• Welcome to Avian Avenue! To view our forum with less advertisments please register with us.
    Memberships are free and it will just take a moment. Click here

Parrots and strokes - what can I do?

Fuzzy

Rollerblading along the road
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
10/30/10
Messages
4,331
Location
Jersey, Channel Islands
Real Name
Roz
We could still try to figure something out that combines a round perch with a flat perch (I can see it in my head, but it's hard to explain). At any rate, it seems like you're getting lots of great advice. I'm so glad he has you in his life!
That's an interesting idea, Davi. I've tried a perch that was flat on top and round underneath (is that what you mean?), then rotated it to see if he preferred it the other way, but no, he seems to like round perches. I've cut grooves into short willow perches in the hope that his nails sort of hook on (he still falls off when relaxed). I've tried wrapping perches in vet wrap but he avoids them or chews off the vet wrap. In the end I made a padded "bottom of the cage" about 10 inches below his perches so if he falls it's not far.
 

Fuzzy

Rollerblading along the road
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
10/30/10
Messages
4,331
Location
Jersey, Channel Islands
Real Name
Roz
I would maybe ask about meds to make him more comfortable if you think he's in pain. As for the stroke, my cockatiel had one. There's not a lot to be done for the stroke itself but some dietary changes seemed to help my tiel. I started giving him senior nutriberries and looked for foods with vitamin B in them. I also eliminated broccoli from his diet (which he loved) but it has vitamin K in it which can thicken the blood so to speak. So not what you want for animals at risk for stroke. He's a lovely bird and lucky to have you.
I have read about Senior Nutri Berries - sadly we can't get them in the UK. Vit B? Ok that is most grains etc. isn't it? I didn't know about broccoli and Vit K.... Chico will be over the moon - he hates broccoli! :hehe: Can just imagine him saying, "I told you so!" :D Seriously I am going to have a closer look at Vit K. Thanks for that, Sunnysmom.
 

Farlie

Rollerblading along the road
Joined
10/2/18
Messages
2,435
Location
Central Arkansas
Real Name
Rick
I'm so sorry about your bird But, in the wild he would be animal food by now. Have you thot about putting that poor baby out of his misery? I really am sorry, but...
 

Brittany0208

Rollerblading along the road
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
4/8/18
Messages
2,877
I'm so sorry about your bird But, in the wild he would be animal food by now. Have you thot about putting that poor baby out of his misery? I really am sorry, but...
He doesn't look miserable to me. From the video, he seems like a chipper guy
 

Fuzzy

Rollerblading along the road
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
10/30/10
Messages
4,331
Location
Jersey, Channel Islands
Real Name
Roz
I'm so sorry about your bird But, in the wild he would be animal food by now. Have you thot about putting that poor baby out of his misery? I really am sorry, but...
I don't think he's miserable either. He talks, he sings, he eats. Right now he's playing with two toys. I don't think he'd do all that if he was miserable.
 

Macawnutz

Seriously Nutz!
Super Administrator
Vendor
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
10/21/11
Messages
32,902
Location
Wisconsin
Real Name
Sarah
Okay, so we are going to take a shoe box and cut off the short sides. Basically a U shaped box. Punch holes through the long sides and insert a perch. Put some comfy fleece up the sides and done. :)
 

Begone

Joyriding the Neighborhood
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Avenue Spotlight Award
Shutterbugs' Best
Joined
11/29/12
Messages
15,651
Have you thot about putting that poor baby out of his misery?
He is not a poor baby. He is a very loved and well taken care of family member.
Can't you see how happy he is in the video Roz posted? That is not the look of a parrot that lives in misery. I think you should apologize to Roz beacuse that was an aweful thing to say after all she does for her parrots.
 

ncGreyBirdLady

They call Me crazy like its a bad thing!
Administrator
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
10/15/09
Messages
11,676
Location
Feathered Funny Farm USA
Real Name
Bonnie
I'm so sorry about your bird But, in the wild he would be animal food by now. Have you thot about putting that poor baby out of his misery? I really am sorry, but...
OMG I cant believe that you actually posted that!Chico is not at all in any misery! Roz is making sure that he has a good quality of life and I'm sure that IF and when Chico stops enjoying life Roz will do what is best for him! I had a Vet tell me 26years ago that I should probably put Gemini down SO very glad I did not listen!!!!!!!
 

Fuzzy

Rollerblading along the road
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
10/30/10
Messages
4,331
Location
Jersey, Channel Islands
Real Name
Roz
Everyone is entitled to their opinion. I think, I hope, I will know if I have to make the decision to have Chico euthanized. Right now, he is still enjoying life. :)
 

Fuzzy

Rollerblading along the road
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
10/30/10
Messages
4,331
Location
Jersey, Channel Islands
Real Name
Roz
Okay, so we are going to take a shoe box and cut off the short sides. Basically a U shaped box. Punch holes through the long sides and insert a perch. Put some comfy fleece up the sides and done. :)
That's very interesting, Macawnutz. Just sketched it out. Was trying to scan the drawing, but I think my scanner has given up! I'm going to make that for him. Thank you. :D
 

Mockinbirdiva

Cruising the avenue
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
11/20/09
Messages
11,338
Location
South Carolina
Real Name
Andrea
Are there any anti-inflammatory medications that could lessen any possible discomfort from the arthritis? Or foods that may provide any additional needs. @Mizzely may know of something to help.
 

