Neil 
From the counter at Paradise Pets Neil has kept, bred, and sold hamsters at Paradise Pets Swindon since 1988 — over 35 years of first-hand experience with Syrian and dwarf hamsters. In that time, he has seen the same surprises play out with new owners again and again. This article is his attempt to make … Read more
From the counter at Paradise Pets Neil has kept, bred, and sold canaries at Paradise Pets Swindon since 1988 — over 35 years of first-hand experience with these birds. In that time, he has watched the same misunderstandings repeat themselves, year after year. This article is his attempt to set the record straight before you … Read more
From Neil at Paradise Pets I’ll let you in on something. After 35 years of running Paradise Pets here in Swindon, I genuinely thought UK budgie owners would have moved on from the same old mistakes by now. The information is everywhere — better than it’s ever been. And yet, week after week in 2026, … Read more
From the counter at Paradise Pets Neil has kept, bred, and sold cockatiels at Paradise Pets Swindon since 1988 — over 35 years of first-hand experience with these birds. In that time, he has seen the same misunderstanding play out hundreds of times. This article is his attempt to set the record straight. I have … Read more
From Neil at Paradise Pets Last Tuesday, a lady came into the shop holding a little carrier, properly worried. Her budgie Charlie had been sleeping nearly all day for nearly a week. I’ve seen this exact scene play out hundreds of times in 35 years of running Paradise Pets — and I want to share … Read more
From the counter at Paradise Pets Neil has kept, bred, and sold budgerigars at Paradise Pets Swindon since 1988 — over 35 years of first-hand experience with cage and aviary birds. Every week, someone asks him this exact question. This is his honest answer. Someone comes in most weeks and asks me before they have … Read more
From the counter at Paradise Pets Neil has owned and run Paradise Pets Swindon since 1988 — over 35 years of selling, keeping, and advising on small animals and birds. In that time, he has sold more guinea pigs than he can count, and seen the same mistake made more times than he would like. … Read more
From the counter at Paradise Pets Neil has kept, bred, and sold cage and aviary birds at Paradise Pets Swindon since 1988 — over 35 years of first-hand experience with budgerigars, cockatiels, canaries, and dozens of other species. This article is based on what he sees and hears from customers every single week. Someone comes … Read more
From the counter at Paradise Pets Neil has owned and run Paradise Pets Swindon since 1988 — over 35 years of selling, keeping, and advising on small animals and birds. This article reflects what he has observed at first hand, in store, over three decades. Every spring, usually in the weeks around Easter, I have … Read more
Early on, when I was still finding my feet in this business, someone suggested I look into importing birds from Europe. The prices were lower. The variety was broader. On paper, it made sense. I looked into it. And then I decided, quite firmly, that we wouldn’t do it. That decision has shaped everything about … Read more