More bad news. Long post

[Twosteph]

Stella died.

 

We got her from the same breeder we got Hazel from. After Hazel died, the aviary vet told us it was probably from the Granuloma. That an autopsy would cost 700.00 to be for sure. Hazel had a clean airsac, no toxins, nothing that we did caused her to die.

 

So we got Stella. She was taken to the vet for the typical check up and we were told she was a happy and healthy bird. Perfect weight, may even be a little on the heavy side. A week or so after, she began having a runny nose. The day I saw her runny nose we rushed her to the aviary vet. 500.00 later, nothing was wrong with Stella. In fact, they didn't even see evidence of a runny nose. Three weeks later, we notice she is starting to drink a LOT of water. This worried us.. (at this point she's on two feedings a day, eating fruits and veggies, playing, ect.) About two days after we notice the water, we wake up to find a runny nose, runny stools, and breathing heavily. The same things Hazel was doing two days before she died. We rushed her to the aviary vet, yet again, this time in tears. We already knew the outcome. Again, after all the testing, they found that it was "nothing we did wrong". No toxins were found, her airways were clean, She appeared to be healthy. She died 12 hours later.

 

Maybe the bird picked up a disease in the toys we bought for her at the bird shows. I never even thought about cleaning those toys, because they were all new. Maybe it was from the breeder.

 

Luckily, she was in quarantine the entire time we had her, so she came no where near our quaker. We also have never bought Beenie (the quaker) toys from bird shows. All her toys came directly from the petstores.

 

We have found a new breeder, who offers a 5 year bird guarantee. We went and visited, all the birds were clean, all the cages were clean. The babies were in a very heated room, all spoon fed, everything is so different. Even the way the baby birds are kept, is different.

 

I want so bad to try again, but I now have the WORST fear of the bird dying again. Its been over a month since all this happened (probably longer, it just seems like yesterday) and my family and I have talked about it. The vet assured us there was nothing we could have done, that it wasn't our fault, but were all still worried. We are so hurt over the whole situation, I don't even know if we could handle another bird dying in our hands.

 

This is a long post, sorry. Just needed to explain the situation. Opinions?

[Eckobird]

OMG Steph how horrible!! I can't believe this has happened to you AGAIN!!!! I am sooo sorry that you have to go through this pain all over again. It makes me so upset! It has to be the breeders fault! This is the 2nd bird that died from the same breeder! Have you talked to the breeder about this? Did you get your money back?! AWWW I am soo sorry Steph.

[judygram]

Steph I am so sorry to hear of this, I can't imagine how you must feel now after losing two grey babies but don't take it personally, there was nothing you could have done to prevent it and it just wasn't meant to be.

 

I am so glad to hear you have found another breeder and they say the third time is the charm so I wish you all the luck in the world for this time will be different.

 

You cannot live your life in fear of another bird dying, we have no control over those things and as pet owners we have been thru loss before and it is never easy but when you have so much love to give it is a shame to not go ahead with another one.

 

Would you share some pictures of this new one when you can and keep us informed?

[Joolesgreyuk]

Oh Steph, you have been beyond unlucky. What a terrible thing to have happen to you TWICE!

 

If these birds weren't related then the answer isn't in the DNA and why did your vet keep giving you the "all clear" if this wasn't the case? It seems to me that the question mark hangs over a, the breeder and b, the vet. Did you check-out the breeder before you purchased your birds? What was he/she like? What were the birds like? The conditions and so on.

 

Did you use the same cage/toys for the second bird and if so did you scrub them first? Sorry for all the questions but there has to be a reason you lost two birds and you absolutely must not suffer this again!

 

Of course if you do find a reason there shouldn't be any reason you shouldn't get another bird but if I were you I think I'd change the vet.

 

I'm so sorry for your loss.

[judygram]

Joolesgreyuk wrote:

but if I were you I think I'd change the vet.

 

That is a great suggestion Julie, yo are so right, that vet doesn't sound very knowledgeable about greys, why don't you ask the new breder you are getting your grey from for a recommendation.

 

Karma to you Julie.

[Joolesgreyuk]

Cheers Judy :woohoo:

[Twosteph]

Thank you for all the support.

 

We were using two vets, one for the emergency visits, and then for the original check ups and such we were using a VERY well respected vet. I don't blame the vet at all. It must have been a disease we wouldn't regularly do on the initial check up. Hazel died before we could get all the check ups even done. This is hard to talk about:(. We didn't have Stella for a full 60 days either, so she never had the chance to go get re-checked. (Correct me if i'm wrong, but I think you're suppose to go do that.)

 

I did go meet the breeder before hand, and she seemed like every other breeder I met. A little messy, but the baby birds were treated well. Everything was cleaned between birds, and I just cleaned everything AGAIN yesterday, by soaking it in vinegar boiling water.

 

**If anyone knows of a better way to scrub the toys, without having to melt the plastics or shrink the leathers, let me know***

 

 

I still feel its something we did wrong. With this new baby, everything was being done so differently at the breeders. For one, they told us they NEVER goto bird shows with thier birds, and the last breeder had taken hers. The babies are kept in a VERY heated room, on heating pads, in paper bags until they are fully feathered. The last breeder kept the babies in a guinea pig cage. (Like the plastic ones, they are small. plastic on the bottom, bars on top). Hands ALL had to be washed before the babies touched, I don't remember that with the other breeder. The babies at this place were very clean, and they really advertised spoon feeding as 100% better then syringe.

 

 

http://www.babyexoticbirds.com/ -- This is the place.

