How many of you have birds that are underweight for their species??

[bicmeister]

Since I got Chaucer, I've been worried about his weight even though we have been making progress. When I got him in April, he was 352 grams and now in Nov, he is around 390-400g depending on the week at age 9 months. He is an Aru Ekkie so he should weigh roughly the same as a Red-Sided. When I took him to the vet, they said he was underweight but healthy. And he does seem to be healthy; he is a fireball of energy and curiosity, and he is fully flighted. He eats his bean mixes, veggies, sprouts, fruits and some Harrison's. So overall, I think he is eating and living pretty well.

Which brings me to my question. Do you have birds that are underweight for their species? If you do, do you worry about it? Or do you just set it aside and are just content with it unless the weight affects their well-being?

(I've gotten good advice from my breeder and some awesome AA people here, but I wan't to know what everyone else thinks.)

 

[Mizzely]

do you mean actually underweight for their body, or just underweight for what the species norm is?

Both my Quaker and GCC are small for their species.

 

[Yoshi]

Is he really that underweight or just under the average? From a quick look on the web his 390-400 g is actually in range just slightly under average.

 

[glxpassat]

I have been dealing with an underweight amazon since I adopted him in June 2011. In June he was 438 grams and in August 430 grams. I have done everything feeding-wise to get him fattened up, but he's picky eater! =( (if you saw his cage and all the stuff I gave him you wouldn't think so)

 

[glxpassat]

I have been dealing with an underweight amazon since I adopted him in June 2011. In June he was 438 grams and in August 430 grams. I have done everything feeding-wise to get him fattened up, but he's picky eater! =( (if you saw his cage and all the stuff I gave him you wouldn't think so)

Oh and for any of you out there. The vet told me he was on the thin-side, and you can actually see his breast bone protruding out, but when I look up those weights it appears to be within spec? I would like some feedback please?

 

[dolldid]

ok look around you theres skinny people healthy and skinny people sick

some of us nomatter what we eat wont gain weight im sure birds are the same
if hes healthu id stop worring or if your bird is able to eat rice pasts feed more of that

Mango is a fussy eater if no hot spices he wont eat it i chopp up very fine hot peppers and add or janacian liquid hot sauce hope this helps

hugs doll Mango

 

[Laurul Feather Cat]

Just Mindy Tiel who is 16 years old and still laying eggs. She has early liver problems. Vet does not want to try and stop her laying because of her liver problems. Right now Mindy is happy with her new mate. (She lays when she doesn't have a mate as well as when she does.)

 

[moonchild]

Two of my tiels are on the thin side, but I don't worry too much considering they seem happy and are gaining steadily. I think being clipped might also have caused muscle loss, so hopefully me letting their wings grow will help with that.

 

[CeddysMum]

Ceddy is on the thin side, it's always been a bit of a struggle to keep her weight up. It's kind of fluctuating and when she was sick recently she dropped it at an alarming rate for a couple of days on top of it .

I'm currently trying some diet changes until we hopefully finally get to a diet that a) she will actually eat consistently b) will keep her weight from dropping and c) is healthy.

 

[BraveheartDogs]

Yes, my Dusky Pionus is small for her species. Two vets have told me that she is thin, but not to the point where they are concerned about it. She is healthy. I weighed her today and she is actually up 6 or 7 gr.

Since I got Chaucer, I've been worried about his weight even though we have been making progress. When I got him in April, he was 352 grams and now in Nov, he is around 390-400g depending on the week at age 9 months. He is an Aru Ekkie so he should weigh roughly the same as a Red-Sided. When I took him to the vet, they said he was underweight but healthy. And he does seem to be healthy; he is a fireball of energy and curiosity, and he is fully flighted. He eats his bean mixes, veggies, sprouts, fruits and some Harrison's. So overall, I think he is eating and living pretty well.

Which brings me to my question. Do you have birds that are underweight for their species? If you do, do you worry about it? Or do you just set it aside and are just content with it unless the weight affects their well-being?

(I've gotten good advice from my breeder and some awesome AA people here, but I wan't to know what everyone else thinks.)

 

[Holiday]

Yes, Liam, my older rehome Illiger's is light for his species and frame. I have improved his diet, and he's picked up a frew grams since he came here, but not as much as I'd like. He's healthy, though, and active and gorgeous and eats reasonably well if not heartily. I kind of think that he will gain a few more grams as time goes by. Also, his chest muscles are slowly getting built up as he gains flying ability.

 

[waterfaller1]

Yuna. Wow, just weighed her though and she has gained 32 gms since coming here in 5 months! She is now 203, she was 171 gms. Average is 190-274.

 

[Bokkapooh]

Let's all remember that if you got a baby or have a yearling parrot. That it'll be less weight than adult weights. Also flighted birds tend to be healthier and most online weight guidelines are for clipped adult birds which tend to not be as fit and muscled as flighted birds.

None of my birds are considered underweight. I have a light weight Mali, who is just around 400 grams. Small for a U2 but normal for a female Umbie. Very healthy in weight for her size and great body score. Great appetite

 

[BraveheartDogs]

OMG, 32 gr! She must have been so thin

Yuna. Wow, just weighed her though and she has gained 32 gms since coming here in 5 months! She is now 203, she was 171 gms. Average is 190-274.

 

[MMBURKE29]

I have a RB2 that is lite for her age. My vet would like to see her gain more weight, but she is otherwise healthy. I weight all of my birds every week since my catalina passed and she is not losing weight. She eats like a pig too. I am just adding more nuts to her diet but it doesn't seem to boost the weight. She is otherwise active and happy. So I just keep offering her the full menu deal and weight her periodically. I used to be a person that could not gain weight -- and then I had kids, now I do not have that problem. I do not worry too much as she is otherwise healthy (plus that particuar breed can get heavy as they age).

 

[waterfaller1]

OMG, 32 gr! She must have been so thin

She really was dying Vicki! Her little keel protruded, and there was nothing on either side. She is a real good eater now,she was on a regular cheap parrot mix before. Fresh veggies are often left, but we hide them in the birdy bread which she loves. She is one special little sweetie.

 

[Dartman]

Nerd bird who is no longer with us averaged 214g which is pretty light for a Maxi Pionus. the vets freaked out when he finally had to go in because of a pulled blood feather at 20 years. They found a few issues and fixed him up a few times and he soldiered on till he was at least 31, and that was just how long he lived with me. The pet shop thought he and his brother were at least a couple of years old when I got them. His brother was fat and happy with good feathers, Nerd was skinny with bad feather color and missing flight feathers. I gave him some vitamins and oil stuff for the feathers and the color went back to normal but he never fully regrew the missing flight feathers on one wing.
A few years later Ferd, the healthy one, got sick and died within a day, even with some meds from the vet and Nerd continued on in his skinny stubborn ways. Eventually the vet gave up and decided he was just a skinny version of a Maxi and we fed him whatever he would eat that was safe.
I think as long as they're healthy and happy and not dropping weight just be content with how they are. The key is not quickly dropping weight and all their vital body functions test good.

 

[Peacelovepets]

Eilley and Isaac are both below the average for Quakers (or on the low end of it, depending on your source of average). I don't worry about it.