News on Skittles

[liz]

Did you know when you got Skittles that he had previously been sold to another family? That's really the sort of thing people need to be told when considering a bird! I can't believe someone sold you a bird that had already been "returned," when you admittedly have no experience with birds. Another reason not to let this man blame you for Skittles's behavior.

I'm glad to hear Skittles is doing better. I don't really understand the situation though - do you intend to get Skittles back when you go back to see the breeder? I do not think it's your responsibility to worry about the cockatiel. After all, he has a family waiting on him, right? I hope that Skittles gets better soon and that when he comes back home, you'll have learned enough about bird interaction and training to make him feel more comfortable in your home and to help him work through his behavioral issues. I still find the sound of this breeder to be very worrisome, it's a very bizarre situation indeed and I hope that you can find someone else to help with your bird issues in the future. You'll need to locate a vet because you will need to take your bird for check ups, and you need to have someone you can call if there is another emergency situation.

I think the breeder didn't expect Skittles to live. He probably did not give him any care and Skittles is pulling through on his own.

I also think the breeder gave he the baby to foster just to distract her. (and why would he take a chance with a cockatiel that has already been sold) Now she has a double problem. Skittles needs her and will be happy to get back to her. The other problem is that she bonded with the cockatiel and does not want to give it up.

If it was me (and I know I am a unique person) I would go back for Skittles without the baby and just keep both.

It would not take much more money to keep a cockatiel. They eat about the same thing. I keep all my plastic lids and run them throught the dishwasher for toys. Wooden clothes pins are fun to tear up and a paper bag is an adventure in itself. Toys for parrrots can be really cheap.

Of course this is how I feel about it. I also think Skittles would do much better watching the inner action between Viki and the baby.

[entrancedbymyGCC]

That is a good web site with good links. That should work out.

One vet in the entire country could prove a tad inconvenient however!

[liz]

True - but she has the forum.

I just ordered $97 of meds for Rambo and they are working except for the oral that I can't get in him.

I intend to lay in a supply of whatever I can find for birds to have on hand in an emergency.

I keep Tums and baby asperin on hand for the dogs. Fancy cat has been on Interfuron for her whole 13 years. I never let that run out.

I wonder if those in the forum can come up with what is needed for an emergency kit.

Hospic supplied me with a Comfort Pack for my mom. It even has Morfine. I keep it in the refridgerator so I will have it on hand. If she needs more than I know to do - I call them and they tell me what to use out of it.

I guess that is what I need for birds. You all can tell me what to use until I get to the vet.

[viki]

i checked out the site, thanks and saw there was one in bray. Thats closesh....and would b a good excuse to go to the beach when (and if ever) we get harness trained. iv never seen harnesses for sale in ireland even in the big pet stores so im guessing it will b online. Anyways thanks for all the help guys. and as for the conversation about emergency kits for parrots when i researched it before o got one i read i only needed flour and tweezers encase of a brozen blood feather so i never thought id need all that, and have no clue about it all

[entrancedbymyGCC]

I think the forum is great and there are some really knowledgeable people here. However, I would only use advice from here if there was utterly no way I could get hold of a vet in any way shape or form. Birds are so delicate and so specialized... but I would think in areas where avian vets are few and far between, they might help assemble a kit to use on their instructions.

Here where vets are generally a lot more accessible, if inconvenient, modulo events like Carmagedddon, I don't actually have a dedicated bird first aid kit. My human first aid supplies are just across the hall and we do keep styptic powder near the cages. Pliers are handy as well. There is a book called "Avian First Aid"which may be useful when you can't get to a vet. I have a copy.

[viki]

I checked it out on amazon.co.uk and i def think ill get it thanks. Ill also set up a first aid kid straight away. I was looking at a few books there and one which caught my eye was all about senegals...im thinking of getting it...hoping it will help me deal with all skittles behaviour problems.
thanks everyone for all ur advise.
I notice iv not answered everyones questions so here goes:
no i wasnt told it would be a rehome and to this very day he didnt tell us but i do know he only arrived at the reeders the day we arrived to see him and he tried to claim he was at a mans house to be hand reared for a year. then when we took him bak we wer told he ws 2 years old so we put one and two together.
And about keeping both i wish i could even though te living costs may be the same but skittles cost me €600 and that was cheap compared to what else wev seen so the baby will probably be at least 400, cocatiels tend to go for cheaper i tink. and then i dont think i could put them in a age together and the cheapest small cage i can get would be about €80 anything small is called a budgie cge but i wouldnt even put one in it.
and amazonservant im not sure of the situation myself either, iv not been able to make up my mind knowing how scared i am of skittles and knowing my bf doesnt like him any more. but at the same time iv a nagging voice saying u can do it. and another nagging voice saying i would have to take time off work to fix him as he needs alot of time and i just cnt afford even a sick day. my dreams are about these birds everynight and i wake up stressed out and go to sleep only able to fall asleep exhausted from work the thoughts of poor skittles being unhappy are killing me, but if i cant give him the time he needs isnt he better off being sold by the breeder to someone who can.
I feel heartless and cruel to just forget him and hope he finds a better home.

