at some times than others. Healthy birds can be noisy. I'd wish she would be able to expand and still maintain the same quality. I hope this review will cause you to patronize this place. read more

I love this place. They always have cats, bunnies for adoption. Once you walk into the store, you could also find all kinds of goodies for your feline or canine friends. Of course, they have lots of birds, and things for birds. The staffs are friendly and non-intrusive. A nice place to bring kids to or just take a weekend walk by oneself. Highly entertaining and educational. read more

Fantastic variety of bird supplies, cages, perches, etc. The staff is very friendly and happy to answer questions or to let you browse on your own! I will definitely be a return customer. read more

I love stopping by and visiting the nice birds. Warning, it is pretty noisy in here but that should be expected if you know birds. The birds here are very well taken care of and the workers all have been knowledgeable and friendly. The pricing on products is also pretty good with a very nice selection. read more

I purchased a bird here 14 years ago, and they were tough on me. Which was good, because at the time I had no idea what I was doing. They care more about the welfare of their birds than the egos of their customers and lining their pockets, and that's what you want in a pet store. I buy all my supplies here to support their business. Their birds are well cared for, well socialized, and they give continued support to bird purchasers. When my bird was sick they went out of their way to help me out. Don't buy animals from bad pet stores to "rescue" them. It just keeps them in business and they will abuse more animals. Buy from small stores like this that educate people about animals and only sell to good owners! read more

I bought my cockatiel Leo from Your Basic Bird. I love how attentive Claudia is to all the birds in the store. I bought all my supplies for Leo here because they are extremely knowledgeable about birds. The store is stocked with not only supplies for birds but also for rodents, small animals, dogs, and fish. The reason why I only gave 4 stars is when I brought Leo back to weigh, Leo went from 120g to 87g within 3 weeks (which is completely normal because he's a baby and usually needs to shed the excess weight in order to fly), but Claudia gave me a lecture about how I might not be feeding him enough (I give him pack full of pellets, and fresh vegetables...no seeds yet because he's still too young). I read up on Cockatiel health informations everyday and do my best to be the best bird parent. ALSO, when I called in to ask if they carried clickers for clicker training, one of the staff that answered the phone replied "no" and hung up. However, when I called in to make an appointment to get Leo and my roommate's guinea pig Hamlet's nails trimmed, the Asian lady booked us and even asked us for our pets' names!!! A really nice gesture I felt since they care more than just the $$. read more

The staff is incredibly knowledgeable and friendly! I came here looking to adopt a lovebird and was very impressed with the variety of birds. The young birds are hand fed and there is a waiting period before they can be sent to a new home. The shop has a good vibe and isn't just an average Petco or depressing pet store chain. It is locally owned and all the animals seem very healthy and well-cared for. I ended up falling in love with a pineapple conour that was absolutely beautiful and playful. They also foster birds. I didn't feel rushed or pressured by the staff. I am coming back tomorrow to make the final decision on my new bird! I was really pleased with the patience of their sales staff and I will definitely be coming back here often. read more

A store that specializes in birds instead of cats and dogs! Yay! And with a name like Your Basic Bird how could you go wrong? My five little buns of fluff did not come from Your Basic Bird - they came from an evil cooperate pet store that shall not be named. However, if I'm ever in the market for another birdie companion I would not hesitate to buy one from Your Basic Bird. They all seem to be very sweet, social and well cared for. They're also on pellet diets - something I've been trying to convert my seed pigs to (without much luck if anyone has any tips...). Your Basic Bird has lots of bird toys, food, accessories. A lot of fun to go into with knowledgeable employees. read more

This place is great. I bought two parakeets from Your Basic Bird several years ago -- and they are very happy and healthy little fellas. The staff are friendly and helpful and the shop is a fun place to take my young son to see beautiful birds up close. read more

I'm not a big fan of bird stores but this place has an arrangement with the "Hopalong" animal rescue. They display cats who are in need of homes in their window. We actually found our current cat through this store and we've loved and adored every second with him; he's the best cat ever! The staff was really friendly and warm. The birds are loud and very exotic (I think they may have driven our cat a little crazy...he definitely likes to kill birds now...). read more

