# Sleeps around often



## Malik05 (Jul 12, 2012)

My tiel does not play much but loves to chill. She does not play with anything and just comes to me and snuggles or sleeps or preens. She will sleep just sitting with her eyes closed and open them periodically. When in her cage, she sleeps with head tucked into feathers. 

Why is she so mellow all the time? She's always puffed up and chillen no matter what


----------



## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Some tiels are calmer than others, some don't like to play with toys, it all depends on their personality. But sitting puffed up all the time is a sign of illness so I would keep an eye on her just in case.


----------



## Malik05 (Jul 12, 2012)

When in cage, she climbs to the highest perch and sleeps with her head turned around and tucked in. At the moments she's just sitting on the window sill making soft chirping sounds. She always does this when looking outside the window.


----------



## Malik05 (Jul 12, 2012)

She often looks like this


----------



## enigma731 (Aug 12, 2011)

How old is she? How long has she been with you, and how long has this been going on?


----------



## Malik05 (Jul 12, 2012)

She's probably about 10 weeks old. I've had her for 2-3 weeks. She's been like this from the beginning so didn't think much of it. She's really really friendly, LOVES to hang out around me and chirps whenever I leave her sight.


----------



## enigma731 (Aug 12, 2011)

Hm. She might be stressed from the adjustment to your home, or there might be something wrong. I tend to advocate vet checks for all new birds, so I think you should consider getting one just to be safe.


----------



## Malik05 (Jul 12, 2012)

Her droppings look normal to me as well...


----------



## enigma731 (Aug 12, 2011)

They do look good, but given her behavior, I would still get a checkup.


----------



## Malik05 (Jul 12, 2012)

Ok, I'll look into it  perhaps its her diet? She refuses to eat anything but sunflower seeds


----------



## enigma731 (Aug 12, 2011)

That probably isn't the cause of her behavior now, but it certainly will lead to serious health problems down the road. Check out our Nutrition forum and Sticky Library for some great tips on how to get here eating more appropriate foods.


----------



## Malik05 (Jul 12, 2012)

She's been making these noises recently too...Here's a video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMMsMuYD6i8

This is me trying to feed her a new food that i JUST got an hour ago (Nutriberries).


----------



## Malik05 (Jul 12, 2012)

Now as I was typing and uploading these posts, she decided to hop out of her cage, come over to me, and get all snuggly and sleep like this


----------



## vampiric_conure (Jul 8, 2012)

Because she's younger she could be just sleeping off the stress of a new home. But as the others have said, a vet check is in order just in case she is sick. She sure sounds like a cutie though!


----------



## enigma731 (Aug 12, 2011)

That's a normal posture for sleeping, but I'm really concerned by how frequently she seems to be doing it.


----------



## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

It could be that she's being overstimulated which would account for all the sleeping. How many hours of darkness does she get a night? And does she get any time to nap during the day? My tiels like to take a nap around two in the afternoon for an hour or so.


----------



## Malik05 (Jul 12, 2012)

I'm sure she gets enough sleep. I work from 7:30am-5pm so she's home all day and can sleep. Once i get home, i let her out of the cage until around midnight so she's with me all day hanging out (usually just on my shoulder, legs, or window sill). If she's outside the cage, I MUST be in her line of sight otherwise she screams. She LOVES to snuggle. But she's almost always puffed up. 

I'll move her cage into my room at night fall and see if it improves her behavior. Does it seem like she's not getting enough sleep? 

After reading (A TON) around this forum as well as other sites, she fits the bill for a healthy bird. She poops fine, she sleeps normal, she never sleeps on the bottom of her cage. I can only think of her diet being an issue as I am still trying to get her to eat better and not just crack (sunflower seeds)


----------



## sunnysmom (Sep 23, 2011)

A tiel should get 10-12 hours of sleep a night. I think nap time is extra. Does she get up with you at 7:30ish? If so, she might not be getting enough sleep. Is she eating enough? (She is a little cutie. )


----------



## sunnysmom (Sep 23, 2011)

Also, have you tried giving her millet? Most tiels go crazy for millet. She still needs a more varied diet, obviously than that, but that could be a start.


----------



## Malik05 (Jul 12, 2012)

She does wake up (unintentionally) when i get ready for work. But I leave her covered until I get back home.

She has two sticks of millet, hardly touched it. Right now she keeps sleeping on my lap like the photo i posted above, but when i put her into her cage to sleep peacefully, she wont stay in, she just wants to be around me.


