# New cockatiel (sad story/advice needed)



## sarahjayne87 (Aug 14, 2007)

I Took on another cockatiel 31st oct, i have never seen a bird kept in such a way, his cage was filthy it wasnt fit to keep a budgie in size wize, he was fed once a week on finch mix, and in the bottom of his cage was crisps chocolate and cake also silver paper and sweet wrappers, i dont know how old he is, he is very thin when he eats you can see his crop buldging and the bone down the middle


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## sarahjayne87 (Aug 14, 2007)

Sticks out, ive had a feel and his bone is very sharpe with no "meat" either side, since he got here all he had done is eat and sleep, with no interest in anything, on a better note he is a lot brighter today and he has even had a sing lol he is also quite tame he loves to be cuddled and fell asleep on me yesterday any advice thanks (ps sorry its in 2 msgs im using my phone can only wright a bit)


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## Renae (Feb 9, 2008)

Firsty I'd take him to the Vet ASAP and get him checked out, his bone sticking out isn't good at all he sounds to be very very skinny, I'm not surprised since they were only feeding him finch mix and Chocolate is a big NO NO! lucky he is still alive. The Vet *should* give you some Vitamin supplement to boost him up a bit and I'd suggest getting him a mineral block and cuttlefish bone and offer veggies and some pellets.. he may not put on weight straight away but it'll be a start and you'll see him start putting on weight gradually! 

Boy am I glad there's so many people like you who rescue these 'tiels who are living in such a filthy enviroment with horrible owners.


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## sarahjayne87 (Aug 14, 2007)

thanks solace, i have moved him to a large cage, ive got him some toys and new perches, sandy, rope and wood, (he only had the plastic budgie type) ive gave him a cuttle bone and iodine/mineral block, along with cockatiel mix (he is getting through 2 bowls per day) honey seed sticks and millet, i have also offered apple and boiled egg, he has been loving it all he eats loads then sleeps all day,


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## sarahjayne87 (Aug 14, 2007)

forgot to add i will phone the vet this morning and get him in


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## Renae (Feb 9, 2008)

You're doing everything for him that you can, hopefully the Vet will give you some Vitamin supplement because more than likely he'll be suffering from lack of calcium, vitamin deficiencies and all the other things they need to have to be healthy. He might even have something else to give him.


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## jorgenson1717 (Oct 17, 2008)

First off, thank you for rescuing the poor cockatiel. You are a very special person. Hopefully things will improve for it. Lets hope the vet will give you good news and its going to thrive and have a happy and loving life with with you. I can tell already by reading the post that the little cockatiel is happy.

And second, Congratlations!

Let us know updates.

Cindy


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## elijahfan (Jul 28, 2008)

can i srgest you tsk out the sand paper perches hun, cockatile do not need grit or sand of any sort it can be posnoius, or so i have been told use a cuttle fish in its place to help with triming his beack, 

i think it was very nice of you to take the bird in, i am suprised its tame tho, oh well looks like they played with it more than they fed bless him, i hope he is ok


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## sweetrsue (Jul 8, 2008)

It seems from your posts that you have already taken many good steps. He's eating the proper seed mix and has a Cuttle bone and a mineral block. Apple and egg are also good things. The addition of vegetables would be a good thing for your bird and try beans and rice. The combination of the two is a perfect protein. I think he would benefit from protein now that you have the calcium covered. A mist with a fine spray would probably be welcomed.


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## sweetrsue (Jul 8, 2008)

By the way. Grit or sand is not posnoius (I think she meant poisonous) they can be harmful however as they can cause something called crop impaction. They are unable to pass the grit thru their systems and it clogs up the works. It is hard to find clean oyster grit anywhere in the world now but it is not needed by any bird that hulls it's seed.


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## Renae (Feb 9, 2008)

Just because someone recues a 'tiel from a horrible place it doesn't mean that the 'tiel is going to be wild, sure enough in some places you'll pick up a 'tiel and it'll be wild as, but doesn't mean every one of them will be - the only thing they done was fed him the wrong foods and weren't giving him the healthy foods they need.. and didn't clean his cage..that's not to say they left him in the cage day in and day out and didn't handle him, even if they did do that, the 'tiel's not going to go wild unless it's left in there from the day they got it to the day that Sarah got him, unless the previous owners before the owner that gave the 'tiel to Sarah did.

I have 2 sandpaper perches in the cage that has 5 'tiels in it and although they HARDLY use it, it's not done any harm to them never known it to have, but as for Grit no one's that silly to give a healthy 'tiel that's getting a good diet that stuff. And since when is sandpaper perches considered grit? it helps trim the nails but it's been said it hurts their feet too, but there's other perches you can use if you weren't to use sandpaper perches.. 1 wouldn't hurt at all.


