diet issues for sick pineapple conure

[Mintforest]

Hi,

I’m having an issue getting my 4mth pineapple conure to switch from soft food to pellets and seeds. He’s had some medical issues as below:

I got my pineapple conure from a local bird shop in late Oct, I was told it was 2.5 mths old but it hasnt gotten all the feathers yet so I suspect he may be much younger at 1+ mths.

After I took him home I found discharge in his nose, took him to the vet and was given 2 weeks amox + antifungals. That didnt clear the discharge and a review to the vet + a swab of the discharge the vet suspected presence of chlamydia and hence he was given another 42 days of doxycycline + antifungals. He also had a sinus rinse which revealed a blockage in one nose (possibly from formula from bird shop feeding) The vet suggested that during this period because he’s taking meds to delay weaning and also to take milk thistle as liver supplements for the risk of liver damage from antifungals.

Now that he’s finished the medications, he has an overgrown beak either from soft diet for 2+ months or might be from liver issues from antifungal. He was reviewed by the vet today, poop is normal and vet said at the moment besides for being a little underweight he’s healthy. I had his beak trimmed today too but have an issue of getting him to eat seeds and pellets.

He’s main diet is now
1. Soaked pellets + a tiny bit of formula for taste. He needs to be fed this at least 3 times a day, or else will scream for food.
2. Fruits and vegs (he has no trouble eating the range and will eat until his crop is full. Currently offering apples, mangoes, carrot, broccoli, corn, among a range of others, 1-2 times a day)
3. Pellets: he pecks at dry small pellets occasionally but the amount he’s eating is very little, more like a snack
4. Seeds: he’s not eating seeds at all, I try to put seeds into his mouth during playtime but he just spit them out without even trying to crack them open. He’s interested in millet spray but also not taking a desirable amount.

I’d just like to get him eating more independently on dry pellets and also some seeds to build up his weight, he’s been hovering between 48 to 51g on an empty stomach each morning.

Because he’s already 4mth + and a little stubborn with his food, how should I introduce him the seeds and cut back on the soft food in a safe manner? I dont want to starve him either.

Any help is appreciated!

Thanks!

 

[Laurasea]

Welcome to the forum.
Sorry you have a sick one. Excellent job on getting him cared for and working with tge veterinarian. You have really been doing so well.


I'm treating my whole flock for chlamydia out break right now
A picture would help.
Click go advanced, then paperclip, choose pic, hit upload on far right, close window and post.

I wouldn't limit him .....I dint know if slow development, or .

 

[Mintforest]

The better photo is him yesterday before his beak trim

I’ve not taken proper photos after his trim today, only this one of him sleeping in my hand after eating.

He’s such a sweetie and I really want him to be as healthy as possible

 

[Mintforest]

Welcome to the forum.
Sorry you have a sick one. Excellent job on getting him cared for and working with tge veterinarian. You have really been doing so well.


I'm treating my whole flock for chlamydia out break right now
A picture would help.
Click go advanced, then paperclip, choose pic, hit upload on far right, close window and post.

I wouldn't limit him .....I dint know if slow development, or .

The photos are in the post above

Treating for Chlamydia can be such a tiring process... the vet said the doxycycline tastes horrible and might be difficult to feed, thank god Kiwi somehow loved the taste and drinks every last drop of his daily dose.

Hope your flock all clear themselves of the bacteria soon!

 

[Laurasea]

He does not look like ac16 week old
He looks very young
Keep up hand feeding, keep up supplement warmth!!
The beak didn't look ober grown to me...but that was only one pic..
I've git go take care if my burds and treatment ill chevk in and write more later


But think age if chick when you got they lied to you@:

 

[Mintforest]

He does not look like ac16 week old
He looks very young
Keep up hand feeding, keep up supplement warmth!!
The beak didn't look ober grown to me...but that was only one pic..
I've git go take care if my burds and treatment ill chevk in and write more later


But think age if chick when you got they lied to you@:

This was him on 25 Oct 2020 when I brought him home. They said birth date according to legband is 18 Aug 2020 but I searched growth pictures of GCCs and he really doesnt look 2 mths then.

Based on the photo how old would he roughly be on 25 Oct?

I’m stressed out because I know the older they are the more difficult it is to change diet habits, but if he’s younger than calculations then I still have some leeway to work with

 

[Laurasea]

The pictures of him in your hand he looks like he has a hole on his head....csn check and feel for swelling around sinus
Do you weigh him? If not start get a kitchen digital scale.
What do poops look like?,
Offer him unlimited seeds and pellets. Offer veggies of lots if different kinds spread out so he can explore, choo some uo to pea size babies fo better with pea size veggies. Offer cooked oatmeal ( nit fortified), cooked quinoa, fresh cooked rice either minced veggies. Only use fresh cooked rice grows stuff in fridge in birds that can make birds sick. Offer scrambled eggs.
Bsbues are more willing to try new foods after hsnd feeding formula in the morning.

