Constantly Fluffed

Edit: I see that people are reading this. I'm not trying to be demanding but I'm worried for my baby. If you know anything please respond. It's too late in the night for me to take Tsuki to the vet or call anyone. I'm turning to this site for at least a small answer.

Something strange has been happening with Tsuki and I don't really understand it. I ran out of pellets yesterday, I'm planning to go out and get some more tomorrow but for the time being I've been feeding him more fruits and veg to make up for the loss of pellets.

Ever since he stopped eating the pellets, he's been constantly fluffed up. He hasn't been as active and just wants to cuddle. It's confusing. It can't be because he's cold, it's Summer where I am right now. I refresh the fruit and veg every day and give smaller amounts of fresh veg over night.

I'm so confused on what's happening.
Does anyone have any ideas?

My first thought is it might be your batch of food. Are you sure he ate fresh fruits/veggies (not slightly old ones that might have hints of going bad) and did you wash them well?

I'm quite paranoid - if something is off for more than two feeding sessions, then I haul Cairo to the vet. Especially since birds do their best to hide their symptoms.

Sure, he might not be taking well to the switch of diet, but it shouldn't be this severe. How's his droppings? They're going to change slightly without pellets, but it shouldn't look too far off from normal.

In the meantime, I'd keep him warm until you can bring him to a vet, keep an eye on anything that's slightly off, and brainstorm for any other things that might have caused this (new item in the house, someone used something they shouldn't have, any hidden wound or lump)

charmedbyekkie said:

My first thought is it might be your batch of food. Are you sure he ate fresh fruits/veggies (not slightly old ones that might have hints of going bad) and did you wash them well?

I'm quite paranoid - if something is off for more than two feeding sessions, then I haul Cairo to the vet. Especially since birds do their best to hide their symptoms.

Sure, he might not be taking well to the switch of diet, but it shouldn't be this severe. How's his droppings? They're going to change slightly without pellets, but it shouldn't look too far off from normal.

In the meantime, I'd keep him warm until you can bring him to a vet, keep an eye on anything that's slightly off, and brainstorm for any other things that might have caused this (new item in the house, someone used something they shouldn't have, any hidden wound or lump)

Click to expand...

I've been feeding him fresh fruit and veg. His droppings are usually green but they've turned brown and are more wet than usual.
He's just started to defluff when stretching or when surprised, but after he just goes immediately fluffy and just wants to climb up and snuggle into my neck. I can scoop him up in my hands without any complaints other than a quiet chirp which is unusual. Should I try to stay up all night until I can take him to the vet? I'm paranoid because one of my friends had a green cheek that after going on a straight fresh fruit and veg diet started fluffing up then passed away over night. I want to stay up with him but I don't want to accidentally fall asleep on him.

I might try tossing your current batch of chop - it might have gone bad without you knowing. Fruits/Veg diet won't kill a bird, but something that wasn't washed of pesticides, contamination, etc might.

If he's acting that off (no complaints about being picked up when normally he puts up a struggle, etc), take him to the vet asap. My Cairo did the same thing (but he was also vomiting), and we're lucky he survived.

Just keep him in his cage where he normally sleeps, keep the temperature warm, and keep him calm.

I'm sure others with more experience will chime in. I'm also hyper-concerned simply because Cairo was so ill so recently.

Wet dropping can be normal with veggies and fruits, or it is real diarrhea. He could have already been sick, and it is just coincidence that he looks fluffed now. He doesn't need fruit though, mostly veggies and leafy greens. No one can know if he will be ok till you can get him to the vet, but I think he will. You can give a little cooked pasta. All those fruits could upset the tummy, and change the gastric Flora, as he was eating pellets before. You can feed a half teaspoon live culture yogurt get the low sugar and no artificial sweeteners kind, read the label for live culture. I feed this about three times a week. I'm sorry it is hard to worry about our babies overnight when waiting to get to the vet. I hope it something easy like a yeast overgrowth. Most of your earlier views might have been guests who couldn't respond. We wouldn't ignore you , when you have a sick one and are worried!

it could be that your little guy has been unwell for a while and is only just showing it now. Deffo get to a Certified Avian Vet in the morning for a gram stain and some bloodwork to be 100% sure what is ailing him. Just keep him comfy and calm for the night, I wouldn't run around now as all you will do is stress yourself.

Just to try to help rule out the food (I think this may be something he's had for a while but like all birds has hidden it) and also to offer my 2cents of advice, What fruits and veggies are you feeding him? You could have a toxic one in there by mistake. Also when you say you 'refresh the fruit and veg every day' do you mean you leave the fruit an veg all day? Having been chopped up the fruit and veg will go bad in that time, really chopped fruit and veg should only be in the cage for like an hour before getting removed. Leafy veg will keep for a bit longer but not much. Also if you do leave food in overnight, I would stop immediately both to stop it going bad and also it can really help if you do a morning training session to get him more motivated for 'performing'

Appropriate appendages are crossed your little guy gets better soon

I am awaiting to her your update after the vet visit!!! Fingers crossed you get great help!!

If you're interested in an additional or second vet opinion, I did a little Googling, and there are apparently a few.
I'm so sorry for this situation. Obviously you love your bird. And I really appreciate your determination.
The vet visit is so important!!!!!!!!!!! The other stuff can be finessed/worked out, but if it's something critical and medical..


Best of luck to you!

Does he have a permanent sugar-high now?

If you feed a lot of fruit ... he gets all the fast sugars and not the normal slow released ones he is used to from the pellets.
Even in Australia they have bread right?
(of brown rice, sweet potato etc.)
(Or even feed seeds...)


Get some slower (starches) in his system as well, and keep giving veggies but cut down on the fruit.




With the loss of pellets he lost a lot of the more slow metabolizing solids- so no wonder his system is having adjustment issues.

About 4 months ago, my sister's 24 yr old umbrella 'too was fine one day, and fluffed at the bottom of the cage the next on a Saturday morning. I called the avian vet for hours of operation and described Koko's symptoms. We were told to bring her in immediately.

She spent the next 7 days in intensive care for metal poisoning. She almost died.

We finished her treatment with injections in her breast at home and oral medication. The xray showed metal flakes in her gizzard. This was explained that it could have come from her cage where the powder coating chips at the ends where birds tend to chew, free-roaming chewing on things we didn't notice, etc. Could've been many months or more building up.

Not saying this is what's wrong, but this is why a vet is so important right away. It COULD be this important.



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