# Please help!



## Fairydust125 (Sep 9, 2009)

My 6 wk old Cockatiel that I am handfeeding appears to not be well. Today I noticed he was fluffed up and not as active as the other one. Even when I took it out it's cage it just sits on my hand fluffed up, like it's cold maybe. He was def. more active before. Do you think my air conditioner could have given it a cold or it has an infection. I am going to book an appt. for the avian vet tom. since it's closed now but I def. don't want him to die What can I do until his vet appt? Please help...thank you

p.s. Is there a way I can check it's temperature or something? Also his beak seems to be warm..


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

That's def a sign that there is something wrong I just don't know what that something would be. Try warming it up to see if that would help and I think some honey will give it some energy or pedialyte or something. Some of the others on here would know better than I, I hope you can get him to the vet soon!


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

Use a lamp to provide heat: cover one end of the cage with a cloth or thin towel and shine a lamp on it, close enough to provide heat but not close enough to set the cloth on fire. Don't provide extra heat at the other end of the cage - this lets your bird choose the spot that's most comfortable for him.

Pedialyte can be very helpful for sick birds. Honey isn't usually recommended for this purpose though. If you ever offer your bird honey, make sure it's pasteurized and NOT raw. The botulism in raw honey can be dangerous to birds.


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## Fairydust125 (Sep 9, 2009)

ok thanks guys!
I also notice his eyes seem to be kinda red around the eye, just like when a person has a cold. I think he has one. I have him separated from the other birds with a heating pad to keep him warm. I hope he'lll be okay, my poor baby


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## Tielzilla (Mar 31, 2009)

please note that a respiratory infection can be never home treated unless you get proper advice from an avian vet..please bring him to a vet


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

Please alittle more info such as: How much is it been fed, and how often. Is it digesting and emptying the crop properly. If not fully empty are you adding more formula? Are they in this cage 24/7? What is the room temp?

At this age if you are seeing it lethargic there is a good possiblity of a yeast and/or bacterial infection, and if not corrected (vet visit) it can become irreversible.


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## Fairydust125 (Sep 9, 2009)

K This is more serious. His vet appt is at 3 pm, it is 2 now so I am leaving in a few but here is some more info. I'm really scared cause I've never seen this before and can you guys tell me if you think he will make it through this please. He is 6 weeks old. Yes I believe he was/is emptying the crop properly. He was also eating seeds, I don't know if he was chewing them properly so maybe he ate them whole. He didn't want the formula as much so I was giving him some and letting him eat seeds. He is definetly more lethargic now, barely making sounds like he used to, or like his sibling. He is also disoriented, cocking his head to one side and kind of walking sideways. He wasn't doing this yesterday. Yesterday he was only fluffed up and I kept him in a warm cage, separate from my other birds. Please tell me any thing I should ask the vet, or what they will do at the vets office.


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

_*He is definetly more lethargic now, barely making sounds like he used to, or like his sibling. He is also disoriented, cocking his head to one side and kind of walking sideways. He wasn't doing this yesterday. *_
*------------------------------------*

The first thing that comes to mind from your description is Toxioplasma (not sure if spelled right) or Sarco. Toxo if from cats, especially if they are outtside cats, and Sarco is from opposums that have contaminated insects, water sources that other animals have had access to. (Short version description) Sulfa family drugs work for secondary infections.

You can ask your vet about this.

*OR* another cause could be something called Star Gazing...which will cause similar syptomes. Many times 1 injection *weekly* for 4 weeks of Vitamin E with selenium can help.

Good luck, and hopefully it is a nutritional defeciency.


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## Fairydust125 (Sep 9, 2009)

K, so just got back from the vet. They did a gram stain, checked the poop and said they didn't find yeast but they found reproducing bacteria. They gave me Ciprofloxacin to take home and I just finished giving Peachy that. He def. did not like it! Smells like cherries! Anyway they recommended that we should do a gram stain for the crop but I would have had to keep him overnight there since his crop was not empty and I could not afford it. The vet gave me a list of things that she thought would be wise to check for and the whole bill would have been $766.00. ! I don't have that kind of money right now So I said check the poop and I will come back. Here is a list of things on the paper she gave me to check for. The physical exam was $85 alone. Then the gram stain for the poop was $47, which we did. The Cipro was $47 also, my bill was $180. The other gram stain would have been $47. But to keep him overnight would have been $87. For the Avian profile it says $172, don't know what that is. $295 for the avian comprehensive post purchase, don't know what that is either. $48 for Vibramycin injection. And $30 for Nystatin to treat yeast but we didn't check for that. Well we did in the poop, but didn't see it so she said we should check the crop as well but I couldn't afford it today. And $72 for fluids, $44 and $88 for oral medications. I don't know what all these things are but anyway I def. can't afford $700! So right now I am going to just give him the Cipro medicine and see how that goes and then if not well, I will go back for the gram stain for the crop and also blood work. What do you guys think? He still has his head tilted to the right.


