Ideas for Macaw Cage Modifications

[Danita]

Some of you may remember but for those who don't. My macaw Kiwi has seizures that are now controlled by medications.

She went through testing for everything but really the only thing that the vet can conclude is that there is something on her brain that causes the seizures, whether it is scar tissue or a tumor. A MRI would confirm this diagnosis but we opted not to as there is nothing that can be done for her.

Anyway for the last month we have noticed she has been slipping off things, perhaps the tumor is growing more now. The other night she slipped right off my husbands arm and she fell down the stairs. She also seems to prefer laying down quite a bit more.

Not immediately, but if her grip continues to decline we will need to modify her cage.

I was trying to think of some ideas, maybe wood blanks along the back, one at dish level and the other at sleep perch level.

Does anyone have experience with a special needs macaw?

 

[ncGreyBirdLady]

Oh DanitaI feel SO bad that Kiwi is having such troubles One thing that worked well for Gemini,before I knew that she could do without,were LARGE Wooden ladders,used across the cage like a perch.They come in lots of sizes and they allow the bird better balance even if they do not have a good grip.I have also used ladders as perch's for a crippled Parakeet and a canary with a missing foot.

 

[suncoast]

Not what I wanted to hear. Could it be she's clumsy from the medication? Have you fine tuned her dose?

Ginger

 

[Danita]

The medications can't fix something growing Ginger I think it is just progressing
Slip once, okay, slip twice, hmmmm, slip just walking across a textured perch? We kind of came to that conclusion this morning.

I guess at some point there will have to be a false bottom.

I wonder if anyone here has had experience with brain tumors and what the progression brings?

 

[WenM]

Dotty I am so sorry to hear this. I would guess Bonnie's idea about ladders sideways and corner shelf perch systems, lots of rope perches too - Fiona only has one working leg and those are all items I have in her cage. I also cover the bottom with fleece squares for soft landings when she stumbles and falls, easy to take out and wash.