Giving medication

If you've read my other post, you'll know that Yoshi's bacteria is a little out of balance. Now I have to give him two different medications once a day for 2 weeks. He is scared of the syringes and doesn't like being toweled. Once he's better I will work on these things, but for now it is really hard to get him his medication. I feel like I'm losing trust with him because of toweling and forcing something he is scared of into his beak. I wouldn't feel quite as bad if I could give him both medications at the same time, but since they are pro and anti biotics, they have to be given an hour apart.

For now I'm keeping the towel and both syringes near him when he's out, but I don't think that's going to work fast enough. I'm pretty sure he already has associated bad experiences with being toweled between living at the pet store for 8 months and the recent visit to the vet.

Are there any other way I could give him the medication that won't scare him?

i think the best will be to ask your vet to do it in front of you once at least so that you can learn how he do it safely. its better to make him take medication then worsening the condition

another option would be ask your vet for stuff like avicalm

another option would be asking your vet for medication which can be given with food or water if possible alternate is available for it

I watched the vet give it, she toweled Yoshi and put the syringe in his beak. I could tell he really didn't like it though. I will obviously continue giving him the medicine however I can, but I would like a better way that won't scare him so much.

One of the medications is a gel and it comes in a pretty big syringe. I tried putting on his food, but he could there was something different and didn't eat it. I ended up putting it on my finger and letting him lick it off, since he nibbles on my finger all the time. I still had to towel him though because he won't sit still long enough to get all of the medication.

Sorry to hear of this uneasy time.

Pretend to use the syringe on yourself. My bird is more open to things if he sees us try it first, that way it will tickle his curiosity.

I don't know if this will develop behavioral disorders but maybe you can hold his beak as if one would regurgitate food in it. Then introduce the syringe? Seems weird but sometimes when I'm rubbing Boomer's beak with my thumb and index finger, he'd make happy sounds then bob his head up and down while his beaks are in between my finger. Almost like his mimicking getting fed by his parents. He wasnt hungry but it might have been a comfort thing.

I really don't know if that would help, but it's worth a shot...

I wouldn't have enough hands for that. Yoshi will do a similar thing when I rub his beak, but if I brought the syringe near him he would run away. So I'd need another hand to hold him still or towel him.

I know this wont work for many medications... but i mix pickles with juice on a spoon and he happily licks all of it off... He is familiar with spoons though cause he sometimes gets little pieces of what i might be eating, and its probable that he was handfed with a spoon given his attitude. He also hates being restrained.

Honestly, what I did with Merlin when he started clocking on that it was just yucky meds in the syringe was to put some blended food in one syringe (that he loooves) and then the meds in another and just swap them out. (Giving the yummy one more often) that way he can get used to the idea that the syringe is yummy and not always bad.

+ I recommend trying this with him now whilst trying to give him meds, yummy syringe first. Just let him come over, play with it, nibble the end of the syringe and get a taste for whats in it. I'm sure it wont be too much longer for him to get the idea that it's nice. and then you can have the two syringes ready, 2 yummy for every 1 yucky medicine.

You could ask your vet if you could hold off on the probiotic, if you think toweling him twice an hour apart is too much. The antibiotic is essential, the pro-biotic may or may not help keep the antibiotic from depleting the good bacteria, but IMO it's not nearly as essential.

I'd suggest trying to "make up" with him as soon as possible after the toweling. I had to medicate Blanco when we first got him, and he wasn't very fond of it either. Got over it. Also, try not to expect him to be upset. If you are strongly influenced by feeling guilty and expecting him to be unhappy, you may behave differently, and that may in turn influence his behavior. I'm convinced people who report upset birds after clipping them are producing a self-fulfilling prophecy, and that could happen here as well. If you are lucky he'll be upset with the towel, not you, if anything!

He still seems to trust me, but when he sees the towel or syringe he'll run. I tried giving it to him like the video, but once I have him sitting still, he won't open his beak. He'll chew on my fingers when I'm holding him still, but then I can't get the syringe in there while he's got my fingers.... Like I said before, I don't have enough hands.

Just do as you are doing. That is good. Give a very coveted treat after you medicate your little one. That helps. Make sure it is ready to offer as soon as you are done with the meds.
Ask the vet if you can give the pro-biotic after the other med is finished.When I have given it that is what I did. Helps rebuild the good stuff after the other is done killing off everything.
Since toweling twice a day an hour apart is a stretch.

JMHO... and I know there are at least two members here that will argue against me on this, but as a general rule injectablr antibiotics are easier, less stressful, and you don't have to be concerned about probiotics (although a round after the injectables are done is always a good idea). Most of the virds we give injections to will not flinch and don't even have to be toweled. The vet can sgow you, it's very simple and much more effective. I'm guessing your bird is on something like ciproflaxin orally? (The vets usual immediate go to ). Just ask to change over to enroflaxin (aka baytril). Obviously if you aren't comfortable even trying then just finish out the oral and ideally you should continue the probiotic (especially in the case of a 14 day treatment). On a side note... I've never had a bird hold a grudge for long over a two week course of meds. According to tge date by now you probably have this down to a science. Good luck

Yes, I have figured out a better way to do it. The probiotic is a gel that he has learned to like so he'll just nibble at it right out of the tube. He used to be scared of the tube, so I started by putting it on my finger and letting him eat it off my finger. He learned pretty quick that the yummy stuff is coming out of the tube and now eats it straight out of there. The antibiotic I put tiny drops onto his pellets and hand feed him one at a time until he gets the dose he needs.

I hope this will help someone else, because it was rough the first couple days before I figured it out.