Parrots and strokes - what can I do?

[saroj12]

you are an angel!

 

[Davi]

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.

The padded bottom of the cage is a good idea and that's what I've been using for my little parakeet since he had a stroke. He fell more often initially, so his landings were very soft, which helped a lot. Thankfully he's been getting stronger. I like your idea of the half flat perch, but what I meant was a traditional round perch that somehow has "railings" on the sides so that he wouldn't fall off if he lost grip on the round perch. Does that make sense? I'm sure it's easier said than done (coming up with such a perch), but I'll keep thinking about this and if I end up making one such perch, I'll be sure to let you know! (or even if I come up with just a design of sorts, if you'd like to make it yourself).

 

[Brittany0208]

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.

At least he has a happy ending. It always breaks my heart when animals are mistreated and bounce from home to home. I wonder what goes on in their minds. You are a saint, and I'm so happy that he has you

 

[sunnysmom]

He looks so much better than he did. You're a wonderful person to have helped him.

 

[Fuzzy]

Thank you everyone. I feel guilty when people tell me I am doing well with him. I wish I had more time for him... ie to think up a way of not having him caged, etc. etc.

I really do think he is happy enough. He always joins in with the voices of the other Amazons. He adores head scratches which I had to teach him very gradually. He loves his meals. I have taught him to station the opposite side of the cage when I'm cleaning him out for lots of attention (yes, my attention has become reinforcing!!) and head scratches. When he first arrived he would climb the bars trying to get at me to bite - it was so difficult to clean out his cage. More recently I have found him to be responsive to my voice so am teaching him to sing. I feel so happy that he seems to like me now - he coyly scratches his head when I come in from being out and say hello to him - a behaviour previously saved for male humans only. He will take pieces of cashew nut from me nicely and drinks from a syringe. He is still not completely trustworthy which make me sad - that's when I think that perhaps if I had more time for him we would be better friends. I'm still working on it. Here is a very short video clip of him from this morning:

 

[Fuzzy]

The padded bottom of the cage is a good idea and that's what I've been using for my little parakeet since he had a stroke. He fell more often initially, so his landings were very soft, which helped a lot. Thankfully he's been getting stronger. I like your idea of the half flat perch, but what I meant was a traditional round perch that somehow has "railings" on the sides so that he wouldn't fall off if he lost grip on the round perch. Does that make sense? I'm sure it's easier said than done (coming up with such a perch), but I'll keep thinking about this and if I end up making one such perch, I'll be sure to let you know! (or even if I come up with just a design of sorts, if you'd like to make it yourself).

I'm so sorry about your parakeet, Davi. Good to hear that he is getting stronger. Yes, your perch idea does make sense. And yes, please let me know if you come up with such a thing! Right now Chico's perches are fairly close together so that he can feel his way around, and I was also trying to make it so that maybe a second perch holds up his tail. Even the rope perches are parallel so that it is easier to traverse his cage. He used to climb the bars a lot and has a groove in his beak which tells me he's probably been using his beak to climb for a long time. It's nice to see that at last he doesn't really climb the bars... only when he falls off will he use them to get back on his perch again.

 

[Davi]

I'm so sorry about your parakeet, Davi. Good to hear that he is getting stronger. Yes, your perch idea does make sense. And yes, please let me know if you come up with such a thing! Right now Chico's perches are fairly close together so that he can feel his way around, and I was also trying to make it so that maybe a second perch holds up his tail. Even the rope perches are parallel so that it is easier to traverse his cage. He used to climb the bars a lot and has a groove in his beak which tells me he's probably been using his beak to climb for a long time. It's nice to see that at last he doesn't really climb the bars... only when he falls off will he use them to get back on his perch again.

Thank you! Hawk (our 11-year old parakeet) is hanging in there! Despite Chico's mobility issues, I just warms my heart to know that he's being so well loved and taken care of! Give him a kiss for me please

 

[Farlie]

My gosh, I feel so sorry for that poor bird...

 

[Farlie]

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 because that was an awful thing to say after all she does for her parrots.

