Importance of eating observation and weighing your bird

[rheashard2]

Before Nameliss routine vet visit I had noticed a very slight decrease in her appetite. None in activity. Her vet weight was down very little. Nothing of concern. I increased her weighing from weekly to daily. In 3 days she lost 13 gms and appetite dropped dramatically. Still little change in activity. It was Wednesday. I rushed her to her vet of decades today, Thursday. Blood draw, IV fluids, B12 injection, x-rays, perscribed special high nutrition hand feeding, antibiotics, heat therapy and nearly 1K$ later.  Still no apparent change in activity! As in talking, playing, destruction, etc. Owners please be aware. This is a prime example of your bird hiding thier illness!!! If I had waited for her to fluff up, sit on cage bottom it would have been the weekend and maybe to late!

 

[nkrbkr]

I’m glad you caught it early, and hope Miss Nameliss is on the mend soon. What did the vet think is the cause?

 

[rheashard2]

I’m glad you caught it early, and hope Miss Nameliss is on the mend soon. What did the vet think is the cause?

Unknown resp infection. Have to wait for radiologist report and blood work. He was happy that I am a sl paranoid bird owner! It still amazes me, no apparent change in activity! Diet decrease and weight only indicator. She looks fine!

 

[nkrbkr]

I’m the same. I feel like I’m constantly over analyzing every little change, but it’s obviously for good reason! I weigh Ava daily, and Button a couple of times a week (only because I’m so in tune with his patterns & behaviors), but this is a good reminder to weigh the little one daily as well.

 

[rheashard2]

Ok you hand feeding experts. I need to feed 25 cc high nutrition whatever in 3-4 feeding daily. I know how to give meds safely. I know what a crop is and how to check it. But unless I am giving 0.2 cc at a time I am helpless, petrified, etc. Seriously, people, infants are a lot easier for me to tube feed.

 

[rheashard2]

Before Nameliss routine vet visit I had noticed a very slight decrease in her appetite. None in activity. Her vet weight was down very little. Nothing of concern. I increased her weighing from weekly to daily. In 3 days she lost 13 gms and appetite dropped dramatically. Still little change in activity. It was Wednesday. I rushed her to her vet of decades today, Thursday. Blood draw, IV fluids, B12 injection, x-rays, perscribed special high nutrition hand feeding, antibiotics, heat therapy and nearly 1K$ later.  Still no apparent change in activity! As in talking, playing, destruction, etc. Owners please be aware. This is a prime example of your bird hiding thier illness!!! If I had waited for her to fluff up, sit on cage bottom it would have been the weekend and maybe to late!

I forgot to add. Please get clear instructions on how to hand feed a cantankerous adult manipulate intelligent parrot. She never even tried to bite me. I didn't need to towel her. That should have been a neon red flag. She somehow figured out that it best to demolish the end of the syringe.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

How are you planning to get this food into Nameliss? You mentioned tube feeding. Are you planning to tube feed her? Getting an adult bird to eat whats essentially "baby bird food" sounds like a real challenge regardless of the birds disposition. Tube feeding is something I would never attempt. I've hand fed baby budgies from hatching to weaning but not adults.

 

[wrench1369]

this is why I always recommend people feed baby formula to their adult parrots a few times a year. It keeps their natural baby feeding instinct alive, for cases just like this or if you must get nasty meds into them. I suggest taking a cheap stainless steel spoon, bend the sides up a little to make a shut like thing and introduce it to Nameliss. Odds are he will make the baby bird feeding motion and eat. I would not like to try and tube feed an adult.

 

[rheashard2]

this is why I always recommend people feed baby formula to their adult parrots a few times a year. It keeps their natural baby feeding instinct alive, for cases just like this or if you must get nasty meds into them. I suggest taking a cheap stainless steel spoon, bend the sides up a little to make a shut like thing and introduce it to Nameliss. Odds are he will make the baby bird feeding motion and eat. I would not like to try and tube feed an adult.

20 years to late learning that. Nameliss and I are learning. I didn't know cunning birds could hold feed in bottom beak and shake it out!

