Before you bring home a new bird

[kimichanga]

Before you purchase a Bird, please make sure you have the vet paperwork OR set up a quarantine room AWAY from your home and get them tested yourself (avian biotech or an Avian Vet). Take precaution when you are around other birds and make sure you wash up and change before either stepping foot in your home or before touching your birds. I would never, in my wildess dreams, think this would ever happen to me! I had a cinnamon GC female and a PT male (my beautiful babies) they were apart of our family and they were wonderful birds to have. My PT and I were inseparable. They were NEVER caged and they were with me 24/7, even slept with me, showered with me, ate with me, even went on car rides with me! It's hard for me to even talk about them. I wanted to add to my flock and instead of purchasing a baby I adopted a 8 or 9 yr old Eclectus from a well known breeder. They were supposed to send me his (the Eckie) vet paperwork via email and also fax it to my Vet. NOTHING! I didn't have a quarantine room but I did set up one in my guest bedroom. Within 5 days my birds were terribly sick and they were quarantined in my master bathroom. Only my husband and I were allowed in the quarantine rooms...my children NEVER step foot, let alone my other animals. My 2 yr old became ill with a high fever that Ibu and Tylenol could not break. I had to take her to the ER on the 6th day. My 2 birds were showing symptoms of lethargy after 4-5 days and their feathers were falling out with abnormal poop with 50 shades of green. The ends of their feathers looked like someone burnt them. The bird I had adopted was supposedly plucking and very unhappy and had supposed behavioral issues. He was a very sweet bird and it was obvious that he was severly neglected and sick for quite some time and didn't have any of the things that breeder mentioned. He had tremors and strained while he pooped with his poop being 50 shades of green as well. I took care of him best I could and he loved me instantly. My 2 conures were dying before my eyes. I had a vet apt set up 1 week after I purchased the bird so it was too late and time was running out. I became very sick (symptoms pointed to psittacosis), my husband, my son, then my dog, and then my 2 tortoises were ALL sick! The day before my vet visit I couldn't take it anymore and it was obvious that the bird was sick and had shed some type of disease or virus/bacteria (IDK) into my home. I called CDC and they directed me to public health and public health directed me to the city animal shelter. So I contacted the shelter. They said they would come pick up my birds and do some testing on them...I call every few days to see what I can find, nothing! I get this run around several times until 2 weeks hit, and I physically went to the shelter and the manager was arguing with me and all of a sudden they didn't have my birds?? I found this odd and insane. The hospital was communicating with my vet and the shelter in hopes to find out what we have because our titer test came back negative from psittacosis. I have no idea what the manager told the hospital and my vet but it seemed like they stopped helping us with each week that went by. The shelter said I signed a release form and the birds are no longer mine? I didn't sign anything nor did they present any forms to me. Then it became a verbal consent...then the third lie was that the reason I didn't sign anything was because I was freaking out about psittacosis and feared contaminating the pen and paper? With my husband and I, being Veterans, I am so shocked at how we have been treated. We have changed dr's several times, kids have been to infectious diseases, and all gov officials in my area are corrupt and noone is helping me? I was denied access to public records on the whereabouts of my birds...then a city attorney calls me stating to name a price?!?! is this a cover up? did something happen in their facility or with my birds? OMG I can't believe this! I will never know what happen to my babies, if they are alive, dead, scared, where they are? This happened in June and I am STILL fighting and I have been fighting air! I have created a packet and have gone to the media, all gov officials in my area (The mayor can't help me because that attorney and whatever lies he's been spouting off), the senator can't help, and the gov of my state cannot help! I even sent it to the president.....NO HELP! I have contacted all Veteran agencies in hopes of an answer and nothing. I am in such a odd situation, this is crazy and all this happened with the new bird being in my home for only 7 days! I wish I had waited to take my babies to the vet myself but I have never been in this situation so I did what I thought was best and took orders from CDC and public health and this is where I end up! I have exhausted all options. I have done way more than what I have listed but this is to sum it up in what I have been dealing with and going through. I don't go to bird marts and I don't go to petco or other stores with pets. The only thing new was bringing that bird home and I screwed up the perfect balance we had. I still love that Eclectus even though this happened, it is not his fault! It is the breeders responsibility for the health and wellbeing of their flock. Disgusting to have people breed for money and not the health of the bird! They are well known in their community and even have a avian society and they are just sick. Looking back, they were displaying some of the symptoms that we were going through and now I know they were trying to save the rest of their flock and sell off the sick birds...they are sick and there should be regulations on breeding and selling. I have called law enforcement on them in their area along with animal control in their area and they don't care! They were in contact with my local shelter and this whole ordeal is just so bad and like I said, a dead end everywhere I turn. I googled the local shelter and they have a lawsuit against them and this isn't their first rodeo! They have been doing this activity for years on end. It's sick and they have a closed knit society amongst eachother and make tons of money and they work with the local police department! The police has turned me away several times because I have been trying to file a police report with theft and they say they can't help me and that's not their job! I left out alot because I cannot say everything online but this is the gist of it.....

