Harley Update

[faislaq]

When he does play with toys, what sort does he prefer? Maybe we can brainstorm & think of something more enticing? Any little bit might help.

I was picturing Louise going to town on her What the Shell. Birds seem to live that cross-cut wood and Louise proves it's not too big for a grey. One happy bird! | Avian Avenue Parrot Forum

 

[BirdGuy21]

He likes easily shreddable toys such as paper, fabric, sisal, etc. He plays with toys fairly sporadically, most often after dinner if he doesn't go into an episode. He will occasionally play with them in his cage but gets bored very quickly and tires of the same type of material easily. For example, when I first got him his former owner said he loved chewing cork and was surrendered with about five pounds of new corks. He played with them religiously for a few weeks and hasn't touched once since (over a year later). He's a stubborn and particular guy...Kim says just like me but I don't know where she'd get that from, haha.

 

[faislaq]

Buzzard enjoys preening those fluffy feather boas til there's almost none left. The feather kind, not the fluff kind. I bought a pink one for girly Luv Bug to distract her from nipping when we first got her. She stopped for the most part so I wrapped it on Buzz's playstand. I get them at Hobby Lobby.

 

[BirdGuy21]

I will give that a shot, maybe it will distract him from picking his own feathers and keep his mind occupied for a while. There's a Hobby Lobby close to me so I can definitely stop in and pick one up.

 

[faislaq]

Always a 40% mobile coupon off one regularly priced item.

I'll have them scan it for the people around me if they don't have it or give them the code.

 

[sunnysmom]

If you ever stop down to Pittsburgh you could visit Elvis and meet Harley, you know the saying about two birds... haha.



Thank you Michelle, you are always so support and kind . I remember that day you met him and you telling that to Kim, seems like just yesterday but also so long ago at the same time.

I agree it does seem like yesterday and so long ago. Well, if Harley is up to it, why don't we still try to set up a play date for him and Elvis soon.

 

[BirdGuy21]

Always a 40% mobile coupon off one regularly priced item.

I'll have them scan it for the people around me if they don't have it or give them the code.

Good to know! Going to try to run out this weekend and take a look at our Hobby Lobby.

I agree it does seem like yesterday and so long ago. Well, if Harley is up to it, why don't we still try to set up a play date for him and Elvis soon.

That sounds like a great idea. I actually think he likes going on adventures, as I call it. He seems to enjoy going to my parents house- especially because he has learned if he says "want some" everyone in the house rushes to give him a piece of fruit or a nutriberry haha.

 

[cassiesdad]

He seems to enjoy going to my parents house- especially because he has learned if he says "want some" everyone in the house rushes to give him a piece of fruit or a nutriberry haha.

What a great human trainer...

 

[faislaq]

he has learned if he says "want some" everyone in the house rushes to give him a piece of fruit or a nutriberry haha.

I love it! What a smart guy. He knows no one can resist!

 

[Fergus Mom]

This must be heartbreaking to deal with Jake. I just wanted you to know I'll be sending good vibes and prayers your way. To have this happen so suddenly is alarming, and I'm so glad you found a great vet, I just hope they can get to the bottom of it. I had no idea that vets prescribed meds like Diazepam or Gabapentin for birds!

 

[Fergus Mom]

I had no idea that vets prescribed meds like Diazepam or Gabapentin for birds!

I meant to say - Wow - Halperidol / Haldol for birds? I'd have never guessed. I have actually seen a relative on Haldol once, and apparently it can be zombie-fying... (Sorry, I made up that new word)! It would be wonderful if they did find a med to help, but better yet if one day Harley was completely well like before the episodes, bless his heart!

 

[BirdGuy21]

What a great human trainer...

He really is. He imitates the sound of feather snipping trying to get a reaction.

I love it! What a smart guy. He knows no one can resist!

He’s so smart, hard part is trying to channel that into less self destructive behavior.

I meant to say - Wow - Halperidol / Haldol for birds? I'd have never guessed. I have actually seen a relative on Haldol once, and apparently it can be zombie-fying... (Sorry, I made up that new word)! It would be wonderful if they did find a med to help, but better yet if one day Harley was completely well like before the episodes, bless his heart!

I’ve actually never heard of haloperidol before. Vet wants to make it a very last resort and thinks we might have some luck with other medicines. I hope we have figure it out though too and get my harley back to normal. It really is heartbreaking to watch sometimes, but I try not to project that out for him to pick up on.


We had a nice lazy Sunday and Harley got to spend some time outside getting fresh air and sun. Didn’t realize when we took the picture but no, that straw is not in Kim glass of wine lol.


