# Paralyzed tiel?? )): What's happening?!?



## Gecko (Jun 16, 2011)

A few minutes ago I heard a brief bit of noise from my bird's cage. I've only had him a week and thought he might be having a night fright, so I jumped out of bed, turned on a light, and found him lying at the bottom of the cage. His eyes were wide open but he wouldn't move at all. I thought maybe he had a wing caught in the bottom grate and reached in to help him out.. He still didn't move when I picked him up, took him out of the cage, and pulled out his wings to check for broken feathers (which he normally hates). He just laid totally limp, wings folded and feet stretched out straight. A couple minutes ago he closed his eyes and has been unresponsive to noise or touch. I noticed his head lolls a bit when I pick him up-- is his neck broken?

Besides being very underweight, he seemed totally normal earlier tonight. He's lying in my lap now barely breathing and I honestly don't think he'll last the hour. I feel so sick. ):


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## Gecko (Jun 16, 2011)

Reading that birds tend to have very loose necks and it may not be an indicator of a broken neck.. in fact, I may have heard him fall from a perch. I can't come up with anything that would cause this but some preexisting condition.. I haven't cooked or burned or sprayed anything; no weird chemicals.

I have a follow-up vet appointment thursday, but I'm going to call when they open today, regardless of how the night goes. Maybe he can tell me what happened ):

EDIT; I just gently picked him up and he opened his eyes and strained his wings, but it seemed like he couldn't hold his head up. Back to thinking broken neck. This is killing me )x

EDIT; He just stirred, opened his eyes, and sneezed. He went through a series of slow movement while still lying in my lap-- rolling his head (?), opening his mouth, fanning his tail, stretching his back and legs-- and he's now moving one of his legs seemingly without intention. Started to hyperventilate; his breath rate is coming down a bit, but still quick. This is so strange


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## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

Is there a 24 hour vet you could ring for advice untill the vet opens 

It might be a night fright and he has hurt himself, how long ago till this happened


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## Gecko (Jun 16, 2011)

I don't know about any emergency vet services around here, and have no transportation ): I heard him a little while before I posted this-- 4:15ish?

He had a sneezing fit and appeared to struggle or seize for several seconds before going limp again. I wish I knew how to make him comfortable ):


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## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

What time is it there now 5:15 , is his poops normal


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## Gecko (Jun 16, 2011)

It's now 5:19. I think he's gone ): I feel physically sick from crying so hard, but I'm glad he's at peace..

Thank you, lperry... I'll let you all know what the vet says in case (god forbid) someone else has this happen.


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## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

Gecko im so sorry  
my dusty kind of went the same way but he had blood coming out of his nostrils 
i ddint say anything as i was hoping he would make it 

so sorry


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

(((HUGS))) Sorry for your loss.

I see you are in Gainesville. There is a large veterinary *teaching* college (school) there. You might want to contact them and tell them what happened and they may be able to do tests and necropsy. Most times no charge.


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## Lulu The Tiel (Apr 11, 2011)

Gecko, I am so sorry for your loss.


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

im so sorry for your loss  you did mention he was underweight. he very well could have had complications from that but i dont know. i would definately go with srtiel's suggestion. a necropsy would tell you how he died


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## Bibibobka (Jun 23, 2011)

Sorry for your loss. I recently a bird too so know what you are going through


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## leeisme (Feb 4, 2011)

Sorry about your loss.  It does sound like a broken neck based on the way my birds acted when they died from it. This was about six years ago and they were in a cage on the porch and got scared by a stray cat. They freaked and flew into their perches. How big was the cage your bird was in and how many perches. More perches can equal more ways to hurt themselves based on the size of the cage. Especially if the perches are made out of wood. At least thats my opinion.


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## Gecko (Jun 16, 2011)

@all: Thank you all so much for your support. <3

I talked it over with my vet via phone this afternoon and eventually decided against the necropsy. It was a difficult choice, as I really wanted (and still want) to know what happened (especially if it was some preventable environmental influence), but I couldn't justify spending the $100+ dollars for an examination-- plus additional money for viral/bacteria tests-- simply to sate my curiosity. I apologize for leaving this death a mystery. I can only assume that his malnourishment was a symptom of a preexisting condition.

@lperry82: I'm sorry about Dusty! ): That was a terrible thing to witness.. I'll never forget the sick, helpless feeling in the pit of my stomach. I can only hope that I gave him some small comfort as he went, as opposed to dying alone on the bottom grate.

@srtiels: I hadn't considered the UF vet school-- thanks! If my vet ever fails me or I want a second opinion in the future, I'll definitely give them a call. From what I've heard, they're very expensive but *very* good at what they do.

@Bibibobka: I'm so sorry ): I only had my bird for a week (this was the eighth day).. We were just getting to know each other, and it still hurts like ****. I can't imagine the pain of losing a tiel I'd bonded with over many years.

@leeisme: I'm sorry to hear about your birds! I guess I'll never know the actual cause ): I worried constantly about losing my tiel to a night fright even though he didn't startle easily at all.. I wonder if that paranoia wasn't unfounded after all. I had my bird in a travel cage about 15" on each side until his big cage arrived in the mail (it came today u__u). I left it arranged as I bought it, with a couple of dowels near the bottom and a thicker calcium/chalk perch near one of the top corners. I think it's possible but unlikely he flew into the upper perch. Do the walls of the cage itself pose a danger?

I'd like to set my future tiel(s) up with a separate sleeping cage, as advised by "Pampered Peeps." However, I'm not sure what's the best approach to preventing night-fright-related tragedy. Bigger cage so there's more room to flap around unobstructed? Smaller so that s/he picks up less speed if startled into flight? I would think that sparsely furnished with softer items (Booda rope perch(es); a light, fluffy toy or two, etc.) is the way to go. What do you guys think?


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

I'm sorry this happened. It might have been a result of night fright injury, but another possibility is that he had some kind of seizure or a heart attack. He was underweight which might have been caused by an underlying medical condition that you didn't know about.


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## DairyMay (Jun 18, 2011)

Im so sorry to hear this. My heart breaks for you.


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## Belinda (Oct 9, 2010)

I was thinking seizure also... so sorry to hear of your loss. I hope you will adopt another tiel when you are ready.


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## gfarley77 (Jul 5, 2011)

I am so sorry for your loss, take comfort in that he is not suffering, i lost a budgie yesterday and feel your pain.


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## Gecko (Jun 16, 2011)

Thanks guys, I appreciate it.  I definitely plan on getting another tiel soon. I've got a lot of leftover room in my heart, and it's already lonely at my place.. 

gfarley, I'm sorry about your little one. ):


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## SallyLovesMojo (Jun 22, 2011)

I'm very sorry.


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## Kristian (Jul 5, 2011)

Sorry for your loss. Best wishes for your future! Bless you and your cockatiels.


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## trace (Jul 3, 2011)

I am so sorry to hear about the loss of your bird.


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## No.2 (Jun 4, 2011)

I am sorry for your loss  I know what you feel, I lost a budgie when I was 11, and he died right in front of me


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