new member with a sick bird

[oklahomamazon]

hello, my name is chad and i was given a 28 year old amazon a few weeks ago, Dee Dee was aggressive and wanted nothing to do with me. within a week, we were best of pals, he has a large cage, with lots of perches and toys. he gets pellets and alittle seed, and lots of fresh bananas everyday. i use reverse osmosis water only. He has a sunny window to be next too, with no drafts, and is far away from my kitchen so no chance of non stick cooking poisoning. all of the sudden today i woke up to see him dragging his left foot, and he will suddenly start to blink rapidly and scream like he is terrified. during this he also drops his wings and acts like he is going to die. within about 60 seconds he is back to his normal self and is eating and drinking water normally and is acting fine. this has happened twice today. i am taking him to the avian vet tommorrow, but i need to know if there is anything i can do tonight to help him.

thanks,
Chad

 

[Terry57]

Hi Chad and I am so sorry this is happening to Dee Dee. I really don't have any idea what could be wrong, but I am sure that taking him to the vet tomorrow is a very smart move.
I would try to keep him calm and warm this evening.
I am sure someone with more experience than I will chime in with some help for you.
Please keep us updated!

 

[oklahomamazon]

Its almost like a seizure, I am keeping him warm and quiet

 

[Kalidasa]

Just wondering...you say he's far enough not to come in contact with non-stick fumes, have you used that sort of cookware since he's been home? I agree with the others, a vet visit with an qualified avian vet is in order. A new bird should be vetted anyway. The leg going lame even for short periods should be cause for immediate concern.

 

[oklahomamazon]

my house is a split level, 3000 sf2, he is located downstairs the kitchen is upstairs on the opposite side of the house. i have used non stick maybe 3 times in the last 3-4 weeks, and i always used the blower vent on the stove. Dee Dee is in my indoor garden room, the temp is a constant 75, i grow alot of my veggies hydroponically and he is in that room, lots of sunlight, comfortable humidity and temp. plus the the room has very good air quality. he might not be drinking enough water, how much should he drink, and is there a way to make sure he is getting enough? i weigh him everyday and he stays around 350 grams. he is a blue fronted amazon

 

[Kalidasa]

Sounds like a nice setup for him. I know this may not be what you want to hear at this juncture, but the leg going limp (or temporarily paralized) for any length of time is not normal. No one is saying your bird is dying or anything like that, but it definately warrants being checked out. Did the previous owner(s) mention the seizures? The thing with birds is, many of their conditions are treatable, but if left untreated, they usually don't get better on their own. They have no defenses against many of the conditions of living indoors with many chemicals and pathogens. They often need professional help when ill. I'm not trying to scare you or bring you down, but your post is titled "sick bird". That always warrants a vet visit. Parrots are extremely fragile beings. Please take this into consideration. If you are unsure about which vet is qualified in your area, just ask, someone will be able to provide you with some options. Hope your new bird thrives

 

[MikeyTN]

Let us know how the vet check go tomorrow. Hope everything checks out ok!!!!

 

[Kalidasa]

Oh! I see now that you already have an appt for vet. Sorry, I thought you didn't (missed that) but reading the post above I checked again. Hope everything goes well

 

[Terry57]

I was just wondering what happened at the vet? Hope everything is okay.

 

[henpecked]

I've been following this thread and also wonder what the Vet found. BTW have you ever seen a male zon "Satisfy" himself?? Ever see amazons mate? Can you get a video of him? Hope everything is OK. Let us know.

 

[oklahomamazon]

Phew! long story short, the Vet didn't know what was wrong with him?! He told me to make sure he eats plenty of fruits and veggies and take care of him, they did some blood work and did not find an infection or anything like that, he is doing great right now, eating a banana and barking at my dogs. We think it might have been stress related, thanks for all the support!

 

[Terry57]

So happy to hear that he is doing well now! That is so odd that it was stress - I hadn't heard of symptoms like that being caused by stress.
I am relieved that his tests came back okay

 

[torrap]

Wow, so happy to hear he is OK.
I would check with his Vet if it's OK to give him a lot of bananas. The Rescue where I volunteer told me not to give my birds bananas (or any other sweet fruit) too often. I guess it's just too much sugar. They told me to feed more vegetables and less fruits.
Also, I was wondering if Dee Dee has a shade to sit in. My Zons are hiding from the sunny spots. They like to sit in the sunny spots only when wet after taking showers.
I am not trying to critic, just trying to help....
Barking at your dogs??!!............hehe............we want a video, please.
I think "henpecked" is on the right path to what was wrong here....., at least I hope so.