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Unfortunate Timing

Buckthecoc

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I have a 4 month old cockatiel, hes only been home a few days and I think he might be sick. The signs I picked up on are very recent and the vet closed for a three day weekend a few minutes ago. Hes losing feathers practically everytime he moves, hes breathing heavy, hes fluffed up, chattering his beak (which I heard is a content thing), but he just pooped an almost perfectly round black poop, and looking around his poop has been wildly changing from being green and gel like, to being a pasty yellow.
He has been drinking and eating since I got home but I cant tell if hes over eating/drinking yet.
Hes preening and moving around, he stays on his perches.
I'm calling the vet for an appointment on Tuesday (the next time their open). He gets car sick really easily and the next urgent avian vet is 6 hours away.
 

Karen

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hes breathing heavy, hes fluffed up
he just pooped an almost perfectly round black poop, and looking around his poop has been wildly changing from being green and gel like, to being a pasty yellow.
I'm calling the vet for an appointment on Tuesday (the next time their open)
urgent avian vet is 6 hours away
If I were in your position and not able to get local urgent care until Tuesday, I would call the urgent avian vet that's 6 hours away to discuss symtoms and supportive care for the trip.
 

Ripshod

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Hes losing feathers practically everytime he moves, hes breathing heavy, hes fluffed up
Was he handled roughly before you brought him home. It's common for a Tiel that doesn't want to be handled to 'eject' feathers.
but he just pooped an almost perfectly round black poop, and looking around his poop has been wildly changing from being green and gel like, to being a pasty yellow.
Has his food changed? I think the black poop will actually be dark green if you smudge it on some paper. Dark green =seed. Yellow/light brown = pellets. The texture will change too. It'll get a lot wetter when they eat veges for example.
He has been drinking and eating since I got home but I cant tell if hes over eating/drinking yet.
Hes preening and moving around, he stays on his perches.
Chances are he won't overeat. You're worried like a new parrot would, like most of us did. Our birbs pick up on our emotions so stop worrying so much and he'll relax more.
Of course visit the vet, that is the best thing we do for all our birbs. That first new bird checkup is probably the most important.
 
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Ripshod

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His heavy breathing is because he's anxious. He's been through so many changes lately. Let him relax into his new home and use his anxiety as a warning to back off. Stop staring at him!
 

Ripshod

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One more little thing may make a massive difference. Play some YouTube vids of budgies in the wild. It's a nice safe sound of a bird that's no threat. It's really hard to find good vids of tiels doing the natural thing (what is it with the Adams Family theme?), so budgies are the next best thing.
 

Fergus Mom

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Poor baby. I hope this is merely a transitional thing. Let us know how it's going okay?
 

GoDucks

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His heavy breathing is because he's anxious. He's been through so many changes lately. Let him relax into his new home and use his anxiety as a warning to back off. Stop staring at him!
I agree with you, I too, think it is stress related, but it would be nice if the owner would get back to us and let us know.
 

Karen

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I wish they would let us know too. I hope this is stress, it would be best case scenario. I suggested a vet visit given previous posts. The OP mentions losing a young cockatiel shortly after arrival, without known cause. The new cockatiel didn't eat for a 2 days. It ate on Friday, 10 minutes before this post.

Sending good thoughts.
 

enigma731

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Yeah, and the black poop is REALLY concerning if it's truly black.
 

greys4u

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Phew! So glad you took him to the vet, great looking baby and you are a good parront ;)
 
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