A Nelson woman suspects a fugitive ferret attacked and killed her two beloved cockatiels.

Mother-of-three Trudy Chapman, of Stoke, wants to warn other pet owners in the area that the alleged killer ferret could strike again.

Chapman was devastated to find her pet cockatiel Jellybean dead in its cage at her Maitland Ave home.

She said Jellybean was clinging to a bar with its beak and had a large hole in its stomach.

Her other cockatiel Spike had been taken away by whatever creature killed it.



"There's blood everywhere," Chapman said. "They would have gone through a horrific death."

Chapman didn't see what killed her birds, but suspects it was a ferret because she had heard one escaped from its owner nearby and Spike and Jellybean had never been bothered by cats or other predators.

Ferrets were known to attack and kill birds and other animals.

She said the deaths of her birds, which she has had for three years, were heart-wrenching.

"It's not just a matter of replacing them, they were our babies. My kids loved them. We went out there every day and spoke to them and changed their water and fed them, gave them a pat and kisses."

She said she had heard of other birds being killed in the area and wanted to warn pet owners to be vigilant.