Idiot at Petshop sold my daughter a bird

Hello everyone

This is my introduction to you all, from a sunny Sydney, Australia.

Okay, I am a dog person, who breeds purebreed GSD's and have spent my childrens lives explaining to them why not to buy animals or birds from petshops.

Well my daughter(23 and still living at home while at Uni) and 2 girlfriends go to a pet shop and buy a 4 week old olive lorikeet!!!!!!

Daughter's rules of course are I am not allowed to let the bird get attached to me. This is hard because since she got it on Tuesday, I have had to feed it numerous times. I am the one who has looked up the internet for all the information.

So I will now read on this forum all I can on lorikeet care, and occassionally post most probably the most stupid questions, but I know nothing, nil, zero, zip about birds. And I mean nothing other than some sort of food goes in one end, and fertilizer comes out the other end.

Thanks for reading my rant about both the petshop and the daughter.
Regards

FH

HONESTLY!!!
It should be illegal for pet store to sell unweaned birds. People raising chicks without any experience usually results in dead baby birds ( no offense meant ). I'd take it back to the pet store and teach your daughter some responsibility. Lorikeets ( in my opinion ) do not make a good beginner bird. They are very messy and noisy and require a specially formulated feed. And how does she expect the bird NOT to get attached to you?! You are it's mother now. You are the primary carer.

Hello & welcome. I am so sorry you have been thrown in the deep end. I can truly understand how you feel, the same thing happened to me 2 decades ago with a Rainbow Lorikeet. It had not a pin feather, just a tiny ball of fluff. We muddled through & the baby survived. I think my motherly instincts kicked in. You know warmth, food & cuddles.

I hope the pet shop gave your daughter some hand rearing formula, a teaspoon bent up on the sides & make sure the mixture is around 40 degrees, hot but not burning. Can you explain what your doing & i can give you some help should you need it.

Wow, all I can say is good luck. This is quite an undertaking and her rule is going to be impossible to to enforce...the birdie will love who he loves. We will answer all of your questions as best we can.

Welcome to the forum

What a bugger of a situation to be put in. Ask any questions you want on here, members are always willing to lend a hand. I'm overseas tuning into the occasional wi-fi that I find so not sure how much help I can be. I will say that any parrot, especially those as young as yours need round the clock care everyday, your daughter needs to realise this ( and more to the point so does the pet shop). Being an animal person I have no doubt that you know what responsibilities any animal puts on a person. What does your daughter plan to do after Uni? Can the bird go with her? They do live for a long time .

Goodluck, and I hope some 'lorikeet-educated' people are able to help you with any questions you have.

Okay, well at home day 9, Atticus is still alive and appears to be well. We have 2 different handrearing formulas, and feed them alternatively.

BUT my questions some days Atticus doesn't seem to be as hungry as others? I have my daughter feeding him every 4 hours approximately. (I feed him when she is at work at the moment, as I will have to do this when she goes back to uni.)

2nd question is do lorikeets sleep on their backs next to their teddy bears?

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Well, for one thing, it wasn't the idiot who worked at the pet shop who bought the bird. I think you are not putting the blame where it belongs. The pet store clerk only offers pets for sale, a person has the right and the ability to walk away. Clearly your daughter didn't.

Had it been my daughter who selfishly showed up at my house with a bird while I was graciously allowing her to room and board there without discussing the pet purchase before hand would have found her bags packed and waiting for her at the door along with her newly purchased bird.

But hey, that might just be me. I just thought you came off a might harsh on the poor pet shop guy who is just trying to make a living. That is like buying a pack of cigarttes from a store, getting cancer and then blame the store that sold them to you.

freundhund2 said:

Okay, well at home day 9, Atticus is still alive and appears to be well. We have 2 different handrearing formulas, and feed them alternatively.

BUT my questions some days Atticus doesn't seem to be as hungry as others? I have my daughter feeding him every 4 hours approximately. (I feed him when she is at work at the moment, as I will have to do this when she goes back to uni.)

2nd question is do lorikeets sleep on their backs next to their teddy bears?

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Well i was wondering how you were going.
Atticus is 6 weeks old now He/she should be only on 3 or 4 feeds a day. 6 to 8 hourly. The poor little guy is trying to digest so much food. So idealy over the next week you can drop a feed & feed him at say 7am, 1pm & 9pm. It is best to let his crop completely empty, less chance of crop infections.

What hand rearing mix are you using

Yes baby lories do sleep on their backs some times. Very cute.

Hi Pedro

We are feeding - Wombaroo (Lorikeet & Honeyeater Food)

- Aristopet (Lorikeet & Honeyeater Wet Diet)


There appear to be a couple of other brands available here in Australia. I suggested to my daughter to use both brands as one seem finer than the other plus there appear to be just a few differences and I felt this gave the poor bird a better chance at a balanced diet.

Hi mtdoramike

I can't say to much about my daughter bringing home the bird, other than the fact that it came from a petshop, by her age I had gone from the one horse my parents had agreed to, to 5!! I also had 80 cavey (aka guinea pigs) 120 budgies, 4 donkeys, 3 GSD's. My parents never complained I discovered later they considered this the side benefits of a daughter who wasn't into boys cause she had horses and dogs to show and other animals to deal with.

Ahh ... at least you can say it was your daughter. I am the one who broke my own golden rule. I actually never normally use this pet shop because they sell pups and went in there only because this is the only shop that sells the Big Dog BARF food.

Saw the Rainbow Lorikeet in a tiny cage ... thought it was the stores bird ... he said no, it's for sale. He then popped the bird on my shoulder and that was me gone. Fell in love in an instant.

My little chappie is weaned though and eating well. I hope you manage to get your little one through. I am also a doggie person and have spent many sleepless nights helping a sick pup so I'm thinking this baby is in good hands with you.

Thanks Andrea

I am fine with puppies, I actually breed, show, compete in obedience, agility and going to take up herding with my GSD's this year.

Birds, I know nothing but I can assure you this week, I have done an awful lot of baby lorikeet sitting.

After all what takes precidents, a Big Day Out, or last night Crystal Castles, or the Concert on Monday night or the party last Sunday??????????????

This is why I have joined the forum.

PS I feed Barf Patties to my guys as well

Indeed! Even before the owner of the shop had sealed the box for my new friend, I knew I'd be sitting on the computer for months as the grey matter sinks into a steep learning curve - diet / care / social behaviour ... guffaw!

I am totally loving this though. Aside from the fact that I think I paid a ridiculous price for this critter, the whole experience has been a joy so far. Again though, I'm not weaning a baby like you are. That to me equates a little like a pet shop selling a 3 week old pup...an uphill battle for the new owners.

Still ... you know I often think things happen for a reason. In someone elses hands your little baby may well already have lost the fight. I know most dog folk (well the ones I know) are used to the ungodly hours it takes to nurse a needy animal back to health. That's one lucky bird I say.

How is it going? Are you winning?