I'm worried...went to vet...Is she sick, stressed, or just not eating enough?

[Aleu]

Hello! So I brought Ponyo home on Monday She hadn't eaten much at all, and I told the vet today this today. She has also had smaller, darker droppings. The vet agreed her droppings were a little dark, which she suggested was probably from not eating much. She was also a smidgen underweight (as the vet said) which I also suspected. I asked her what tests (radiographs etc) we should get done, and she said that the blood test would be a good place to start for now as it could just be diet change and stress.

The vet seems to be leaning more towards diet/stress I think, but it's definitley got me worried because I've not had such a young bird before. I asked her about POnyo's crop because it's seemed to me her fleathers there have been a bit more poofed out than usual. She said Ponyo did have fluid in her crop and not too much food, but that it could be from drinking water (she had drunk some before we left I thought).

Test results come back this week and she told me to weigh her at the same time everyday (which I am going to do) and get Ponyo's weight from the breeder from the day she left to see if she has lost more than 10% her weight since then or if she continues to lose. If she does, that's an emergency. She weighed 108 grams at the vet.I mentioned to the vet she had a "sick bird" look while at the vet and seemed more sleepy today, and she agreed, but she didn't seem incredibly worried. The vet also remarked about how quiet she seemed to be, but I believe Ponyo's always been on the quiet and calmer side ever since she was younger.

The breeder has a 30 day health guarantee, but I don't care about that. I just want her to be well. I think the hardest part is the waiting for the results and for charting her weight myself. What do all you experienced roadies think?

I feel like everything I've read up until now I've forgotten because I am 'in it' now. :-\

 

[Lex123]

I'm guessing that she is just stressed. Being home only a few days, she probably isn't back to her normal self. Give her a couple more days. If she isn't well by then, I would be worried.

 

[JLcribber]

You've only had her a few days. The no eating is common a couple of days after coming into a brand new environment. That would also cause stress. She needs more time to settle in and feel more secure.

 

[Aleu]

Thanks for responding Lex and John I'm so thankful I have this forum to come to.

John, thanks for the reassurance about the not eating and stress lasting a couple of days. It makes sense, but I tend to be a worrier. When I first adopted my dog she didn't eat much either.

What about the fluffed up feathers and sleepiness? Do you think that more from the lack of eating or is that more from the stress of everything including not eating? or both? For some reason I had it in my mind she would have her feathers slicked down and look fightened with stress, and fluffed up for being ill.

Thanks again for taking the time to reply and ease my mind a bit.

 

[Welshanne]

If your vet was happy with her general condition, then you need to look to see if she is warm enough, and has the food available when she is going to need it. Also pampering her a little will help her settle in as it is all new. I gave mine feeds off a spoon just to settle her. Knew she was well passed that stage but a little spoiling goes a long way. It also cements a bond between the two of you a lot quicker. Talk to her quietly and keep her quiet for the first days she will soon respond. Good luck.

 

[Danita]

The fluffed up MAY be due to stress and exhaustion from the stress.
If Ponyo's condition worsens, I would take Ponyo to the vet right away. Are you feeding the same foods that the breeder was?
What kind of bird is Ponyo?
Offer some treat foods and see, or maybe formula from the breeder.

 

[rockoko]

How is Ponyo today?

 

[Danita]

I would like an update too

 

[KimKimWilliamson]

Oh Aleu, Im stressing right alongside you! I hope for Ponyos sake she is doing better, and was only slightly stressed due to change of environment.
Let us know how she is doing, and maybe post a pic of her puffy feathers...maybe seeing it will give someone an idea as to what may be affecting her.

 

[iluvsunconure]

Good luck!

 

[Aleu]

If your vet was happy with her general condition, then you need to look to see if she is warm enough, and has the food available when she is going to need it. Also pampering her a little will help her settle in as it is all new. I gave mine feeds off a spoon just to settle her. Knew she was well passed that stage but a little spoiling goes a long way. It also cements a bond between the two of you a lot quicker. Talk to her quietly and keep her quiet for the first days she will soon respond. Good luck.

Thanks for replying and for the suggestions. Yes she was pretty happy for the most part. She has a heat lamp, but has the ability to get away from the heat if she needs to. I tried giving her some warmed baby food, but she won't eat it and she ever begs for food or vocalizes for it. I put some her in her cage but she wasn't interested.

The fluffed up MAY be due to stress and exhaustion from the stress.
If Ponyo's condition worsens, I would take Ponyo to the vet right away. Are you feeding the same foods that the breeder was?
What kind of bird is Ponyo?
Offer some treat foods and see, or maybe formula from the breeder.

Thanks for the reply. Ponyo is an Indian ringneck and is almost 10 weeks old. I've been trying to give her tasty foods and variety of warm, cold/raw, cooked etc. She doesn't have real 'treats' yet I suppose, although she did pick the corn out of the veggie mix I gave her, so I am going to go out and boil some for her. She seems to prefer the pellets I give her as opposed to what she was given at the breeder and actually did OK eating today. I'm going to post an update too. If she doesn't gain weight or keep eating, I'm going to get a bit fo formula from the breeder.


Thanks SO much for the suggestions guys. They are very useful.

 

[Danita]

Was Ponyo completely weaned?

