MERLIN (Blue and Gold Macaw)

This timeline outlines a selection of documented incidents and communications concerning Merlin’s health. It does not represent the full scope of medical concerns or staff observations.

Additional information was originally recorded in the Parrot Care Log, which was used to note concerning or unusual observations, identify who witnessed them, track who was informed, and document whether any action was taken. This log was an important tool for recognizing health patterns and determining whether issues were addressed. We were able to capture of photo of the original Parrot Care Log in March of 2024. Susanne later removed the Parrot Care Log from the store without notice, and as a result, many months of contextual details—including specific dates, communications, and follow-up actions—were lost. His Parrot Care Log was restarted in January of 2025. Staff recalls other incidents and/or concerns of wellbeing that are no longer verifiable due to the absence of that documentation.

The information included in this timeline reflects what could be factually supported through photographs, records, and saved communications.

November 2023:
Merlin is a Blue and Gold Macaw who came from Susanne's home in November 2023. Staff notated that he had stinky poop and his left eye appeared damaged. The pupil was enlarged making the entire eye appear black. Susanne had told staff she thought he was blind.
Staff working with Merlin noticed that he could see to some extent out of that eye, but without a vet visit there was no way to determine what caused it or how bad it was.

January 11 2024:
Store Manager notated that Merlin's stinky, runny poop had not improved.

January 12 2024:
Susanne told Store Manager to have staff provide Merlin with Vinegar Water, which lasted for 3 weeks. No vet visit was scheduled.

March 12, 2024
Bright green, runny droppings were observed in multiple birds cages, including Merlin. This symptom had also been noted previously in 2 Kakariki who were caged by these other parrots and had recently died. Staff texted Susanne to report that Merlin and the others were now displaying the same symptom. Susanne replied that if it happened again, the poop should be saved in a plastic bag so she could look at it, but only if she was in town. Poop samples were saved in plastic bags. Susanne later said the way they were saved wasn't acceptable and that she needed to see all of the poop, not just one, from multiple birds.

March 22, 2024
Green, watery droppings persisted from Merlin. Picture taken, can be seen below, was shared with Susanne. Since she previously texted in March that "it usually means nothing... unless it lasts several days then it might be a clinical sign: and it has been months that it appears abnormal.

There are 8 months of missing Care Log details due to it's removal from the store (detailed above).

In October 2024 the Store Manager left a note for Susanne (captured below) and sent a text to Susanne regarding Merlin's persistent symptoms.

- Runny, stinky green or yellow poop
- Intermittent lethargy and agitation
- Not been himself for a while

January 10 2025:
Susanne brought probiotics to the store and told the Store manager to have staff put it on the food of the birds with ongoing poop issues. Merlin was one of those birds. Probiotics were completed and there was no improvement.

Despite all of this, there Merlin was never taken to a vet.

As far as we know, the sale of Merlin to a customer concluded weeks after the majority of the staff from Avalon exited. It is unlikely that the purchaser was advised of these ongoing health concerns on the required forms.

Scroll through the items below (on a computer) by double clicking on the pictures and using the arrows on either side of the pictures to scroll through. Only a picture preview is in the display array, and the arrow isn't easy to view in all browsers.