Advice- 3 month (15 week) old Macaw **Sad Update**

[ArcticFox]

Acting normal, she's just not acting interested in it. She's nibbled on some soggy crackers. She's a very cuddly baby, very chill and mellow- has been for as long as we known her.

Called vet as she has rejected her noon feeding as well- they say wait till tomorrow as she is going in anyway for a checkup first thing in the morning.

They said it could just be that she is used to the once a day feedings and so moving up the number could have confused her. Per their advice, I'm not to worry unless she rejects her end of day feeding as well as that is the one she has always had.

Crop feels empty but again, she's used to not being fed at all from morning till about 7:30-8pm.

Per vet- I'm to continue offering throughout the day both the formula and soft foods from my hand.

In other news- for giggles I left her with a bowl of formula and she is showing some interest in trying to eat it on her own.

 

[Hankmacaw]

Glad she is going in to see the vet - you will get her weight and it is very unusual for a bird that young to not be eating 10% of it's weight 2 - 4 times a day. That's great that she is showing interested in the formula.

 

[ArcticFox]

Yeah she's going tomorrow regardless of if she starts eating. I like any animal I take in to have a base vet check so I know what I'm looking at.

I hope it's just that she's used to once a day from the shop and needs more time to adjust.

 

[Hankmacaw]

Me too - let us know how the vet appt. goes.

 

[ArcticFox]

Evening check in! <3 So she took about 5 cc's at 4 and nibbled some lettuce, potato and tomato. Visited the store she was housed in and the Scarlet Macaw (Sammy) she was housed with. They were so excited to see each other- it was adorable. Sammy kept trying to feed Koko- though I'm not sure if any feeding actually happened.

Since she hasn't really eaten we offered the evening feeding a bit early at 7.

 

[ArcticFox]

She skipped pretty much all feedings throughout the day. She took maybe 5 cc's here and there and nibbled at some soft adult food. She took a little organic baby food by spoon but nothing noticeable. Took her out and about today- thinking maybe she was down due to the drastic change in activity- going from a busy pet store to our boring old apartment.

She was happy as could be to go for a car ride- the week's work was well worth it- she was happy to wear her harness. And boy oh boy did she perk up the second a group gathered around to see her. She is very much a show off. We enjoyed some sun at a playground while my daughter ran off some energy. Then walked around Walmart for a bit to see if any produce caught her eye.

Finished off with a visit at the pet store she was housed at and to see her friend Sammy, the scarlet Macaw she was housed with. They were happy to see each other and Sammy was insistent on trying to feed Koko, though I don't know if he actually managed to give her anything. My daughter was happy to drag me around to see ALL THE DOGS AND CATS AND FERRETS AND OH MY GOSH TODDLERS ARE ANNOYING. Came home with a fresh ferret bite... again but I do love those rats- as much as I don't want one of my own.

Feed her at 7, a bit early. She took about 25 cc's- the largest meal of the day. All in all, she has taken about the same amount of formula she was being given at the store in addition to her little nibbles of adult food so I'm less worried overall though I do wish she would take more.

Vet trip first thing in the morning. Should I feed her first if she will eat or let her go empty in case the vet wants to demonstrate? We didn't have an avian vet where we are from that accepted new bird patients so I have no experience with what to expect.

 

[Hankmacaw]

I don't know whether to feed her or not. If the vet is going to xray her and give her an anesthetic - no don't feed her. If he is just going to do a physical exam without any anesthetic, it is fine for her to eat before she goes. All depends - can you call the vet's office before you leave?

 

[Macawnutz]

No food. He will get a weight for us.

 

[Hankmacaw]

Aha - forgot the weight thing. The G'ma coming out in me - if it moves, feed it.

 

[Macawnutz]

Aha - forgot the weight thing. The G'ma coming out in me - if it moves, feed it.

If we had the weight I would agree in this case. She is taking so little in the morning that getting a weight outweighs the feeding IMO.

