Neurological Disorders due to poor nutrition?

[Total_Dejavu]

As some may already know, I acquired an abused/neglected Meyer's about a week ago. Of all the issues, neurological issues due to poor diet seem to be the worst of them. This being my first Meyer's, from what I've read they seem to be slightly top heavy, but his balance is extremely bad. The Vet has examined him and his vitals appear to be okay, etc.

He's on a good diet now and since I can't take him outdoors, I have his cage in a window where the sun shines in almost all day. I know it's not the same as natural, but it's the best I can do unless I get a harnas. He startles very easy so I have to be very careful when I have him out. He can't balance well on my shoulder and he rocks on my hand. He doesn't do this in his cage so maybe he's not use to being handled? He was previously confined to a small cage so he lives in a large cage now. He does well with it. No falls in or on top.

Does anyone know if the neurological damage is permanent or will it get better with time? He's approx. 4 years. I have another vet appt. planned, but was wondering if anyone had any info on this condition? I tried researching, but wasn't having much luck. Any info would be great. Thanks as always.

 

[Conuregirl]

can he hold stuff easily? maybe you need to work on strength talon exercises to rehabilitate him. as far neuro disorders go, it could either be genetic, environmental substances, or lack of dietary nutrition. i think that is really hard to analayze besides getting his blood lab work done. i hope the avian vet is knowledgeable about what to order from the lab.

good luck! i'm sure he will turn around quickly once he's better adjusted with you and his new routine. does he have trouble perching? you could get a platform perch that has a flat surface so he can stretch his feet.

 

[Total_Dejavu]

He holds things well and isn't clumsy in doing so. Strength training is a really good suggestion. I didn't even think about that. It's my opinion that he didn't get out much before he came to live with me. He came in a parakeet cage and I was told that he was in an even smaller one prior. It's my understanding that a breeder had him the first 3 years of his life. Who really knows....

He seems fine on perches and I was just looking at corner perches on eBay. You must have read my mind lol

 

[greycloud]

Have they done blood work to test for heavy metal poisoning? This is one of the most common reasons for neurological symptoms. There is a few others but I don't want to touch there yet.

 

[Total_Dejavu]

No blood work yet. I took him to the Vet the day after getting him and they decided to wait so as not to stress him further, long drive home, new food, new surroundings, and the drive there, etc. He is missing all the feathers under his wings and around his neck. I just wondered if the damage is permanent or if he could overcome some of the neglect. We've done a fecal so waiting on the results from that

 

[Conuregirl]

my bird oliver had trouble perching on my hand and shoulder when i first got him. he was with a rescue for months and wasn't handle. he was really aggro before so they would let me him out of his cage but no one ever pet him or picked him up.

when he finally learned who i was and got used to me, he was really clumsy on my hand and shoulder. he had to learn how to perch there and get used to my movement. also, he is still pretty skittish and has to tendency to be shy or scared. i think that has a lot to do with my bird's perching issues. now is quite comfy with me and loves scratches!

 

[lizardsmells]

I suggest getting a cheap, folding wire dog crate and sticking a few rope perches in it for outdoor time. (even just 15 minutes a day would do him a lot of good) He really does need that UVA/UVB light to be healthy. Filtered sunlight isn't doing him any good. If outside isn't an option there are full spectrum bulbs you can buy that will go in any standard ballast light fixture.

The only neurologically damaged parrot I've ever dealt with is a blue and gold at the rescue who is permanently brain damaged after, IIRC, being in a house where they were cooking meth. All the fumes fried his little brain. He's difficult to handle (he doesn't bite, he just doesn't understand why your hands need to be on him or what's going on) and absolutely never adoptable. Although I'd take him in a heartbeat because I'm a sucker for a lost cause. (My dating history is a pretty clear indicator )

 

[Oedipussrex]

*In reading the following please not i am a student, not an expert, i'm just sharing what resources are available to me*

From the sounds of it he isn't coming from a nice background. at all.
Poor diet, a restricted area, little social interaction for a social animal, (i only hope he was kept properly clean) are all environmental stressors capable of inducing a stress response, and when put together are not like adding the effects, but more like multiplying them. once the stressors continue past the initial reaction phase and become 'chronic' stress inducers there is capacity for an animal to experience secondary or even tertiary stress responses (with the quarternary response being death). All sorts of systems (eg. neuroendocrine and endocrine) which kicked into action on the first reaction to the stressor are never switched off and all sorts of hormones and stimulants are being developed in an attempt to allow the animal to cope with or escape the stressors, and continue in the prescence of the stressor to the point of exhaustion. A principal one being cortisol which leads to effects on immunity, growth, reproduction, and overall survival of an animal when in a chronically stressed state. If physiological effects occur, such as developing body systems no longer growing properly due to an imbalance of the energy allocation in the animal that is the tertiary stress response.

Fact is, whether or not a developmental issue was caused by being raised in extremely stressful or deprived conditions, there is a huge window of opportunity for infections and toxins to invade at any point in the timeline described above. and without further information neither you or us can determine specifically what it is, and whether or not it will be reversible.

You cannot be sure of the cause or extent of any damage without a thorough vet checkup. And although they will all be insightful, and most helpful, do not use other peoples experiences to determine your course of action here. The possible causes are so numerous and varying, such as development, a hormone imbalance due to stress, disease due to his previous care and aided by stress, metal poisoning as greycloud suggested, or simply not having learned the behaviours you expect of him as he never had the chance in such a confined lifestyle...etc...

I really hope he is okay. keep us updated <3