Diabetic Blue and Gold

[missscoot]

It might be helpful to do some research on the Atkins diet, as it is low carb. Most sites have fairly comprehensive lists of low carb foods. And you might be able to entice her to eat more by adding red palm oil to her foods. Maybe let her lick a spoon, if she will, and then watch you mix it in to warm, suitable foods for her.

My birds will not eat large pieces of dark greens, either. I food process them and mix them into a chop so they stick to other things, like whole wheat rotini. Maybe you could make a pesto with dark greens, red Palm oil, and pine nuts to use for a sauce for her.

Thank you. I will try the pasta idea. I just bought some whole wheat pasta yesterday to try. I just started her on the palm oil a few days ago but Mickey doesn't seem excited about that but she isn't excited about much of anything lately but I will try mixing that and some kale with the pasta. I don't have pine nuts but I have almonds, walnuts, pistachio's and pumpkin seeds, chia seeds and flax seed. Would either one of them be better than the other instead of the pine nuts? I went grocery shopping yesterday and came back with more food for Mickey then for us. I tried oatmeal this morning, along with walnuts, ezekiel bread with the palm oil and peanut butter (don't have almond butter) but she wouldn't eat any of it, just tiny little nibbles. the only thing she did eat was a very small wedge of an orange because she seemed to have the shakes.

 

[Macawnutz]

Get this stuff warm Debbie. You know she likes things warm.

Warm bread, warm butter, warm pasta.

 

[missscoot]

I just wanted to add one other things to get ideas from others. I showed a video of Mickey on another forum to find out why Mickey was acting in a strange new way and was told that she is likely hormonal. She is also bobbing her head a lot each time she is with me, like she is trying to feed me almost to the point of being obsessive about it. I was hoping that her lack of appetite was because of this but thoughts were that it would usually be the opposite and that she would be eating more. I find myself feeding her soft mushy foods by hand before I go to bed to make sure she eats something. So afraid she isn't getting enough to eat. But now I am concerned that I am forming a really bad habit with her. She doesn't eat a lot but she eats more than she does on her own. Should I stop doing this?

 

[JLcribber]

I just wanted to add one other things to get ideas from others. I showed a video of Mickey on another forum to find out why Mickey was acting in a strange new way and was told that she is likely hormonal. She is also bobbing her head a lot each time she is with me, like she is trying to feed me almost to the point of being obsessive about it. I was hoping that her lack of appetite was because of this but thoughts were that it would usually be the opposite and that she would be eating more. I find myself feeding her soft mushy foods by hand before I go to bed to make sure she eats something. So afraid she isn't getting enough to eat. But now I am concerned that I am forming a really bad habit with her. She doesn't eat a lot but she eats more than she does on her own. Should I stop doing this?

If it's a hormonal thing it will come every season no matter what you do because it is a cycle/biological function. The fact that this may even be happening is a good sign to me because she is healthy enough for it to occur. An unhealthy (sickly) bird is not going to show much hormonal behaviour.

 

[missscoot]

Get this stuff warm Debbie. You know she likes things warm.

Warm bread, warm butter, warm pasta.

Yes I am. I am warming everything up that I can. It really doesn't seem to make a difference. She just doesn't seem to be interested in eating. I really was hopeful that the oatmeal would be a hit. She does seem to prefer "mushy" lately but she hardly touched it. I am going to go cook up the pasta and also try to make the parrot butter with what I have here now and see what happens. Thanks everyone.

 

[missscoot]

If it's a hormonal thing it will come every season no matter what you do because it is a cycle/biological function. The fact that this may even be happening is a good sign to me because she is healthy enough for it to occur. An unhealthy (sickly) bird is not going to show much hormonal behaviour.

Well that sounds hopeful! The funny thing is that she is 26 and I have never seen her act this way before. What a time to start!!!!!! Makes me wonder why? Guess just bad timing. Do you feel there is anyway that this might be affecting her appetite. I mean when our dog Noah comes anywhere near a female in heat he will not eat for days!! He is obsessed with her and his frustration nothing else. Is it possible that Mickey is just to focused on trying to nest or whatever it is she is trying to do, that she just isn't interested in eating. How long will she stay like this? Is it normal to go 26 years before doing this? And I hope it is only a one time a year thing!!! I just haven't got the time or energy right now to start looking up all the info on this too right now

 

[JLcribber]

My experience is that hens tend to eat more because they're building eggs.

