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Done It Again
- Thread starter Ripshod
- Start date
Just spoke with the vet (2hrs ago actually, but a little thinking), let's hope I've got this right.
The vet scoped the feathers he plucked and found stress fractures throughout the feathers. Now these can be caused by either serious injury but nothing to see on the x-rays, or severe stress actually caused the feathers to stop growing altogether for a while. This is more likely bullying, loneliness or starvation. Some blood chem results are back also suggesting starvation (liver damage). The liver is easily fixed, the feathers will be moulted for fresh ones. The double feathers are likely caused by the growth stopping.
All I have to do, for now, is keep doing what I'm doing. We'll have full bios Wednesday and he's rushing chems for Thursday.
I don't want to think about what Roger's been through now. I'm just looking forward to giving him the best life me and Tau can.
*EDIT*
Sometimes what the rescues aren't told is the hardest to hear.
The vet scoped the feathers he plucked and found stress fractures throughout the feathers. Now these can be caused by either serious injury but nothing to see on the x-rays, or severe stress actually caused the feathers to stop growing altogether for a while. This is more likely bullying, loneliness or starvation. Some blood chem results are back also suggesting starvation (liver damage). The liver is easily fixed, the feathers will be moulted for fresh ones. The double feathers are likely caused by the growth stopping.
All I have to do, for now, is keep doing what I'm doing. We'll have full bios Wednesday and he's rushing chems for Thursday.
I don't want to think about what Roger's been through now. I'm just looking forward to giving him the best life me and Tau can.
*EDIT*
Sometimes what the rescues aren't told is the hardest to hear.
Khizz
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The poor baby, I can't even imagine what miserable circumstances could have led to such a state. So far it sounds like he just needs some love and care, and I hope the results come back positively.
Right now he's eating Top's pellets (he's mad on them), birdie bread if it has a little red palm oil on it, and he's eating some of Tau's seed mix (Hagen) so fully supplemented for now, but depending on the Chem results I'll add whatever is needed.
I don't think he's ever seen fresh veg, fruit, sprouts or cooked food before the rescue, and he still gives them a wide berth now. I drop a few dried mealworms in his pellet dish a couple of times a day and he's happy to eat them.
I likr that. It's so true.
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Okay, just a couple of things to cover today.
Firstly, his tail feathers. The main feathers are estimated 6-7 weeks old. The smaller fan feathers are estimated 2-3 weeks old (at the time he lost them). So we have a period of 3-4 weeks where he was manhandled and lost them, about 4-7 weeks ago. His age is estimated at 11-13 months. And that's the bad news.
Life is getting more interesting for Roger. His PBFD test has yielded some interesting results. No sign of any virus, but he does carry antibodies to the 2 main causal viruses in the UK. Given his age he has not contracted the viruses himself, the antibodies were passed in the yolk.
So I thought he had PBFD when he's protected against it. It is probable his mother had it. Go figure. It certainly takes a lot off my mind
Had his first face-to-face meeting with Tau today. He looked at Tau, got a little closer and watched him, got a little closer again. As soon as they were a few inches apart Tau hissed and lunged and Roger backed away. He seemed upset/disappointed. Roger is HUUUUUGE at the side of Tau, but Tau has the upper hand for now. I put it down to Roger still being juvenile - it's something to watch for in the future.
Firstly, his tail feathers. The main feathers are estimated 6-7 weeks old. The smaller fan feathers are estimated 2-3 weeks old (at the time he lost them). So we have a period of 3-4 weeks where he was manhandled and lost them, about 4-7 weeks ago. His age is estimated at 11-13 months. And that's the bad news.
Life is getting more interesting for Roger. His PBFD test has yielded some interesting results. No sign of any virus, but he does carry antibodies to the 2 main causal viruses in the UK. Given his age he has not contracted the viruses himself, the antibodies were passed in the yolk.
So I thought he had PBFD when he's protected against it. It is probable his mother had it. Go figure. It certainly takes a lot off my mind
Had his first face-to-face meeting with Tau today. He looked at Tau, got a little closer and watched him, got a little closer again. As soon as they were a few inches apart Tau hissed and lunged and Roger backed away. He seemed upset/disappointed. Roger is HUUUUUGE at the side of Tau, but Tau has the upper hand for now. I put it down to Roger still being juvenile - it's something to watch for in the future.