I usually don't buy anthing when I come here, but I really love this pet store. And the owner is very knowledgeble about her birds. I got my first rat Seymore here several years ago, and I thought it was cool that the worker didn't just sell you a rat. She asked me questions and made sure I was ready for a pet. Whenever I'm in the area, I always stop by. They have rabbits, cats, hamsters, sometimes rats, guniea pigs and of course, birds! read more

Gosh, people, it's not about dogfood and cat toys, stick to some place that specializes in your type of pet. Anyone who's a bird owner knows how hard it is to find certain food or accessories for their beaky buddy. "...debasing to shop in a store named after birds...", well you stay out of Your Basic Bird and I promise to stay out of The Big Bad Woof, or Meowzers, or wtf you call it. That said, Your Basic Bird had the Lory powder we needed, in a whopping 3lb tub size. Also, build it yourself bird toys - marvelous. Bonus points for being right next door to La Mediterranee. read more

On May 14,2019 I purchased a Conure which they told me was hatched on February 2019, he was a happy little bird and had almost started saying one word. Fast forward on June 27, 2019 he started breathing weird out of no where, it all happened so fast in less than 30 minutes he died as I was on my way to the vet. :( I called your basic bird because to my understanding pet stores have a 30 day guarantee and one employee mentioned it when I was purchasing, however the man who answered the phone when I called was very rude about it, and said "so what do you want me to do? It had been a couple days over 30 days since I purchased, but he did not know that! He did not even care to ask what happened or anything. I suggest to adopt and don't give business to stores that do not care!! My theory is that my sweet conure came w a virus sadly... after reading the reviews I wonder if he was even 4 months old read more

The best. I've purchased 2 Canaries over the last 20 years from here, and recently a Caique, which has been a wonderful addition to our family. Claudia, the owner is amazing; she's very in tune with finding a bird with the right personality for you as well as one that fits your lifestyle. She can answer any question and doesn't mind spending the time to do so, and often has a line of people waiting to speak with her. The birds are always healthy, clean and adjust well to home life, which is a credit to both she and her staff's ability to socialize them. I also appreciate the fact that if a member of her staff doesn't know the answer to a question, they will refer you to someone who DOES know, vs. just telling you anything! Very reputable and conscientious! read more

Here's by point of view, if you are looking for anything about birds and bird keeping, this is a great store. If you are not looking for specifically for birds don't come in expecting to find a wide variety of items. Its in the name of the they advertise bird knowledge. Even just to chat they were friendly, even when i made an observation about a bird. They do seem to want to have their birds find a good home. They understand that a good home for animals is a place which is well prepared and has given enough thought on owning a pet and caring for it. I think its a good store for what it has, its noisy but thats because birds are suppose to be noisy, their birds. read more

We had been referred to Your Basic Bird by ours friend. We were spending time with several birds and hadn't found the right match. Our first visit to YBB was a delightful experience. Claudia and her staff are so kind and gentle with the birds. They handle the birds and feed them a healthy diet. Alfonzo and Claudia spent a generous amount of time with us talking about their birds and sharing their knowledge. They make sure that the birds are safe and visitors don't harass them or poke at them. They care and love their birds and it really shows in the behavior of the flock. We visited a second time and spent more time with a Caique and Mealy Amazon. We fell in love with both but we chose the Caique because of the compatibility due to the size of the cage. We purchased a large cage and the Caique. They bubble wrapped it and gently loaded into our trunk. Along with some accessories for our new baby. We are so elated with our new family member and will continue to visit the shop and recommend to anyone interested in a feathered friend. Birds are delicate, beautiful, intelligent creatures and should be considered as such. They are not ornamental or to be left in a cage to live out their lives. They need exercise, affection, and ample time outside of their cage so that they can live a happy, fulfilled life. What you tame, you are forever responsible for! read more

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I am indebted to Claudia and all of her staff. They are above and beyond amazing. Until just a few years ago, I lived nearby Your Basic Bird for more than 20 years, and have had a lot of experience with the store. I trust them completely--and that is not a little thing, but is based on every completely positive experience I have had there. They take the very best care of all of the animals (whether they are waiting for a new family, or are boarding there, temporarily). And every beautiful being in their care is in the best of hands. I believe in them so much that I drove more than a couple of hours, recently, to find a new addition to my family, and we couldn't be happier that we did. I have been vegan for a little less than 20 years and am always looking out for the well being of other lives. I am not normally a fan of other pet stores, and I have chosen to rescue many animals over the years. But Your Basic Bird is no ordinary pet store. I trust them completely, and can't say enough good things about them, and those they are looking after. Trust me, you will be happy you found them. read more