Males seem to go both ways. Some eat more. Some eat less. The ones that get a little nuts during hormones tend to eat less because they're on a mission almost forget to eat.

 

[aooratrix]

Is she eating enough to maintain weight? Macaws will do the slow head bobbing to solicit food when they're hungry.

For the pesto, I'd use around 1/3 almonds, 1/3 pistachios, and 1/3 pumpkin seeds. Make it so you'd eat it, and give her her own portion while you eat it. She might enjoy red pepper flakes in hers, too.

I don't think hand feeding her is bad. Macaws in the wild will still take a feeding from a parent well-past weaning if they are upset, scared,etc. Last night, Daphne got excited while I was feeding Annie, so I gave her a Dixie cup of formula, too. IMO, it's good for her to know that you'll take care of her needs. I wish Annie would wean, but she's getting formula as long as she "asks" for it.

 

[aooratrix]

What does she eat? Does she like squash or sweet potato? Oatmeal has a lot of carbs, as do most breads. However, I wouldn't worry about feeding some as you need a vehicle to offer the good stuff.

 

[missscoot]

Is she eating enough to maintain weight? Macaws will do the slow head bobbing to solicit food when they're hungry.

For the pesto, I'd use around 1/3 almonds, 1/3 pistachios, and 1/3 pumpkin seeds. Make it so you'd eat it, and give her her own portion while you eat it. She might enjoy red pepper flakes in hers, too.

I don't think hand feeding her is bad. Macaws in the wild will still take a feeding from a parent well-past weaning if they are upset, scared,etc. Last night, Daphne got excited while I was feeding Annie, so I gave her a Dixie cup of formula, too. IMO, it's good for her to know that you'll take care of her needs. I wish Annie would wean, but she's getting formula as long as she "asks" for it.

Yes that is what confuses me. She isn't eating much but has maintained almost the same weight for the last four days. She isn't gaining any but she isn't losing any. How can she eat so little and not loose weight? But I know what she normally eats and she is not eating anywhere near what she use to. I am quite positive she is not hungry. I know Mickey when she is begging and when she is trying to regurgitate for me. She is definitely trying to feed me.

 

[missscoot]

What does she eat? Does she like squash or sweet potato? Oatmeal has a lot of carbs, as do most breads. However, I wouldn't worry about feeding some as you need a vehicle to offer the good stuff.

Normally she eats many things. Yes to squash sweet potato most vegetables except tomatoes and greens. She loves her fruits, apples oranges. bananas etc. But I am now limiting them to very few and mostly when her sugar is low. She loved pasta and breads etc. Mostly anything that we ate that she could have. But now for the last week she isn't even eating much of her favorites and I have tried a lot of different things. She just takes tiny little nibbles. I just want her to eat more so she can put some weight on and eat like she used to.

 

[Macawnutz]

Mix them. Mix some banana with sweet potatoes.

For bread, might want to look at AO. Breads

 

[Hankmacaw]

About a year ago Jasper went through 18 months of being very, very ill. Her circulation had taken a turn for the worse and she contracted a MRSA infection. Her weight dropped from 1100gm down to 1050- 1060. She wouldn't eat worth a darn, so I hand fed her every day, sometimes twice a day for months. I fed her Harrison's pellets (ground up), papaya, banana, tofu and sometimes almond butter. I always put Prozyme in her food to help her with digestion. She came back up to 1080gm and has stayed in the area. My vet told me the same thing - it was the new normal and not to fight it. She is fine now and eating well and holding her weight at 1080gm. Even my 34 year old Hank loved to be hand fed now and then - I never noticed him developing any bad habits.

If she feels good, has energy and doesn't continue on a downward path, I'd feed her by hand once a day as long as it takes.

Jasper has been ill (many times very seriously) since I got her at 6 1/2 years. She grew up into a big girl a few months after I got her and had a hormonal period, but since then she barely shows that she is hormonal or doesn't get that way at all. She has never laid an egg either. They are all different.

 

[aooratrix]

Mix them. Mix some banana with sweet potatoes.

For bread, might want to look at AO. Breads

Mash sweet , RPO, and banana together with a fork and feed her with a spoon. My birds love that. Share it with her. I admire your efforts on behalf of your bird.

 

[missscoot]

Mix them. Mix some banana with sweet potatoes.