 

[faeryphoebe1]

Oh my gosh, I don't know what to say except that I'm so sorry that you're going through this nightmare. What a horrendous experience for you, your family and your fids and then to not know what became of them.

(((hugs)))

 

[pycthedragon]

Oh my god, this story is so horrible. I live on my own, but when I first started keeping birds, I made the unfortunate decision to get a budgie from Petsmart. Turns out they had a HUGE recall on their budgies because of psittacosis! The first one (Banana) died in 3 days and had horrible seizures before he died. I got another one, his name Bubbles, and he also died very shortly of the same thing. I then contracted Psittacosis, and I SWEAR I wouldn't wish that illness on anyone. I felt like @#$% for over a week, and I think I have a pretty strong immune system most times. I didn't have the money for a doctor so I ended up almost taking a whole week off of work for that. Really really nasty stuff. It was very traumatizing - We took Bubbles to the vet to try to save him but it was too late - he died in the ventilator. I just remember holding him in my hand, trying to calm him down from his seizures... it was so horrible.

I quarantined my new Snowy because I was terrified of the same thing happening again, no matter what. Everything seems okay but I'm on guard.

 

[kimichanga]

Thank you for support and kindness.
@pycthedragon, it seems your immune system is strong but there's no way of knowing if you had psittacosis unless you get a titer test done. We were sick for 2months. The major symptoms cleared after they prescribed us meds and I would never wish that upon anyone not even my worst enemy! It was a horrible experience and seems neverending. My 2 yr old had 4 outbreaks that they kept saying was MRSA and she has been on so many different kinds of meds..NOT good for a 2 yr old. My 5 yr old son has what it looks to be chlamydiosis in his eyes...his eyes are horrible and still is getting a little better but really slowly as they still look bad till now. We all have been to the dr and eye dr. We are now dealing with a demodex infestation in all of us (either from the bird or from our immune system being too low from the meds). My dog has the eye thing going on like my son and he too, has been to the vet a numerous amount. The tortoises are doing better. The rooms they were in upstairs are too strong and we have been quarantined downstairs till now. I have bombed the house with F10SC and I have done the rooms several times. It has def cleared the air but the rooms still have that smell. Now we have been taking homeopathic remedies and using essential oils to cure ourselves. I have to get a diffuser for the essential oils to clear the smell out. The smell is nothing I have ever smelt before...it's a really strong bird smell and like a dying bird, I cannot describe it. The only way I can describe it is the cockatiel scent but 10x's that mixed with a dying bird scent or something. I am really sad, not knowing the status on my birds but they keep saying that they are in a rescue now and healthy as ever but fail to provide test results. They even gave me false results under another pet owners name and used permanent marker to hide the name! It also dates back to January of this year but I didn't purchase the bird until June! It's crazy! No lawyers will take my case! I have contacting every lawyer around my state and even outside the state even the state BAR and no luck. this is terrible. My dog is the only one that doesn't have demodex infestation but he sure has the chlamydiosis thing going on in his eyes. I still do not feel back to normal and the dr's won't do anything about it. Either they don't know what it is or maybe they don't care IDK. There are only a few test they can do on bird diseases but they only did 1 test so I am also shocked about that as well...it's like they gave up. Also them talking to the shelter manager and that attorney they have has caused many many problems. Our insurance agent also spoke to them and decided not to help us. Biohazard company didn't want to clean my house because it was a BIG LIABILITY on their end to put their employees in my home to clean it and they too have spoke to the shelter. I said the shelter said they are healthy so what's the problem? They still will not help...it's absurd! I have high ceilings so we can't get up there but I did purchase the ULV fogger and used the F10 in there and did everything I could. Now were just waiting on the diffuser...I'm just shocked at the medical field and the fact that we have to cure ourselves. Instead of BEING a doctor they were playing doctor (like one would play house), it's disgusting.