----------



## enigma731 (Aug 12, 2011)

Okay, I hate to say this, but you're seriously messing up her dark/light cycle by leaving her covered all day and then letting her stay up so late at night. Try leaving her uncovered during the day, and then putting her to bed around 9 or 10pm. I know that probably doesn't give you as much time with her as you'd like, but it's much healthier for her.


----------



## Malik05 (Jul 12, 2012)

I made sure I remove the cover before going to work and see how she behaves. I'll be taking her to the vet very soon. Maybe I just have an incredibly chill bird rather than an active one


----------



## nassrah (Feb 27, 2012)

Sunflower seeds all the time are no good to a bird,because theyre too fatty.I would start getting her to try a more varied diet.theres a lot of threads here with great advice on cockatiels healthy eating.It seems to me that your bird needs a full vet check,because it is too young for that behaviour.Believe me its money very well spent.All the best X x


----------



## Malik05 (Jul 12, 2012)

Here's an update on Penny: I took her back to Petco where I got her and told them the situation. They took her back with no hesitation and took her to the vet today. the Vet didn't notice any signs of illness and observed her behavior and stool. Petco is taking her bak as we speak and will observe her behavior and weight until Friday. They will put her under a heat lamp (85 degrees) and monitor her.


----------



## enigma731 (Aug 12, 2011)

Do they have an avian vet? Please be very proactive about getting updates from them. I know not all Petcos are the same, but I have heard horror stories of them taking animals back for medical care only to leave them neglected in a back room of the store. :/ I think it would be better if you can keep her with you, and possibly take her to an independent vet.


----------



## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

i would agree and be SURE they are giving her the PROPER care...


----------



## Malik05 (Jul 12, 2012)

Yikes! I was speaking to the employee over the phone for nearly 30 minutes about her behavior so I felt comfortable with it. I asked of he thought i should bring her home and he said its best if they monitored for a week rather than few days to ensure normal behavior. He also mentioned that they would like to ensure her weight increases. It sounds like she's going to be ok with them, right?


----------



## enigma731 (Aug 12, 2011)

That does sound promising, but I really urge you to be very proactive about getting updates from them. See if you can visit her in their care and actually get a look at where she's being kept. It might be just fine, but based on others' past experiences, I definitely would not just give her to them for a week without checking on her.


----------



## Malik05 (Jul 12, 2012)

enigma731 said:


> That does sound promising, but I really urge you to be very proactive about getting updates from them. See if you can visit her in their care and actually get a look at where she's being kept. It might be just fine, but based on others' past experiences, I definitely would not just give her to them for a week without checking on her.


totally...It's just difficult to get over there since i have no form of transport  I will try to make it out there this week to see how she's doing. The person took down my info (even thought they have it already) and said he'll call me if any new developments occur. The store employees saw her odd behavior prior to when the vet said she's fine so that is why they were pretty adement on keeping her (even after their vet said she's fine)

The dude i spoke to owns an Amazon Parrot (if that makes us feel any better, it is an exotic creature)


----------



## enigma731 (Aug 12, 2011)

I would totally be obnoxious and call them every day if I were you. Remember, you are her advocate. They, ultimately, are employees of a company that wants to make money. It does sound like they have good intentions, but I just would not make assumptions in this case. If she were my bird, I would insist on picking her up and taking her to an independent vet where I could be present during the exam. The problem with store-associated vets is that they might not be objective since it's in the store's best interests for them to say the bird is healthy while performing a minimum of costly tests. I'm sorry if it sounds like I'm trying to scare you, I just would hate to see anything happen to your bird as a result of the store's standards of care. She seems like a real sweetheart.


----------



## Malik05 (Jul 12, 2012)

Update on Penny: I spoke to another employee just now and she said Penny is acting very normal, eating (a lot) and eating pellets too! They are checking her weight throughout the day as well as periodic hand feedings. She's reactive to the sight of other birds and is eating different seed/pellet mixes.

I'll call everyday and ensure her health and behavior until Friday. I'll probably just buy the same seed/pellet mix they're feeding her since she's eating it and I'll gradually provide her the Nutriberries


----------



## Malik05 (Jul 12, 2012)

Update on Penny: Ok, things are more serious it seems. I had just called Petco and the employee i spoke to (a different one from the past two days) said she isnt looking so great. Her weight is now 57g when it should be over 85g and she's still puffed. I notified them of my serious concern and was shocked that their vet did not do the appropriate tests. They will consult with the manager and take her to the vet for further tests...I will report back 

I know many of you will say to take her back and get her to an Avian vet ASAP but i dont know if that's much of an option at this point because Petco may not release a sick animal to a consumer  I will keep you posted once i get another update.


