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Cockatiel after 3 days home. (Sad update post #20)

Drake7819

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Hello, Name is Josh and I'm new here. 3 days ago I bought my first ever bird, a Cockatiel Male (Zazu, 10 months old). I have had him home for 3 days now, I had him in our living room where he was around my wife, myself and our 3 kids. He is now in my office with me during the day while I work. I am a little concerned about him. We have not heard him make a single noise and he really doesn't move around much at all. He is eating and drinking and he will get on my finger but really wants to just go back to his cage. He seems to be puffing up his feathers a lot and shaking. Is this all normal, and is there anything I should be concerned about yet. Thank you in advance.
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Ripshod

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He's young. It takes a while for tiels to settle. He has a lot of new stuff to get accustomed to so 3 days is really nothing. He's scared is all. Just give him some time and some space. I don't know how young your kids are but try to keep their interaction to a minimum for now. Excitable kids would be the worst thing right now.
One good thing - he seems to be learning that stepping on your hand will get him a ride back to his cage and safety.
 
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sunnysmom

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It can take awhile for a new bird to settle into a new home. You can try covering his cage on three sides, leaving the front open if he's really scared. That way he doesn't have to be on alert for "danger" on all four sides. Is he eating okay? How do his droppings look? A bird that's puffed up a lot can be a sign of illness but he can just be nervous too. It's always a good idea to have a vet check done for any new bird.
 

Drake7819

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He seems to be eating well. At least a couple times a day. He has not accepted any lettuce or fruit that I have tried to give him though. As far as how his poop looks, I have no idea. What should I be looking for? I plan to take him to the vet later this week.
 

Tyrion

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:congrats5:
 

Drake7819

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Another thing to note is that it is sleeping with 2 feet. does that normally take awhile after home transfers?
 

Feathery

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Hi and welcome!
:hello:

I have a bird that sleeps on both legs. I thought it may have been perch size (too big or small) and not able to get steady. But after many different perches, she still prefers two legs. Avian vet said that alone is nothing to worry about, so long as nothing else is going on. Some birds just prefer two feet vs one.

If you post a photo of the droppings you can get some feedback here.

Also, have you found an avian vet in your area? It's always a good idea to take new birds in for a wellness exam.
 

sunnysmom

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Cockatiels aren't big fruit
He seems to be eating well. At least a couple times a day. He has not accepted any lettuce or fruit that I have tried to give him though. As far as how his poop looks, I have no idea. What should I be looking for? I plan to take him to the vet later this week.


Cockatiels aren't big fruit eaters. I would focus on vegetables instead. You can try chopping up some types of broccali as they look like seeds or some cooked sweet potatoe. Squash, snap peas, etc.

Droppings, Cockatiel Droppings, what normal and abnormal droppings look like, cockatiels diarrhea, cockatiels constipation, cockatiels blood in droppings, cockatiels, watery droppings, yellow dropping, green droppings, blood in droppings, red droppings, what do cockatiel droppings look like, what do bird droppings look like. (cockatielcottage.net)
 

Ripshod

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As far as how his poop looks, I have no idea.
Post a photo of his poop. There's a lot of experienced poopologists on these forums.
 

Drake7819

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Thank you all, Here is a picture of his poop (from yesterday). As of this morning he has a lot of poop build up around his butt. I tried wiping it off with a damp towel but it didn't seem to work to well.
This is the start of the 4th day that I have had him and I dont know what he ate before but right now I have been feeding him a seed mixture.
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sunnysmom

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Not sure how I messed up my previous post but if you click to expand I posted an article about droppings.
 

Drake7819

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From what i am reading (remember, I am a virgin bird owner) I believe that is urate? I dont see any solid droppings in his tray.

I also noticed this morning that his left nostril has some fluid that come up and goes down when he is breathing.

I have a call into the vet this morning. Waiting to hear back.
 

Feathery

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Glad you're getting this little one into vet.

Good observation catching fluid in his Naresh!

The urate is the white part (what should be white) and the other, darker more solid part is the feces.

Your birds urates look a little bit yellowish. And I can't tell if it's seeds or bubbles in the top left poo.

Do you have a carrier to take him? You can place something like wax paper in the bottom and catch some fresh droppings. Maybe the vet can use that same instead of doing a cloacal (their vent aka butt) swab.
 

Feathery

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Yep a small dog carrier will be fine. If you can rig up a perch in it for the birds trip, it may make it a bit more comfortable. I would place a towel in the bottom and then paper over the towel. Just in case he becomes unsteady and falls (that is if you use a perch) it will soften his landing.
 

Drake7819

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Hello, here are some updates. I took Zazu to the Vet on Wednesday and they told me that he has a respiratory infection and that he is under weight. They have me give antibiotic drops in his nasal and eyes as well as feeding him by syringe. So after 2 days of meds he just seems to be getting worse and practically lethargic. I am taking him back to the Vet this morning. I am at a loss here. I am about to spend more at the vet in past few days than I spent on the bird itself (which I dont mind doing, but in the first week of having him?) Is it wrong of me to have thoughts of returning the bird to the store in which we got him from? I hate to do that and I would feel bad about it but what do I do? any advise would be helpful, I am getting real discouraged here.
 

Feathery

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So sorry you're having issues.

Unfortunately birds can be costly. An inexpensive bird from the store is not by any means "cheap." I think some people (not directed at you personally) look at budgies and other inexpensive birds as a cheap pet. But cages, toys, quality food, vet expenses can really add up.

Whatever you decide to do in regards to the bird is up to you. I would contact the store and let them know they have sold an ill bird and have potentially other ill birds there, regardless if you decide to return it or not.

Was the store a major chain or a small business? I'm not sure what they would do with an ill bird. Major chains may euthanize it as it's no longer a profit, while a small business may get the bird treatment. Just some thoughts I have.

It doesn't hurt to reach out and ask for money back or perhaps even financial support with proof of vet invoices.

Hopefully someone here that has had a similar experience can chime in.
 
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Sparkles99

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I'd honestly keep Zazu. Otherwise, you'll always wonder. There's no guarantee the store will do right by him. In fact, I shudder to think of what some of them would do.

It is sad & unjust to get an animal then immediately get stiffed with vet bills. But it's sad for the animal too. They didn't want to be sick & they didn't cause it. And how would you explain it to your kids? That just teaches them that animals are disposable/replaceable. To a child, a week is a very long time.

I would choose to treat, have him euthanized or surrender the bird to a rescue. * Your * choice, not some internet soapboxer's.

I'm always saddened by stories of rescues/shelters taking in animals with treatable but cost exhorbitant procedures. They make a big deal out of fixing a broken leg, etc. & get lots of publicity. Behind every one of those stories is a grieving family whose only crime was being poor. For this reason, emergency vets have a humane euthanasia rate & everyone should at least have that set aside. Others may feel free to flame me if they'd like. I'm humbly grateful never to have been put in such a position. You make the decision with your wife taking into account your bird, your human family & your finances. You owe nobody else anything, including an explanation. But if it's feasible, I hope you'll keep him!

:hug4:
 

Drake7819

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Just to update you all. Regretfully Zazu passed away on Saturday. With him being sick when I got him along with the stress of moving and the stress of me trying to give him all the meds, it was just too much. RIP Zazu! We did end up going back to the pet store we got him and they honored the situation by allowing us to bring Zazu home to bury and as well as getting another bird. So we now have Sunny. He is by far way more active and does not like to be in his cage but that is for another thread. Thank you all for the support!
 
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