Tour baby could have stunting, or a virus like PBFD, or otger....

Keep feeding him the formula and offer tons of stuff. Eat it with him . I don't fully know ir understand what's going on with him
Keep following your vets advice


Tep its bern a long haul with my flock. But think we are really getting there now

 

[Scott]

Welcome to you and your gorgeous pineapple conure! He looks so sweet, kudos for attending to his unlucky start in life.

Agree with Laura, his age was likely mis-stated and may have been sold before proper weaning. You are working with two challenges; one of health and transition to "adult" foods. Consider yourself quite fortunate he has good appetite for fresh veggies/fruits aka "chop." Often a monumental chore encouraging consumption of healthier foods! I'd suggest continuing to offer soaked pellets, a bit of quality seed, and millet.

 

[Mintforest]

The pictures of him in your hand he looks like he has a hole on his head....csn check and feel for swelling around sinus
Do you weigh him? If not start get a kitchen digital scale.
What do poops look like?,
Offer him unlimited seeds and pellets. Offer veggies of lots if different kinds spread out so he can explore, choo some uo to pea size babies fo better with pea size veggies. Offer cooked oatmeal ( nit fortified), cooked quinoa, fresh cooked rice either minced veggies. Only use fresh cooked rice grows stuff in fridge in birds that can make birds sick. Offer scrambled eggs.
Bsbues are more willing to try new foods after hsnd feeding formula in the morning.

Tour baby could have stunting, or a virus like PBFD, or otger....

Keep feeding him the formula and offer tons of stuff. Eat it with him . I don't fully know ir understand what's going on with him
Keep following your vets advice


Tep its bern a long haul with my flock. But think we are really getting there now

Thanks so much!

the “hole in the head” I think is from his forehead feathers being a little sticky from previous discharge. He’s been checked by the vet and the vet cleared him for nasal issues and poop looks good too. Just that because of the previous blockage that he has (I don’t know how long he’s had the nostril blockage for in the bird shop) he might have some chronic epithelial damage so I’m just trying my best to get him as much sun as possible, keep him warm and clean his discharge if there’s any.

I’m in Singapore by the way so it’s very warm tropical weather. High humidity too. Currently temperature is averaging about 27C every day, even so he sleeps wrapped in his little towel

Oatmeal he’s taking the uncooked version but I’ll try feeding him cooked ones. Scrambled eggs is new too...

Can anyone teach me how to make the images bigger when I attach them? There seems to be an attachment limit (the red and green bar) So I dont dare to attach full size images either.

 

[Mintforest]

Welcome to you and your gorgeous pineapple conure! He looks so sweet, kudos for attending to his unlucky start in life.

Agree with Laura, his age was likely mis-stated and may have been sold before proper weaning. You are working with two challenges; one of health and transition to "adult" foods. Consider yourself quite fortunate he has good appetite for fresh veggies/fruits aka "chop." Often a monumental chore encouraging consumption of healthier foods! I'd suggest continuing to offer soaked pellets, a bit of quality seed, and millet.

Thank you, that puts my heart at ease then that I don’t have to cut him off asap.

Roughly at what age should gccs be fully weaned? Considering he looks 1mth when I got him, the bird shop was asking me to wean him immediately, said those in his flock are already weaned 1 week after I got him.

Since he came home he’s rejected syringe feeding but eats well out of a little bowl so he’s been on formula up till about mid December. Then he started taking less formula on his own and asking for more fruits and soaked pellets.

I’ll keep up the soaked pellets and everything else you guys recommended and see how he’s doing. Both me and my husband will be out of the house today so he wont get his usual lunch, hopefully he’ll peck on some food himself.

 

[noodles123]

To post images in larger size, go to your profile by clicking your name in the upper-right. Then on the right column, you should see something about albums or "my albums". Click that and then look for anything about adding albums. Once you do that, upload from your computer and submit, then copy the bb code listed below your uploaded image in the album. When you get ready to message on here, pre copy that bb code and "ctrl +v" it into the slot that pops up when you click on the picture with the mountain in the message toolbar.

 

[Mintforest]

To post images in larger size, go to your profile by clicking your name in the upper-right. Then on the right column, you should see something about albums or "my albums". Click that and then look for anything about adding albums. Once you do that, upload from your computer and submit, then copy the bb code listed below your uploaded image in the album. When you get ready to message on here, pre copy that bb code and "ctrl +v" it into the slot that pops up when you click on the picture with the mountain in the message toolbar.

