Urgent 4 mth old greenwing...HELP!!!!

natalierae21 · 12/6/13

Hello there...okay so here's the facts...
We just got a new baby greenwing macaw that will be 4 months on the 7th of dec. He had just been weaned a few days before we picked him up about a week ago. When we brought him home all iwas well till about a day ago when I started to see his uretes a greenish color. I do have photos of my baby and of his green poop. It's not his actual feces that's green it's the liquid that's green. Also I can feel his breast bone. We keep his bowl full of pellets, and he also gets his fruits and veggies. I'm very worried about him. Please if anyone can give us some advice were listening...
Thanks

roxynoodle · 12/6/13

Go to an avian vet. This could be a liver or kidney issue. He's also young to be fully weaned.

Greycloud · 12/6/13

I recommend you return him to the breeder. He needs more time to wean and may need a stool culture done. He may have loose stools due to dehydration as he may not be getting enough nourishment.

roxynoodle · 12/6/13

I was also thinking dehydration due to being forced to wean too early.

natalierae21 · 12/6/13

Yeah I thought he was to young to he weaned also. Returning him is out of the question. He wasn't hand feeding him so i don't think returning him would do any good. His attitude and playfullness is all the same. I actually just got off the phone with the breeder and he said he sees it all the time and that it's from the dyes in his food... I'm bot sure what's really going on but I'm going to be taking him to the vet as soon as possible. Everything is snowed out here today. Anyway he's acting normal and playing also he's eating good and all I'm just worried...

Christine 1978 · 12/6/13

I dont know much but I would take to the vets asap. Better safe then sorry. Best of luck. Saying a prayer for you. :hug8:

Sadieladie1994 · 12/6/13

He may have been weaned from food at the breeder but when stressed many will regress back to wanting handfeeding which is ok to do. Share meal time with him (just present when he eats)

natalierae21 · 12/6/13

Yes I think your spot on. I Think he's wanting te handfeeding again. He's eats better when were there or giving it to him by hand. Weeds going to try this but also still take him to the vet when he opens. Tha is for all the advice

Hankmacaw · 12/6/13

GWs are notorious for weaning late. My Jasper didn't wean until she was 8 mo old and even then she wanted comfort feedings quite often. She's almost 21 now and she still gets a comfort feeding from a syringe now and then.

I'm glad you are taking him to the vet. Green urine or green urates (the white part) are not good and like Roxynoodle said could indicate a liver issue or a number of other problems. Do you know what the breeder was feeding him? Hope you aren't feeding the colored pellets now.

Has he fledged? Babies will drop weight just before they decide to fly. Feeling his keel bone is not a bad thing. If you couldn't feel it, he would be way too fat. It's when the keel bone protrudes like a keel, is when they are too thin. I strongly recommend that you buy a scale and weigh your boy every morning before his breakfast and after TBHMP (the big humongous morning poop). It's important to become familiar with your bird's norms.

My suggestion is that you write a list of questions to ask the vet when you see him. Sometimes we are so nervous on the baby's first visit that we draw a blank.

No one spends more time staring at poop than we parrot owners - so here's some help for you to know what you are looking at;
Poopology - Identify Bird Health Problems through their Droppings

And this is just a good place to spend some time browsing if you have a question about health and/or if you are a new bird owner;
Healthy Highway | Avian Avenue Parrot Forum

Theresa · 12/6/13

Do you have any human baby food or maybe sweet potato that you could mush up with a bit of organic juice? You could give that to him with a spoon or a Dixie cup.

natalierae21 · 12/6/13

Hello Hank your advice is excellent and much appreciated...okay so it's not the urates as I thought, it's his urine the actual liquid has a hint of green. he has fledged and can fly, but the breeder really did a hack job on his flight feathers... I'll have to post pic...it's bad...all we can do is wait for them to come back

I read somewhere about the breast bone being felt meant their skinny and sick, so what you said makes me feel much better! He's an active baby loves to play and he's eating well. But I will be deff taking him to the vet and most likely starting up some hand feedings again. I also thought he was a bit young to wean but the breeder assured me that he wasn't forced to wean and that he believes he weaned early because he was "competing" for food with his other 2 siblings that are the same age. They also weaned at the same age as my Monté. We love him to death, he's already a part of the family. Even tho he's only been here a week I can't imagine life without his little feathered butt

natalierae21 · 12/6/13

Hey TMS- I will try the baby food, great idea! You think smushed pumpkin would also be okay?

Theresa · 12/6/13

natalierae21 said:
Hey TMS- I will try the baby food, great idea! You think smushed pumpkin would also be okay?

Sure, anything that's healthy, warm and mushy would work, it would also help in hydrating him.

birdle · 12/6/13

smushed pumpkin is great as long as its 100% pumpkin

natalierae21 · 12/6/13

Yeah I still have a pie pumpkin from thanksgiving I'll bake for him

Really Guys thanks for all the excellent tips this is our fist feathered baby...my husband inherited his granny's umbrella too who absoulty hated me lol but he lived to 63 bless his heart. So this is our first young bird it's like I'm a new mommy again lol

GuineaPigster · 12/6/13

Sory to hear he's under the weather!!
My Bridgette doesn't take well to pellets, so if she eats only pellets for a short while, she'll get green urine that goes away as soon as she eats seeds.

roxynoodle · 12/6/13

If the urine is green tinged that could be color that leached off the feces part.

I would still get a checkup from a vet ASAP though.

You may also need to pick up some handfeeding formula due to his young age. The vet can show you how to feed. Macaws can be little boogers to feed from what I've read. Best wishes

natalierae21 · 12/6/13

http://i953.photobucket.com/albums/ae11/natalierae21/image.jpeg

theres my monte hopefully it worked
also i will deff be picking up some formula for him and taking him to the vet soon

GuineaPigster · 12/6/13

What a pretty birdy!! Its beak is gorgeous!

GuineaPigster · 12/6/13

Best wishes for your vet visit.

Urgent 4 mth old greenwing...HELP!!!!

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