 

[Timothy]

I'm so sorry for your losses. i really don't know how to comfort you, because its really screwed up, with what happened. I would contact every media station within 100 miles, one of them will pick it up. it sounds like you'd have a nice lawsuit with the right lawyer

 

[kimichanga]

Oh and the MRSA in my 2yr old, I asked for a skin scraping twice and they didn't do it! After 2 meds didn't work I fought them and they finally did it and they said it came back negative but fail to find out what it is. They failed to send us to infectious diseases so after switching to several drs and several meds we finally got in and when we got there I think we took too many meds and it tampered with results. This is all too crazy. They put my daughter on Clyndamycin, then bactrim, and it wasn't working and then they tried to prescribe bactrim again and then prednisone. They are insane as Clyndamycin is stronger than bactrim...it just doesn't make sense. I asked several dr's even infectious diseases where all the labs go? If they went to the same lab and they just look very sketchy when I start digging....it's like a deer in headlights when talking to them. The dr that we experienced malpractice from the first time kept saying we were fine in July and now in sept she no longer works there and went to another hospital??? It's almost as if they didn't think we would get other opinions. We have always been healthy and we never have to go see a dr so this is very exhausting just dealing with this.

 

[kimichanga]

@timothy, already did all that.....NOTHING! that's why I'm shocked, I feel some kind of conspiracy going on. After I sent the packet out to all media (I mean ALL) including the president and all gov officials. I went up the chain and I'm fighting air. Some time in August my phone sound like it was tapped for 2 weeks. I have had the phone for years, practically since 2010 and I have NEVER had any problems with it except for those 2 weeks. I feel in my heart this was done on purpose. On our way through crossing into another city, I smelt that bird smell outside while the car windows were down, I think it has spread. I'm just waiting for others to come out so I can finally get the help. It's a very distinct smell, you cannot mistaken it. When animal control came to my house they didn't even use the proper vehicle even after we told them what we were dealing with! They placed the birds on the back of a pick up truck and drove off, feathers flying everywhere! I asked them before they left, exactly what they were to do with my birds and they said "If your two birds are healthy we will give them back, but they needed to test my birds along with the one we just adopted." So that goes to show you they didn't take proper protocol when they got to the shelter since they came to my house like that in the first place. All of a sudden they were giving free dogs away starting July 4th till end of August and said it was because of the 100k SPCA challenge. That is baloney! I have never in my life seen FREE animals from the shelter: spay/neuter, shots, micro-chipped the whole shabang, FREE! I tried to send messages out on craigslist that if they got a dog or cat from the shelter to get them fully tested by their own vet and run a CBC and make sure they aren't infected and my ad was getting flagged so it never got out! Even if the dogs were infected, they cannot pass it back to us (that we know of so far) so I don't know. I am just at a loss right now, feeling helpless and overwhelmed that nothing is being done. No lawyer will take my case, trust me, I have contacted everyone to the sun and nothing.....The shelter is already in a lawsuit since 2010 for illegal activity that I found on google and I contacted them and added my documentation to their litigation phase but it's still not for my specific case. I did see public records on the birds and they even listed them as another species...someone else had to get the records because they refused to give me my rights to the records so when I looked at them it states that the day they picked up my birds is the day they gave them to a rescue??? I couldn't believe it, they never tested. Either they are lying or maybe another rescue got them and are used to dealing with situations like this but I don't think they would risk their own flock? IDK I called all rescues around me and noone said they had my birds so I honestly think it's a lie. I personally think they euthanized them because that's what they are well known to do. They give away other peoples pets and make money and they euthanize animals and pets and they don't wait for the allotted time they are supposed to.

