Help with loose feathered constantly sleeping bird

newk · New Member Joined: Oct 06, 2009 Posts: 3

Hi i have just joined as i bought a kakariki yesterday from the pet shop. I dont normally buy birds from the pet shop but this one had been there for a month or more and got steadily worse in appearance. Yesterday i went in and it was just sitting there but it had two GMR in its cage with it. I brought it home because i couldnt bare to just leave it.
It sleeps all the time either on a perch or on the floor, it does eat and drink but mostly sleeps.
Its feathers are very ragged and dont sit close to its body even when its startled, it has hardley any tail just a couple of long feather shafts with no real feathers attached if you see what i mean.
As i left the pet shop yesterday the woman said "its fine, its not sick or anything, its just self harming"
Sorry this is so long i just want to know what i can do to help it, its toe nails are also very long so it has some trouble perching till it gets its balance.

newk · New Member Joined: Oct 06, 2009 Posts: 3

Not long after i wrote the above the kakariki passed away, it seemed to find it really hard to breathe and quietly passed away while i was holding it.

pabloc · Foundation Member Joined: Sep 26, 2007 Posts: 988

Hi Newk

very sorry about your loss.

Maybe not the best moment for a lecture, but please never buy a sick bird. The shop themselves should be the first ones taking care of the bird and not selling a sick bird, it makes me completely mad.

Now you have been through a bad experience, but the shop has the money. I hope at least they have some ethics and return the money.

As a final side note, I think you guys will be on your right if you name here the pet-shop and address when something like this happens, so breeders don't sell them birds, and prospective customers stay clear of this kind of people.

Once again, sorry about the bird, and sorry about having a painful time with the little fella.
If you happen to like kakariki and want to try again, it's best if you contact directly a breeder. Slowly there are more and more UK-based kakariki fans in this board. Maybe you guys could help each other.

By the way.... which other birds do you keep or breed?

Have a nice day,

Pablo

newk · New Member Joined: Oct 06, 2009 Posts: 3

Hi, thankyou for your reply
yes i know not to buy a sick bird usually, i just couldn't bring myself to walk away. I took the bird back to the shop and got a refund, they did imply i had killed it, the manager ( i think he was a manager) said "i can't believe it was here all those weeks and only just died" but since they knocked £39 off the asking price and said its not sick or anything just self harming they knew there was some thing wrong with it. When the sales girl asked him if she should check the bird, (maybe to check it was the same bird) he said "errm no, im used to them dying"
I needed some rat food but went to another pet store that doesn't sell animals as i couldn't bring myself to give them any more money. I have been going to that shop for years but today was the last time.
I dont breed birds but i have two budgies, two cockatiels and an indian ringneck all of which i thankfully kept away from the poor kakariki.

Peterlimburg · Snr Member Joined: Sep 14, 2005 Posts: 132

They're the devil in it, all about the money.
Please, Shame on you

buy no birds who are sick, fluffie or something else, they usual die.
Go to a good breeder and spent there your money on it, mostly theire cheaper, about €25,- for a good healthy bird. This week i had the same story with people who buy some birds else, I had see those birds and though, i walk quickly away .