Help! Conure might of swallowed a washer.

Fortuna117 · Jan 26, 2018

The conure was playing on top of her cage.

Located on top this cage was a metal washer and nut that had came loose from her jungle gym.

She was found playing around with the nut that was loose. However, when I went to screw the nut back on the washer was missing.

Furthermore, She managed to grab another washer. When I went to grab it she flew off with it and now that washer is missing as well.

At this point we headed straight to the vet to have an xray performed.

The vet reported that the xray did not identify any signs of a washer being swallowed.

I am still worried as the washers are still missing and she has failed to create any droppings today (7 hours).

So my question is it possible for washers not to show up on an xray? What should my next course of action be?

skipberry10 · Jan 26, 2018

keep monetizing her every so often, and sending the best of luck!

SailBoat · Jan 26, 2018

Assuming we are taking about a metal washer. In the Xray it would show-up as a bright white, beyond that of bone. Whether the washer was on its side, at an angle or flat, it would have been beyond obvious without adding back lighting.

So, if it was a metal washer, it is not in the Parrot!

Fortuna117 · Jan 26, 2018

SailBoat said:
its side, at an angle or flat, it would have been beyond obvious without adding back lighting.

That was my major concern.

Because as she attempted to swallow the last washer she flipped the washer on its side. Therefore, a concern was if the xray was taking at the right angle it would not appear on the scans.

If all else it was great drill and showed that I was unprepared for such an emergency.

Because I only managed to find an emergency response vet who did not specialise on avians.

Kiwibird · Jan 27, 2018

You were right to get an x-ray but it is very unlikely your bird swallowed the washer and much more likely she flung it. Being a small, thin piece of metal it has most likely just lodged itself somewhere difficult to see. Despite the horror stories of (hungry) wild birds ingesting non-food items and isolated cases of pet birds doing so, it is actually quite rare for our well-fed pet parrots to swallow non-food items, especially non-food items that would be large enough to necessitate deliberate swallowing like a washer. Parrot beaks and tongues are very dexterous, skilled exploration tools for them and they don't eat non-food items unless they're starving so accidentally swallowing something they didn't intend to or desiring to eat a piece of metal would really be a one in a million chance (and even less likely odds she swallowed it but it didn't turn up on x-ray).

LordTriggs · Jan 27, 2018

I would be beyond surprised if she did swallow it. Especially as the xray showed nothing. You'd be amazed at how something like a washer or a bolt can just disappear into a parallel pocket dimension when dropped on the floor.

It would be very obvious without xray if it was swallowed as she would be trying to dislodge it. More likely she is pooping, you just aren't seeing it

Help! Conure might of swallowed a washer.

Fortuna117

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skipberry10

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