I don't know what to do

[PeppysPal]

I don't know how to write this, I'm probably selfish for writing this at all but I think I need to rehome pepper. I'm only a minor, I have no control over what goes on in the house. I walk out of my room in the mornings and pepper had been taken out by my mother and he was on the big bird cages left to fly free around the house. She doesn't watch him and doesn't keep him in a room safe from the cats. She said one of the cats pawed him while I was still sleeping. I'm so terrified I'll find him mutilated someday. I've tried to express how much it stress it brings me but she said to "deal with it". He won't step up from me anymore, he's trying to bite at my face while I'm typing this. It pains me to think about him being unhappy and in danger all the time I just want the best for him but I just don't know it's here.

 

[Akoni]

Can you keep Pepper in your own room so that you have more control over his safety?

I don't understand your mother's motivation for doing this; do you? Is she trying to help but too busy to supervise? Can you insist that you will take over Pepper's care completely so that she doesn't have to do anything?

 

[SandraK]

As a mom (though I'm older and my kids are 30 & 26), I am attaching a link that hopefully you can ask your mom to read. One cat scratch or nip can kill a bird because of the germs/bacteria in a cat's nails or spit. Cockatiel Safety and Cats, Dogs, ferrets, hamsters and rodents, Pasteurella Bacteria from Cat and Dog Saliva and birds.

It is also dangerous to let your tiel fly loose and land on the bigger bird cages. If one of the larger birds gets a good grip on your tiel, it may be pulled in to the bigger birds cage and killed. Or it could have a foot or leg bitten so badly that it will bleed to death before anything can be done. I'm not trying to scare you but I am telling you the truth.

I lost an adult tiel 2 years ago - I still don't know which of my other birds did it. Somebody bit Buster tiel on his foot so badly that he lost too much blood, went into shock as I got him to the vet's office and died there. I do not have any BIG birds - I have a sun conure, 4 Quakers, a flock of gccs and a flock of tiels. Most of the tiels steer clear of the Quakers and the gccs. Tikki the sun doesn't really care about the tiels and is not aggressive towards them.

I hope that maybe you can sit down and talk with your mom though I do understand that it isn't as easy to do as it sounds when you are a minor. I hope you can work something out for your fid's safety and your peace of mind.

 

[PeppysPal]

I've yelled at her that even if the cats are trying to be friendly a lick will kill him. I try and take him in my room and she yells at me that he's lonely, maybe he is but its safer. She's the one mainly taking care of him, I really hate it but I'm incapable of doing it myself. I just wish I could get her to understand how quickly things go south She does take him out to help give him attention but doesn't watch him because she thinks he'll be fine.

 

[SandraK]

 

[Pipsqueak]

Hmm, how old are you ? Your mom has a lot of birds, right? Where does Pepper normally live ? Where are the cats and where are the other birds?

 

[PeppysPal]

Not old enough to say here, the big birds stay on their perches and the cats don't show any interest whatsoever in them so it's less stressful but I still don't like to leave them alone. They're really loud when they fly so we know if the jump down. The thing is the cats go after pepper, they stalk him. His cage is in the living room with the other cages but when he's out he flies out of our reach so we can't even get him down.

 

[Pipsqueak]

And why can't you take care of him? Maybe yo could compromise with your mom that he stays in his cage and you take him out and entertain him at a certain time every day? The fac that he flies up somewhere high makes sense to me probably so that the cats can't get to him.

 

[blewin]

Another option could be to give him a cage in your room and a cage in the living room where he can hang out without your mother having to watch him.

Buddy lives in our bedroom while we're at work, and my mother in law checks up on her several times a day. Buddy has several hours of out time, and she has enough toys and a good view of the action outside to keep her occupied when we're not home. If Peppy's cage is big enough, he could handle the day in there, especially if you have several hours when you get home to give him attention.

 

[Monica]

It's not selfish to want Pepper to be in a *SAFE* and *LOVING* home. If you don't feel like your home is the best for him, then see if you can find a more suitable home.

 

[Greencheek Lee]

You need to do what you feel is best. You can't change your parents and I'm sure you'd rather miss Pepper than mourn him. Whatever your gut tells you...good luck.