Claudia and her crew offer a wonderfully personal touch when one is seeking the right bird. And this holds true following the sale as well. I've never experienced it before when the pet store employees call me weeks after we've taken the bird home, to check on the bird and see how it's adjusting. They never did that when I bought that parakeet at Woolworth's years ago... Anyway, the folks were most helpful, and guided us in the right direction with regards to selecting the most suitable bird. And we really didn't mind dumping $20,000 on a very rare Macaw...only kidding...just seeing if you're awake! The bird we adopted was a Lineolated Parakeet, and what a calm quiet disposition. The perfect match! Now if we can only come up with a name for this little green girl... Check this shop out! read more

They really know birds. They sell safe toys and healthy food at reasonable prices. They are glad to give advice.

I have been going to this shop for many years- I purchased my first conure from Claudia. It's incredibly convenient for those occasions when I need to board my Amazon over long weekends, and also for hard-to-find accessories. My only complaint is when I board my parrot and request clipping/trimming, I often have to wait upon pickup to have that request satisfied. Other than that, I love that I am local to such a great shop, and the staff have always been over-the-top helpful! read more

I got my parrot there and boarded him there over the years when we went away. Now he's gone, and I'm looking for another bird, so I've been visiting the store a lot. It's a great place, full of beautiful birds, and everyone is knowledgeable and helpful and very nice. Love Your Basic Bird! read more

best place for cat window shopping. and yes, i've been known to wake up the kittens at two AM by tapping on the glass. ... and i guess if you're around during open hours, you can put your fingers through the cages to try to pet the adoptable cats. (i think on weekends they bring in more cats to adopt) go to the back to see the birds and you might lose your hearing for a couple of hours. read more

Went in to buy my grand-daughter finches for her 11th birthday. Talked with Claudia who was very busy but took time with me while helping other customers trying to find a bird for their son. During my visit I was then helped by Emily who finished my purchase while giving my very good advice and information on care for the finches. I cannot say enough about this store and the employees. Claudia and Emily were very, very helpful and informative and there was another young lady there feeding and cleaning the birds, also very pleasant. I live in Brentwood and will be going back to this store for all of my supplies and additional birds. It is worth the drive! Customer service is above and beyond and no question goes unanswered.' Diane B. read more

This was our first time bringing Shamus, our ruby macaw; in for a wing clipping and nail trimming or a mani/pedi as we call it. The staff was wonderful from the start, it was really busy but they acknowledged us as we walked in. They know how bad parking is and are not upset if you run late for your appointment either because of it. They really know how to "handle" the birds too which is really hard to find. Shamus hardly made a peep while they took care of him (most times he would have been traumatized) and his nails and wings are fantastic now!! We will definitely be back!! They have an awesome supply of bird toys, foraging games, cages, food, you name it, they probably have it. They have some stuff for other animals but the store is named Your Basic Bird for a reason. LOL read more

As a feline foster mom for Hopalong Animal Rescue, I can not say enough wonderful things about Claudia's ( the owner) open heart and hands - helping sweet foster cats find their forever home. YBB frequently hosts Hopalong cats in the front cages and mobile adoptions on the weekends. Without her kind heart - we would not be able to find as many permanent homes for darling cats. read more

Excellent prices and selection. Friendly birds and workers.

I get that locals like this place because it offers a lot of variety, is geared towards (but not exclusive to) birds, and has knowledgeable staff. But the quality of experience and the environment for the birds and animals is simply not up to the standards of humane and ethical treatment that people have come to expect in the 21st century. If these were puppies instead of exotic birds, bunnies, and stray cats, there would be a mob with pitchforks demanding the arrest of the proprietors. Read the negative reviews carefully. They are accurate. When you enter this store, you will be greeted with a cacophony of cries from deranged birds in semi-clean cages stacked atop one another with barely any room to move. You'll immediately notice that many of them are suffering from (likely neurotic) ailments and have plucked out many of their own feathers. You'll see a bunny cowering from the noise in a food dish. And more. It's hard to forget. read more

