# Need help, Tweety keeps falling off perch



## yellow (Feb 22, 2012)

I'm new here, but have had Tweety for a while. She has been having issues of getting spooked and tearing up her wings as she flops around on the bottom of her cage. The last time she did it I thought she was going to die because she lost so much blood. Since then, I think I've finally figured out why Tweety has gotten spooked and flopped around until she has bloodied her wings. I must add that this happens during the day.... It seems that she keeps faling off the perch and scaring herself. When she does come around, she's very disoriented and doesn't know how to get back up on the perch. I have witnessed it several times. I have also noticed that it happens on days where she is WAY more active then normal....whistling all day (12+ hours) at me and other "animal" things. She also did this 2 days ago when she got her wing caught between the bars after what I call "showing herself to me". Basically hanging on the side of the cage facing down and when she sees me spreads her wings and hangs them toward the ground and flops them to get my attention. So I have 2 questions.

1) How do I get her to quit "showing herself" to me?

2) Why is she suddenly falling off the perch?

I did read one other webpage and the author said that when they start falling off their perch, the end of their life is coming as they are too old and fall into a very deep sleep (the deep sleep is why I figured she was falling off her perch in the first place). As far as I know, she is only about 6 years old. She just laid eggs last year for the first time. She has a large cage...and her wings aren't clipped. Thus she doesn't get very out much because she flies into walls. Any thoughts and help with the 2 questions would be appreciated. Her diet consists of a seed and pellet mix. I mix them. Some days she eats just the seed, some days she eats just the pellet. She has a chew bone in her cage....and she has NEVER fallen off her perch till the last couple of months..... Please help!!!


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

OK first off when she's presenting to you, she's claiming her cage as her's, its her way of saying "this is mine." There is no way to prevent this as its a normal tiel instinct. I would say that she may not have good balance which is why she is falling off, not a deep sleep of some sort. Also, what "chew bone" are you talking about? I would see about maybe getting her clipped and flight training her so that she doesn't crash into things (as all the crashing could have caused a head injury.) 

Welcome to the forum!


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

*and she has NEVER fallen off her perch till the last couple of months..... Please help!!!*
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Since this is something recent then a few things come to mind....such as *what has changed in her diet or environment?* Such as is she near a window, can she see wild birds? As to diet is the seed and pellets fresh (there should be a sell by date on the pkg) And most importantly has she seen a vet? A vet can do blood work to determine if there is something going on or an imbalance to her system.


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## yellow (Feb 22, 2012)

She has the calcium cottyl (don't know how to spell it) bone... I guess I'm more concerned with the falling off of the perch suddenly. It just started in the past 3 months. She hasn't had any head trauma as I've been very careful with her and not let her fly. When she is out, we stay very close to her cage and I try to keep her within the big door of her cage so that if she does get spooked, she flies back into her cage. But like I said, its been probably a year or more since she hit a wall while flying. So far (knock on wood) she hasn't had any night frights that I'm aware of. And she sleeps in complete darkness. It's just this thing of falling off the perch in the daylight. I'm really concerned about how to stop this. What's odd is when she is spooked, she doesn't try to fly, she just flaps her wings and screaches. Last night when it happened I grabbed her out of her cage to restrain her so she wouldn't beat her wings on the cage and bloody them and she was about 2 feet off the ground and got away from me. She ran on the floor with her wings flapping but got no lift.... I find that odd. I would think being a bird, if your scared, you would try to fly to get away. I managed to finally grab her after about 2 seconds of her doing this and restrained her and talked to her till she calmed down. When she calmed down enough, she started hissing at me. I held her for about another 2 minutes before putting her back in her cage....After that I kept her quiet, but this morning she's back at all the whistling.....


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

*She has the calcium cottyl (don't know how to spell it) bone... I guess I'm more concerned with the falling off of the perch suddenly. *
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It is called a cuttlebone. When you got it was it solid white or discolored in areas? I have found that if not pure white that cuttlebone can harbor mold/bacteria if it was not properly processed and stored prior to sale. I personally do not use them, and prefer that the bird gets calcium and other minerals/nutrients from their diet.

Aside from the above the best option to get to the root of the problem is to go to a vet for a health check-up and to have some tests run.

The info in this link may be helpful: http://www.talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=27549


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## yellow (Feb 22, 2012)

I knew how it was spelled and just couldn't remember....lol.... Tweety seems to be doing better. The closest avian vet too me is an hour and half away in Warren. I did replace her cuttlebone and she has been chewing on it a lot more then I've ever seen her chew on a cuttlebone. So, maybe the other one wasn't good and she didn't like it. LOL....she hears me typing right now and is screaming to get my attention.... And now comes the wolf whistle....LOL.. Anywho, I am replacing the short twig-like perch she keeps running off the end of with another side to side perch. Hope that helps her. She seems to be falling off of this twig perch....she dances side to side a lot and over-runs it when she gets really excited.....


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## yellow (Feb 22, 2012)

srtiels said:


> *and she has NEVER fallen off her perch till the last couple of months..... Please help!!!*
> ------------------------------------
> 
> Since this is something recent then a few things come to mind....such as *what has changed in her diet or environment?* Such as is she near a window, can she see wild birds? As to diet is the seed and pellets fresh (there should be a sell by date on the pkg) QUOTE]
> ...


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## yellow (Feb 22, 2012)

I wanna thank everyone here for your help with Tweety. I'm sorry to say that Tweety passed this evening after another episode. She went peacefully after her episode while in my hands looking up at me. Tweety Bird was the neatest bird I've ever known. I was not only Tweety's flock, but she was mine. We would whistle all day long at each other. And today, like all the other days she's had her episode, she was EXTREMELY active. She was very vocal all day today as if to tell me she didn't feel good. Tweety Bird, you will be missed....... Thanks again for all of your help here......


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

(((((HUGS)))) I am sorry for your loss. She sounded like she was a sweety and well loved.


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## JaimeS (Nov 28, 2011)

I am so sorry for your loss.


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## mishkaroni (Jan 6, 2012)

I am deeply sorry for your loss. I know how much you're hurting right now.


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## stevechurch2222 (Sep 25, 2011)

So sorry for your loss of Tweety,she was loved and well taken care of,they are a part of our family and it hurts when we lose them,may God be with you and your family.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

I'm sorry that you lost her. I didn't see the thread when you first posted it, but when I read it today I wondered if she might have been falling off the perch and thrashing around in the bottom because of some kind of seizure - the disorientation certainly makes it sound that way. It's possible that she had a neurological problem which unfortunately turned out to be fatal.


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## yellow (Feb 22, 2012)

Thanks for all of your kind words. I was there for Tweety in her final moments and that gives me the closure that I would have missed had I not been home for her. Thanks again everyone....


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## Sparrow (Feb 25, 2012)

It definitely sounds like a neurological problem, epilepsy maybe. Vets normally prescribe Valium and the seizures subside...... Unfortunately, some fits can be fatal.....

I'm sorry for your loss .....


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