 

[jasper19]

wow that is an insane and sad story. It is very rough to read....

I fear that since their attorney's contacted you asking you what "price" you wanted...meaning they were willing to pay you to settle so to speak. To me that means, sadly, they probably don't have your birds anymore....

If i were you, i would get my own attorney asap, you need to sue them for getting rid of your birds. Their story about you verbally telling them won't hold up i feel, if they have paperwork that is normally signed, and you didn't sign anything....wow i just cant believe it. If you can afford an attorney i would get it. That is the route you need to go not calling the police. Document everything you can, write down the timeline of events etc....

 

[Featheredsamurai]

That's so scary D: I worry about contamination. I only allow very few trusted people and their parrots into my house. But at the same time I have a lot of bird exposure from wild and purchased birds.

I'm so sorry your going through this, so terrible! I'm so sad they took your birds away

 

[jasper19]

@timothy, already did all that.....NOTHING! that's why I'm shocked, I feel some kind of conspiracy going on. After I sent the packet out to all media (I mean ALL) including the president and all gov officials. I went up the chain and I'm fighting air. Some time in August my phone sound like it was tapped for 2 weeks. I have had the phone for years, practically since 2010 and I have NEVER had any problems with it except for those 2 weeks. I feel in my heart this was done on purpose. On our way through crossing into another city, I smelt that bird smell outside while the car windows were down, I think it has spread. I'm just waiting for others to come out so I can finally get the help. It's a very distinct smell, you cannot mistaken it. When animal control came to my house they didn't even use the proper vehicle even after we told them what we were dealing with! They placed the birds on the back of a pick up truck and drove off, feathers flying everywhere! I asked them before they left, exactly what they were to do with my birds and they said "If your two birds are healthy we will give them back, but they needed to test my birds along with the one we just adopted." So that goes to show you they didn't take proper protocol when they got to the shelter since they came to my house like that in the first place. All of a sudden they were giving free dogs away starting July 4th till end of August and said it was because of the 100k SPCA challenge. That is baloney! I have never in my life seen FREE animals from the shelter: spay/neuter, shots, micro-chipped the whole shabang, FREE! I tried to send messages out on craigslist that if they got a dog or cat from the shelter to get them fully tested by their own vet and run a CBC and make sure they aren't infected and my ad was getting flagged so it never got out! Even if the dogs were infected, they cannot pass it back to us (that we know of so far) so I don't know. I am just at a loss right now, feeling helpless and overwhelmed that nothing is being done. No lawyer will take my case, trust me, I have contacted everyone to the sun and nothing.....The shelter is already in a lawsuit since 2010 for illegal activity that I found on google and I contacted them and added my documentation to their litigation phase but it's still not for my specific case. I did see public records on the birds and they even listed them as another species...someone else had to get the records because they refused to give me my rights to the records so when I looked at them it states that the day they picked up my birds is the day they gave them to a rescue??? I couldn't believe it, they never tested. Either they are lying or maybe another rescue got them and are used to dealing with situations like this but I don't think they would risk their own flock? IDK I called all rescues around me and noone said they had my birds so I honestly think it's a lie. I personally think they euthanized them because that's what they are well known to do. They give away other peoples pets and make money and they euthanize animals and pets and they don't wait for the allotted time they are supposed to.

