Grandma's 18 year old, neglected cockatiel

[Monica]

I haven't read it but "A Parrots's Fine Cuisine Cookbook and Nutritional Guide" might actually be a better option than The Healthy Bird Cookbook. (which I do have!)

I was thinking about some enrichment book as well, but I don't know that there is one specifically for parrots unless it's about training them.... which she might not care so much about?

 

[finchly]

was thinking about some enrichment book as well, but I don't know that there is one specifically for parrots unless it's about training them.... which she might not care so much about

I’ll bet if the bird came home trained to do some cute trick, she’d care!

I have both books. Here’s what I think of the Parrots Cuisine Great Book on Feeding Pet Birds - Gouldian Finch Information Center

 

[Monica]

I feel like many of the recipes in The Healthy Bird Cookbook are trash but the information in the book is otherwise good. I'm skeptical about one person who has contributed to A Parrots Fine Cuisine but I figure that all the other information is probably pretty sound advice!

 

[LilSprout]

I feel like many of the recipes in The Healthy Bird Cookbook are trash but the information in the book is otherwise good. I'm skeptical about one person who has contributed to A Parrots Fine Cuisine but I figure that all the other information is probably pretty sound advice!

Yeah I read the recipe section and it's pretty like not great but the nutritional info seems good so I sent the book home with my grandma to read

 

[Fergus Mom]

When does Gramma take the birds back, is there a timeline @LilSprout ?

 

[LilSprout]

When does Gramma take the birds back, is there a timeline @LilSprout ?

She took the conure back, I told her I would give then cockatiel back after she start reliably eating pellets. I figure that was a good comprise because the conure was eating new stuff really well.
Hopefully she'll be able to stay for at least another week but ideally I'd like her to stay for like 2 weeks so I can start teaching her how to forage and do normal bird things. I'm also going to try and get my grandma to take the 2 flight cages for them because she doesn't like letting them come out and play

 

[finchly]

I feel like many of the recipes in The Healthy Bird Cookbook are trash but the information in the book is otherwise good. I'm skeptical about one person who has contributed to A Parrots Fine Cuisine but I figure that all the other information is probably pretty sound advice!

Yes - most of the articles are by Dr. Crean so sound advice there. The recipes - I don’t see most people doing them long term but you can pick up some ideas. Plus it’s eye candy.

 

[LilSprout]

So Fred (the cockatiel's name, I'm not sure if I ever mentioned it) has been moved into the flight cage (also not sure if I mentioned that)
I also discovered she has an affinity for grains. She wants anything I'm eating so she flew over and wanted my cereal, it was lucky charms so I didn't give her any but I offered her a plain cheerio as a treat for being social and curious and wow does she love them. This morning I made her some oatmeal with plain oats and cinnamon (I put a finely chopped cranberry in there too, I dunno if she'll eat around it) but she was eager to try and she took a few beakfuls.
I have some quinoa I can cook her before I go to work (or tomorrow for lunch) and we'll see how she likes that. I also wanted to try and cook her some kind of legume like a bean and we can try both the quinoa plain and maybe with some fresh herbs.
She has a pretty small appetite, even for things she enjoys, my lovebirds used to eat a whole bowl of vegetables in a few hours, is this because she is a cockatiel or because she is elderly?

 

[finchly]

So Fred (the cockatiel's name, I'm not sure if I ever mentioned it) has been moved into the flight cage (also not sure if I mentioned that)
I also discovered she has an affinity for grains. She wants anything I'm eating so she flew over and wanted my cereal, it was lucky charms so I didn't give her any but I offered her a plain cheerio as a treat for being social and curious and wow does she love them. This morning I made her some oatmeal with plain oats and cinnamon (I put a finely chopped cranberry in there too, I dunno if she'll eat around it) but she was eager to try and she took a few beakfuls.
I have some quinoa I can cook her before I go to work (or tomorrow for lunch) and we'll see how she likes that. I also wanted to try and cook her some kind of legume like a bean and we can try both the quinoa plain and maybe with some fresh herbs.
She has a pretty small appetite, even for things she enjoys, my lovebirds used to eat a whole bowl of vegetables in a few hours, is this because she is a cockatiel or because she is elderly?

There's no beak issue, right? I think my tiels eat less than the budgies. Around 1/2 oz each per day, and I think my elderly one Clint eats less but I thought it was his wonky beak. Maybe it's his age. (No one knows but when he was surrendered they suggested 28)

 

[LilSprout]

There's no beak issue, right? I think my tiels eat less than the budgies. Around 1/2 oz each per day, and I think my elderly one Clint eats less but I thought it was his wonky beak. Maybe it's his age. (No one knows but when he was surrendered they suggested 28)

Here's a pic of her (and her beak by extension) it doesn't look to bad to me but I don't have anything to compare it to. It's not like misaligned or anything from the front. She hasn't been able to chew on things like a normal parrot before. She likes chewing on a cork branch I gave her and she sleeps on it too because it's textured, a soft wood and it probably feels good on her feet.
I'm waiting for an order of toys and perches for her and the conure so they can have stuff to start learning how to play and have something that isn't a dowel to sit on.
Oh also, my grandma read the book I gave her. Now she's afraid of pellets because the book said too many pellets can cause kidney issues (which is true but that's why they eat a variety of stuff) I told her that too many seeds will cause liver issues so they need to eat a varied diet. I dunno if she believed me or cared.
She also claims one tiny piece or a fruit or vegetable is enough for the day and she claims nothing she was doing was wrong so like I dunno what to do with her anymore it's incredibly frustrating.
She also doesn't realize that Greenie (the conure) and Fred like to eat totally different things so she's tried to feed Fred apple and like she just won't eat it