Thanks, I’m posting from my phone so prob that complicates things a bit...
Will keep exploring

 

[Laurasea]

My first green Cheek Burt The Bird, was very simular to yours now. He had been plucked on his head. I say he but was a girl I found out much later...Anyway she too only had one working nostril from a hand feeding aspiration event before breeder out her back fir mom to raise. She was a little stunted too. She had chronic sinus infection off and on for life, but lived a happy 17 years. She was weaned tho and didn't have the more issues yours has been through. But their stories are close ! So I wanted to share and give you hope. She really did great with her one nostril.

You can make an album when you click on you name. After you add pictures to your album. Then click on the picture underneath will be 2 lines of text, click and copy the second one. Then go to your thread and paste it in when post the picture will show. There are other ways but others will have to share.

I feel your little one should weigh more. Abd if you have had for 3 months, its definitely time that little one weaned. But it has been though soooo much. And weaning by abundance is the best way. They are willing to explore new foods and eat when still getting formula, till they refuse feedings snd slowly drop 1 until they refuse all hand feeding. But because of everything going on..im not confident on best course.....but you have saved this baby I have no doubt

Offer pellets that aren't soaked as well. More veggies, less fruits. You can offer a little plain pasta cooked too. Try and offer lots of stuff. I would not limit seeds at this point...sure pellets can be great, but so can seed mix and lots of fresh vegetables , some cooked lentils, some cooked beans ( not canned) berries, plums, pomegranate, mango, there is a lot they can eat. Variety will keep them healthy.

 

[Mintforest]

My first green Cheek Burt The Bird, was very simular to yours now. He had been plucked on his head. I say he but was a girl I found out much later...Anyway she too only had one working nostril from a hand feeding aspiration event before breeder out her back fir mom to raise. She was a little stunted too. She had chronic sinus infection off and on for life, but lived a happy 17 years. She was weaned tho and didn't have the more issues yours has been through. But their stories are close ! So I wanted to share and give you hope. She really did great with her one nostril.

You can make an album when you click on you name. After you add pictures to your album. Then click on the picture underneath will be 2 lines of text, click and copy the second one. Then go to your thread and paste it in when post the picture will show. There are other ways but others will have to share.

I feel your little one should weigh more. Abd if you have had for 3 months, its definitely time that little one weaned. But it has been though soooo much. And weaning by abundance is the best way. They are willing to explore new foods and eat when still getting formula, till they refuse feedings snd slowly drop 1 until they refuse all hand feeding. But because of everything going on..im not confident on best course.....but you have saved this baby I have no doubt

Offer pellets that aren't soaked as well. More veggies, less fruits. You can offer a little plain pasta cooked too. Try and offer lots of stuff. I would not limit seeds at this point...sure pellets can be great, but so can seed mix and lots of fresh vegetables , some cooked lentils, some cooked beans ( not canned) berries, plums, pomegranate, mango, there is a lot they can eat. Variety will keep them healthy.

You have no idea what this information means to me... for the past 3 mths I’ve been so scared that his lifespan is going to be affected by his sinus issue but hearing that yours lived to 17 really boosts my confidence for him.

To be fair by weaning I thought that it would mean eating completely dry food independently. But he is actually not eating formula now. I have to add abit of formula and use water from a kettle because he kinda recognises that as a ritual for preparing food, even though he’s getting 90% pellets in that bowl.

That’s him on cooked oatmeal for the first time this morning. He has his own serving but ended up eating out of my bowl instead (unflavoured). I think the photo is still small but I’ll figure out the album thing when I get back from work today

Do you think the honey snack bars would help him put on some weight and train him to eat more solid stuff?

Thanks again!

 

[Laurasea]

Very cute bird!!@ just so hard to believe is over 3 months old. Just looks so much like a baby still. But looks healthy and happy
I'd offer everything safe for parrots. Imho.
Offer millet spray.
Try to make his environment as enriching as possible. Lots if perches create a perch jungle gym, swings, those bird cargo nets and toys , stuff to spread. Foot toys or a cup full of plastic bottle caps. Its time to get his mind growing up.

 

[Mintforest]

Another question, I’ve noticed that he “drinks” more than swallowing solid food, is that also normal or should that habit be changed? For example if I mix pellets into formula or crushed apples, he’ll drink the liquid portion and spit out the pellets.
And when he’s given fruits, he’ll juice the fruits with his beak and spit out the rest

Do all weaning birds do that?