Vet opinions on foraging

[SandraK]

Good advice. Thank you

Such a weird place to be. Sigh. Wish I could just clone Dr Burkett. He has been so helpful to me and he's almost 3000 miles away. It really makes a difference having someone who does listen and will brainstorm with you.​

Maybe contact him and, if he recommended this vet, tell him what you've run into. If he recommended this vet to you and reads what you've said he might be able to contact her too and tell her she's got to change how she does things.

 

[CStone]

I went to a vet that, as soon as I mentioned that I had researched care online, started to quiz me instead of giving me his input. When he asked if they got out of cage time I said "Almost all day" to which he responded with a snide, "She says proudly." I never suggested that I had any expertise in avian medicine, yet he treated me as if I was trying to be a know-it-all. He also suggested a pellet only diet, which made Athena polyuric. I never went back.

A vet gets paid for bedside manner as well as expertise. Never continue to pay someone to treat you badly or give you advice you know is wrong.

 

[SandraK]

I went to a vet that, as soon as I mentioned that I had researched care online, started to quiz me instead of giving me his input. When he asked if they got out of cage time I said "Almost all day" to which he responded with a snide, "She says proudly." I never suggested that I had any expertise in avian medicine, yet he treated me as if I was trying to be a know-it-all. He also suggested a pellet only diet, which made Athena polyuric. I never went back.

A vet gets paid for bedside manner as well as expertise. Never continue to pay someone to treat you badly or give you advice you know is wrong.

Amen! I've had more than one vet tell me my fids should be on pellets only - mine will eat pellets but they also like seed mixes, fresh fruit and veggies. Eating only one type of food would be boring for anyone and not necessarily that healthy.

 

[MandaExotics]

Amen! I've had more than one vet tell me my fids should be on pellets only - mine will eat pellets but they also like seed mixes, fresh fruit and veggies. Eating only one type of food would be boring for anyone and not necessarily that healthy.

I've been told pellet only before too, which is weird considering with cockatiels pellet only diets also opens up potential health concerns (this wasn't just when adding a product to aid in plucking or other medication- that I can possibly understand). I think some vets have an excellent understanding of animal physiology and such but not so much on bedside manners or detailed and specific nutrition. Like human doctors I guess, some are better to communicate with than others.

 

[Lodah]

Amen! I've had more than one vet tell me my fids should be on pellets only - mine will eat pellets but they also like seed mixes, fresh fruit and veggies. Eating only one type of food would be boring for anyone and not necessarily that healthy.

Ditto... I have two feeder boxes that have numerous types of food in them (at least 8 - 10 types) that Pilo loves! Nothing is boring and he has to forage for the best ones and leaves the others till last! Fresh food is in another bowl! Sometimes I wonder if he gets tired running between feeders!

 

[Peachfaced]

Ditto... I have two feeder boxes that have numerous types of food in them (at least 8 - 10 types) that Pilo loves! Nothing is boring and he has to forage for the best ones and leaves the others till last! Fresh food is in another bowl! Sometimes I wonder if he gets tired running between feeders!

If he does get tired, that's the whole point! We're doing our job! Sherbie loves doing acrobatics when there's food involved.

 

[MandaExotics]

If he does get tired, that's the whole point! We're doing our job! Sherbie loves doing acrobatics when there's food involved.

For some reason Rainbow usually likes to eat fresh food while hanging from the side of her cage because that's more fun apparently. Keeps her occupied and busy and provides for a happier her and me. Come to think of it, she also likes to eat apples hanging off of me here lately instead of using a perch. I really don't try to understand her new whims but accept them. It's only when she does it with seeds and realizes she can't hold the seed and the cage bars that I give her *the look*.

 

[finchly]

Clearly you guys missed the point. Your birds are FORAGING and they are NOT SUPPOSED TO DO THAT. Kindly stand by the cage and hand them one bite at a time. Preferably fatty seeds, please.

Seriously, I have apossible answer to the madness. I think she might be having personal issues. Not that you should stay with her... My family physician got weird like this. He prescribed meds and then yelled at me for taking them. He told me to put my arm in a sling then yelled because I had been holding it still. Turned out his 8 yr old child had been diagnosed with some rare disease. She died a couple years later. I DID switch doctors, but I felt really bad for him. Esp since I had been her music teacher, if he'd let me know I could have grieved with him.

 

[Lodah]

our birds are FORAGING and they are NOT SUPPOSED TO DO THAT.

I would go and tell Pilo... but he is too busy running around looking for that piece of "yummy" that eludes him at the moment!