Posted: Mon Apr 27, 2015 12:43 am Post subject: New karariki not active at all
We bought a new kakariki a week ago, which we baptised Alceste (French readers should get why!) as all he does is eat and sleep. He is in our big cage with 2 other kakarikis and 2 cockatiels. Alceste is 8 weeks old, and contrary to our two other kararikis who were super active from day 1, he is very withdrawn, only moves if something happens but eats a lot. I took him back to the pet shop yesterday who said that he was fine. To be fair, as soon as we entered the pet shop, he started moving around like he should do, perhaps because he heard his former friends. The pet shop guy said that perhaps he was intimidated by the other birds, but I find that hard to believe. As I write this, he is alone in the cage wide open, as all the other birds are out flying in the house. And he is on a perch, not moving an inch. His behavious is actually much closer to that of a cockatiel than a kakariki!
We were thinking of buying him a friend from the pet shop, but chances are they might just sit there like lemons..
Any idea what to do or think?
Many thanks, Caroline
They could be right about the new environment.. how big is the cage?
Usually when introducing a new bird to a cage or flight there is some arguing, until the pecking order is established.
It is important that there is more than enough perches at differing heights for all the birds....
Thu at 8 weeks thats not long out of the nest...only just weaned.. generally single male kakariki are very quick to attend a new young bird... IF they have been aviary breed and still have the uncling instinct...
The other issue is that u are right.. even if the bird is intimidated in the cage, it should be quite active at the lower levels, even challenging other birds on lower perches....outside it should be quite active....
Which If the bird is lethargic, thu eatting ok, but not moving far from food sources.. it is a classical indication of a reject bird .. something is wrong with it internally, birth defect....in nature these birds do not last long even if they do survive to leave the nest...
in captivity they tend to stay around the bottom edges of the cage/ flight, not far from food source....eventually spending lot of time in the seed tray (if big enough) dont bath....between a month and 6 months one day just quietly die.
Breeders know when a chick is defective.. and far too many , including pet shops have dollars in their eyes
An yes a defective bird will ' pick up' as u describe, depending how sick...often for several hrs, several times between 'rests'
Generally a defective bird is not bright in the eyes, doesnt stand 'proud', tends to squat most of the time, feathers tend to be dull and not well pruned.. and very rarely prune...
A thought thu...
Try giving it some fresh mint to the other birds then to the quiet bird...
u will notice the other birds will crush the oils out and prune.. the lethargic bird should to the same just as energetically...if only intimidated. _________________ My Spelling is Not Incorrect...It's 'Creative'
Thank you very much for your good advice. I am afraid you were right, he has real health issues. I took a picture if him sleeping on the floor in the corner of the cage, and emailed it to the pet shop. They agreed that he was poorly and took him back this afternoon.
But at this point, I am not sure we want to buy another one from the same shop, as there was one which seemed in a very similar state when we first bought Alceste.
My younger son was devastated this morning to see him in such a poor state!
But at this point, I am not sure we want to buy another one from the same shop, as there was one which seemed in a very similar state
Very often, far too often pet shop ppl have very little experience or knowledge outside the shop or specific knowledge of the 'product'...or breeding.
The problem could very well be the breeder.. who SHOULD recognise defective birds.. be it hand reared or in the nest... if they cant then they should take up needle point.. even an idiot would notice something...
They put the bird (not super obvious at this piont) with others and pass onto the shop... give anything from a few days to even a week, the shop may not notice anything, espec if a kakariki...
lets say the bird was a budgie or burke, that spend a lot of time sitting anyway, could go unnoticed.. but a kakariki is hypo.. and knowledge of the character/ behaviour of this species would be needed to id a issue early...
Keep in mind they have taken back the bird.. havnt blamed issues on you.. which often happens.
And if taken back they will be approaching the breeder....
So next time in there have a chat...ask about the breeders experience.
Defective birds every once in a while do happen.. in our experience with out breeding stock well over 1000 kakariki, we have had around 5, of those 3 related to issues when leaving the nest , and / or after leaving they climb high and a bad fall.
Having yours and what u believe another, on the basis above, I would be having serious issues as to the quality of the breeding stock and most of the kakariki from hat stock... as to those birds even reaching close to 12 to 15 yrs with good care. _________________ My Spelling is Not Incorrect...It's 'Creative'
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