Alex, Scully, and Gillian got to spend some time outside on the new patio too.




(Gillian has no flight feathers from her previous neglect and plucking, hence why she’s not in a cage. We of course took precautions just in case. Don’t want anyone to see this picture and think it’s okay to take a bird outside without a harness or cage; and there was still some risk regardless.)

 

[Alien J]

I don't know much about Harley, but I wish him a speedy return to himself, good health and a long happy life.

 

[BirdGuy21]

Thank you @Ailen J!

We are weaning him off the Valium and starting on the gabapentin as soon as it comes in, should be soon. The CBD oil needs ordered and the vet offered to split the cost with me since it’s more expensive than we orginallly thought.

 

[Fergus Mom]

We had a nice lazy Sunday and Harley got to spend some time outside getting fresh air and sun. Didn’t realize when we took the picture but no, that straw is not in Kim glass of wine lol.

Haaaa ha on the straw! Looks like a chewer got ahold of that one!

So glad they were all able to get out and get some fresh air and outside time.
Great photos too!

That was great of the vet to offer to split the cost. I sure hope the new meds will help. You are such a GREAT parront!

 

[Alien J]

The CBD oil needs ordered and the vet offered to split the cost with me since it’s more expensive than we orginallly thought.

That's awesome! How wonderful to find a vet like that! I use CBD oil occasionally myself. It really helps my arthritis pain. It's really all I can use for it as I also have an ulcer and cannot take traditional anti-inflammatories and pain meds. Let us know how it works for Harley. That and the gabapentin. My fiancee takes that. Sadly, it doesn't seem to help him much. Ironically, he hurt his back riding his Harley! Stay strong, and as TD would whistle, "Don't Worry Be Happy!"

 

[BirdGuy21]

Haaaa ha on the straw! Looks like a chewer got ahold of that one!

So glad they were all able to get out and get some fresh air and outside time.
Great photos too!

That was great of the vet to offer to split the cost. I sure hope the new meds will help. You are such a GREAT parront!

Thank you for the kind words. Sometimes it feels like I've failed him, especially when he has a particularly bad episode. I just want to get this all figured out so we can get him better, I hate the uncertainty.

That's awesome! How wonderful to find a vet like that! I use CBD oil occasionally myself. It really helps my arthritis pain. It's really all I can use for it as I also have an ulcer and cannot take traditional anti-inflammatories and pain meds. Let us know how it works for Harley. That and the gabapentin. My fiancee takes that. Sadly, it doesn't seem to help him much. Ironically, he hurt his back riding his Harley! Stay strong, and as TD would whistle, "Don't Worry Be Happy!"

The vet is awesome. Her office is actually about an hour and a half away so we email back and forth to discuss his progress. On our initial visit she gave me a much discounted rate and has been working with us free of charge for the past three months or so; including finding a pharmacy that will compound the medication to her specifications. She is a life saver and I'm so thankful for her help. We're hopeful for the CBD oil, treating it as experimental. It should be in soon.

That is very ironic about your fiancee, I hope everything turns out okay!

 

[BirdGuy21]

Some good news and some bad news.

Harley has been giving us the hardest time about taking his medicine the past few days. He panics as soon as he sees the bottle and won’t even take the small piece of cracker I put it on. (I hate giving him cracker but it was the only thing he’d eat with the medicine) We tried mixing it with coconut oil, a bit of peanut butter, red palm oil- nothing. He hates being towered but we thought that was going to have to be the solution.

Good news is our syringe training sessions have been paying off. He is no longer terrified of the syringe and will willingly take about half a dose from it- sometimes. He started out hating the syringe and flying away from it or biting it.

Other good news is the CBD oil is here today. Our awesome vet is driving it an hour and half down to Pittsburgh to meet up. Granted we are both going to pick up toys from a vendor show and I’ll be there with the rescue, but she is still awesome for doing that.

Hoping now that he is getting a more reliable dose of gabapentin and with the CBD oil we can see some progress. He did really well yesterday going to get his nails and beak trimmed- no picking or episodes. I am also wondering if heading Jazzy (see my other post) is helping?

 

[sunnysmom]

I'm glad syringe training has helped. I keep telling my self that I need to start that with Elvis. I bet Jazzy is helping too.

 

[cassiesdad]

I've been lucky...both Cassie and Milton were already syringe trained when they came here...of course, Milton likes to chew on the syringe, so you have to be extremely cautious when doing it.

Milty ALWAYS has to make things difficult...