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Sick African Grey

GizmoBird

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I'm not new to exotics especially our feathered friends. I have had and handled exotic birds for over 30 years. Even though I don't know it all I have some decent knowledge.
So in the last week and a half I have noticed Gizmo, my 23 y/o (I adopted her 18 years ago) believed to be a female African Grey acting odd.
At first she didn't eat as much (Harrison's).. Then I noticed her drinking more than usual. And of course, her poop was very watery almost a whitish blend and gradually not solid.
The most noticeable issue was her sleeping. She is on the bottom of the cage laying on her forward part of her belly with hear head straight down.
After a few days I noticed she lost weight and was not eating as much.? I ended up taking her to my local avian specialist.
After an X-Rey, blood test (red/white blood cells) and some speculations, there were two ways to go about it.
One, medication for bacteria.
Two, Lupron to stop a maybe menstruation cycle.
I can accept both of those options and I do not doubt my Vet for one min.
However with all the research I have done I could not find anything with an African Grey sleeping on the forward part of the belly.
Has anyone run across this?
I'm thinking maybe a Vitamin D deficiency? Maybe in edition to other issues?


This is as best as I can get her in the act as she isn't really a camera fan ha ha..
I should ad she is super talkative and active so it doesn't effect her in that way.

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated and helpful.
Also this is my first time to the community and posting.
 

Shezbug

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Welcome to the avenue @GizmoBird, your bird looks so miserable the poor love.
Hopefully one of the other members with more medical experience will come along soon and give you some help, this is not something I am able to help with but I just wanted to say welcome :)
 

GizmoBird

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That's the thing.. She is lively and happy.. Chatting, playing.. Doesn't seem to be in any pain at all. Almost like she chooses to sleep like that. Then again I know birds hide things well. Sometimes she sleeps on a perch, so it's not always the bottom of the cage. But when on a perch her belly still touches it. Almost crouched.
 

Birdbabe

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Has she always slept like that? Some birds do sleep weird. Did the vet find any bacterial issues? I hope she just chooses to sleep like that and shes ok.
 

GizmoBird

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No she has never slept like that. So right now she is on Doxycycline to clear any bacteria if that's the case.
 

Hankmacaw

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At twenty three it is not impossible that your AG may have arthritis and is trying to give her feet legs relief by sleeping that way. My 25 yo GW has severe arthritis and has been sleeping in a sleep crate (not a cage) for several years now. Sleeping in the sleep crate on a thick dog mattress and NO perches has improved her pain from the arthritis greatly. Also, she has mostly flat perches (1" x 4" oak lumber) These perches seem to be her favorites.

Your vet will need to take xrays and look for swelling to determine if there is arthritis.
 

hrafn

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That's how my CAG Kamara sleeps on her padded platform perch. Belly-first and face-down. :D

It freaked me out at first too, but I was reassured that she wasn't sleeping like that due to illness. Kamara has badly damaged feet and legs, so she is probably sleeping the way she does to relieve discomfort. Like @Hankmacaw suggested, maybe your CAG has arthritis, or some other pains in her feet?
 

iamwhoiam

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Hope all will be well with your Grey. My thought was also possible arthritis. Can you cover the grate with non pilling fleece or paper towels so it will be more comfortable for her? Do you have any platforms in the cage?
 

NirAntae

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My heart about stopped at that pic... :sad4:

Does she have a good selection of perches of various sizes and materials to choose from? Definitely worth offering her some alternate sleeping perches/platforms if she doesn't have much variety available.

All of my birds for the last 15 years or more since I first discovered them have slept on fleece snuggy rings. Mostly they want nothing to do with the rings the rest of the day, but they universally seem to like the thick cushy perch for sleeping, and the sides around them seem to give them 'cozy' comfort, but they aren't so enclosed as to promote brooding behavior in females.
 

Max83

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why don't you put a thick towel on the grate floor so she doesn't lay on the hard bottom? she could feel more confortable I think. My CAG sleep on the bottom also because she doesn't perch well due to arthritys.

Good luck, hope for the better :)
 

GizmoBird

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Wow thank you all for the replies and sharing.
Well the first few days she slept with me in bed.. So she was comfortable. (as much as I think).
I did have padding for her at the bottom of her cage and she used it sometimes.
After I thought it could possibly be a maternal instinct I took it out as she is too old to lay eggs and it would only do damage to her organs.
So by not having it there I'm not encouraging it.
In the last 2 days she is going back and forth perch /ground.
So if it is an infection it could be clearing out from the medication.
The first thing we did was take X-rays. Funny a few of you mentioned arthritis because the Dr. Did mention her bones not being as dense as other birds but he also did not mention arthritis.
I believe if it was arthritis it wouldn't happen over night, it would be more gradual.
Just as it seems she is tucking her foot and sleeping on one leg. And last night slept on a perch.
I think the biggest indicator was the fact she lost 20gr in weight.
I will definitely get her a wider perch maybe two. One padded and one not.
 

iamwhoiam

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Good that she is getting better. Hopefully she will be 100% soon.
 

rocky'smom

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Make sure she gets probiotics if she has been on antibiotics. Antibiotics can mess up their gut health and immune system.
 

roxynoodle

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I have a 28 year old CAG that sleeps like that every time she naps, but I don't consider it normal. It's only normal for Merlin and I think it has a lot to do with her being blind. At night though she does sleep upstairs on a perch. So yes, I think it was wise that you took her to the vet and it is likely she has an infection, although other things can account for it as well such as heart disease or other age related issues.

If she were my bird and I didn't see her return to her normal activities while on the medication I would take her back for other tests.
 
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