Change in the old boy

Cindymcm

New member
Nov 27, 2016
32
1
Wellington, New Zealand
Parrots
Syd, one 65yr old Sulphur Crested Cockatoo
And now Zak, 24yr old Sulphur Crested Cockatoo
So I have an old sulphur crested boy who is around his mid 60's. In November he got quite sick, his crop wouldn't work so he was vomiting up seeds and was just quite miserable. I took him too the only avian vet we have here who ran a few tests and managed to get our local avian vet from the Zoo involved. He flushed out his crop, did a blood test and xrays and while he was knocked out they did a pedicure too as he won't let me do it. The Zoo vet had a look at him and thought he was too fat, he weighed 1.2kgs (2.64lb) and wanted him to lose 400gs. Unfortunately the tests didn't show anything apart from arthritis in his feet and wings. So given his weight and a clotting issue they noticed when getting the bloods we decided to treat for early fatty liver disease because it wouldn't hurt him if it wasn't that.

New diet of Roudybush pellets, veges and fruit. No more sunflower seeds which has been interesting. He did not was to change his diet so that was a slow progress. And one day I forgot to shut his door properly and he got out of his cage. Last time this happened he redecorated my coffee table, book case and curtains. But this time he focused on the bag of sunflower seeds and pigged out. Oops. 2/3 months down the track and he is a totally different bird. He now wants to come out of his cage, previously he would just slam the door shut. He is more mobile although i now understand why he moves like his does and why he won't get onto my arm like he use to 20 years ago. But the biggest change is him talking. He would say a few things when i was growing up and last year all he would say is night night, nothing else. He now says everything he use to say, hello Syd, night night, woof woof and silly old bastard and screeches more. He is also very cuddly now and unfortunately a bit bitey so that is a new thing to work on.

I can only put it down to taking him off sunflower seeds and moving to pellets, I always gave him veges anyway but he main food was sunflower seeds. And the vet didn't give anything extra. So yay for low fat Roudybush pellets. This is the bird I remember growing up with :)
 

GaleriaGila

Well-known member
Parrot of the Month 🏆
May 14, 2016
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Cleveland area
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The Rickeybird, 38-year-old Patagonian Conure
What a wonderful story!

Yeah sunflower seeds in excess are pretty much junk-food...

I use Harrison's pellets plus fresh stuff, daily, for the last 25+ years...

Good luck to you and the ol' dude. He makes even the Rickeybird sound like a youngster!
 
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Cindymcm

New member
Nov 27, 2016
32
1
Wellington, New Zealand
Parrots
Syd, one 65yr old Sulphur Crested Cockatoo
And now Zak, 24yr old Sulphur Crested Cockatoo
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #3
What a wonderful story!

Yeah sunflower seeds in excess are pretty much junk-food...

I use Harrison's pellets plus fresh stuff, daily, for the last 25+ years...

Good luck to you and the ol' dude. He makes even the Rickeybird sound like a youngster!


We never knew about sunflower seeds doing that, just got told when we got him to feed that, maize and whatever else he likes, which he has a bit of a savoury taste so chips were always a favourite.

I'll get some of the videos up on youtube of him yakking away, or chasing a cat.... Even the old 16 year cat is much faster than him! hahaha
 

GaleriaGila

Well-known member
Parrot of the Month 🏆
May 14, 2016
15,059
8,781
Cleveland area
Parrots
The Rickeybird, 38-year-old Patagonian Conure
Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!!!!

I'm so proud of our geezers. The Rickeybird is still fast as lightning, but he is grouchier and holds grudges longer. He's on YouTube, too! His links are right below with my signature.
 

Scott

Supporting Member
Aug 21, 2010
32,673
9,792
San Diego, California USA, Earth, Milky Way Galaxy
Parrots
Goffins: Gabby, Abby, Squeaky, Peanut, Popcorn / Citron: Alice / Eclectus: Angel /Timneh Grey: ET / Blue Fronted Amazon: Gonzo /

RIP Gandalf and Big Bird, you are missed.
A phenomenal story of a 65 yr old cockatoo! Glad to see he has improved with age and has a better diet. Syd may be the poster-bird for the reality that genetics and other factors are quite important.
 

Eve2

New member
Jan 30, 2017
44
0
I'm so pleased for you. I had to laugh when I read he slammed his door shut, so funny.
 
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Cindymcm

New member
Nov 27, 2016
32
1
Wellington, New Zealand
Parrots
Syd, one 65yr old Sulphur Crested Cockatoo
And now Zak, 24yr old Sulphur Crested Cockatoo
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #7
I'm so pleased for you. I had to laugh when I read he slammed his door shut, so funny.

what makes it even worse is that if you ignore him doing that, he'll open the door and slam it even harder then stare at you. Funny old man.
 
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Cindymcm

New member
Nov 27, 2016
32
1
Wellington, New Zealand
Parrots
Syd, one 65yr old Sulphur Crested Cockatoo
And now Zak, 24yr old Sulphur Crested Cockatoo
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #8
A phenomenal story of a 65 yr old cockatoo! Glad to see he has improved with age and has a better diet. Syd may be the poster-bird for the reality that genetics and other factors are quite important.

Definitely the whole other factors come into it, like us too. My mum and dad also have a older 'too, maybe in his 50's (I grew up with 3 of them) so they have also changed his diet to avoid the same thing.
 

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