It sounds like you are in panic mode, and understandably. But when you go and speak to hire an attorney, you should try to be calm and collected. And explain the situation as simply as possible without tons of emotions. If your very emotional and go off on tangents and seem very excitable it probably doesn't help the situation for you getting an attorney.

I am only saying this to help, through my experience trying to get attorneys. I have myself been turned away from an attorney from when i approached them i was very angry, emotional, and trying to relay my situation to him. Attorneys don't like that, its a red flag to them...they see you as an unreliable client, crazy, paranoid or whatever else and then decide not to help.

 

[kimichanga]

@Jasper, I wouldn't know how else to explain on here is why I may sound like this. I didn't want to leave any details out because I knew I would get questions. My episodes are over as this was since June. I completely understand what you mean as I was going through way too much in the beginning Hence the fact I am a Veteran with PTSD. In July I contacted media and they turned me down probably because I was in a panic and with attorney's I went through everything in the yellow pages and online and mostly I dealt with them online. I created a timeline and gathered a packet together that I stated in the previous posts' and I sent that packet out to everyone you can imagine. No attorney will take this case, I don't know why? It's not because of me...the majority didn't speak to me. Either they don't see enough money involved or they could care less about animals. I have contacted animal-law attorneys as well and I am not sure why they won't take the case. Our city filed bankruptcy (EVEN though they aren't broke as the shelter generated millions anually or so) and it will go to court in Oct. I am going to try after Oct or Nov to see if it will go anywhere. There could be many reasons why they didn't take my case, either I won't get back as much as I spend or it is a waste of their time. Maybe the city attorney on the shelters end knows people or well known, IDK? He even said he was close friends with the shelter manager and to name my price and the shelter manager is retired police...that's obvious that they have a closed knit circle and have the upper hand as they have been doing illegal stuff over the years and have gotten away with it thus far. It's a small world..IDK how far this really goes.

 

[4dugnlee]

Oh my gosh...this is all insane!!! I'm so sorry you are going through this!! Thoughts and prayers your way...

 

[Scott]

I literally had to allow a day to pass before responding.

It boggles my mind to learn how a histrionic absence of due process, lack of clear and honest communication coupled with an alleged profound high-level of crookedness could foist such despair upon you and your family.

As you and others recognize, approaching prospective attorneys, legislatures, and members of the press in an unemotional and clear manner is crucial. Have you contacted any national media outlets or some of the more prominent animal advocacy groups??

An event such as you experienced would profoundly shake me to the core, and I would exhaust every, and I mean every ethical and legal method to find out what happened to my birds and bring those who crossed the law to justice. It would become a life passion, and I am a very "young" 55.

 

[kimichanga]

I am fighting air! there is nothing I can do. I have contacted every single media you can think of, even ones I have never heard about. All I can do is wait for their bankruptcy fiasco to end sometime in Oct or Nov and then I can try to proceed again. I have already contacted state BAR on that attorney for illegal activity and I am in the process of Internal affairs (not guaranteed they will help because it's in the same police department). Trust me I have went above and beyond and there are many things I haven't listed that I have done due to the legality of it. I mentioned that in my first post I believe but I tried to give a very descriptive detail of what I have and been going through the last 3+ months. All this is easier said than done but try handling this situation when the whole family is ill and nonstop dr apts, vet apts, cleaning the crap outta the home from whatever it was, and many ill symptoms. It was very hard until mid August when the symptoms started dying down and my mind was actually clear. I am in my 30's and have never felt the way I did in my whole life so it was hard to adjust and cope with that while doing the things I was doing. It was extremely hard. I am much better now but we still need to take legal action and if there are no attorney's to take the case then you are screwed. Media is not taking this for some reason..I have had a few call me and get more info and question me and they never took it. I'm assuming the attorney was involved so they didn't want to legally be involved? I'm telling you, that attorney did a number on us. Now that he's been investigated by the BAR I am trying the media again but no luck. Maybe they don't care or maybe I'm not the first victim? They already did a story on the shelter last yr or so, maybe that could be another reason? I don't know but I have done everything I could and noone can do anything for me, they just give me responses just like you guys are on here =/ it is mind boggling and it is hard but at least we aren't feeling the way we were in July! I know we aren't 100% cured but it's getting there because we are curing ourselves. This battle will most likely take a year.

