I'm sorry this is so long ! Please don't let it deter you though ! I would really appreciate any advice.
Yesterday, my friend and I decided to go on one of our day trip adventures. We live on Vancouver Island, BC, Canada. We met this year as we both moved here this past summer to go to university. We both reeaallyyy love birds, and each have them, so we've gotten along well haha.
A few days before this little road trip, I'd read about an older "painted conure" looking for a new home, I had a feeling about him, and by some strange turn of events we ended up going to check him out as he was about a couple hours outside of the city we live in, and the direction we were heading in.
We showed up at around 1:30pm, we were aiming for 1:00pm, but had the first "snow day" (I say this in quotations because is was more like fluffy snow flakes and then instant thick slush as it hit the road) we've seen on the island (of course), so it slowed us down a little. When we finally arrived at this older mans house, we were both a little on edge as a pair of young women might be going to some strange man's house.. He opened the door and welcomed us into his home.
Here's where it gets dark.
As we walked in the smell of ammonia, and god knows what else hit us right in the face. Shortly after a tumor ridden old dog came to greet us. There was no actual flooring, and it was RIDICULOUSLY dirty in there. The man directed us to a barren cage in the center of the room.. and low and behold there was a little crimson bellied conure, terrified, with only a centimeter of brown dirty water in a bowl, and some dirty old seed as his food.
We were absolutely horrified.
All of the sudden I looked up at my surroundings, and there were large fish tanks that look like they'd never seen a cleaning in years, I could barely tell if there was anything alive in them. I noticed two congo african greys, and a VERY plucked blue and gold macaw all in disgusting cages as well, and could hear many many more birds elsewhere.
I looked back at the little conure, I asked if I we could towel him to have a closer look at him (as apparently he hadn't been handled in years). "He was supposed to be a breeder, but his mate died." I asked why his mate died and he just avoided the question. I was starting to panic at this point. I asked question after question, and I'd also asked if I could take a look at his other birds as I want to see the state that they're in. I told him I had other birds, and that even with quarantine I didn't want to risk their health. He told me "I don't let people back there to look at the other birds." That was quite the red flag for me. The man then proceeded to go and grab some dirty old gloves and snatched the poor bird quite forcefully from the cage. You could tell the bird was absolutely terrified. At this point I had enough and said I would take the bird and threw some money at the man and ran out to grab my carrier. I couldn't stand to see it in his possession any longer. Let alone ANY of the birds. Might I add that all the while this was going down, he was standing there drinking beer, and trying to tell us that the screaming the bird was doing ment "he was happy and trying to show off," even though any fool could look at him and see the terror on his little face.
ANYWAY, I brought my carrier in and while I was out getting it my friend had towelled the little guy and we gently put him in the carrier and practically ran out the door.
Upon closer inspection in the car, the poor little birds toe nails were SEVERELY overgrown, the rear inside toes were so overgrown they had spiraled and there were sores on the bottom of his feet. He stood very awkwardly on the towel, as it likely hurt. His lower mandible is quite deformed looking and also over grown.. His eyes were clear, as well as his nares, and his feathers seemed to be in decent condition. I immediately called and made an appointment at the vet. However, unfortunately the soonest I could take him in is Wednesday at 9:30AM, as the avian vet is away or something, and I wasn't about to take him to any old vet as I've never found that to do any good. We're just trying to keep him as comfortable as possible.
He's got an open band, and it doesn't have anything on it that would be any significance to us, the only information I have on him is that he's approximately 7 or 8 years old. The poor thing doesn't even have a name.
After his first night at my place quarantined in the back room he seems a lot happier. We bought him some "better" seed than he was eating, but after I do some more research into his what his dietary requirements are like I think I will be likely be converting him to a similar diet that our other birds are on. Unfortunately I don't know a whole heck of a lot about crimson bellies, for right now while I do some research I'm just assuming they're similar to my green cheeks.
After he's been seen by the vet, we will be reporting this man. It was awful. I am still very much in shock and very emotionally disturbed by this whole situation. No animal should ever have to live like that. I just shook the whole drive home !
While I'm at it.. do any of you have any name suggestions? Here's a picture of the little guy.