The absolute worst experience I have ever encountered in a pet store. Walked in excited and happy to possibly adopt a bird and a man who worked there acted annoyed and disgusted at even the most simple questions. He refused to offer any advice and was extraordinarily sour and downright mean. We asked if we were annoying him by our questions and he stormed off. We drove 40 minutes to come down and I've never been treated so poorly in my life. The birds also seem unhealthy and crammed in. Do not recommend unless you want your day ruined. read more

I walked in here around a week ago with a few of my friends. We are college students. We saw cute cats in the window and wanted to go in to interact with them. I left nearly in tears. The large birds, who clearly are intelligent, are kept in cages way too small for them. It's really hard to watch. One was basically clawing his eye out, probably because the poor guy was going insane. I didn't have the courage to say anything to the workers, and I hope someone will, but please don't buy from here! It's very disturbing to think that this practice is accepted as normal. read more

mmm ive had mixed experiance here. the owner is difficult and the high employee turnover seems to illustrate that fact. the birds are all in smallish cages and they dont always have appropriate toys. i boarded my birds here once and i didnt really feel very welcome. the wierd part is i felt much more appreciated when my bird died in their care. he was really old, and in no way do i think its their fault. like i said, he was really old (20 year old cockatiel) and had been slowing down considerably. i left instructions with what to do should he die, and they followed perfectly. froze him so the bone room in berkeley could skeletize him. they didnt charge me for boarding, which was a kind gesture. read more

I don't do anything half-heartedly. My teenage son and I have been planning on bringing a parrot into our family. We've done research. We've visited a few shops. We found a place in The City that we really liked, but they threw out Your Basic Bird as a place to visit, so we checked it out. We chose to make the trip over the bridge on a weekday afternoon in hopes of getting the same kind of attention that we got from the SF shop. It wasn't real busy, but brisk. We said hello to a few birds. I like to sit and chat with them, much to my son's embarrassment but that's another story. So right away one of the girls comes by to ask the bird I'm talking to "why are you being teased by them? they're not rubbing your neck!". So, delighted that a worker there thinks I should touch the bird, I rub the lovely bird's neck and mention how sweet she is. "She's sweet, but she doesn't like boys". Well my bird-shopping son was pretty much shut-down with that but okay. Later on, we went on to talk to another bird. Again, one of the girls encourages me to pet the bird who is, by this time, doing real cute acrobatics to get my attention. So, I reach in to rub her beak and YOWZER she goes crazy. No biggie, but I am quckly instructed "STEP AWAY FROM THE CAGE" because I am rewarding said bird's bad behavior. So, okay, we shlepped out the door with our tail feathers between our legs. The shop was otherwise okay. Had just about all I want from a nice, local (preferred) pet store. I just wish the clerks and birds were nicer. The nursery spot in the back looked totally out-of-bounds and nobody seemed interested in the lady with her teenage boy who looked like they wanted a bird in their lives. Fast forward one hour later, we bought a bird at the place in SF. We visit her every couple of days and can't wait to bring her home!! read more

Claudia is amazing! She saved my cockatiel's life by trimming her beak for $4 every 3 weeks instead of the $100 the avian vet down the street charged me one time! Her knowledge of birds surpasses a lot of avian vets, and her willingness to teach you helps you become a better bird-mom (or dad). She is honest, birds are her passion, and I will be a customer for life. Well, me and my cockatiel and my blue fronted amazon... read more

This experience caused me to sign up for Yelp and write my first review. I boarded my cockatiel here for a few weeks while travelling and returned to find him pretty unhappy and dishevelled looking, with dried seeds encrusted on his head. His cage was stacked shoulder to shoulder with many other birds in cages all screetching at top volume (to be expected, I suppose, as this is a bird shop) but the setting had a real overcrowded feel to it. The woman helped scrape the seed off my bird's head but the upsetting part was the defensiveness she seemed to have about it ("When did you notice it?" A: "we have 7 people working here; there is no way to know"). The problem was likely the positioning of the 'millet spray' which was hung from the top of the cage with my bird's head rubbing on it- all they had to do was move it but this seems too much a "volume operation" to notce these things. I wouldn't recommend boarding your bird at this place. 2 stars instead of 1 only because I got a follow-up call. read more