Fuzzy

Rollerblading along the road
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
10/30/10
Messages
4,331
Location
Jersey, Channel Islands
Real Name
Roz
He's lucky to have you. If I may ask, what's his story?
Chico is about 53 years old now. He was rescued by a friend of mine called Mandy who lives in the North of England. Mandy takes in birds that people don't want and tries to rehome them. She had given me Ollie a few years earlier and she gave me Bobbie who arrived with Chico about 4.5 years ago.

Chico had belonged to an old couple for most of his life (I think it is the wife's voice he speaks with), and when they died, was passed down through their family. The woman he ended up with (the granddaughter) was going to have him euthanized because she didn't want him anymore. She works in a rescue organisation (of all jobs!) and a work colleague who knew Mandy informed her of what was about to happen.

Mandy took Chico and said that he 'was in terrible condition' (Vit A deficient with runny nares, unkempt feathers, only partially sighted, cracked feet with callouses plus arthritis in both feet/legs). He was in a tiny cage with a plastic perch so greasy it was almost black. Mandy looked after him for a few months. Because Chico was very aggressive to female humans, he was given to a male friend. He was with this friend for 4 to 5 years. Mandy tried to keep an eye on Chico's progress, but it became apparent the friend wasn’t looking after him very well. In the end Mandy took Chico back because she was appalled at Chico's condition again. She found out that Chico had been shut in a bedroom with no heating over the winter, he was getting no fresh food and no pain meds, plus he had a new injury that had been ignored – a ruptured air sac in his right cheek. When she took him he just had green sludge for water and could hardly move for the cold. This was him the day Mandy took him out of that place:



I was about to move country and I wanted an Amazon friend for Ollie so I asked Mandy if she had any other Orange-winged Amazons who needed a home. She said no, but she had just taken Chico back. I could have him, but he was extremely aggressive and not tame. She asked if I could also take Bobbie (Red-lored Amazon). So I accepted them both.
 

Mockinbirdiva

Cruising the avenue
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
11/20/09
Messages
11,338
Location
South Carolina
Real Name
Andrea
Thanks Mockinbirdiva. I wasn't given any meds to give him. Unfortunately because of his arthritis and sitting on a plastic perch for most of his years, his feet won't open flat so he can't walk on platforms.
Just a thought.. if you gradually increased the diameter of his perch he sits on the most would it help with increasing the expansion of his grip to where he would be able to open his foot more? If I hadn't gone to a physical therapist when I broke my femur ( spiral fracture from the head of femur at the knee) I wouldn't have been able to bend my leg at all. She did have to force bend it in increments ( super painful). It just made me think there could be some help in opening his grip if you did small increment changes in his perches at maybe a 1/4 inch at a time over a period of weeks, months.
 

Fuzzy

Rollerblading along the road
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
10/30/10
Messages
4,331
Location
Jersey, Channel Islands
Real Name
Roz
Are there any anti-inflammatory medications that could lessen any possible discomfort from the arthritis? Or foods that may provide any additional needs. @Mizzely may know of something to help.
Thanks Mockinbirdiva. I have just been learning a lot from Brittany's thread here re anti-inflammatories:

Natural remedies for joint swelling | Avian Avenue Parrot Forum

Have ordered DMSO (to put on his foot/leg joints) and tart cherry juice that I will mix with turmeric and milk thistle. He sticks his feet out of the cage to try to grab me. That is when I am going to try putting the DMSO on!
 

Clueless

Joyriding the Neighborhood
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Avenue Concierge
Joined
11/3/12
Messages
24,022
You're awesome...... just saying.
 

Mockinbirdiva

Cruising the avenue
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
11/20/09
Messages
11,338
Location
South Carolina
Real Name
Andrea
Any improvement would be good. I'm sorry for Chico that he's had such a rough life and happy he's with you! Looking forward to following his story. There are, I'm sure, many more out there just like him. Hoping what ever can make life and health improvements for him will also help others.
 

Mizzely

Lil Monsters Bird Toys
Super Moderator
Vendor
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Avenue Concierge
Joined
8/9/11
Messages
39,969
Location
Northern Mitten Michigan
Real Name
Shawna [she/her]
Nutriberries makes a senior formula with stuff that does help with arthritis. Senior Bird Pet Bird Food – Lafeber Company

Other foods and spices that help with arthritis and inflammation are those high in Omega 3s - soybeans, tofu, ginger, cinammon, cayenne, turmeric, cherries, walnuts, chia seeds, flaxseeds.
 
Top