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## sweetrsue (Jul 8, 2008)

Sandpaper perches are not considered grit. But hey can be uncomfortable for your babies feet. It's like walking around with rocks in your shoes. There is a specific condition that they cause but the name of it escapes me...Oh I think it's called bumble foot...no wonder I had a hard time remembering it. The sanded perches really don't do what they are supposed to do anyway.


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## Renae (Feb 9, 2008)

I totally understand that and I read aswell it's not good for their feet, it's not a perch I'd go around telling every 'tiel owner to use, it'd be the last thing (maybe not even last more like never) that I would recommend. I only said 1 would be fine because her 'tiel might not even use it, so it's probably even pointless putting it in, branches would be better.

I have 2 and they use them what every once in a blue moon, that's most likely why they won't.. it hurts their feet if they're on it for a long length of time, or in other words.. all the time.


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## sweetrsue (Jul 8, 2008)

I did a little more research on the subject of bumblefoot. I wanted to be sure of what I was saying. This is some of what I found:"Bumblefoot is usually associated with unsuitable perches, for example ones made of hard plastic or covered in sandpaper. This can lead to soreness on the weight- bearing surface of the foot." There are other factors like obesity, inactivity and in severe cases it can lead to lesions. there is also a bacterial component once the foot has cracked. It's definitely a long shot but you are right it's pointless to put them in. Especially if they really don't keep the nails short and they can lead to something like that.


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## sarahjayne87 (Aug 14, 2007)

Hi all, we took the cockatiel to the vet monday afternoon and he said he is underweight and hasnt been fed properly for a while he gave him some vitamin drops for his water and took some blood to make sure it nothing else was wrong, we went back today his blood results was fine, so im very pleased, since i have put him on a good diet + the vitamin drops he has perked up alot like a normal tiel


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## Renae (Feb 9, 2008)

That's horrible Sue, after reading that I have taken them out of the cage now. 

*Great* to hear, Sarah. You'll have a really healthy Cockatiel soon enough, sounds like he's getting a lot better already just from the good diet and the vitamins.


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## sweetrsue (Jul 8, 2008)

Good job Sarah. It sounds like your baby is on his way to a healthy life.


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## atvchick95 (Sep 17, 2007)

a Lot of people get "sandy Perch" and Sand COVERD perches confused 

Sandy Perch is actually a BRAND NAME

Sand Covered perches are the Rolled sand paper you buy at a pet store that state "put over existing perch" these are BAD BAD BAD for their feet! I've seen some NASTY pictures of what happens when they use them 

Also a lot of people will put a piece of Sand paper (big square) in the bottom of their cage for a cage liner and have NO grate - so the poor bird(s) are walking over this stuff all the time and just cutting their feet all up 

But this is a SANDY PERCH(Brand name and very very good for birds) 


These are NOT sand covered perches! Just the brand name is "sandy perch"


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## sarahjayne87 (Aug 14, 2007)

Thank atvchick, thats the perches i use, i hope they are ok to use the price of them! i would NEVER use the covers that go over the perches as i know they make the feet sore, a vet once told me if you use them it would be the same as us walking on a gravel road all the time,


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## sweetrsue (Jul 8, 2008)

Yes those are nice perches!


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## Danielle (Aug 15, 2008)

He sounds a lot like Quinn when I got him. His keel bone jutted right out with no meat on it or either side of it, and he was only 83g and a year old. He was so weak he couldn't fly.

He's brought his weight up to 100g now (I give him several kinds of vitamins, calcium supplements, seeds, legumes and leafy greens), but what helped him bulk up the most was being able to fly.


I'm guessing he's not clipped?

I'm normally against not clipping in most situations (just because tiels can get hurt and escape so easily), but Quinn has to remain unclipped if he has any chance of rebuilding his atrophied flight muscles. 
It sounds like your little guy has atrophied flight muscles too, so unless he flies around freely and strongly, I'd think about not clipping him until he gains some strength and confidence.

That said, if he's prone to panicking and flying off, I'd get him clipped to ensure he doesn't hurt himself or escape. People also claim that a clipped bird is easier to tame down because they depend on you more.
Quinn was never really handled (except with gardening gloves), and he's come to really enjoy company and sit on my shoulder for hours without any wing clipping. He's slowly getting over the hand thing, but you definitely can tame down a unsocialised and abused tiel with some patience, even without the wing clipping; it just makes it easier.


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## atvchick95 (Sep 17, 2007)

sarahjayne87 said:


> Thank atvchick, thats the perches i use, i hope they are ok to use the price of them! i would NEVER use the covers that go over the perches as i know they make the feet sore, a vet once told me if you use them it would be the same as us walking on a gravel road all the time,


Yep that are great to use I have a couple, I also have a few Pumice ones I think is what they're considered they have a smooth center and a "rough" out side on each side so where they stand with the bottom of their feet is Smooth but the part their nails touch is the "rough" part and it trims their nails and beaks when they rub on it 

I use the perches and the swings that are for nail/beak Trimming & Conditioning


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