----------



## sunnysmom (Sep 23, 2011)

I'm so sorry to hear that. I would try to insist that they take her to a vet ASAP. I know you can't force them to but I can't believe they had her all this time and just now realize there is a problem.


----------



## Malik05 (Jul 12, 2012)

Update on Penny: So she is currently at an Avian clinic and i spoke to the doctor. The doctor said that she has less than 50% of living and may not even make it through the night. She will be staying at the vet until she is either A)beter health, or B)passes away. The doctor said she is on a feeding tube in hopes of getting her to health and that a blood test would likely kill her because she is very very very weak.

Finally he said that it'll be best to start looking at another cockatiel and not have hopes of having her because her condition is so poor


----------



## sunnysmom (Sep 23, 2011)

I am so sorry. Sending positive thoughts that Penny pulls through. Did the vet say what's wrong?


----------



## Malik05 (Jul 12, 2012)

sunnysmom said:


> I am so sorry. Sending positive thoughts that Penny pulls through. Did the vet say what's wrong?


The vet does not know what exactly is wrong with her but she wont eat, she is losing weight everyday and is becoming less responsive. He mentioned something with immune deficiency and she's on a a tube as well as anti-biotics and under a heat lamp


----------



## hysteriauk (Jun 24, 2012)

awww so sorry to hear this


----------



## meaggiedear (Nov 20, 2011)

That's really sad.  Next time you learn your tiel is sick, I urge you to take her to your own vet of your choosing. She might be better off right now if you had done that in the first place. Instead, Petco let her sit until she was on the verge of death and then took her to the vet. It's really sad, but they will never love her and care for her the way you will.


----------



## RedQueen (Feb 21, 2012)

I hope Penny gets better


----------



## Malik05 (Jul 12, 2012)

I'm sure she was sick when I got her and according to the vet, she's been sick for a while and isn't taking the meds well either...I'm on the lookout for a healthy bird now from a breeder, rather than a store


----------



## enigma731 (Aug 12, 2011)

It sounds like you've basically given up on this bird, and I think that's really sad. She's being treated, she still has a chance to improve even if it's not a huge one. Why start looking for another already when you could be supporting her still? Regardless, it seems you've learned an important lesson about chain pet stores and their associated vets. It's always best to be proactive about your bird's care and take them to an independent vet who will allow you to be in on the appointment and discuss a treatment plan. Even if she was sick from the beginning, illnesses can often be treated if caught early.


----------



## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

i hope she gets better, please dont give up on her. ive had one of my lovebirds on the brink of death and she pulled through despite her condtition. dont give up on her


----------



## Malik05 (Jul 12, 2012)

I have not given up on her, but rather the doctor told me that she has a very small chance of surviving because she is young and because she is very sick. I specifically told them to phone me with an update (good or bad) as well as Petco. I bypassed Petco people and went straight to the vet for updates as Petco was feeding my crap and the doctor is telling me the truth


----------



## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

but i would wait until you know for sure before even looking for another bird. she might pull through despite the odds.


----------



## Clair (Jul 31, 2012)

My thoughts are with you. Poor little baby.


----------



## smokeyj (Oct 16, 2011)

Hope she pulls through.


----------



## Malik05 (Jul 12, 2012)

I was by no means going to buy another bird until I know the fate of this one. I would much rather keep Penny as I am deeply attached to her and she's such a doll! I was more in the keeping my eyes open because tiels are very hard to find in Minneapolis. And if i do find another, ill have 2


----------



## bjknight93 (Nov 13, 2011)

I hope she pulls through.


----------



## Mentha (Jul 11, 2010)

I might throw out a suggestion, since Petco is owned by Kaytee it could be that they did not check the URL's on their hand feeding formula and got a bad batch. This sounds a lot like what happened to the lady that was feeding the recalled food.


----------



## Malik05 (Jul 12, 2012)

Just got a call...she passed last night


----------



## Nadley (Dec 28, 2011)

I'm so sorry, Malik.


----------



## acrobandit (Jul 21, 2012)

I'm so sorry  I've been following this thread and hoping she'd pull through; she sounds like such a sweetheart..


----------



## SoraRyuuzaki (Jul 16, 2012)

My condolences


----------



## Clair (Jul 31, 2012)

I'm so sorry.


----------



## sunnysmom (Sep 23, 2011)

I'm very sorry for your loss.


----------



## smokeyj (Oct 16, 2011)

Sorry


----------



## hysteriauk (Jun 24, 2012)

awww so sorry for your loss


----------



## stevechurch2222 (Sep 25, 2011)

So sorry for your loss may she rest in peace.


----------



## budgieandtiel (Jul 24, 2012)

Just read through the thread, I'm so so sorry .


----------

