Decide the fate of a seagull

Chemical Ollie · August 16, 2003, 17:21

There is a half-dead seagull in my garden. It looked dead at first glance, but my mother poured water on it and it drank. I used a wet tissue to drip more water into it's mouth, without touching it. It drank, opened it's eyes and even raised it's head a bit.

What should I do?

EDIT: Don't vote above! It is to late. The bastard died only a few hours after I posted the thread and got it's head eaten by a predator. Now I'm only waiting for the virus it carried to break out and kill my family.

Asher · August 16, 2003, 17:26

I bet it tastes like chicken.

Boris Godunov · August 16, 2003, 17:29

Put it out of its misery.

SlowwHand · August 16, 2003, 17:36

Is there an animal shelter, of some kind, in the area?

MichaeltheGreat · August 16, 2003, 17:43

It may have been stunned by a collision with another bird, heat or something else, or it may be ill (and unable to fly now) due to disease, age or parasitic infection.

Monitor it for a while, see if it shows increasing signs of activity, or if it's just kind of barely there with no sign of improvement.

If it's drinking, that's a good sign in general. It may need food as well. Make sure it has beakside access, dribble some water to it like you did at first, maybe offer it some food the same way.

Birds tend to go pretty fast, so if it's responsive the way you described, that's generally a good sign.

Chemical Ollie · August 16, 2003, 17:44

Oh, I forgot the picture of the semi-cadavera:

Chemical Ollie · August 16, 2003, 17:52

I'm not getting along well with the Net tonight. Let's give it another try...

SlowwHand · August 16, 2003, 17:52

You need some makeup application advisement.

Chemical Ollie · August 16, 2003, 17:54

The pic shows the bird before it drank. It later opened it's eyes and moved it's head quite much.

Chemical Ollie · August 16, 2003, 17:57

Quote:

Originally posted by SlowwHand
Is there an animal shelter, of some kind, in the area?

I know a guy who takes care of rare owl species, but I doubt that he would care about a seagull.

MichaeltheGreat · August 16, 2003, 17:57

Looks like a collision or fight injury. No way to tell for sure, and no way to tell if it has internal injuries, but if that and the fall to the ground is all that happened, it may have a decent chance.

Tachycardia is the biggest problem with avian traumatic injuries. If it doesn't conk itself out fairly quick from the stress, then you're just in wait and see mode.

Are there any tree-hugger type avian veterinarians where you are?

Chemical Ollie · August 16, 2003, 18:03

The problem is, I saw a French-Swedish movie last night, that was similar to the American Movie "Outbreak" with Dustin Hoffman, but without a happy ending. There, a lethal virus spread from seagulls to both human and chickens and killed blindly and brutally. After feeding water to the bird for a while I suddenly recalled the movie and took a step back to think - AARRGGHH!!

Boris Godunov · August 16, 2003, 18:03

Oh just kill the thing. One less flying rat.

Bereta_Eder · August 16, 2003, 18:11

Do whatever you can to save it.

TCO · August 16, 2003, 18:32

Alka selzer will help it get better.

Whaleboy · August 16, 2003, 18:34

MtG: Why do you know so much?

TCO · August 16, 2003, 18:47

I'm kidding about the alka selzer. That will kill it.

Jon Miller · August 16, 2003, 18:47

well

that explains where option 3 came from

Jon Miller

Chemical Ollie · August 16, 2003, 18:49

Quote:

Originally posted by TCO
I'm kidding about the alka selzer. That will kill it.

I seriously doubt I will find it alive tomorrow anyway. If I were Mother Nature, it would be dead from dehydration by tomorrow morning...

Chemical Ollie · August 17, 2003, 15:30

This morning it was gone. We initially thought it had recovered and taken off, but later I found it under a bush 10 meters away. During the night, my cat had taken care of the problem in a cat's way...

SlowwHand · August 17, 2003, 15:33

Cats are like that, yeah, they are.

For future reference; anything TCO says should be taken with a grain, no, a pound of salt.

Az · August 17, 2003, 15:36

That's nature, kids.

MichaeltheGreat · August 17, 2003, 15:38

Quote:

Originally posted by Olaf Hårfagre
This morning it was gone. We initially thought it had recovered and taken off, but later I found it under a bush 10 meters away. During the night, my cat had taken care of the problem in a cat's way...

We have five cats and two dogs in the back, so we have the whole thing roofed in with bird block mesh, mostly to keep the cats in and safe. Three birds have managed for whatever reason to find a way in, despite the bird block all around.

Az · August 17, 2003, 15:55

some just have a death-wish it seems.

I remember when I rescued a wounded pigeon from a raven. we kept him for a couple of days, and healed him. The funny part was the way my dog looked at him. SOMETHING UNHUMAN AROUND THE HOUSE. I don't know who was more scared.

Chemical Ollie · August 20, 2003, 15:02

AARRGGHH!!

Option 3 was the correct one. My local newspaper had a story about dead seagulls all over the coastline and that the cause is a virus. I hope it's not harmful to people and cats.

Harovan · August 20, 2003, 15:07

Holy **** Olaf... I hope it didn't harm you or your family.

Btw, if I had seen the thread when it was new, I'd have voted the 2nd option, but I wouldn't have taken an axe, but a spade.

Spiffor · August 20, 2003, 15:14

Quote:

Originally posted by Olaf Hårfagre
The problem is, I saw a French-Swedish movie last night, that was similar to the American Movie "Outbreak" with Dustin Hoffman, but without a happy ending. There, a lethal virus spread from seagulls to both human and chickens and killed blindly and brutally.

What was the name of the movie ?
And Olaf, make sure to go to the docor as soon as something unusual happens

Chemical Ollie · August 20, 2003, 16:02

Quote:

Originally posted by Spiffor

What was the name of the movie ?
And Olaf, make sure to go to the docor as soon as something unusual happens

It was a 3 hour TV movie in 2 parts. The Swedish title translates to "Virus in Paradise". I don't know the French title but the leading parts were played by Richard Bohringer, Fejia Deliba and Martin Forsström.

And for the bird, I didn't touch it with my hands. I used a pitchfork to transfer the cadavera to a plastic bag which I trew in the garbage bin. But my cat or some other animal, possible a badger, had eaten a part of the gulls head.

Dom Pedro II · August 20, 2003, 16:12

Olaf, it's probably going to die anyway...

We had a bird that fell out of a tree, and it's injuries were pretty minor, but it still died in our care anyway. IIRC, wild birds tend not to survive too long in such conditions.

But if there is a place to take it, take it there.

EDIT: Nevermind!

Provost Harrison · August 20, 2003, 16:14

Who gives a crap? It's only a damn seagull...