For bread, might want to look at AO. Breads

Actually trying to stay away from the bananas for now because of the sugar. And for bread I have tried the ezekiel bread but it's hard to tell if she even likes it because she doesn't even eat things she usually does like. I did think of one thing that might be a possibility. I was thinking of the glipizide she is on and looked up the side effects and one of them is possible " loss of appetite". So now I am wondering if this is why she isn't eating as much. So I am going to continue weighing her each morning and if she starts losing I will be calling my vet. But if she at least maintains the weight she is now I will try not to let it worry me so much, at least for now.

 

[missscoot]

About a year ago Jasper went through 18 months of being very, very ill. Her circulation had taken a turn for the worse and she contracted a MRSA infection. Her weight dropped from 1100gm down to 1050- 1060. She wouldn't eat worth a darn, so I hand fed her every day, sometimes twice a day for months. I fed her Harrison's pellets (ground up), papaya, banana, tofu and sometimes almond butter. I always put Prozyme in her food to help her with digestion. She came back up to 1080gm and has stayed in the area. My vet told me the same thing - it was the new normal and not to fight it. She is fine now and eating well and holding her weight at 1080gm. Even my 34 year old Hank loved to be hand fed now and then - I never noticed him developing any bad habits.

If she feels good, has energy and doesn't continue on a downward path, I'd feed her by hand once a day as long as it takes.

Jasper has been ill (many times very seriously) since I got her at 6 1/2 years. She grew up into a big girl a few months after I got her and had a hormonal period, but since then she barely shows that she is hormonal or doesn't get that way at all. She has never laid an egg either. They are all different.

So sorry to hear that Jasper and you went through that. I am glad to hear that she made it through such an ordeal. I am going to continue to monitor Mickeys weight. If at any point she starts losing any more I will try hand feeding her each day but my vet did say:

"If her diabetes is under control, she would be metabolizing more of her food appropriately so perhaps the appetite decrease is a function of needing less food.
Monitor her weight for now. If she stays at 970 with the food intake decrease, this may be the new normal." So I guess I have to wait and see what happens.

 

[JLcribber]

Normally she eats many things. Yes to squash sweet potato most vegetables except tomatoes and greens. She loves her fruits, apples oranges. bananas etc. But I am now limiting them to very few and mostly when her sugar is low. She loved pasta and breads etc. Mostly anything that we ate that she could have. But now for the last week she isn't even eating much of her favorites and I have tried a lot of different things. She just takes tiny little nibbles. I just want her to eat more so she can put some weight on and eat like she used to.

I agree with others that you should hand feed her from a spoon and make it a special thing that you guys do every day.

 

[missscoot]

I also wish you luck managing her health. This is a very rare thing for a bird to have as you have found because there aren't very many people (including vets) around that have experienced it. If order to become really informed I would contact a well known veterinary college or university that does the research on these things. You're very much in uncharted territory.

This is the food I use to help birds lose/gain/maintain weight. I don't think there is anything in there that a diabetic can't have?

"Parrot Butter" | Avian Avenue Parrot Forum

Does Mickey fly? Something that helps humans manage their diabetes is exercise. Fitness helps a lot of things.

I tried this today but I didn't have the hemp seeds so I used flax seed instead. I think I might have used a little too much palm oil. The "butter" kept sliding off the bread. But she did eat some of it. Thank you.

 

[JLcribber]

I tried this today but I didn't have the hemp seeds so I used flax seed instead. I think I might have used a little too much palm oil. The "butter" kept sliding off the bread. But she did eat some of it. Thank you.

The hemp seed is the most nutritious part of the mix. You can get it at Costco. When I make it I make it pretty thick. Heavy on the seed. It's at least 50% seed.

Spread it on a "frozen" piece of bread. It hardens and is easier to cut in squares without mangling the bread. Then I keep it in the fridge to keep it hard until serving.

At room temperature it should be the consistency of hard butter. You have to experiment with mixing it until it works for you.

 

[Monica]

Seems to me that you are in a difficult situation.


Since she's diabetic, I would recommend cutting out *ALL* processed foods. No bread. No pellets. No pasta. Nothing that's been processed. Put her on a fresh food based diet.


Feeding her warm, mushy foods, especially by hand, can be encouraging her hormonal behavior.


Her being underweight though could be troublesome with a diet change.


Can you try feeding her cayenne pepper, or maybe the cayenne spice mixed in her food? Seeds and all?