Tiel Feathers
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Glad he had good results, what a relief! I didn’t know he was so young. I hope Tau makes friends soon. Poor Roger, it’s hard to be the new kid!
Neither did I, but it's actually quite obvious when you look at his still-pink feet.
The verdict:
He's actually a pretty healthy but neglected little parrot.
Points to note:
I don't want any more scares. Even with a hefty discount I can't afford any more doubts like this so we'll just crack on and live a good life now.
He's actually a pretty healthy but neglected little parrot.
Points to note:
- Elevated CK. No surprise with any muscle injuries.
- Heart good.
- Thyroid good.
- Liver function good (that's a surprise).
- Hormones good.
- Blood count good.
- Blood clotting good.
- Poops excellent.
- Feather condition poor (expected).
- Preen gland good.
I don't want any more scares. Even with a hefty discount I can't afford any more doubts like this so we'll just crack on and live a good life now.
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What a happy turn of events @ the vets. I'm so glad Roger is doing so well & to have antibodies against PBFD, amazed, didn't know this was possible! Too bad they don't make a vaccine, we could give our babies.
I'm sad that Tau is making Roger feel so alone. I hope this gets resolved nicely & quickly between the 2 of them.
Call it evolution or just plain survival of the fittest. In this case the oranges are more resilient to the virus than the reds, so we start seeing more orange than red. I really hope the true red crimson doesn't die out in the wild. Maybe someone will one day find a way to breed this resilience back into the reds so the following generations stay red. That could just as easily happen in the wild. It's not urgent though, plenty of the reds still fly free and will for centuries.
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Hey, I was looking something up & tripped on some = double feather 1 shaft. Scroll down to the very last blackened title.
Parrot Feather Problems | Parrots and Disease | Parrots | Guide | Omlet UK
Parrot Feather Problems | Parrots and Disease | Parrots | Guide | Omlet UK
Good find. The vet did mention Polyfolliculitis on the phone but ruled it out on exam as it's only one shaft that splits rather than multiple shafts from the follicle. Good find though, Omlet is a great reference sometimes.
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A wee update, he's been with me nearly 4 weeks now.
He appears to have had quite a bit of training previously so even though I still can't approach him I can get him to do a few things. I have him out with Tau and even though he's a bigger beak they get on rather well, as long as there's at least 6 inches between them. Tau doesn't like him any closer and he seems to respect that. His beak is changing so the vet and I have revised his age to 10 months. It's going to be a lovely colour. The newer half of it's like a real pale blue, almost has a mother-of-pearl look to it. If he is 10 months then a big moult is just around the corner.
I mentioned earlier about the training. If I feel he's getting too close to Tau, or if I need to go out the room for anything all I have to say is "cage" or "home" and he takes himself home. He also waves if he sees me wave at him.
Another change is I can now sit at the cage end of the sofa and he'll happily come down and eat 12 inches from me, so long as I don't look at him.
It seems to be all about my face now, if I can get him to trust my face we've cracked it. It's not going to be easy but I'm putting the work in. Whatever he went through before rescue he'll always remember. He just has to learn he can trust me, a relative stranger right now.
He appears to have had quite a bit of training previously so even though I still can't approach him I can get him to do a few things. I have him out with Tau and even though he's a bigger beak they get on rather well, as long as there's at least 6 inches between them. Tau doesn't like him any closer and he seems to respect that. His beak is changing so the vet and I have revised his age to 10 months. It's going to be a lovely colour. The newer half of it's like a real pale blue, almost has a mother-of-pearl look to it. If he is 10 months then a big moult is just around the corner.
I mentioned earlier about the training. If I feel he's getting too close to Tau, or if I need to go out the room for anything all I have to say is "cage" or "home" and he takes himself home. He also waves if he sees me wave at him.
Another change is I can now sit at the cage end of the sofa and he'll happily come down and eat 12 inches from me, so long as I don't look at him.
It seems to be all about my face now, if I can get him to trust my face we've cracked it. It's not going to be easy but I'm putting the work in. Whatever he went through before rescue he'll always remember. He just has to learn he can trust me, a relative stranger right now.
cassiesdad
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Roger is certainly a work in progress...
Mockinbirdiva
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I love good news... I'm happy for you that he's getting more comfortable. Do you know for sure if Roger is a male? My crimson loved to whistle the Mayberry theme. Just pick a tune you like and do it several times a day ... maybe he'll pick it up!
