[TooDusty]

Hello,
I work part time in a pet store for fun and we recently got in a young cockatiel who came in with three other cockatiels. Normally, our breeders are pretty reliable, but I think they sent this bird a bit young. She still had formula on her face! We are all trained to handfeed babies, so when she started screeching for food, one of the girls tried to feed her and she didn't take anything. She was definitely eating some food (Cockatiel/Lovebird Tropimix by Hagen) but with other birds in the cage, we didn't know exactly how much she was taking.

She was sold two days later to a friend of one employee, who noticed her eating less and less and moving to lower and lower perches. Cutting to the chase-I am now watching her round the clock and handfeeding her, but she is sleeping a lot and sitting on the floor. If she goes back to the store she will not be watched all night (closed from 9pm to 9am) and therefore probably die and they will not pay for a vet visit. The owner can't really afford vet bills and the tiel is stuck in the middle.

The cockatiel seems to be aware sometimes and will take about 5ccs once or twice a day(using a syringe), but will not eat any hard food offered. I can take her out of her cage and she seems normal and perky, but after a step or two toward the feeding station she starts screaming bloody murder and it looks like she passes out momentarily. I'm starting to think this is not just fattening her up, perhaps its something neurological or a stroke from malnutrition. I know 10ccs a day is not going to keep her alive long but she won't take any more. I don't know what else I can do with no vet resources and I can't really afford to pay for other people's vet bills.

It's partially ethical and partially medical advice I need!
What would you do?
Any suggestions?