[Twosteph]

I switched my screen name over to stephjls because of an e-mail switch, i'll start replying back from there. Is there anyway I can delete this username?

[judygram]

Twosteph wrote:

I switched my screen name over to stephjls because of an e-mail switch, i'll start replying back from there. Is there anyway I can delete this username?

 

Steph I don't think they can delete a member's name but you can try, just pm one of the admins like Talon and ask, if it is possible she will.

[she]

Steph, my heart goes out to you.I would do as you are,going to a new breeder.I hope you were refunded in full.As for the vet,I think you need some questions answered.You lost two birds and you need to know why.I have a strong hunch it is a breeder problem.Please dont let this put you off another grey,we are all hear for you.

[danmcq]

Words can not describe my sympathy for you. That is almost unbearable heartache to deal with.

 

Only you can decide if you want to try again with a different breeder.

 

I wish you the best in making your decision. :-)

[Tycos_mom]

that is the saddest story I've heard in a while. please don't get discouraged i doubt very much it was your fault. I'm glad you found a new breeder I'm sure that's will make all the difference

[stephjls]

Thanks for all the support, we're just all very nervous.

 

I would have come on here earlier, but again, we still feel like we've done something wrong in both cases.

 

If we do get another bird, I will post pictures and updates. The picture set as my default is the one we are thinking about.

 

 

Also, at this place, they have a baby bird with one wing. It was just born without a wing. They named it "Ilene" (Hah, like I lean).

Fell in love with her right then and there. Ha. A good friend of my moms was very interested in her. She's probably half off !:whistle:<br><br>Post edited by: stephjls, at: 2009/07/29 21:41

[casper]

This is such a sad story. I totally feel your pain.

Make the right decision for you, as Sheila said, we are all here to support you when you need it.

Good luck, my heart goes out to you.

[stephjls]

So, we decided to try for another bird. We put a down payment on a baby a couple weeks ago. Went to pick her up today, the guy answered the door.... to tell us the baby bird had died. (In a freak accident, might I add...)

 

So, after a long talk we decided to bring home a 6year old female. We're trying everything out, and seeing if she fits in with the family. Vet on Tuesday, so we will see how that goes. (Even though the vet doesn't even really do anything for us..)

 

Hopefully the jinx will be over. :dry:<br><br>Post edited by: stephjls, at: 2009/08/10 07:48

[Eckobird]

Oh man again?! I am sorry to hear that Steph. I guess a baby wasn't meant to be huh? I really hope this 6 year old will work out with you! Can you handle her? How is she adjusting to her new home? I hope to see some pictures soon. Let us know how everything goes at the vet.

 

BTW whats her name?<br><br>Post edited by: caitb2007, at: 2009/08/10 16:26

[stephjls]

No idea on a name yet.

She woke up today with some scratches on her face, i'm guessing yesterday was a stress and she did it in her cage?

No toys in there yet, they are all on the outside. She's a big scaredy cat.

 

As for being nice to us, she doesn't like to come down from the top of her cage. She bites us when we put out hand for her to step up, but its not a break skin bite, its a pinch. So we're just all getting use to each other. She's making two noises, a beep and a squeeky door noise.. she needs to be oiled;)

 

 

 

Oh, and her nails and wings were clipped before she came home. So her balance is off, a lot. That may be why the scratches on her head are there?<br><br>Post edited by: stephjls, at: 2009/08/10 16:50

[judygram]

Steph congrats on bringing home a 6 year old grey but are you sure you can handle her, I mean this bird is not going to be like handling a baby, this bird has been in other homes and has already developed some habits that you may have to deal with. I don't know how much experience you have but you better give yourself a crash course and be sure to read thru the threads in the rescue room for some of them may be of help to you, otherwise ask us anything.

[stephjls]

Thanks Judy. The only home she was in was the breeders. She was the only one there that wasn't "as mean as a snake" as they said.

 

I've actually read parrots for dummies front and back before we got the first bird. (We also have a 14 year old quaker.) The book itself was interesting, and I have learned a lot from lurking these boards for like a year now? ha

 

So far, no really bad habbits (aside from the lunging like she is going to bite, but we just hold our hand there through that and she doesn't seem to follow through with it), but I will for sure be asking questions in the future.

 

She will be spoiled rotten (if not by me, by my dad. I slept in this morning, and he had already came in my room 4 times by 8am telling me all the things she's doing)

 

So far, her favorite game is throwing toys on the ground. ha

[Tycos_mom]

Well Its going to take patients and love but the end results are going to be so rewarding. I love baby's they are cuddly and sweet. But there is something about rehomed birds and rescue birds that makes them so very special and you won't see that until a year or so down the road but when you look back on it you will be so happy that you have her. All your hard work will pay off 100 fold when your bird tells you I love you or just flys over so she can rub her fluffed up head against your hand and looks up at you with nothing but love in her eyes. Be careful rescueing birds can be addicting because its so rewarding when you've gained their love.

[Luvparrots]

Congratulations on your older grey. This is probably what was meant to happen. You will be a great parront to this older grey and you will finally have your life long companion. Can't wait to hear how it all goes.

[she]

I am so happy that you got another bird.A six year old grey will need some cajoling and bribing to accept a new home but it can be done.My advise is to take things very very slowly.Dont force the bird to be handled ,for now let her settle down. Talk to her a lot and offer treats from your hand.Give her lots of chew toys,older greys love to chew .Has she had any training at all,step up ect.Your Dad sounds as if he has already fallen for her.