Blind Parrots

[munami]

Hello everyone! Long time no talk. Luna is doing great and we recently rescued a new tiel named Ymir.
He was in a really bad spot with past trauma to his wings and eyes so he has vision problems.

He still reacts to visual stimulus but he has issues with depth perception. The vet doesn't know if he was born with it or it was due to the trauma since its in both his eyes.

My question is how can I make his life as safe and enriching as possible? He has issues with heights and has walked right out of his cage before plopping onto the floor. I'm worried he will actually hurt himself one day.

 

[SailBoat]

Consider a Web search targeting Handicapped Birds and Handicapped Parrots. Within the findings you will see links that speak to Parrots with sight issues.

The general approach /goal is to create a World that is two demential with few changes and consistent over-time. Contact call as you or anyone approaches, what you are doing when you are near, and that you are leaving.

Cages and perches should be on table surfaces so that there is room for your Parrot to exit the cage or climb on the perch on to a flat surface. Regarding the cage, look for a full top to bottom cage style door and add a platform for your Parrot to walk down to the table. Cages: birdcages4less.com is a great source. With in the cage keep things low and look at adding platforms in place of perches. Increase the diameter of the perches and consider using a Vet (sport) rap to help increase the gripping surface of the perch surface.

Thank you, for bringing a special needs Parrot into your home!

 

[Ellie777Australia]

Hello everyone! Long time no talk. Luna is doing great and we recently rescued a new tiel named Ymir.
He was in a really bad spot with past trauma to his wings and eyes so he has vision problems.

He still reacts to visual stimulus but he has issues with depth perception. The vet doesn't know if he was born with it or it was due to the trauma since its in both his eyes.

My question is how can I make his life as safe and enriching as possible? He has issues with heights and has walked right out of his cage before plopping onto the floor. I'm worried he will actually hurt himself one day.

It is good to see you back Munami and it is good to hear that Luna is well. What a wonderful Christmas present for Ymir to be home with you. There are a few members who have 'special need' parrots. Hopefully they will connect with you here. All the best.

 

[munami]

Thank you guys! For now, I've added the vet tape but we're going to look into building a platform for the front of his cage. That's where he stumbles the most often. We'll build a ramp for him down as well.



I'm having trouble with enrichment. I don't think he knows how to play with toys since he didn't have access to toys when we got him. I've added some of Luna's favorite types of toys in his cage but he doesn't recognize them as something he can chew.

 

[Ellie777Australia]

Thank you guys! For now, I've added the vet tape but we're going to look into building a platform for the front of his cage. That's where he stumbles the most often. We'll build a ramp for him down as well.



I'm having trouble with enrichment. I don't think he knows how to play with toys since he didn't have access to toys when we got him. I've added some of Luna's favorite types of toys in his cage but he doesn't recognize them as something he can chew.

My background is Medical not Veterinary...but I wonder if anything food/toy combo using the 'sense of sound, smell and touch' may be adventitious as in humans (other senses heightened when one sense fails). Perhaps a safe 'playground" may be a rug on the floor with you for the experiment of 'enrichment'....your voice, tone and scent....= security=explore etc...

 

[SailBoat]

Bringing PLAY into the life of one that has had little to none is a 'process'! A time on time on time process. As so very well stated above, creating a comfort zone helps! Remember that your Parrot's World has gotten smaller and scarier.

 

[wrench13]

Maybe some type of brushy, tactile toy that has a small bell in or on it?

 

[munami]

That sounds a good idea wrench! I'll try to find something like that.

 

[munami]

Some temporary bad news, Ymir burst a blood feather last night while I was at work. It was a long shift so I don't even know how long he was bleeding for. We applied styptic powder as soon as we found him and rushed him to the animal emergency hospital. They said he's ok for now but we don't know exactly what caused his blood feather to burst.


I don't think it's falling because the blood splatter appears on an elevated platform. Almost as if it just spontaneously burst or something. We're going to contact his regular avian vet for more info.

 

[SailBoat]

Spontaneously burst is not that common. More than likely came in contact with the side of the cage or like surface.

Let us know what the Vet has to say...

 

[munami]

The vet said the same thing but unfortunately we don't know the cause. His wing is injured but thankfully he's still eating and drinking. He's on some painkillers and antibiotics. He's been such a good sport throughout all of this...