Sick parakeet - CAV unavailable till Wednesday

No access to a vet till Wednesday because of the holiday - hoping to keep this guy going till then.

Last night we got him out to play, and he was waaayyyy more snuggly than normal. Wanted to dig down into our elbows, crawl under shirts, and was really rubbing his head around on our fingers, which he normally avoids. Googled why he was doing that and didn't find anything. He was also really fluffed up. I put an extra towel over the cage and put him to bed as usual.

This morning, he's more snuggly, more fluffed, more lethargic, though he does still move and chirp. Had two watery stools (or diarrhea?) while we had him out to clean, but I didn't notice any in the cage.

He ate just a little of his seeds (we've never been able to get him to eat anything other than the birdseed mix.), but ate a good bit more spray millet. We cleaned his cage really well, gave fresh seeds and water, put paper on the bottom of the cage so he doesn't have to perch, and a heating pad on low under the cage to warm things up.

Any other ideas? I've read suggestions here for probiotics - what are they and where do you get them? Just regular human probiotic capsules and sprinkle the dust on the food? I called the pet stores around here and they don't have any bird-specific.

We'll pick up fresh millet and new food, just in case it's gotten old.

Any idea how to get him to drink more? He's never been much of a drinker.

Any help you can offer would be great, or if you know of an online/phone vet willing to help over the holidays.

Oh, the bird is 4 years old. He's my 11-year-old son's bird, saved up for and much loved, though - unfortunately perhaps now - not kept quite a clean as he should be.

Not human probiotics--- they have different flora...
Technically, each species has its own flora even (which is why not all vets believe that bene-bac powder for birds is actually beneficial). Even if it is a palcebo, it seems to have helped mine (despite my avian vets assertion that it is pointless lol--seriously---it does seem to work but the science is sketchy).

Are you sure this is a male bird?
Any tail-bobbing when perched?
Is he sleeping on his perch?
Any sounds when breathing?

You can try getting some totally UNFORTIFIED baby food (preferably the kind without added citric acid...It is something like "Simply ______" (at Walmart)--No salt, preferably no citric acid, no added vitamins...Your bird might like this.

Mine also likes oatmeal (plain) cooked with mashed bananas and cooled (obviously).

Check his vent--- is it stained or swollen. Does he appear to be straining to poop?

Did you make sure the heating pad is bird safe and DOES NOT contain Teflon/PTFE/PFOA/PFCs?

Did you use any chemicals or non-stick cookware etc in the house? Did you use anything that might off-gas (air fryer, air popper, new pot/pan, iron etc?)

Keep things warm and calm but not hot...

How long since he went to a vet? Did he ever have bloodwork?
What is his typical diet?

There is a vet in NYC that has extended holiday hours and they provided me with advice last year LOL. I just said I was visiting family in the area and had limited transportation but wanted to get their opinion on the matter just in case and they were VERY helpful and nice. If you told the truth, they probably would still be nice lol. I think I just googled it last year but now I am having trouble finding it---




This next one (see link) is not a CAV , but they have a 24 hour emergency line (never used it though). https://www.midwestexotichospital.com/emergency...Google until you find one that isn't just a DVM. They can work in a pinch, but a member or AAV etc is better.

Great advise above! Follow it and keep the updates coming...

I'm guessing that you are taking about Thursday and Not Wednesday as Wednesday is Christmas Day. I hope you made the appointment!

Our Amazon has been putting our CAV's kid's though Catholic High School with his near monthly visits.

If you add vitamins to the water stop! As that grows bacteria in the water. I do t know why they sell them, .
Good luck

Thank you so much for the ideas! Yes, it would be Thursday before we could get him in; the local exotic vet let us drop him off and they'll call when they get a chance to look at him. The actual CAV isn't there, but I'm hoping that since this is the same practice, she'll be informed? Or at least able to contact him with questions?

My son is a devotee of flocktalk on Youtube and had already banned us from using anything in water.

I realized at the pet store today that his preferred grain from the Kaytee seed mix is oat groats, so the oatmeal idea may work.

His vent was clear last night and this morning, but he had a bit of feces there when we left for the vet, so I'm really glad we got him in.

Not really perching. He'll hop around and frantically climb on the bars of his cage if he sees us, because he wants out, but otherwise huddled all fluffy on the floor of the cage.

Hadn't thought about teflon in a heating pad! I raise chicks in the spring. Would their heatlamp - at a good distance - be better?

Unfortunately we have to travel for the holiday. We're taking him along instead of leaving him as we normally do, but it will be a strange place... Any suggestions on helping him cope with that?

My son was concerned that they'd clip the wing feathers - apparently someone on youtube said their vet did that. They wouldn't normally, would they, unless you got some screwy person? Bluebird does love flying his laps. I know he'll need plenty of recovery time before he does that, but I'd hate to think he *couldn't* when he felt up for it.

Oh, I can't tell you how much more encouraged I feel, between your good ideas and getting him to someone who might (have access to someone who might) be able to help. Really appreciate it.

I would hope that ANY vet would ask first before shortening a birds sleeves. ( sorry..that means clipping the wings) As far as traveling,if he has never gone anywhere with you,I'd have him in a "sleep cage" with a perch and food/water,and bring some sort of cover,just incase he gets excited or starts to freak out. He does sound ill to me and I hope he maintains. good luck!!


jim

cariaren said:

Thank you so much for the ideas! Yes, it would be Thursday before we could get him in; the local exotic vet let us drop him off and they'll call when they get a chance to look at him. The actual CAV isn't there, but I'm hoping that since this is the same practice, she'll be informed? Or at least able to contact him with questions?

My son is a devotee of flocktalk on Youtube and had already banned us from using anything in water.

I realized at the pet store today that his preferred grain from the Kaytee seed mix is oat groats, so the oatmeal idea may work.

His vent was clear last night and this morning, but he had a bit of feces there when we left for the vet, so I'm really glad we got him in.

Not really perching. He'll hop around and frantically climb on the bars of his cage if he sees us, because he wants out, but otherwise huddled all fluffy on the floor of the cage.

Hadn't thought about teflon in a heating pad! I raise chicks in the spring. Would their heatlamp - at a good distance - be better?

Unfortunately we have to travel for the holiday. We're taking him along instead of leaving him as we normally do, but it will be a strange place... Any suggestions on helping him cope with that?

My son was concerned that they'd clip the wing feathers - apparently someone on youtube said their vet did that. They wouldn't normally, would they, unless you got some screwy person? Bluebird does love flying his laps. I know he'll need plenty of recovery time before he does that, but I'd hate to think he *couldn't* when he felt up for it.

Oh, I can't tell you how much more encouraged I feel, between your good ideas and getting him to someone who might (have access to someone who might) be able to help. Really appreciate it.

Click to expand...

When travelling, you will have to be cautious/bossy about what people can and can't cook with. I know that sucks, but play up the pity card (he is sick after all). They cannot cook with teflon or use candles etc--- nothing chemically scented.

If you have used a heating element before and it has been okay, I would use that rather than a new thing (not saying previous use is a safe bet, but at least you know the others were okay).

No decent vet would ever clip wings without explicit permission!!!

He slipped away this afternoon at the vet. They were very sweet and sympathetic. Thanks so much for the encouragement here. I believe my son will be getting another one in a few months; we'll make sure to stay connected to this forum.

I'm very sorry for your loss.
Please throw away all soft perches, and clean everything very very well before getting a new bird..
You did the best thi g getting vet attention, I wish he could have been saved .