I don't think I need to apologize to anyone for what I see to be a suffering bird. I feel so sorry for that bird.
The last video I saw looked to be a mindless bird doing the same thing over and over and over again.

 

[Mizzely]

A bird who is suffering doesn't chatter and communicate like that I see no suffering bird, I see a bird who is enjoying life, regardless of what ailments tried to say otherwise! It is easy to make assumptions based on 2 videos and a handful of responses on a thread.

A caretaker who spends time with him everyday is a much better judge.

 

[Tiel Feathers]

I don’t think he looks mindless at all! The video is only 32 seconds, so just because he does something over a few times doesn’t really mean he’s doing nothing but repetitive movements. He looks like he’s engaged and interacting happily!

 

[Farlie]

As far as Shanna is concerned it's perfectly alright for everybody else around here to speak their opinion but I'm not allowed to so I'm done with you Shanna and have tagged a few of you others on my ignore list.

I feel so sorry for that poor bird. You should be ashamed of yourself.
Good bye...

 

[Brittany0208]

As far as Shanna is concerned it's perfectly alright for everybody else around here to speak their opinion but I'm not allowed to so I'm done with you Shanna and have tagged a few of you others on my ignore list.

I feel so sorry for that poor bird. You should be ashamed of yourself.
Good bye...

Why do you think the bird is suffering?
This has gotten way out of hand. I believe Roz is doing the best she can. Sure the bird isn't perfect but it doesn't mean he deserves to die. Do you think all 'imperfect' birds are miserable?
This is not an attack, I genuinely want to know.

 

[Begone]

Good bye...

Your comments and observing is only telling that you don't have good experience in birds or how they are.

All animals lives for the reason of survival.
Their biggest fear is to be caught and be dead beacuse then they can't reproduce.
They are just like us and also have death anxiety, but the things that make us different is that they never will end their life and commit suicide.
So when you tell that a happy parrot in great condition should be put to sleep is imo murder.

I'm always on the birds side. If I see a bird suffer I'm often the first to tell so. And for that I have been reported several times. (And also having admin to pm me)
So when I say that Chico is one lucky and happy parrot, believe me, he is!

You should be ashamed of yourself.

Yes you should!

 

[Brittany0208]

Your comments and observing is only telling that you don't have good experience in birds or how they are.

All animals lives for the reason of survival.
Their biggest fear is to be caught and be dead beacuse then they can't reproduce.
They are just like us and also have death anxiety, but the things that make us different is that they never will end their life and commit suicide.
So when you tell that a happy parrot in great condition should be put to sleep is imo murder.

I'm always on the birds side. If I see a bird suffer I'm often the first to tell so. And for that I have been reported several times. (And also having admin to pm me)
So when I say that Chico is one lucky and happy parrot, believe me, he is!

Yes you should!

I think he blocked this thread, or all of us, so he probably won't respond. Oh well...

 

[Begone]

I think he blocked this thread, or all of us, so he probably won't respond. Oh well...

Then I think his post should be delated as they don't have any purpose more then hurting people that don't deserves it.

 

[Brittany0208]

Then I think his post should be delated as they don't have any purpose more then hurting people that don't deserves it.

I agree. To judge someone like that is horrible. I hope Roz is okay and doesn't take Farlie's words to heart.

 

[Danita]

Don't worry about what that other said

 

[Mizzely]

As far as Shanna is concerned it's perfectly alright for everybody else around here to speak their opinion but I'm not allowed to so I'm done with you Shanna and have tagged a few of you others on my ignore list.

I feel so sorry for that poor bird. You should be ashamed of yourself.
Good bye...

You are allowed to speak your opinion. That doesn't mean no one is allowed to challenge it.

 

[Fuzzy]

... I feel so sorry for that poor bird. You should be ashamed of yourself ...

It's a relief to know that your opinion is in the minority. Even my vet has not suggested euthanizing Chico... he suggested exercises. Chico is certainly not a mindless bird, you don't know him at all!