Very worried!! Freaking out here!!

Tropical

Tropical

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Parrots
Two Cockatiels: Rascal (Geraldine) and his baby brother named Coconut!
I weighed my new tiel I just got on 6/9 (3 days ago) and he was 104 grams... I just weighed him today and he is only 93 grams now!! VERY worried.. how can this be possible???

I noticed he has not been eating the normal bird food seed mixture as much as he should (he doesn't seem to like it at all... I will ask breeder what he was feeding him)... so I gave him millet spray which he has been pigging out on... also pigging out on plain popcorn but I'm VERY WORRIED about the massive weight loss! He drinks water as normal... also eats kale.

I HOPE this tiel does not have something... I would DIE if someone happened to my tiel Rascal if he gets something from my new tiel! :(

Breeder told me this tiel was BY HIMSELF for at least 3 weeks. Very worried here... is weight loss to this degree NORMAL from stress? I got this tiel on Wednesday (4 days ago).

Super worried!
 
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When I picked Dusty up from the bird shop he was 97grams. Then a few miutes later at the vet they weighed him at 92. Then at home I got 86. Even allowing for some variation in scales you can imagine my concern! I constantly made sure he had plenty of food and watched him and continued to worry ofer the next 2 or 3 weeks. He eventually bottomed out at 78g and I took him to the bird shop for a quick and free checkup. Dusty was fine by evidence of his muscle mass covering his breastbone and by the fact that he was still active and seemed happy. The guy at the shop said that they typically go home a bit overweight and will slim down if they burn calories flying around as Dusty does all the time. Knowing what to look for thanks to a little education at the shop really helped ease my mind!

I wouldn't presume to know enough to say it's nothing with Coconut, but in my particular experience, the bird's behavior seems to be a much better indicator than his weight. I would say though that your tiel should be able safely to lose a few grams.
 
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Maybe a temporary stress weight loss from the move/new addition?
Also... I'm no 'tiel expert, but... maybe some 'tiel brainiacs will speculate?
 
I wouldn't worry..When I took BB in for his 1st wellness check he weighed 89g and his doctor said it was a very good weight. Maybe Coconut thinks he's fat? ;)


Jim
 
Thanks so much for all the fast responses. I did notice Coconut was not eating the normal seed mixture AT ALL and still refuses... so he basically didn't eat for first 2 days... that is when I started to get worried and decided to try to give him millet spray. He only eats the millet, not normal bird feed.

He always drinks plenty of water and does eat millet spray all day long he nibbles on it... is obsessed with popcorn and has also been nibbling on the honeystick.... is very active playing with toys.... but is poop is super runny like liquid! Sometimes it is very green... perhaps from all the Kale he's been eating?

I just never saw such a drastic drop of weight so quickly which is why I got so worried. I will continue to weigh him everyday. He has vet app next Thurs for the gram stain and Chlamydia test but I know that doesn't show everything.
 
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I am no expert on this, but I have always heard that shortly after weaning there is a pretty noticeable drop in weight. Does his breast muscle feel okay? At a little over 10% loss, I think it's normal. Even adult birds can fluctuate quite a bit depending on the day, or even time of day.
 
I would not worry too much if he is eating/drinking AND you have an upcoming vet visit. Will the vet also do a blood panel?

Might try introducing a variety of fresh vegetables and fruits to diversify the diet.
 
I'm such a moron I wouldn't even be able to tell if breast muscle feels ok... guess I can compare it to Rascal's.

I'll ask the vet what she recommends regarding blood panel and I'm also going to ask the breeder what he was feeding him. I know he was weaned over 2 weeks ago. How long does weight drop after weaning typically?

I'm super paranoid if this new tiel has something bad and Rascal gets it... OMG I would be devastatee if something serious were to happen.

Rascal fluctuates between about 83-89 grams... weighs more towards end of day =).. but this new tiel has much more weight drop and I notice he is not eating enough.
 
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OMG... now the new tiel weighs only 90 grams... so he went from 104+ grams down to that. I hope he doesn't keep losing weight... he's pigging out on millet spray right now... so he is eating and drinking. His dropping are also solid this morning and dark green... so at least it's not super watery like it was yesterday... it was not pleasant to be pooped on yesterday lol.
 
I would first of all say it's totally normal for babies to drop weight like that in those amounts after weaning and moving to a new home. It's stressful on them. My grey Nigel did the same thing but has regained and is eating and growing and thriving. Offer new foods together with the ones he accepts. Some grapes, strawberries, green beans, different small pellets. I find that even my grey prefers the smallest pellets to larger ones, may be because he is young. Lots of foods, lots of variety, and your vet will also give you assurance of his health. Of course if he becomes lethargic, refuses to eat, get to the vet, ASAP.
 
I texted the breeder my concern and he immediately called me. He was actually super NICE and spoke to me on the phone for 20 minutes about it! :)

Coconut refuses to eat because he is used to eating something else other than what I gave him... so I am going to call around and see who sell the foods he is used to eating. The breeder also said he is happy to ship me food. I'm also going to encourage him to eat sunflower seeds to get some weight onto him right now.

