Cockatoo lump on face.

[kali]

Nothing CAN break through my wallet! LOL I seriously have spent $200 on bird toys this week, $300 on bills. I don't have any money left! Haha

but back to the point, Mel was talking about the baby Lori she was holding while we were there CAKED in food. The feathers were rock hard.

Not one toy, in any of the cages.

Wood shavings on the bottom of every cage, with one lump of poo looking extremely suspect!

Two rainbow lorikeets beating up the cinnamon in the cage with them.

Two baby blue and golds with bowls of seed, only husks I could see were the sunflower seed ones.

The 'store' bird, a blue and gold, with his chest feathers in a bad way. Not plucked, but i can see it happening down the track.

Hermit crabs with no heat, deadbodies in the enclosure.

Sugar gliders in a 2ft enclosure, selling them to people telling them it's all the room they need.

A chicken in with a whole bunch of others plucked pretty much bald on it's back.

About 30 cockatoos in an aviary taking up all the perching space. No toys, no idea of how they eat packed in like that.

They don't sell certified disease-free rats and mice for snakes. People just buy them at their own risk.

The puppies are large breed dogs (sometimes two in a cage) in enclosures the size of which mean they can face one way, and turn around and face the other way... Maybe take a step or two.. That's it.

The fish were PACKED into pond tanks. Couldn't swim without hitting another fish. It is gross. I know for a fact that the two major fish suppliers have next day delivery. They don't NEED that many fish. Even the largest price break is 100 so they aren't saving money by having more than 300 gold fish In a small pond!!

[kali]

BOH and the cats! When I was there they only had two in the cat cage that's about the size of a pretty small macaw cage, but a friend has seen ten in there!

That same friend is a bit of a reptile guru and is writing me up a list of the things wrong with how they keep their reptiles and the false information they gave him.

Greycloud, now do you understand why I want him out of there so bad!? The bird is only one victim in that place.

For me, to not notice a lump that size is shocking. Really. If those cages were cleaned out everyday, sprouts offered, then fruits offered, then seeds offered. How many times a day does someone look at that bird and not realise something is wrong. I feel sick.

[Greycloud]

Kali, I understand completely! You have every right to be upset. Did you try calling animal control and reporting this, or even an animal resue that has connections? I don't think you will here back from the store owner. Can you go in with a camera phone and take pics? This may be the only way you get someones attention. It sounds like they need to be shut down and fined so that proper clean up and animal med care can be provided. It is a real shame.

[kali]

've got some pics already. I'll post them as soon as my net is working again, we had a big storm last night and it's down. I'm typing this on the iPhone!!

He is friends with people in the RSPCA. I could go to the police though. Mel researched some stuff for about have adequate environments, which this certainly isn't.

It's hard to take pics because they tell you that u can't and there's cameras everywhere watching u.

[kali]

This is the Kelpie X that was at least 6 months old. His nose is touching one end and the bowl is the other end. And the are open-topped and he could very nearly jump out of it.



Two dogs in the same size enclosure




Can you see the mangled feathers on his chest? This bird just sits on a branch being gawked at all day.


This was filthy.


Bald chicken hiding.



Too many fish, not enough water. The water you see in this pic is actually cycling thru 3 differnt ponds, so the water level isn't rising.


This was the worst. Cage looks home-made. No toys, just bowls sitting on the bottom of the cage.


Their bird room. Perspex-walled cages, each with ONE PERCH each. No toys again. Seed only in cages.





My pictures were taken from my iphone as carrying my proper camera in there would have caused unwanted attention, as it was i was told not to take pics and had to do so sneakily.

I wish you guys could see it. See the dust coating everything, the overcrowded aviaries, the filthy chicken coops, those two adult cats sitting in a cat cage.

[kali]

Ok, so i got into contact with the owner of the store today and he said the vet looked at it. It's an "air pocket" that happens in cockatoos!!

He said it's gone down now, but it was normal. I googled it and apparently it's just something that happens but could be serious.

Anyone have any experience with this????????????

Should the bird be taken to the vet everytime it happens?

He won't give me a discount still. I refuse to pay $900. I don't even have that kind of money set aside.

:(

I feel for the poor thing. I really hope he gets a good home.

[Greycloud]

Kali, The poor bird in the wire cage! My heart goes out to him. No perch, no toys, how cruel. I have never heard of air pockets with Toos. But that doesn't mean anything. I will try to do some research. At least the bird was looked at. So sorry he won't come down in price. You did good.

[Ashling]

Well done Kali! I wish we could just erect a huuugggeee aviary and let them all loose in there. Or donate them to the Melbourne Zoo's big aviary. I hate seeing them locked up with nothing to do. Absolutely hate it.

[kali]

I just called their vet clinic to see if they could give me any info about this 'air pocket.'

The woman was nice. She's gonna check with the vet that's on today and see if it was her that saw the bird. They will call me back today.

If I find out it never went there, I am going to rampage. I already have pics, the code of practice for pet shops and general housing for caged birds. They have broken 7 of the rules so far, and that's just the ones i noticed. I'll go in there and check the ones i'm a bit iffy about. I should have documented my calls to them, but i have them on here anyway so i can always write it down.

While i was on hold to the store, i listened to all the ads they have on hold. they certainly talk themselves up!!!!!! They also offer to do talks at schools for kids!!!

I want to save this bird.

And Greycloud, the black cocky was the WORST. He was really inquisitive and seemed friendly. But no toys?? It's a bird they'll sell for $3000, i think they can afford to put a toy in there!!!!!!!!! And wood shavings EVERYWHERE?? it's so dusty in there :(

[Greycloud]

http://www.mcallister.com/avian.htmlk
Ok Kali, this is what I found out by a too expert. It is not a common occurance but can occur. Usually caused by some sort of trauma to the air sac or abuse. The air rises from the airsacs to higher points ie: the face and neck. It can easily be removed with a needle and syringe to relieve bird of discomfort. Here is a link to the medical condition.