Urgent Cypress is sick! I'm freaking out!

[Elysian]

We've been doing yard work all day, and I was really busy with work yesterday, I can't say for sure when this happened - but the cage is where I see them daily, I can't believe it could have been very long?

I haven't noticed weird behavior.

But I just glanced over at Cypress and his pretty yellow head looked like he'd been mutilated or something. He is covered in brown crusty gunk! I could see his skin, his ears.
Clearly he has been vomiting? Alot?!

I grabbed him and took him into the bathroom to run steamy water and get him uncrusted.
He is on my shoulder now which is not common for him at all. Waiting for him to dry to see how bad he really looks.

He is hiding in my hair and squeaking in my ear. But it's not squeaky breathing.
He is alert enough to be curious and cock his head at my phone.
I have a video of him cleaned up but need to go to my pc to upload. We are still in the bathroom

Left a message for the vet.


I probably know what needs to be done to observe him but I need to post here anyway because I'm so upset and scared.

How could this happen without me noticing?!
Does a bad molt ever cause vomiting? It's hard to judge u til he dries but he looks half naked.
The only thing he has eaten "different" lately would be the chard I let them ALL have the other day.

 

[Elysian]

Leaving the bathroom now to put his heater in his travel cage and get him warm and dry..

This is my baby like my babiest baby..

 

[Elysian]

Ok, I know I have posted faster than anyone has even had time to see..

Heater and fresh paper towel in the travel cage. Waiting for poops.

He eagerly ate a bite of millet but only a bite. He looks sleepy, but opens his eyes when I move around.
His weight is 36 grams which is not scary for him (usually he is 34)

Are his head feathers unusually stripey? I feel like he usually has more yellow than that. That doesn't make sense.

I really hope the vet calls back, I don't want him to get worse in the night or something. .
And I really don't want to go to the normal dog and cat vet who sees birds, they are awful.

 

[iamwhoiam]

Sorry that Cypress is ill and hope that he will be OK.
Just make sure he is hydrated and let him rest. If the vet
doesn't get back to you and/or if he gets worse
you might have to take him to an emergency vet.
Don't kick yourself. Birds can hide illnesses and then suddenly
seem very sick; vomiting, lethargy, etc.

 

[Elysian]

He and Citrine have been mildly I'll before.. vomited once or twice .. but not like this. My god when I looked at him I thought he was already half dead. He looked like a zombie..

He doesn't look mutilated anymore thank goodness.. just wet and spikey.. and not terribly happy..

 

[Elysian]

Crud. No poops yet and I just saw him bring up a bunch of clear slime.

Calling the dog and cat vet...

 

[Shezbug]

If you think he’s unwell you really want to ensure he stays very warm especially now he’s wet.

 

[Elysian]

Yes we are in a quiet room with an oil space heater on as well as his k and h snuggle heater in the cage.

Starting to worry about no poops in 40 minutes, knowing how much they usually poop..
He has water and I have a tiny syringe for water too..

Apparently none of our emergency vets will see birds. I should have looked into this sooner, but since our normal specialist also does emergencies I guess I didn't think about what to do if she doesn't answer the phone.

It feels like it's been forever but I guess it's only been less than 2 hours..

 

[Elysian]

He dropped one poop.. sort of.. it was small and didn't really seem to have any feces in it?
A millet seed fell on it, so ignore that brown bit.. it was just this little drop of whitish paste and a slight maybe green tinge at the very edge?

He must not have any food left in his whole body.. the tan crusted vomit was clearly digested pellets, but the fresh stuff now is clear..
God how long has it been since he started throwing up.. I only know for sure his feathers were clean and smooth on Thursday night..

The noise and business of Citrine could have masked him being lethargic while I was working friday..

 

[Shezbug]

Stay calm so as not to stress him out.
Do what you can at home and keep ringing around to find a vet.

 

[Elysian]

Thankfully I am much better handling a crises in real life than I am in my head.
Looked in the cage to say hi, saw him looking like a zombie, grabbed him and immediately sent my boyfriend for a warm wet cloth and to turn on the shower.
Once I knew he wasn't *hurt* I channeled all my freak-out here instead


He's perching and everything.. even saw him stretch.. I want to say he will probably be okay overnight.. but thats assuming I can get someone to see him on Sunday.

The only place I know for sure will open in the morning is banfield

Thank you guys for being here. The boyfriend doesn't quite get it. He is very sweet but he doesn't know why this is so bad. It's not like the dog throwing up honey

 

[Elysian]

How much water does he need to stay hydrated?
He'll take some from my syringe

This is the first time I their entire lives that Cypress and Citrine have been apart like this..
I don't know why they aren't yelling for each other

 

[rocky'smom]

As much as he wants to drink. You can also use unflavored Pedialyte diluted 50-50 with water. Just make sure you keep him warm and quiet.

 

[Elysian]

His room is 78 degrees, I am trying to crank it up a little more but the ac vent in there doesn't quite close all the way.. he doesn't look terrible puffed right now so maybe that part is okay..

He's definitely just sitting in one spot snoozing.. not eating. I wet some pellets for him and put millet in there.

Thankfully I just bought these electrolyte popsicles for the dog that are the exact same ingredients as clea pedialyte.. thawed one out to mix with water. But he's only taking 3 or 4 little drops from the 1 ml syringe before he starts fighting me.

At least he has the energy to fight.


Only two droppings I'm all this time. Both just appear to be very small amts of urates and no feces..
All the pictures here I took to document for the vet if I can get her.. have video of him throwing up the clear slime too..

Just hoping he has enough resources in his little body to hold stable..

 

[Tvdv96]

I'm so sorry this is happening to you and Cypress! Hope the vet will get back to you soon you're doing great with taking care of him and documenting everything!

 

[Elysian]

He had two more dropping during the night, they were not plain white but the colored part was dark green
His feathers are crusted over again, but all with clear substance.

He is already down to 33 grams from the 36 last night.
Fighting me on taking any water/pedialyte

Come on vets, someone call me back..

 

[Elysian]

I've left messages with every vet within a drivable distance, even one that mostly sees livestock - waiting again to see if anyone calls back.
The banfield clinic opens in two hours and then I will call them and see if they take birds, though I think I'd normally trust the livestock guy over banfield.

Petco doesnt open for 3 more hours to go get bird formula. Can I make a food slurry out of something else? Crushed up pellets mixed with water is not coming out as smooth as I would hope. .. I have wet dog food??
@Zara ?

 

[Elysian]

Well I just got him to take almost 3ml of plain water..
But he is sitting on my chest/under my chin and that is where my first little baby Tig wanted to be as I rushed her to the vet to die...

 

[Elysian]

He just stopped perching, started sitting on cage floor.
Let more messages.
Even the banfield clinic that is supposed to be open today is not answering their phone and I dont want to just drive him out there because they might not see birds either.

Wtf happened to him.. why are there not enough bird vets! Why do all the regular+exotics vets refer you to an emergency hospital that doesnt see birds.

 

[sunnysmom]

I don't know how much they can do because I do think he needs to he seen but making contacting an online vet might give you some peace of mind? I hope he's better soon.