Yesterday, my friend and I decided to go on one of our day trip adventures. We live on Vancouver Island, BC, Canada. We met this year as we both moved here this past summer to go to university. We both reeaallyyy love birds, and each have them, so we've gotten along well haha.
A few days before this little road trip, I'd read about an older "painted conure" looking for a new home, I had a feeling about him, and by some strange turn of events we ended up going to check him out as he was about a couple hours outside of the city we live in, and the direction we were heading in.
We showed up at around 1:30pm, we were aiming for 1:00pm, but had the first "snow day" (I say this in quotations because is was more like fluffy snow flakes and then instant thick slush as it hit the road) we've seen on the island (of course), so it slowed us down a little. When we finally arrived at this older mans house, we were both a little on edge as a pair of young women might be going to some strange man's house.. He opened the door and welcomed us into his home.
Here's where it gets dark.
As we walked in the smell of ammonia, and god knows what else hit us right in the face. Shortly after a tumor ridden old dog came to greet us. There was no actual flooring, and it was RIDICULOUSLY dirty in there. The man directed us to a barren cage in the center of the room.. and low and behold there was a little crimson bellied conure, terrified, with only a centimeter of brown dirty water in a bowl, and some dirty old seed as his food.
We were absolutely horrified.
All of the sudden I looked up at my surroundings, and there were large fish tanks that look like they'd never seen a cleaning in years, I could barely tell if there was anything alive in them. I noticed two congo african greys, and a VERY plucked blue and gold macaw all in disgusting cages as well, and could hear many many more birds elsewhere.
I looked back at the little conure, I asked if I we could towel him to have a closer look at him (as apparently he hadn't been handled in years). "He was supposed to be a breeder, but his mate died." I asked why his mate died and he just avoided the question. I was starting to panic at this point. I asked question after question, and I'd also asked if I could take a look at his other birds as I want to see the state that they're in. I told him I had other birds, and that even with quarantine I didn't want to risk their health. He told me "I don't let people back there to look at the other birds." That was quite the red flag for me. The man then proceeded to go and grab some dirty old gloves and snatched the poor bird quite forcefully from the cage. You could tell the bird was absolutely terrified. At this point I had enough and said I would take the bird and threw some money at the man and ran out to grab my carrier. I couldn't stand to see it in his possession any longer. Let alone ANY of the birds. Might I add that all the while this was going down, he was standing there drinking beer, and trying to tell us that the screaming the bird was doing ment "he was happy and trying to show off," even though any fool could look at him and see the terror on his little face.
ANYWAY, I brought my carrier in and while I was out getting it my friend had towelled the little guy and we gently put him in the carrier and practically ran out the door.
Upon closer inspection in the car, the poor little birds toe nails were SEVERELY overgrown, the rear inside toes were so overgrown they had spiraled and there were sores on the bottom of his feet. He stood very awkwardly on the towel, as it likely hurt. His lower mandible is quite deformed looking and also over grown.. His eyes were clear, as well as his nares, and his feathers seemed to be in decent condition. I immediately called and made an appointment at the vet. However, unfortunately the soonest I could take him in is Wednesday at 9:30AM, as the avian vet is away or something, and I wasn't about to take him to any old vet as I've never found that to do any good. We're just trying to keep him as comfortable as possible.
He's got an open band, and it doesn't have anything on it that would be any significance to us, the only information I have on him is that he's approximately 7 or 8 years old. The poor thing doesn't even have a name.
After his first night at my place quarantined in the back room he seems a lot happier. We bought him some "better" seed than he was eating, but after I do some more research into his what his dietary requirements are like I think I will be likely be converting him to a similar diet that our other birds are on. Unfortunately I don't know a whole heck of a lot about crimson bellies, for right now while I do some research I'm just assuming they're similar to my green cheeks.
After he's been seen by the vet, we will be reporting this man. It was awful. I am still very much in shock and very emotionally disturbed by this whole situation. No animal should ever have to live like that. I just shook the whole drive home !
While I'm at it.. do any of you have any name suggestions? Here's a picture of the little guy.
I hope this cute little guy's ok and he can join your home!! I would absolutely be reporting the owner - no animal should live in those conditions.
I hope the other animals get removed quickly!