[liz]

I checked it out on amazon.co.uk and i def think ill get it thanks. Ill also set up a first aid kid straight away. I was looking at a few books there and one which caught my eye was all about senegals...im thinking of getting it...hoping it will help me deal with all skittles behaviour problems.
thanks everyone for all ur advise.
I notice iv not answered everyones questions so here goes:
no i wasnt told it would be a rehome and to this very day he didnt tell us but i do know he only arrived at the reeders the day we arrived to see him and he tried to claim he was at a mans house to be hand reared for a year. then when we took him bak we wer told he ws 2 years old so we put one and two together.
And about keeping both i wish i could even though te living costs may be the same but skittles cost me €600 and that was cheap compared to what else wev seen so the baby will probably be at least 400, cocatiels tend to go for cheaper i tink. and then i dont think i could put them in a age together and the cheapest small cage i can get would be about €80 anything small is called a budgie cge but i wouldnt even put one in it.
and amazonservant im not sure of the situation myself either, iv not been able to make up my mind knowing how scared i am of skittles and knowing my bf doesnt like him any more. but at the same time iv a nagging voice saying u can do it. and another nagging voice saying i would have to take time off work to fix him as he needs alot of time and i just cnt afford even a sick day. my dreams are about these birds everynight and i wake up stressed out and go to sleep only able to fall asleep exhausted from work the thoughts of poor skittles being unhappy are killing me, but if i cant give him the time he needs isnt he better off being sold by the breeder to someone who can.
I feel heartless and cruel to just forget him and hope he finds a better home.

Don't let the breeder pass him on. You know what that man is like. If you have to give him up - rehome him. You can charge a rehoming fee and you can check out the next family to get him.

[kahawia]

I am sorry you should not be a parrot owner. The mere fact that you didn't take the bird directly to the vet settles it. You should have thoroughly researched everything about taking care of parrots. From where to select one and how to tame. I am glad you joined this forum, it shows you really love your bird. But please RESEARCH! Find and talk to an avian vet and prepare and educate yourself on how to deal with the highs and lows of taking care of these wonderful companions. Don't take in another animal on impulse and don't trust this crazy breeder. I personally believe rescuing an animal is best so try talking to some parrot rescues. They will tell you the complete truth to owning parrots and the hardships they can endure when people don't care for them correctly. Until then I don't believe owning a parrot is best for you.

[Morgiana]

I am sorry you should not be a parrot owner.

This is wrong. There's always room for education. Even those of us who have owned birds for YEARS need to ask questions. Obviously, she's got a steep hill to climb here and a heck of a learning curve, but she's learning. You would be AMAZED how breeders can fool people.... I work at a vet's (not avian, but still) and some people that I truly considered smart and educated people come in spewing crap fed to them by some breeder as "fact"..... to the point that they don't even believe US at first when we try to correct them. Wants to make me say to them, "the owner of this practice went to school for over a decade to learn to treat animals and there are her diplomas hanging on the wall.... how about your breeder?" Additionally, I've seen breeders put some utterly BIZZARE and sometimes questionably legal things into sale contracts that leave me baffled why ANYONE would pay for a pet from them.

With my sun conure, I was blessed with a fabulous breeder who never once said anything to me about which my own avian vet didn't also say "oh, yes, that's good advice!" This poor woman has been snowed by a dishonest breeder who is both preying on her fear and using her as cheap (free?) labor to raise a chick for him and who probably has conned other people into doing the same thing. This chick is going to bond to her and start to settle in and he intends to rip it away like some piece of furniture to plunk somewhere else. I would be willing to bet Skittles suffered this same thing as a baby, just not at the hands of someone who cares like she does. Skittles CAN be helped, if she wants to learn how to do it... and she seems to genuinely want to learn how to do the right thing.

I don't know the laws in your country, but in most (all?) states in the USA, it's illegal to act as a veterinarian without a licence. In your shoes, I would go get my bird back (which I wouldn't have given to him in the first place) and do NOT bring the baby with you when you go. Come up with a creative and plausible excuse why you didn't bring the baby. Take your bird, leave, and refuse further contact with that horrible man. Keep both Skittles and the baby. Change your phone number if you must. I'm going to guess that, shady as this sounds, he is probably doing something somewhere that IS illegal (though I couldn't tell you what) and he will not take any action because he doesn't want authorities involved.

[Mum2rory]

Morgiana, I totally agree with you. I think she should keep Baby Bird cos they will have bonded and she will have also gained confidence just by handling that little fella. We all begin somewhere and unfortunately she has been thrown into the deep end by a bird dealer (wont call him a breeder, he doesnt deserve the title) and been given a bigger parrot that what she was able to handle, being a novice. But she loves Skittles and Baby Bird and should have both. DONT take Baby bird back to guy, go and get Skittles, if you can. Mum and Rory