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Avian behavior is a complex issue, but most problems are solved by having someone who truly understands a bird's needs, show you how to handle them. Omar Gonzalez says that showing people how to better bond with their bird is one of the greatest rewards of his business. He loves talking to bird owners about how to care for their pets and teaching them training methods that lead to better behavior. As part of an in-home consultation, Omar will analyze your bird's environment, daily habits, dietary needs, interactions with others, and offer training tips to address behavioral issues. |
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A few times a year, Omar hosts educational seminars on a variety of parrots. The classes are held at ZOOMARS Petting Zoo in San Juan Capistrano. By attending these fun and informative sessions you will learn all about your pet and meet other bird owners that have the same species as you. Click here for more information>> |
23507 El Toro Rd. • 949.472.3962 |
1192 E. Imperial Hwy. • 714.572.8353 |
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 Omar Gonzalez is a well respected aviculturist and award-winning retailer. His love of birds began as a young boy living in Cuba where he and his father used to catch wild songbirds (known in Cuba as "mariposa") and would build cages from twigs. This experience sparked Omar's interest in birds and after coming to the United States at the age of seven, Omar's parents bought him two little canaries. Omar loved his birds and throughout his childhood studied everything he could about them. In his early 20's, Omar purchased two parrots from a local pet shop. However back in the 80's, many birds sold in pet shops were either imported or illegally smuggled into the country and many would die from various diseases. Unfortunately this was the case for both of Omar's pets. This was Omar's first real-life lesson of the importance of buying a bird from a clean and reputable store. Dissatisfied with the unsanitary conditions of most bird stores Omar visited, he began talking to people in the bird business and found out where the quarantine station was. Again since this was the 80's, the quarantine station was the place where most pet shops purchased birds from as very few birds were being bred domestically at the time.
Once the birds were able to be safely handled, Omar began reselling them, first out of his house and then at a local swap meet. Although struggling to make ends meet and attending college full-time, by 1984 Omar had saved enough money to open his first store. As Omar's passion for exotic birds grew stronger, he sought new ways to improve bird breeding techniques, find better methods of taming and even began developing products for them. He later designed perches that hung them from the ceiling of his store which would allow the birds to socialize with customers. Birds were happy, business thrived and more stores were opened. Since the beginning, locations have changed and improvements made, but Omar's dedication to continually improve the life of companion birds has remained constant.
Omar and Carolyn are members of Parrots International, a conservation
group that helps endangered birds in the wild. Recently they
went to Brazil with the group's directors to help save the Hyacinth
Macaws. The Gonzalezes have two pet Hyacinths, Blue
and Xena who were married on Animal Planet in 2003. |
That's when the
vision of owning his own bird store first entered his mind. Now armed
with the whereabouts of the quarantine station, Omar began buying
more and more birds there. Since parrot-taming techniques were quite
inhumane back then, Omar relied on his own experiences with the birds
to develop his own methods of taming them. 
In 2001, Omar married Carolyn Franks who was no stranger
to the pet business. Carolyn first entered the industry when a line
of dog toys she created for a college project won her a Best New
Product Award at APPMA, the industry's biggest trade show. Having owned her own marketing and design
firm, Carolyn consulted for a number of leading pet companies and
served as the first-ever Director of Marketing for the prestigious
American Kennel Club in New York City. Aside from her involvement
with the bird stores, Carolyn also runs the couple's petting zoo,
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© 2008
OMAR'S Exotic Birds |
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