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## Fairydust125 (Sep 9, 2009)

srtiels said:


> _*He is definetly more lethargic now, barely making sounds like he used to, or like his sibling. He is also disoriented, cocking his head to one side and kind of walking sideways. He wasn't doing this yesterday. *_
> *------------------------------------*
> 
> The first thing that comes to mind from your description is Toxioplasma (not sure if spelled right) or Sarco. Toxo if from cats, especially if they are outtside cats, and Sarco is from opposums that have contaminated insects, water sources that other animals have had access to. (Short version description) Sulfa family drugs work for secondary infections.
> ...


Thanks so much. i mentioned these but she said well since he is kept inside she doesn't think it can be those. Also I don't have cats. I do have dogs though. She said the biggest things to check for are yeast, bacterial and then viral but there are different ways to check for different kinds of viral infections. I don't know what to do


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

*Here is a list of things on the paper she gave me to check for. The physical exam was $85 alone. *Is this a vet you have used before? I have learned that most vets have 2 sets of prices: Pet owner and breeder prices. Ususally breeder prices are 1/2 or more of most of these prices that you have been quoted. Also is this an avian vet, and are there other vets in the area?


_*Then the gram stain for the poop was $47, which we did.*_ Normally this should be $25

*The Cipro was $47 also, my bill was $180. *It depends on the amount of Cipro given...but average price should have been around @25.00 BUT, Cipro is a human form of Baytril which is the same type of medicaation, but developed for animals.


_*The other gram stain would have been $47. But to*_ _*keep him overnight would have been $87.*_ You DO NOT need another gram stain. What you need is a culture, which can either be done from the crop or from feces. A culture would probably run about $45. This is sent out to a lab. When the results come back it is on a sheet that lists all bacteria and yeast levels in the body. It also will list which medications are effective or ineffective depending on the levels of pathogens, if any shown. Most vets will start a bird on a prophalic treatment (like Cipro/Batril, which has broad spectrum activity) Since the Cipro is flavored the vet mixed it with a lactulose carrier and flavored it. The benefit of the lactulose is that it does protect the liver. BUT, it can also contribute to looser droppings, and if a bird is dehydrated, compound this.


*For the Avian profile it says $172, don't know what that is. *This varies by vet, and I would pass. Most times it is a simple visual exam, weighing the bird etc.


*$295 for the avian comprehensive post purchase, don't know what that is either. *A comprehesive exan would be drawing blood to have sent out and analized. This would also check for viral...though tiels are normally not prone to viral infections.


*$48 for Vibramycin injection. *This is for suspected pssitcosis treatments. This would be 1 injection per week for (can't remember for sure) 6 weeks. The actual cost of these shots are $10, if that in meds. IF pssiticosis (chlamydia) is suspected I would suggest that you test your self, thru Avian Biotech (www.avianbiotech.com) for $24.50 Many vets have naive petowners do these treatments unnessessarily.


*And $30 for Nystatin to treat yeast but we didn't check for that. *That it the actual cost for a pint of Nystatin, which a prescription can be phoned in to a pharmacy for pick-up...which is under the birds name. If less then it is markup for the meds. NOTE: This is a med. the vet should have given you today to give in conjunction with the antibiotics.


_*Well we did in the poop, but didn't see it so she said we should check the crop as well but I couldn't afford it today.*_ NO...ask for a culture (sometimes called a culture sensitivity test) if you do not see an improvement by tomorrow.


_*And $72 for fluids, *_LOL...this is given for extreme dehydration, and the price quoted is excessive. It is ususally Normosol or Latated Ringers, and the solution sells under $25 for 1000cc in a bag. The fluid is given Sub-Q under the skin. This is something that can be shown at the office, and supplies purchased to do at home for several days. 


*$44 and $88 for oral medications *Is this in addition to the meds you have and *what meds?*

How is your baby doing? Can you post a pix?


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## Fairydust125 (Sep 9, 2009)

Thank you so much! There is so much info and I have no clue about any of this. The oral meds were in addition but no name was given. Peachy is okay, I guess. He is still mostly fluffed up, not that active but is preening himself a little bit, which I guess is good because yesterday he wasn't doing anything at all. His poop does seem runny and he still is keeping his head cocked to the side, to the right mostly. I will take a pic right now..  I just hope he makes it through this


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

The head cocked to the side IS a defecieny and can be corrected over time with Vit E/selenium.

If you do have to go to the vet again I would suggest insisting on a Vit E/selenium shot, and to have a culture done.


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## Fairydust125 (Sep 9, 2009)

Here is Peachy and Masha about a week ago when he was acting normal.








