Twitchy Twitch

Last ongoing thread, I promise. Only cause he's my last bird. Anyway, this is Twitch. He is a lutino Lineolated parakeet. He was bred by a friend of mine, but started exhibiting neurological symptoms soon after hatching. Many of the symptoms were similar to stargazing, but not entirely. Especially when you factor in him having a significant lack of use of his left leg.

He still gets around his cage just fine. The vet said as long as he eats and drinks, he'll probably always just be a little "different". I don't really have many pictures of Twitch because I have to be careful when he is out with me. One other thing he doesn't do well, although he is not clipped, is fly. Best way to describe it is like a plane with only one engine. Poor Twitch. That sure doesn't stop him from trying though. He is either climbing all over, trying to fly somewhere, squirming out of my hands to get into stuff, or running off the edge of a table. Imagine a two year old with a jet pack and you have Twitch.

Toddler with jet-pack...

Well, I am just so grateful that you are caring for him. What a little miracle. I hope he goes on being "special" for a long and happy time.

I had to look up the stargazing term. For others of you who also may not know... it's also called ataxia, or twirling...
https://www.beautyofbirds.com/stargazing.html

Stargazing is also a lot more common in finches, and very rarely seen in parrots at all. IF it is, it is usually in lovebirds. So there is really not a whole lot of information to go on as far as what helps or what doesn't, if anything really does.

OutlawedSpirit said:

Stargazing is also a lot more common in finches, and very rarely seen in parrots at all. IF it is, it is usually in lovebirds. So there is really not a whole lot of information to go on as far as what helps or what doesn't, if anything really does.

Click to expand...

Such a pretty boy Twitch is! He looks to be very content and comfy sitting in your hand. Happy to know that you are taking such good care of the "special" little guy :60: Thank you for the post/picture!





Jim

I caught a couple pretty funny pictures of little Twitch this morning when I was getting everyone's breakfast ready. He was laying under this angled perch that I have in his cage in the hopes that it would encourage him to climb a little more, and he was fighting with it while laying on his back. It doesn't look like it because of the angle of the picture, but he was actually underneath it, chewing on it while he was yelling at it. He thinks he's so tough, it's so cute!

He's like a little baby rolling on his back and chewing his toes!!!!!!!!!!

So Twitch has always gotten around his cage fairly well, although he has never really been able to perch on a traditional perch. I still have a couple in his cage, but he also has platform perches and a hammock, which is his favorite place to hangout, when he's not in one of his food bowls.



However, for the past week or so, I've noticed that he has started actually moving his bad leg somewhat. This morning, I caught him actually perching on a perch! He wasn't there for very long, but it is definitely a start! I'm not sure if something I'm doing is helping him or if it is just a spontaneous recovery but I couldn't be happier. As a bit of a side note, it has been noticed that birds born with stargazing will sometimes spontaneously partially or fully recover.

I've never heard of Stargazing in birds, only snakes. Toddler with a jetpack

Maybe your TLC and special care you are giving him is motivating him to show you exactly what he is capable of doing. Keep doing what your doing and a big Thank You for doing whatever it is!




Jim

Twitch is doing amazingly well! He has pretty much completely regained the use of his bad leg, enough that he will now not only perch, he'll even hang from one toy while he plays with another! I couldn't be happier with his progress.

I've always loved linnies, but he is my first. He is such a little character too. In some ways he reminds me of a parrotlet, he thinks he's ferocious, but then again, he's much calmer. I just love my little Twitchy.

Twitch is super adorable Such a little fighter by the sounds of it. Love hearing about his determined attitude to enjoy life to the fullest.

Beautiful baby!


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