 

[ArcticFox]

Checking in- she went downhill fast. vet kept us waiting till 1. sent us to a specialist.

Just got here. waiting now- they took her straight back at least. the shop that was housing her offered to cover bills- so that's great at least.

No food today. weight was 1 pound 3 ounces. first vet called and chewed the shop out.

She's really weak, can't hold her head up long. I'm thinking maybe the underfeed for so many weeks.

 

[Macawnutz]

Her feedings sounded so low to me.

I hope they can get her back.

 

[LunaLovebird]

I don't have any advice. I've been following this thread closely and just wanted to say that I'm sorry your baby is going through all this. It's a good thing she has you. And good on the vet for calling the store! What they were doing sounded like borderline abuse.

 

[Fia Baby]

Keeping my fingers crossed for you.

 

[zoo mom]

. Come on get better little one.

 

[BeanieofJustice]

Hoping the best for you and your baby!

 

[ArcticFox]

Just got home. Koko is spending the night at the specialist's office. She is suffering from the sad toll from lack of education in the hand's of the store that housed her, her fist home and a lack of a heart or soul from whatever breeder she came from.

Weight- 562 grams. Blood sugar was in the low 30's.

They got some fluid's in her and she perked up some almost right away. Plan is to continue fluids for a few hours and hopefully get some food into her. She may not make it- that is a hard reality. But, things are looking good and they are optimistic based on how relatively soon she got in, the extra feedings over the last few days and how she perked up with fluids.

Vet confirmed our initial thought- Koko has been underfed for at least a few weeks and so the extra feedings we gave her from day one with us was just too little too late. Likely is that the breeder sold her initially to the pet store with poor instructions for easy money. She has no bracelet or breeder paperwork. Thinking maybe a hobby breeder who is poorly educated because I need to have some faith in humanity.

I have now gotten two vets incredibly angry with this shop. Neighbor who was Koko's first home is devastated and feeling like this was her fault- I'm having to swallow my own feelings, anger, sadness and worry to be able to console her. It's ridiculously hard to stay positive and happy for my daughter, who keeps asking where the bird is, 'where's Koko?'.

I'm a mom, and got ridiculously attached to my baby bird even though it's not even been a week. Vet did not shy away from the fact that had someone with no knowledge had her or she had not left the shop, she would have died tonight or tomorrow morning at the latest. You can bet your button's after being faced with a angry mother the shop kindly offered up to pay for all of her vet bills from this.

For her being alive right now I largely credit you guys- who have given me advice and confirmed many of my thoughts and worries, though I didn't voice them for fear of influencing answers. I saw many warning signs, stress marks in her feathers and things that didn't add up in the shop. I think that's why we agreed to take her in the first place, though we couldn't pinpoint what felt off, what was wrong, we knew she needed help.

I'll update when the vet updates me, probably in a few hours.

Thank you again.

 

[rocky'smom]

prayers up for this little one

 

[ArcticFox]

I don't have any advice. I've been following this thread closely and just wanted to say that I'm sorry your baby is going through all this. It's a good thing she has you. And good on the vet for calling the store! What they were doing sounded like borderline abuse.

I wouldn't categorize it as abuse- it was not intentional. The store manager is horrified and actually started crying when what she is facing was explained to him. This is the price of ignorance. Koko is paying the price for her past caregiver's lack of education. She is paying the price for the breeder she came from- who we assume only cared about the money. If it was intentional, I would call it abuse. But it wasn't- neglect more correctly defines the situation.

The specialist actually is making a trip to the store personally to check the weight of their other birds unofficially. She did say if she finds the scarlet (hes 6 month's old) in similar condition she will be making some calls.

 

[Macawnutz]

Take a huge breath and know that what happens next is out of your hands. I can say that your baby will do the very best she can. Blue and golds are fighters even at that young age. My BG was hospitalized and near dead at about the same age from an uneducated home based breeder. He is chewing up my chair as I write this.

Your baby is in my thoughts.