Peachy now
















See his head.

BTW I am afraid Masha will get sick too. Right now they are separated but what if it's in her system already and she just hasn't shown it yet?


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## Fairydust125 (Sep 9, 2009)

I forgot to say..he weighed 90 grams, the vet said he may be underweight.


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## Fairydust125 (Sep 9, 2009)

srtiels said:


> The head cocked to the side IS a defecieny and can be corrected over time with Vit E/selenium.
> 
> If you do have to go to the vet again I would suggest insisting on a Vit E/selenium shot, and to have a culture done.


You don't think it is neurological? So will it go away once the infection or whatever it is goes away? Is there another way I can give him Vit E before I go to the vet? Will it go away with the medicine I am giving him?


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## Fairydust125 (Sep 9, 2009)

Video I just took of him sleeping. See his head moving to the side. Srry it is dark, but my flip video camera broke  So now I have to use the video camera on this terrible broken camera that belongs to my friend lol 
View My Video


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

I looked at the video. If the head tilt gets worse then it is a defecieny. BUT...a couple of other causes...such as an ear infection (bacterial). You can part the feathers over the ear and look and see if the color is normal or reddened looking. OR...has he flown and crashed into anything?

*I forgot to say..he weighed 90 grams, the vet said he may be underweight. *Your kidding? His weight is fine. Is this vet familiar with cockatiels at all, or does he/she work with larger birds?

How much are you feeding them? The crops look rather large for their sizes. The MAX that the one that weighs 90 grams should be 9cc. At this age for the 90 gram baby I would feed 3X a day. 8cc morning, 5-6cc lunch, and 9cc night. How much does the clutchmate weigh (empty)


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## Fairydust125 (Sep 9, 2009)

Well he only wants like 6 cc each time. I fed him 6 cc in the morning and 6 cc in the afternoon. I am about to feed him now again. I don't know what Masha weighs, I haven't weighed her. I am not sure if the vet is familiar, she didn't seem to be too much. It's the only avian vet I know of around here. She checked his ears and didn't see anything wrong


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

OK...if he will only eat 6cc he must be weaning. Keep a separate bowl of pellets and seed in the cage (on the floor) As long as they are getting formula there is no need for a shallow water bowl until you are down to 1 feeding a day (which is the night feeding) If you start feeling seed/food in the base of the crop prior to feeding you can start reducing the feeding by 1cc per day. It is the lunch/middle feeding that is reduced and skipped first, so that they are on 2 feeding per day. The morning feeding starts getting reduced daily.


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## Fairydust125 (Sep 9, 2009)

Thank you sooo much! You are giving much needed info! I don't know where else to look if it weren't for this forum, I tried looking on google and couldn't find anything with what I am going thru. He did take 6 ccs again, so in total that's about 18 ccs for today but he only ate a bit of millet spray, not much else. That worries me. He is warm and did squeek a little to Masha, when he heard her squeek. It's so cute, they are very close. Masha doesn't like being alone. She is with my other Tiel Baby but Baby is a little distant but warming up to her little by little. I am going to put Peachy to bed now and give him his medicine again at 6 a.m., they said every 12 hrs for 10 days. And I will see how he's doing tom. morning.


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## Fairydust125 (Sep 9, 2009)

Peachy's a little more active today. He is walking around, climbing on me but he doesn't want to eat much. His head is still to the side. He bit some seeds but I don't know if he is actually eating them. I guess it's good that he is walking around and such and making some noise. Gave him his medicine. Am going to try to feed him again. I noticed the back of his tongue is red, is that normal?


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

That's great that Peachy is more active 

Did he have the redness before the meds? It could also be from the meds if they were flavored and are red. Or it could be a Vit A defeciency or irratation from yeast. But if yeast were present you would be some white stuff in the mouth/throat too.


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## Fairydust125 (Sep 9, 2009)

Yea they are flavored..but I am not sure, as I didn't notice the redness before. It's aaaaall the way at the back of the tongue. I only noticed it cause he was nibbling on my finger and had his beak open. Maybe it was there before? Um So I gave him his medicine and he absolutely hates it! He shook his head in disgust and then tried to fly away and landed pretty hard on the floor. He seemed dizzy after that, poor guy. And then he refused the food again, maybe he thinks I'm gna give him more medicine


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

Ah...poor baby. What you might try is mixing a small amount of formula and adding the right dosage of meds. to it and see if he will eat it that way.


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## Fairydust125 (Sep 9, 2009)

thanks! I thought I'd let you know that Peachy is better. He is acting more normal, the only thing is he still keeps his head kinda cocked to the side. He is much more active now. I will post new pics and videos of them in action  We still need to go back to the vet to check out why his head is like that after I finish his medicine. Thank you for all your help!!!


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