The troubles and joys of going on vacation!

Dinosrawr

New member
Aug 15, 2013
1,587
8
Saskatoon, SK, Canada
Parrots
Avery, a GCC born on March 5th, 2013 & Shiko, a blue IRN born on February 25th, 2014
I just recently got home after a two week long vacation to see family and friends that I haven't seen in a year - it was amazing! Aside from worrying about the birds every day. Living two provinces away and owning birds makes it very difficult to go on vacation :rolleyes:. I was actually worried that when I returned both Avery and Shiko would give me the cold shoulder after all the progress my boyfriend's father had made with them while we were gone. Avery has always had a good bond with him and Shiko adjusted to him swimmingly once we left, so silly me kept worrying to my boyfriend that I'd be forgotten and ignored.

As soon as we walk in the door on a normal day the birds generally squawk for us and flock call us, but when we got home they were actually very quiet (to my dismay). So when we did go down, I was a bit apprehensive of how I should approach them. Well, I opened up both their cages and Avery was DESPERATE to get to my shoulder! She was chirping away and so happy I was back and she gave me some great neck cuddles, which she isn't very prone to doing :D. Then Shiko crawled up his cage and jumped onto Brendon's shoulder and kept running underneath his chin to be cuddled. It was so sweet! Brendon then had to go upstairs to bring the rest of our luggage down, and I stayed down with the birds. I gave Avery to Brendon's dad and took Shiko, and he BURROWED into my hair and I kid you not, cooed and sat there for an hour just wanting to be loved and cuddled! I couldn't believe how much they actually missed us! I felt so loved :eek:! At one point of time he was so burrowed into my hair that all your could see is his bright orange beak! :p.

I seriously wish I had gotten some photos, but I was so preoccupied with giving him cuddles and love that I didn't even think twice about anything else.

Absolute adorableness aside, Shiko is officially WAY underweight. I was worried about him before I left because he dropped from 123g to 118g, and when I weighed him this morning he was at 110g. I have a vet appointment booked for him for Monday, so not too far away, but I'm still worried. The weird thing is that he's eating normally, drinking normally, he's completely active and is showing no behaviour that would lead me to believe he's ill (hence the immediate call to the vet :eek: - rather be safe than sorry!). Even his droppings are normal. The only thing I could guess is wrong is that he has some kind of bacterial infection that's taking his energy away from putting on weight and all towards fighting it off. I don't know where he got it from or how, but it's all I can conclude at the moment.

Do you guys know any ideas that I can try to keep weight on him for the next three days before the vet visit? I really don't want him to drop any further. He eats well, but he just doesn't put weight on well anymore. :( I'm pretty much convinced that the next time I go on vacation I'm going to have to bring the birds with me, otherwise I'll worry to death :eek:.
 
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Dinosrawr

Dinosrawr

New member
Aug 15, 2013
1,587
8
Saskatoon, SK, Canada
Parrots
Avery, a GCC born on March 5th, 2013 & Shiko, a blue IRN born on February 25th, 2014
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  • #3
He's actually not a huge fan of sunflower seeds, but he really likes pinenuts so I've being giving him quite a lot. Just not so much that he tosses his food and strictly wants nuts and seed, which I'd like to prevent if possible. I've given him rice that he really xhowed down on, but perhaps I'll make a quick mash tonight with pasta and rice with veggies. Thanks for the suggestion!
 

Jayyj

New member
Apr 28, 2013
735
2
UK
Parrots
Alice - Galah cockatoo
I had a holiday away from the pets a few weeks back and had Alice glued to the side of my head for about six hours the day I got back - no way was that bird letting me out of her sight! She kept craning her neck forward so she could see my face, with a heartbreaking 'It is really you, isn't it? Only I thought you'd gone for good' expression. Poor little thing! She gets a full time sitter if I do go away and I know he spoils her rotten so I'm not going to feel too bad about it...
 
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Dinosrawr

Dinosrawr

New member
Aug 15, 2013
1,587
8
Saskatoon, SK, Canada
Parrots
Avery, a GCC born on March 5th, 2013 & Shiko, a blue IRN born on February 25th, 2014
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #5
hahahaha! It's funny how they react when you come back. Sometimes they couldn't care, other times it's like they've finally been reunited with their soulmate after being separated for 10 long years or something. It's adorable. Alice sounds like such a cute girl, she must really love you!
 

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