Multi-vitamin supplements?

After trying a million different pellet brands and fresh foods, Bella won't consume enough of anything but seed. So I'm going to try the seed/multi-vitamin route.

I plan to give Ornithon vitamin and mineral in water along with a budgie mix, sunflower will be given as a treat only (maybe 10 a day).

The instructions say to add 0.4g to 100ml of water daily. My question is if that measurement assumes the bird will drink the whole 100ml daily? because she drinks nowhere near that amount.. If thats the case I really don't know what to do!

Hi, have you consulted your AV recently in order to know how Bella is doing generally? Do you know that Alexandrines are prone to hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver disease) and lipomas (fatty tumors). They also are prone to bumble foot if they are short on vitamin A and have bad perches. Would be pleased if you seek prof advice in the first instance.

Have you tried putting the veggies and fruit in before the seed which should be low sunflower.

Uh things are complicated regarding bella's health as you probably seen in my oldish thread "Bella's first vet visit" basically she ate a lot of wood (guessing) and was diagnosed with a bunch of problems that all falls back to gizzard weakness/inflammation, I followed his recovery instructions for 8 weeks which included a bunch of supplements that repair immune and digestion with little success (losing weight slowly and hasn't perked up much). I was told she would be absorbing nutrients better and gaining weight if she was getting better.
I'm reluctant to take her back to him a 3rd time as I now feel he isn't being honest with me about her recovery options and just trying to make more money. I remember him saying to me this is easily fixable early on when I asked yet $1500 later and everything i've read and heard about birds ingesting a lot of something bad hasn't ended well or been an easy fix. There isn't even much talk about it on the net. I wouldn't care about spending that money (even though it was my savings and couldn't afford it) if she was getting better.
To answer your questions specifically, I believe her blood test showed her liver as fine and if anything she's on the thin/smaller side and yes i've put pellets or veggies first thing in the morning amoungst 10 other methods, she pecks at them a little but her weight doesn't really increase after a meal like it doe's with seeds.

Firstly I am sorry that I am not familiar with your first thread but will try and look it up. I still think you need to see an AV but go for a recommended different one if possible. I am sorry you paid a lot for no real answers or improvements. Have you tried feeding Bella by hand will she take it off a spoon, you pretend to eat some offer her some. The thing with seed is that it isnt great really. My RB2 loves seed and was fed it mostly in his first six years, when he was eight or nine he was diagnosed with FLD and enlargement. This is a big deal, he has developed further problems. He was given fresh foods also but why bother when there is seed. I now do a chop and offer fresh sprouts each day and it is mostly successful. I am the opposite to you and trying to reduce Plum's weight. When he has been very poorly I have used Harrisons High Potency mash FYI.

Just reading the previous thread and Vit D deficiency mentioned, have you a full spectrum lamp? Plum perks up after it has been used.

Also the beans in a jar the vet gave you, did you cook according to instructions, they could become a mush to hand feed? My feeling is this is a merry go round and no real progress is being made which worries me.

Have you had any dialogue with Silversage as she is very experienced and in fact breeds. Perhaps pm her and link your threads asking for her input please?
I know you feel sore relating to vets bills but if you put up your location will look for other AV's to telephone about Bella?

Links FYI https://www.beautyofbirds.com/blockedgizzard.html
written by Dr Rob Marshall whose name is on the seed mix you were given.
https://www.beautyofbirds.com/blockedgizzard.html

I do offer food by hand and have eaten infront of her, she know's it's food and will eat it but at the end of the day she doesn't eat much of the good stuff, For example after a long feed of seed and drink of water she could be 10-15g heavier but after her feed of veggies or pellets a couple grams heavier at most.. so for now she gets seed in the morning and night with pellets/fresh food in the day.
I have removed seeds totally before and she waits a long time then eats some pellets but never enough to fill her up so I end up caving in at the end of the day just so she can go to sleep full. I don't know what will happen really if I didn't cave in.
Her lack of perkiness is probably normal as she doesn't have much to play with in her cage as I've removed all the shreddable toys. When she doe's have access to shreddable toys (on her pvc stand) she does play, I'm more concerned about her loss of weight even with a big appetite.
Fresh sprouts is something i've been meaning to try and will do so asap, as for vit-D i've been letting her sit in direct sunlight for 10-15mins whenever it's sunny ever since that bloodtest result came back.
EDIT - I don't think silversage has commented after my results, this seems to be a complicated illness with not much info on the net and has left me very stressed looking for answers and yes i've read that article! I have been reccomended 2 good local vets lately (one from a breeder that had a negative experience with my vet (he said the vet knew the bird had no chance but did a bunch of expensive tests anyway) and one from where I buy bella's food) my plan is to save a little and visit one of them for a second opinion.

OK sorry just trying to help.

PS I always try and weigh Plum empty ie before breakfast and vet suggested only doing 1 x per week.

I know and appreciate the help! hopefully Bella pulls through, I mean there are some improvements too, like eating more early in the day, more consistent and healthier stools, she also used to do a little squack and lunge towards her backside which the vet said was related to stomach pain and that has stopped completely for a while now. Maybe she hasn't really lost much weight and was just bloated a good 10-15g before? I don't really know just hope at this stage!

adz1984 said:

Fresh sprouts is something i've been meaning to try and will do so asap, as for vit-D i've been letting her sit in direct sunlight for 10-15mins whenever it's sunny ever since that bloodtest result came back.
EDIT - I don't think silversage has commented after my results, this seems to be a complicated illness with not much info on the net and has left me very stressed looking for answers and yes i've read that article! I have been reccomended 2 good local vets lately (one from a breeder that had a negative experience with my vet (he said the vet knew the bird had no chance but did a bunch of expensive tests anyway) and one from where I buy bella's food) my plan is to save a little and visit one of them for a second opinion.

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I think this is needed asap IMO. I had to leave Plum at vets for 8 days earlier in year but he was in good hands. He was crop fed food and meds and came home much better. Although I was scared it was the best thing for him and he came home much better. Guessing doesnt yield results unfortunately. If funds are very tight can you borrow some, do a gofundme page as suggestions to help little Bella?

Was probiotics never mentioned?

plumsmum2005 said:

Guessing doesnt yield results unfortunately. If funds are very tight can you borrow some, do a gofundme page as suggestions to help little Bella?

Was probiotics never mentioned?

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Avian vet costs in Australia is very high and funds are tight but I'm going to do something with what I have. This new vet I was recommended is said to have much fairer prices. Probiotics were not mentioned but i 'believe' that could of been covered in the recovery diet plan I was on.

My fear is that the food Bella will eat causes different problems. Sending best wishes to you and Bella, it is not easy when they are not right.

plumsmum2005 said:

My fear is that the food Bella will eat causes different problems. Sending best wishes to you and Bella, it is not easy when they are not right.

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My fear as well, which is why I want to add vitamins to water for the time being, anyone have input on my original dosage question?