 

[rheashard2]

How are you planning to get this food into Nameliss? You mentioned tube feeding. Are you planning to tube feed her? Getting an adult bird to eat whats essentially "baby bird food" sounds like a real challenge regardless of the birds disposition. Tube feeding is something I would never attempt. I've hand fed baby budgies from hatching to weaning but not adults.

Actually we're learning. Nameliss is very cooperative for a CAG. Her protests are growls and escape attempts. Coaxing, and praise are her greatest desires. She did do us a favor. She distorted the syringe end so only drops come out. Prefect for this novice.

 

[rheashard2]

I did get good news. X-rays showed were unchanged from 5 yrs ago w her last resp infection. Now waiting on blood work.

 

[rheashard2]

I have searched on line and have not found a video on tube feeding an adult, uncooperative, parrot w/o 3 arms and hands. Fortunately (or not) the amount is between 6 and 8 cc. Nameliss is not very aggressive for a parrot. I have to stress that. She had x-ray, blood drawn, IV, injection, etc w/o sedation. I get every thing ready. I now have to lure her out of cage with pistachios, almonds or pecans. Wrap her in her blanket of torture at the area of evil aka couch or chair for medicine, nails etc. She lets me touch upper beak. After much growling she opens lower just enough for a bit of food. I wait and wait until she decides to swallow. I use coaxing, rubbing under beak. She allows this two or three times if I am lucky. Then she grabs the torture blanked won't let go for a bit. If I am distracted as in shaking formula she takes off running cause I've loosened my hold. There has got to be a way to feed an adult. Surely she can't be the only one who has needed this. If a relatively cooperative parrot is this much trouble what is done with the terrors?

 

[rheashard2]

I'm worried because Nameliss is sick and picking at her food. Not eating her favorite foods like corn. Usually she eats plenty of pellets but now maybe 1 or 2. I dozed off during out of cage time. Something I never do for healthy Nameliss. I just got through searching for her. I found her at the chest freezer. Pistachios, pecans etc are there. I know she's sick. I have confirmation. But I thought I could turn my trouble alert alarm off.

 

[HarleY 0617]

I don't know if it will help - I, many years ago, had problems with my harlequin Harley, who was sneezing at a terrible rate, and after a lot of heart rendering and useless veterninary advice, found that by mixing the liquid medication with almond meal into meatball consistency. very successful. perhaps making meal of what your bird likes is the way to go . . . try!

 

[DonnaBudgie]

I think the only way to force feed an adult parrot something he doesn't want to eat is via a crop tube. I would never do this to a bird myself. Avian vets do it all the time. Unless you live close enough to your vet to stop by a couple tines a day for a feeding I don't know how you do it safely without risk of aspiration.
How do people force feed cats and dogs something they refuse tà

 

[rheashard2]

Thanks for that advice. I screen shot it for the future. My vet is close enough. Yes I did consider something along the vet feeding lines. But her activity was normal. She was sneezing a few times a day. I considered the stress factor. She's calm and co-operative for a CAG. I gave it a try. Day one the the syringe didn't survive. The second day she didn't completely destroy the syringe. The third day and today she mostly cooperated. She's starting to eat with growling comments. Taking her to vet for weight in. I do wish I had known about the almond ball. Hers would've been pistachio! Life would have been easier. I have 2 pounds shelled roasted unsalted organic in freezer for cooking! If she has to stay on it, will definitely give next feeding a try!

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Just be very careful feeding her with a syringe that she doesn't aspirate.

 

[rheashard2]

I don't know if it will help - I, many years ago, had problems with my harlequin Harley, who was sneezing at a terrible rate, and after a lot of heart rendering and useless veterninary advice, found that by mixing the liquid medication with almond meal into meatball consistency. very successful. perhaps making meal of what your bird likes is the way to go . . . try!

 SUCCESS crushed pistachios mixed with feeding paste works.

 

[rheashard2]

Just be very careful feeding her with a syringe that she doesn't aspirate.

Aspiration is always my fear with tube feeding people or birds. That is the main reason I have been hesitant all these decades about raising baby parrots.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

With baby parrots it can be avoided by using spoons to feed. Healthy babies have huge appetites but small mouths and its easy to push food too quickly using syringes.