Kuku has long term problems caused by the trauma she suffered early in life. The family she originally came from were not deliberately cruel, but they didn't know how to provide this exotic flock creature the lifestyle needed to keep her healthy and happy. She came to Birdline when they finally realised, she deserved a better life then they could offer. Sadly, dozens of birds like Kuku are admitted into Birdline every year.

Kuku came from a loving family home. However, she was left alone for long periods of time because her family worked long hours.

This is such an alien lifestyle for a sociable flock creature that Kuku became very stressed and lonely and began to self-harm. She plucked and plucked at her feathers until she damaged the feather follicles, then she started on her skin and mutilated that too.

When she first came into Birdline she was rushed to the emergency vet more than once as her health was so poor. Even now that Kuku is in a better environment, the plucking habit remains and she has to wear a collar to stop her reaching her feathers. The collar is removed daily under supervision to give her respite from it.  She still needs regular vet check-ups to make sure she is a healthy weight and remains well.

Kuku is doing much better now; she is settled in a new foster home. She really enjoys spending time with her humans and especially loves singing and dancing and cuddle time with her favourite person. However, she will need regular vet check-ups for the foreseeable future to make sure she is a healthy weight and remains well.

2021 Update

Kuku has sadly faced yet more health challenges, related to her reproductive system. She experienced two instances of being egg-bound, a condition where she couldn't lay her eggs naturally, posing a severe threat to her life. In a desperate bid to save her, we had to resort to a surgical procedure to remove the eggs externally through her skin. Fortunately, with dedicated care and unwavering attention Kuku has made an impressive recovery. We are delighted to share that she is now in excellent health and has successfully discontinued all medications apart from her annual hormone implant, to stop her producing further eggs. However, it's important to note that this episode incurred significant medical expenses for Birdline as we spared no effort to ensure her well-being.