Hi All,
Can Cockatiels have brain damage? Can trauma cause long-term damage? Are some Cockatiels just really laid back and non-active? This what I am trying to find the answer to regarding my bird.
Background: Miss Minnie is an all white Cockatiel with gray eyes that was found wandering a street in Chicago and taken to a rescue. Her feet are deformed (knarled) and the rescue vet (and my Avian vet) said it's most likely arthritis. She is on Meloxicam daily for pain. The vet records the rescue gave me had "trauma" in her diagnosis. She can't land well due to her feet so just walks a lot. I adopted her and she has obviously never had any positive human interaction. For the entire three years I have had her, her personality is oddly quiet and still. She had a Cockatiel friend who recently passed, but she was doing this way before that. She has a big cage, rope perches, tons of toys, treats, and the door of the cage is never closed. She can fly if she wants. I put on Cockatiel Companion on YouTube for her and she can look out the window. I wheel the cage with me when I go in the bedroom and it's placed very close to my desk when I work. I want her to feel safe. I love her dearly because she's so sweet and special. She has grown to trust me, which is very rewarding but she won't do anything like step up, etc. She doesn't scream - she squeaks (particularly when sirens go by).
Yet, what baffles me is that, with the exception of a couple times a day, she likes to just sit still. She puffs out her cheeks and grinds her beak, so I know she's happy but she's so still and quiet most of the time, I am wondering if that's just her personality or could it be brain damage, or a result of the trauma. I want to make sure she is as happy as she can be so I am trying to find out what could possibly be wrong (or right)? I am used to having very active Cockatiels and I've never had one like this so trying to figure it out. Thank you!
Can Cockatiels have brain damage? Can trauma cause long-term damage? Are some Cockatiels just really laid back and non-active? This what I am trying to find the answer to regarding my bird.
Background: Miss Minnie is an all white Cockatiel with gray eyes that was found wandering a street in Chicago and taken to a rescue. Her feet are deformed (knarled) and the rescue vet (and my Avian vet) said it's most likely arthritis. She is on Meloxicam daily for pain. The vet records the rescue gave me had "trauma" in her diagnosis. She can't land well due to her feet so just walks a lot. I adopted her and she has obviously never had any positive human interaction. For the entire three years I have had her, her personality is oddly quiet and still. She had a Cockatiel friend who recently passed, but she was doing this way before that. She has a big cage, rope perches, tons of toys, treats, and the door of the cage is never closed. She can fly if she wants. I put on Cockatiel Companion on YouTube for her and she can look out the window. I wheel the cage with me when I go in the bedroom and it's placed very close to my desk when I work. I want her to feel safe. I love her dearly because she's so sweet and special. She has grown to trust me, which is very rewarding but she won't do anything like step up, etc. She doesn't scream - she squeaks (particularly when sirens go by).
Yet, what baffles me is that, with the exception of a couple times a day, she likes to just sit still. She puffs out her cheeks and grinds her beak, so I know she's happy but she's so still and quiet most of the time, I am wondering if that's just her personality or could it be brain damage, or a result of the trauma. I want to make sure she is as happy as she can be so I am trying to find out what could possibly be wrong (or right)? I am used to having very active Cockatiels and I've never had one like this so trying to figure it out. Thank you!
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