Breakthrough with my older Zon!!

[LoveMyConlan]

So today I took my rescue RLA, Happy, to get her nails trimmed by my avian groomer. Mind you she has vision issues due to cataracts.

While it's true she seems to prefer men she was stepping up onto hands with only a few minor pinch bites. While we did have to wrap her in a towel to do her nails, much to her loud protests, she got to sit around with some of the other birds on her own stand with people walking around her.

She was singing away and happy as could be after a good soaking.

It was amazing to see the guys there pick her up, she even lifted her foot a few times asking to be held.


When Happy is on my arm she tends to grab and pinch skin. However today, the groomer picked her up her hand and held her thumb over Happy's toes to steady her. And wouldn't you know it, Happy was sitting pretty for over 20 minutes chattering away!!! No fuss!

My groomer recommend that instead of using my bare arm, keep using a towel or wear something with extra grip for her to hold onto to. Or use my hand instead. She seems to think Happy has arthritis in her feet and recommended that at her next appointment having her walk flat footed instead of leaving her on her perch. I've seen her stumble when she flat footed but always though it was do to not being able to see clearly. She has never had any swelling in the legs/toes so my vet never though about an x-ray to go with her labs.

My groomer told me to imagine someone placing Dark mesh over my eyes, having bad balance, and being stuck on a teater totter. Due to the stiffness and aches she doesn't feel confident on her grip, making her more likely to use her mouth to steady herself. And as she was never pressure trained that means big ouch! Add that to the fact she can't see and any sudden movements cause a fear response.

I never even thought about it. She hangs upside down in her cage, and is always sure footed on her perches... But everything is textued! Rope, sand perches, rough grape vine.... She's OK. But place her flat foot or on something super wide/thin and she has problems.

Mind you, when I got her she had 1 perch. 1 tiny toy. Crappy food and spent at least the last 8 years in that cage 24/7. Vet send to think she's between 40-50 years of age.

So now that I know how to make her feel more secure with stepping up, I can work on getting her to do it on command

I feel like a total idiot for not connecting the dots earlier but at least now I can hopefully get her back on track.

 

[Flboy]

Great advice! Your baby may benefit with a glucosamine, MSM, chondroitin fid version supplement! The stuff is a Godsend for me, 4 days without and I start to limp! FYI, there is a liquid version available in feed and grain stores for horses, you just have to do some math to come up with the doses.

 

[LoveMyConlan]

I will most definitely look into that for her thank you!!

 

[GaleriaGila]

Halleloooooooooooooooooooooooooyah!

 

[wrench13]

making Happy more happy. Good on ya!

 

[SailBoat]

Huge smile here regarding your older Zon!

If your Zon will allow a little foot play, do so! A soft rub, more for warming than to work muscles or joints. Work at this slowly to build a comfort in your doing this soft smooth rub. Soft loving voice helps with relaxing your Zon at the same time!

Now, while you are doing this, look closely at each toe and note, which ones maybe stiff or thin or overly large, bumpy, or vary along length. This will help define specific areas to look at as part of an X-ray.

You gotta Love the breakthrough! Know that more are coming, with time and Love!

 

[Kentuckienne]

How great! She must be in heaven compared to before.

I had a heated perch for out 'zon that he loved in winter. I put it up higher in the cage to encourage him to try it, and I think the heat might feel good on old foot bones. Plus keep the whole bird warm if she's less active. And he loved having his feet gently massages. I was never allowed to head scratch, but a foot rub would be grudgingly tolerated.

 

[LoveMyConlan]

She LOVES a good head scratch from me, no one else though. She's cranky with her feet but I'll give the messages a try I've heard conflicting stories with the heated perches. I'd be afraid she would get burnt.

I just never thought about it because when my vet did her initial exam he looked her feet over for sores and flexed her toes with no issue.

We are going to keep her nails a bit longer than normal to try to help her grip but we'll maintain them so they don't overgrow.

At her next appt fire her exam and labs I'll have him do an x-ray.