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How much hope is there for birds with heart disease?

April

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Yes! I have no idea why but it’s his favorite show, he whistles when he hears the show starting. I’ve showed him other cartoons but he only likes Miss Spider.
Aw just like kids they have their favs! Now I'm having more memories of this show. I used to babysit a 5 year old and that was her fav show and Tivo had just gotten more popular around this time so her mom saved every single show so it was a never ending parade of miss Spider but if I'm remembering right it wasn't half bad as far as kids shows go,lol.
 

AGS

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It is pretty good for a kids show, although watching the same episodes over and over gets a little boring lol. I tried to get him to watch Arthur since it has a lot of episodes (and I actually still like that show) but he didn’t like it as much.
 

April

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It is pretty good for a kids show, although watching the same episodes over and over gets a little boring lol. I tried to get him to watch Arthur since it has a lot of episodes (and I actually still like that show) but he didn’t like it as much.
Oh man! I loved Arthur! I used to have a plushie of Pal and I watched every episode oh the memories.
 

AGS

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Okay now Widget is just obsessed with his new play gym. He has a manzanita branch above his cage that he liked to play on every morning but now he’s barely interested and just wants to be on his play gym every day. I also got him some new toys to attach to it but one got lost in the mail so we’re still waiting for that.

Also, I ordered some freeze dried chop from Avian Organics. He will still get fresh chop but I just wanted to try some since Widget loves dry and crunchy food so it will be a treat for him. I just want to spoil him and make every day count.

FACDD2A0-F1EC-4C93-A7D6-C186AA9FE42C.jpeg
 

AGS

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Also a question- what would be best to give him a soft spot to sleep at the bottom of his cage? Ideally something I can buy multiple of to wash since it will definitely get pooped on. Also, he will most likely chew on it so I don’t know if a towel would be safe if he got caught in a chewed string. Would a microfiber towel work better maybe?

He has been sleeping at the bottom of his cage for many months now, it gives me a lot of anxiety but as far as I can tell it isn’t an imminent death symptom for him since it’s been happening for a while. He usually climbs back up sometime in the middle of the night and stays on his perch until I wake him up. But I feel bad with him sleeping on cold metal bars for those 3-4 hours.
 

Kassiani

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It's so good to see him playing! As far as something for him to sleep on, would a soft, cotton pillow case folded up work? Maybe buy some no-pill fleece that you could cut several pieces from to replace as you have others in the wash?
 

AGS

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Yes I think that would work!
 

AGS

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So I have a question. About a week ago when I was giving Widget scritches he kept attacking my face. He has always done this once in a while but it started becoming more frequent. He attacks then when he’s done he stares at me waiting for me to pet him again. Then he started sitting on my shoulder more instead of wanting scritches. And now at night when I give him his medicine and snack, he just wants to go straight back in his cage. Before that was when he acted the most sweet and didn’t want me to stop petting him and he definitely didn’t want to go back in his cage.

He is molting right now and also has a bit of a clump/mat on his face from the medicine (frequent baths seemed to fix the problem for a while but one formed eventually anyway). The clump/mat seems to be about to fall out and there are blood feathers all over his head and around it. I know this could explain not wanting to be pet but it’s still unusual for him. He molts every year but this has never happened as far as I remember. This also seems to be a big molt for him, since he got sick he molts almost constantly but there still seems to be times when he molts a lot more feathers and larger feathers.

It also scares me because my dog who passed from old age, towards the end she always wanted to stay in the backyard (she was an indoor dog). And when I looked this up some dogs want to be alone when they can tell they’re dying. I don’t know if the same applies to birds since I’ve heard they can actually become more sweet when they’re sick.
 

AGS

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I wrote all that at 2am and was very tired, so sorry if it didn’t make sense. He seems better today. Maybe this molt is just hurting him more. Any new symptom just scares me, especially since with his high dose of Benazepril he is prone to kidney disease, and with his heart disease he’s prone to infections.

Also, I wonder if there is anyway to keep him more interested in his veggies? He seems to really get excited for them some days then others he picks through them for a couple minutes then wants pellets.

Also, I’m not sure if I can upload it but I got the cutest video of him playing with his shoelace toy. I caught him a few times trying to use his foot to hold it. He has never been the type of bird to use his feet and seemed quite bad at it. He would lift his foot and close it on nothing. When I tried to record him both times he stopped. Then he seemed to get more practice and was less embarrassed and let me record him. He is better at it now but still could use some more practice lol.
 

Kassiani

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He may be cranky and moody because he's molting or hormonal? I wish my boys would be interested in veggies every day, too, but it varies. Some days they love it, some not. I mix the veggie chop with a sprouted seed/legume mix.

As for the video, if you can upload it to YouTube, you can then share it here. There is a step-by-step post written by @Zara that really helped me the first time. I'll try to find it.
 

AGS

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Thank you, I think it is because he’s molting because he seems to have calmed down right after I posted that, which is also when the blood receded in most of his feathers.

And thanks for the link, here’s the video of him.
 

Kassiani

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It's sooooo sweet to watch him play! Such a precious boy, Widget! :xflove:
 

AGS

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I ordered him a bunch of new toys from two of the vendors here. I think he gets bored fast so it will be good to have extra to switch out more frequently.

Also, I was trying different things to see if I can get him more interested in his chop, and I read a few posts about even bigger birds liking really small pieces. I’ve been cutting it by hand but I decided to use a food processor to get them even smaller. Well he saw it and got so excited and ran to pick up a carrot… then spit it out. I put a bit of fresh ginger and I think he hates it lol. And since it was in the food processor I think it coated everything. Carrots are normally his favorite. I will make him more tomorrow, and I think the smaller pieces will work since he got very happy to see it in his bowl.
 

April

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Tiel Feathers

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Widget, you are adorable!! :heart: :xflove::heart: I’m glad he’s doing well!
 

AGS

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Thank you! I’m so glad he’s doing well too. This thread started out asking how much hope there is for birds with heart disease because when I was originally concerned based on cyanosis in his toes, every website I saw said longterm survival is unlikely and I thought he might have months left at most. It’s been almost 2 years now since he was diagnosed (and exactly 2 years since I first noticed slight lethargy that was one of his first symptoms). Maybe he won’t live as long as if he didn’t have it, but 2 years is a lot more than I ever thought was possible. There’s always hope.
 

Kassiani

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I just love Widget's little pink toes and that sweet face!!! :swoon:

Seeing him and hearing his update has made my morning!
 
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