 

[Scott]

You certainly have a long road ahead and I commend you for not giving in to the numbing bureaucracy. It's a marathon, not a sprint and you must first safeguard your health as that is key to maintaining stamina and a resolved mind.

 

[kimichanga]

You certainly have a long road ahead and I commend you for not giving in to the numbing bureaucracy. It's a marathon, not a sprint and you must first safeguard your health as that is key to maintaining stamina and a resolved mind.

Exactly...we are on our way to being cured. It's just sad that the medical field failed to further help us. They gave my husband and son 7 days supply, whereas my daughter and I 21 days. I found that odd but my husband was suffering bad in July after he was done with his. I started spacing mine out because I was scared to have those symptoms again and I know you aren't supposed to do this but I felt I had no choice. After many different dr's, my kids finally got referrals to Infectious diseases but that was the end of August...pretty crappy! We already started on the homeopathic remedies and now Essential oils this month and it seems to help more than the dr! The U.S. is a joke, I am still shocked at how they have handled this whole situation and how things have taken place. No matter how much documentation and evidence I have, it's still not getting me anywhere. Trust me, I won't give up! They have no idea what those birds meant to me...we lost our first daughter back in 08 and losing my birds brang back those same feelings! I wish I had waited to take them to the vet but I couldn't get in, in time as he was booked and I already scheduled it. With how everyone was getting sick, I couldn't wait so I called CDC and they are a joke too. They do not give a hoot, nor does public health! You should see our Dr notes from the first dr who we experienced malpractice. This whole thing is so crazy and the order everything happened in, feels like a conspiracy. The dr notes were terrible and all lies...things we said that we never said! It had to be airborne because my tortoises were sick! Pretty insane as they were upstairs and my torts were downstairs in their tank and was never in contact! Anyways...I will keep you all updated if or when we finally get through this mess. In need of lots of prayers but thank you all for taking the time...

 

[kimichanga]

Update: it took 2years to be completely healed and rid our home with whatever disease that was! We had itchies that was similar to mites but test after test revealed nothing! Ivermectin cured us and that was me being the guinea pig to figure out what worked because no one helped us figure this out...you can only imagine how much this racked up on bills! I never owned an animal after 2+ yrs of the incident. Never looked at a bird again or even attempted to. I was highly emotional after my babies and I’ve never experienced that kind of attachment to an animal in my life! Last time I cried very hard was when our first daughter passed at 5.5months back in 2008! What these people have done will not go unpunished by the Lord! He does deliver! I haven’t logged on or looked at anything bird related since the incident! I was torn and devistated so forgive me for not responding. I’m relearning to maneuver around this site as I attempted to become familiar but was still new before. We recently adopted 2 parakeets that were rehomed so I’m taking it one step at a time! We are also putting our house up soon to get out of this god forsaken state! Thanks to everyone for support and even taking the time to read! I attempted to reread and it’s just too much and I def don’t want to relive the past so I just didn’t.

 

[LaManuka]

Kimichanga I have just read your unbelievable story of the traumatic & heartbreaking events that you have been through over the past several years. I am outraged by the cruelty that you suffered at the hands of bureaucracy and others but amazed by your tenacity in fighting for your and your bird’s rights and welfare and I’m so sorry that the outcome left you so devastated. But here you still are, and adopted two more unwanted babies and showering them with your love and I so admire you for that!

I wish you every success with your upcoming move and hope you and your feathery family remain safe and regain the strength and faith you feel you’ve lost - use us here to draw strength when you need to, your forum friends will always be here for you! I’m looking forward to hearing some happier stories about you and your feathered babies in the Brand New Year!