So new food he is not used to eating in combination of the stress of moving is what the problem is... because he is eating millet spray... just not the healthier stuff he should be eating :)
 
BB likes millet too :rolleyes: first thing he goes for when I bring him his plate. However,he does nosh on nupreem fruit blend and a cockatiel seed mix,but still doesn't want veggies or fruit. :(
Only once,while I was eating a sandwich,did he sit on my arm,and nibble at the lettuce and tomato.
I need to get him kale I guess,since I have been reading other tiels seem to enjoy it.


Jim
 
OMG!! What the breeder told me to do worked!! I just went to 3 different stores and finally got the food he told me the new tiel used to eat and now Coconut is PIGGING out like crazy! He is acting as though has hasn't eaten in days LOL

He LOVES sunflower seeds... that should put some weight back onto him hehe.

... it seems the problem was indeed him not being used to the food I was given him.. he would not eat it at alll... not even a little bit... now problem has been solved lol... he has been pigging out for past 15 minutes straight and still going!

AmyMyBlueFront,
I wish Rascal would eat more green... but the baby tiel eats it... I would keep giving it them... hopefully eventually your tiel will start pecking at it...
 
If thats what the breeder told you to feed him, that is not a very responsible breeder. You ideally want a mix of veggies, fruit, pellets and a small amount of seed. If he's only eating seeds now, you'll have to slowly introduce these other foods.
 
wrench13 said:
If thats what the breeder told you to feed him, that is not a very responsible breeder. You ideally want a mix of veggies, fruit, pellets and a small amount of seed. If he's only eating seeds now, you'll have to slowly introduce these other foods.
Click to expand...

He is not only eating seeds... he is eating pellets also in the mix (breeder knows this)... eventually I will get him to eat what Rascal eats which is organic seed mix shown here: Organic Best Bird Food & Seed! BirD-elicious! Origins!

...along with harrisons pellet and mash mixed in. Breeder already knows they are eating kale etc... you don't even know what the breeder recommended!

... right now my goal is to put weight back on him... therefore he is most certainly being encouraged to eat more sunflower seeds for the time being.... breeder did not tell me to ONLY feed him sunflower seeds of course.... he is eating seed/pellets... kale etc. Nothing unhealthy with what he is currently eating nor was the breeder's recommendations irresponsible in any way... quite the opposite actually :)
 
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Tropical said:
wrench13 said:
If thats what the breeder told you to feed him, that is not a very responsible breeder. You ideally want a mix of veggies, fruit, pellets and a small amount of seed. If he's only eating seeds now, you'll have to slowly introduce these other foods.
Click to expand...

He is not only eating seeds... he is eating pellets also in the mix (breeder knows this)... eventually I will get him to eat what Rascal eats which is organic seed mix shown here: Organic Best Bird Food & Seed! BirD-elicious! Origins!

...along with harrisons pellet and mash mixed in. Breeder already knows they are eating kale etc... you don't even know what the breeder recommended!

... right now my goal is to put weight back on him... therefore he is most certainly being encouraged to eat more sunflower seeds for the time being.... breeder did not tell me to ONLY feed him sunflower seeds of course.... he is eating seed/pellets... kale etc. Nothing unhealthy with what he is currently eating nor was the breeder's recommendations irresponsible in any way... quite the opposite actually :)
Click to expand...

Sorry cannot agree with this. If you have the food he is used to your little one will increase naturally. These little birds can be prone to liver disease too and Sunflower seeds are very often quoted as one of the causes.
 
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His regular food has sunflower seeds in it... there is nothing wrong with sunflower seeds. They are an excellent source of essential amino acids etc and most certainly does NOT cause liver damage. It is quite the contrary. What causes these problems is a FAT bird!! At which point it is not only liver problems to be concerned with. Again, he is not ONLY eating sunflower seeds nor is he eating sunflower seeds excessively nor is he even remotely close to being anywhere near obese.

WHOLE FOODS PLANT BASED vegan here.... I'm fully aware and very educated on what is healthy and what is not... what foods cause disease not only in humans but it also applies to my tiel.
 
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Hi! It's normally best with new birds to continue their old diet while they adjust to a new one; Especially with young birds as they haven't learned what new things are edible and when seed is involved most birds will favour seeds. So it's great you sorted Coconuts eating out (I've seen some of the photo's you posted and he is gorgeous).

I do not wish to start an argument but vegan or not, and I'm sure you know your stuff, we shouldn't equate dietary values for humans to be the same for other animals. Although you are right about sunflower seeds being a good source of amino acids, human livers are much hardier (think about how we can consume some alcohol fine but most of our pets can't tolerate it, same for chocolate). Sunflower seeds are a higher fat seed so while it doesn't effect us and our slower metabolisms, birds and their higher metabolisms take a blow eventually.

I know you only want the best for your birds so please don't see this as a dig, I don't want to be complacent when I think I can pitch something in.
 
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