 

[Aleu]

UPDATE (a long one, but I think these are all good signs)

Ok Just put Ponyo to bed. I'm sorry I took so long to reply, but I wanted to observe her behavior today and report back.

Weight:
She weighed 108 at vets, and weighs 111 grams on my scale, which could be off, but we will see tomorrow! Hopefully a good sign.

Eating:
She was eating the pellets I gave her this morning and went back a lot through the day! She has had a constant supply of pellets and water throughut the day and night since she has arrived. It was a huge improvement. I've seen some lighter droppings, and slightly bigger ones too. Some were a light green/brown and one or two brownish ones (kind of light?).Gave her a veggie mix, but she only eat the corn out of it, so I will be giving her more corn. She turned her nose up at warm brown rice and wheat spagghetti, but ate some of it later. Still a big improvement. Maybe she could sense my worry.

Behavior:
-She's done the followign a few times since coming home, but she did them a lot more today and seemed to be a bit more alert today. She's been beak grinding (not excessively), stretching with one foot and one wing, sleeping on one foot, and showing other behavioral sigsn of what I thought were normal and signs of comfort. She has been flying away from me a lot when transporting her(wings are clipped) and trying to get back to her cage. She's pretty coordinated for the most part.


She was still fluffed and tired earlier in the day today, but she wasn't as bad as the day before in either. There was a lot of beak in wing resting while standing on one foot just looking at me. She seems to have spurts of activity and then 'napping' which I think is normal tp have a nap or two, but it's still more than I'd be comfortable with. I'm not sure how much is normal for a young bird though! Her tail didn't seem as droopy either.

Also at about 2 pm she started trying out her voice again with some calls I hadn't heard before (little mutterings and such) and I think she made a clumsy attempt to play with the latch on top of her cage and seemed a lot more interested in her cage toys today.

Now it seems to me to be stress possibly, but I'll feel better after some weight gain, test results and few days have passed. I'll try to get a picture of her fluffed tomorrow.

 

[Aleu]

Oh Aleu, Im stressing right alongside you! I hope for Ponyos sake she is doing better, and was only slightly stressed due to change of environment.

Let us know how she is doing, and maybe post a pic of her puffy feathers...maybe seeing it will give someone an idea as to what may be affecting her.

Thanks. I will try to do this tomorrow. She's 'in bed' now. I appreciate the support. I'm leaning more towards stress now since I've seen some improvement, but I still have to wait and see and I'm still worried. Nothing can replace her, that's for sure. She has my heart forever.

By the way, off topic, but that's very cute ho you have "no name" IRN in your siggy

 

[Aleu]

Was Ponyo completely weaned?

Supposedly. The breeder said they were eating pellets and that they were all adamantly refusing the feedings. If she wasn't completley weaned, do you think there would be head bobbing, calling for food, or an attraction to the warm foods I've given her? She was not interested in the warm corn baby food I gave her. I can still get some formula from the breeder if I should try that.

 

[JLcribber]

From your update things sound pretty normal and common. Still a little tired from being on alert because everything is so new.

Wanting to go back or stay with the cage. Just some insecurity and wanting to be in the safest place she knows at this point. Also normal.

 

[Danita]

Sounds good,

You will make a great owner

 

[KimKimWilliamson]

By the way, off topic, but that's very cute ho you have "no name" IRN in your siggy

Hahaha, Thanks! We have decided not to settle on a name until the DNA Results come back...they are taking longer than I had anticipatd, LOL

Im glad Ponyo seems to be doing better. I feel at ease knowing your going through this first, I can come running to you when my baby acts up, LOL Give her scritches for me!

 

[Aleu]

Thank you to everyone who has been concerned and has given advice it's helped immensley and it's nice knowing Ponyo has some caring and knowledgeable people cheering her on. I hope she continues to improve.

From your update things sound pretty normal and common. Still a little tired from being on alert because everything is so new.

Wanting to go back or stay with the cage. Just some insecurity and wanting to be in the safest place she knows at this point. Also normal.

Great It makes me less worried to hear these periods of alert and tiredness are normal for a bird her age. Thank you.

Sounds good,

You will make a great owner

Thanks! I was beginning to question myself. I did all of this research and I still feel like a bumbling idiot and as if I had done none at all now that she's here. My anxiety makes me 'what if' a lot too so I suppose that never helps.

Hahaha, Thanks! We have decided not to settle on a name until the DNA Results come back...they are taking longer than I had anticipatd, LOL

Im glad Ponyo seems to be doing better. I feel at ease knowing your going through this first, I can come running to you when my baby acts up, LOL Give her scritches for me!

LOL I'm the pioneer! hehe well I'm not an expert, but I will gladly support you and your birdy and put in my experiences when I can. I will give her scritches for you and please keep us updated about your baby! do you think you'll get any more pictures? I'd wait to name to know the sex too. I know for the certificate they needed a name, so she has a boy's name on the certificate lol

 

[JLcribber]

Thanks! I was beginning to question myself. I did all of this research and I still feel like a bumbling idiot and as if I had done none at all now that she's here. My anxiety makes me 'what if' a lot too so I suppose that never helps.

Book learnin' is great but doesn't hold a candle to actually jumping into the muk and getting dirty!!!