adopting a Galah Tomorrow in the AM

[travisraghib]

Hello All,

I'm going to be adopting a Galah tomorrow morning. We currently have one sun conure. He's 5 months old and very healthy (he's nippy but we just think he has a healthy appetite for human skin LOL) any who I'm setting up her quarantine zone tomorrow in the living room (toothless our sunny will be staying in our bedroom where we spend a the majority of our time) while we have her checked out by a vet.

The Galah: She's 4 years old and grossly over weight. She's been very neglected for at least 3 months. Doesn't look like the cage has been cleaned in a year. They keep her outside. They only feed her sunflower seeds and (the most horrible of all) there were no toys in her cage The plumage at the base of her neck is looking a bit shaggy but she doesn't look like she's chewing.. yet. She was relatively active when we went to see her it was sunset so she was flapping and sending out her flock call. She didn't appear sick but I know they hide it well.

I have a ton of questions sorry!!! I'm just trying to prepare myself!

1. she's really over weight - they only fed her sun flower seeds; will I need to wean her from this diet?

2. The cage she's being kept in is pretty rusty and there is a dark redish brown spot on her beak I assume from climbing the rusty cage. Should I be worried?

3. Her vent was SLIGHTLY matted. not terrible but it was there. Should I be concerned?

4. the skin around her eyes was begging to turn yellow in humans this means jaundice - coupled with her distended abdomen and extremely fatty diet does this mean liver failure? Liver Disease / Fatty Liver: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment Options as well as Prevention

5. Timing - should i go straight to the vet with her? or bring her home first? she is flighted (doesn't like flying mostly walks around) Doesnt look like she's bathed in the last month or so when should I try to help her into a bath? she needs one terribly.

6. Quarantine: How long and how OCD should I be about it? Can I walk my sunny through the room she's in? I wish I had an extra room for her but sadly I don't.

7. Can anyone provide some sort of resource for rescuing parrots? some sort of protocol?

Cheers!
Thanks in advance

 

[Von1983]

Hi, welcome to the forum!

1. she's really over weight - they only fed her sun flower seeds; will I need to wean her from this diet? No wonder the poor girly is overweight! sunflower seeds are like us feeding a toddler chips every day! A good pellet diet such as Harrisons, along with a FEW seeds and nuts is recommended. Not to mention a lot of fruit and veg.

2.The cage she's being kept in is pretty ruish brown spot on her beak I assume from climbing the rusty cage. Should I be worried? If you are going to (I hope you will!) buy her a nice big new cage then this should fade in time.

3. Her vent was SLIGHTLY matted. not terrible but it was there. Should I be concerned? To be brutally honest, one of the most basic tips given to people buying birds is to avoid if there are any signs off ill health by the vent. A vet check would certainly help with diagnosis. It could be the poor diet, it could be something else....

4. the skin around her eyes was begging to turn yellow in humans this means jaundice - coupled with her distended abdomen and extremely fatty diet does this mean liver failure? Liver Disease / Fatty Liver: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment Options as well as Prevention

It certainly doesn't sound too healthy. I'm not a vet and can't diagnose, but it does sound like you would be taking on a poor bird in quite poor health.

5. Timing - should i go straight to the vet with her? or bring her home first? she is flighted (doesn't like flying mostly walks around) Doesnt look like she's bathed in the last month or so when should I try to help her into a bath? she needs one terribly. Absolutely! This poor girl sounds like she has the potential incredibly poorly, and you shouldn't commit to anything until you know the state of play. If you do decide to take her on, it may prove expensive. A new cage and all new equipment, numourous trips to the AV and I would guess a lot of meds - maybe even for life. It would take a strong bank balance, a lot of understanding and a heck of a lot of knowledge.

6. Quarantine: How long and how OCD should I be about it? Can I walk my sunny through the room she's in? I wish I had an extra room for her but sadly I don't. When you say you don't have an extra room, does this mean that your sun conure will be in contact with this bird? Your home is so small that you all breath the same air as it were? That being the case, to be blunt, is not quarantine. Quarantine involves in this case, probably at least 60 days with full change of clothes and shower between visits to birds. With a bird that sounds this sick, I personally would have to admit defeat because I couldn't risk my girls life in that manner. If I could have the gallah off site then it would be different, but to be honest if you are talking doing it in a small apartment for eg. with a healthy sun and a sick gallah, then you really will be playing Russian Roulette.

7. Can anyone provide some sort of resource for rescuing parrots? some sort of protocol? Being honest as I have been through this entire post....if you need to ask this, I don't think your in the position to help this poorly bird. I admire your heart very much for wanting to take in this bird but you will be risking your own birds health by doing so. If I am to be brutally honest, wait until you have a bigger home, know more about parrots and how to care for ill ones, arm yourself with all the knowledge you can and be 100% certain you know exactly what you are getting into. If you take on this bird, it could be catostrophic for both the gallah and your sun.

I'm sorry if that sounds harsh, but I am just answering from what you've given me to go on. I hope you will make the right decision and leave this one. I know it will be awful to walk away.

If not, I will hope against hope that this bird has nothing that can be passed onto your sun and that you are able to offer a lifetime commitment to the gallah.

Good luck.

 

[greycloud]

I won't answer all your questions, just the ones concerning me. First, you will have to wean her onto a new diet. However, she may take to it great because she is desperate for new foods.
I am very concerned about the rust on the cage and her beak. She could have metal toxicity poisoning. This can be fetal to her. New cage right away and right to the vet for testing.
Messy feathers around the vent could be due to her diet, bacterial infection, disease. She needs a vet check ASAP!
Honestly, this sounds like it could be dangerous to your sun. The only way to correctly quarantine is to have separate air flow, wash everything, bird quarantined for at least 30-60 days.
I know you mean well but this bird has many issues. You could ask to have the bird vetted and keep at the original home till results are in. In the meantime purchase some toys for her out of the goodness of your heart. JMHO.

 

[Spiritbird]

Oh my are you biting off a big chunk. I am always preaching about adopting birds instead of buying from a breeder. I agree with all that has been so wisely said, especially the part about the vet visit first. After a vet visit you may not want the bird in your home. I am currently keeping a small bird in quarantine in a 1 bedroom apt. and it is not the greatest situation. If a bird is really sick as this one sounds then you do need a better home situation for quarantine. As much as this bird needs you, please consider the welfare on your resident bird at home.

 

[mellykyitus]

i adopted an over weight 4 year old gallah. he was fed on an all seed diet, i gradually weaned him off by adding a handful of sunflower seeds inti his pellet mix and getting him onto fresh foods by grating carrots finely oer his pellets. he's now lost some weight and is looking much better and looks forward to his veggie.
sounds like this galah has got more serious problem, with the yellow and high fat it does sound like liver problems.
i have a friend who rescues parrots and currently has 110 of them, she uses a disenfectant called F10, its safe for animals and birds, not onlly cleaning cages but diluted she sprays her birds (it says on the bottle its safe to do this) it heals every infection! she's never had an infectious outbreak and swera is cos of this stuff. its in a cream form to that she uses on the birds that self mutilate, it clears up there wounds beautifully.
good luck with whatever you decide, my rocky was worth taking a chance on, he's part of the family.