 

[LilSprout]

Oh also she let me take a picture of her busted toe. Think this could cause her any pain? It's basically bent at a 90 degree angle

 

[Fergus Mom]

I am wondering too if your Gramma's reasoning depends on her mobility, and ability to get things done - for instance, she might be afraid to let the birds out to play in case she could not get them back in their cage, and she might not want to feed veggies because she doesn't go to the store very much. If you live close to her, maybe you could offer to shop for the bird's veggies? I certainly would not have thought of the many things hindering me at my age until I got there, if you see what I mean! Good job you are doing @LilSprout !!

 

[finchly]

I am wondering too if your Gramma's reasoning depends on her mobility, and ability to get things done - for instance, she might be afraid to let the birds out to play in case she could not get them back in their cage, and she might not want to feed veggies because she doesn't go to the store very much. If you live close to her, maybe you could offer to shop for the bird's veggies? I certainly would not have thought of the many things hindering me at my age until I got there, if you see what I mean! Good job you are doing @LilSprout !!

You could even take it one step further and arrange little packets of fresh foods, to be given daily.

IDK if that would work. I have to wash out my fresh food bowls daily or else get new (small size) paper plates all the time. If food was left in there spoiling it'd be bad. Not sure what the solution is, but you are doing a great job.

So glad she read the book! Maybe she's one of those people who automatically says no but really does listen. LOL

The beak looks fine.

The toe... there's no way to know if it is painful. If she's not holding it up often and not limping I'd say it's okay. I have several with toe or foot issues. One little hen I took back from someone not only was missing most of one toe but the entire leg wouldn't bend. Didn't seem to bother her though.

Do you have platform perches? I didn't really, then I got a canary with a missing lower leg + foot. So I got a couple. Then I noticed how other birds were sitting with him. Then Lady Jane and Crystal sent me their birds, all with platform perches. Now we have them everywhere! If you haven't ordered any, they're worth considering. TNT Toys makes some especially nice ones.

 

[LilSprout]

You could even take it one step further and arrange little packets of fresh foods, to be given daily.

IDK if that would work. I have to wash out my fresh food bowls daily or else get new (small size) paper plates all the time. If food was left in there spoiling it'd be bad. Not sure what the solution is, but you are doing a great job.

So glad she read the book! Maybe she's one of those people who automatically says no but really does listen. LOL

The beak looks fine.

The toe... there's no way to know if it is painful. If she's not holding it up often and not limping I'd say it's okay. I have several with toe or foot issues. One little hen I took back from someone not only was missing most of one toe but the entire leg wouldn't bend. Didn't seem to bother her though.

Do you have platform perches? I didn't really, then I got a canary with a missing lower leg + foot. So I got a couple. Then I noticed how other birds were sitting with him. Then Lady Jane and Crystal sent me their birds, all with platform perches. Now we have them everywhere! If you haven't ordered any, they're worth considering. TNT Toys makes some especially nice ones.

I prepared some fresh food packages for the conure for every day because he's at my grandma's house atm. Apparently he's still hungry at night but my grandma thinks any time they are noisy it's only because they are hungry so I dunno.
I'll have to look for some platform perches, I have some perches on the way for her and the conure but I'll grab some flat platform ones for Fred too

 

[LilSprout]

I ordered some Senior nutriberries for Fred and they arrived. She flew onto my shoulder and I offered her one, she nibbled it. The real magic happened when I put 6 berries (as the bag reccomend) in a dish. She took to them right away and she's currently stuffing her little beak! This is an incredible reaction and it's the best I could have hoped for with these. I suppose they said they are for cockatiels so I imagine they were formulated with the cockatiel pallet in mind but I'm like, super happy.
I also got her a platform perch, she hasn't made much use of it yet (it only arrived this morning)
It is a birch branch sawed horizontally in half to make a flat surface.

Image of beak stuffing included. In the bowl next to her is Bity Birdy Blend from Avian Organics. Had I known she would have eaten so many nutriberries I wouldn't have given her that as well at the same time

 

[Dorcas George]

Hooray!

 

[LilSprout]

Fred had a good day yesterday, she started stepping up willingly while in her cage or around her cage (previously if I approached her with my hand in or around her cage she would just hiss) she does know how to step up because if she is away from her cage like on the couch or wherever she will step up because she knows I will take her back to the familiarity of the cage.
Anyway, Fred was frightened of hands because my grandma exclusively grabs her like an ice cream cone and she hates this. I told my grandma she doesn't like to be grabbed and she like, doesn't believe me or something even though Fred get hissy and tries to bite when she does this.

Fred is still here btw, I'm kind of hoping my Grandma just kind of forgets about her and doesn't ask for her back, she was like the unfavorite anyway she likes Greenie more. She's made great strides since I took her in

 

[Dorcas George]

Grabs her like an ice cream cone?! Oh, Grandma! I hope she just leaves things be. to you!

 

[finchly]

Sad that Grandma is being stubborn, but I'm glad you and Fred are making progress. You're truly an angel.

How old is your Granma?

 

[LilSprout]

Sad that Grandma is being stubborn, but I'm glad you and Fred are making progress. You're truly an angel.

How old is your Granma?

Grandma is 84