# Cockatiel freak out, short loss of feet fuctions



## Namyi (Jan 9, 2012)

Today I wanted to take my cockatiel Raiden out of the cage since she had been nagging me all morning. 
I approached the cage in which she and and my other female cockatiel Ray are residing, everything was normal until I tried to let her climb on my finger like usual.

All of a sudden she freaked out and just started flapping her wings violently and bouncing all over the cage and out of it.
Her wings are clipped so she couldn't get far and hurt herself. She fell on the ground and hissed with spread wings.
When I looked at her legs I could see that she wasn't standing on them at all, they well just lying there slightly curled up and somehow she looked like she was still in sleeping mode or something.
Like she couldn't see us and her surroundings, she looked really frightened.
I tried to gently pick her up but she bit me in the hand like she wanted to seriously rip a part of flesh off of it, she has never EVER bitten anyone hard it was so unlike.

My boyfriend and I sat near her and talked to her calmly to try and calm her down a little. After a while she did calm down, she was exhausted though.
It happened about 30 minutes ago and she looks like the same old birdy now but it was a big shock to us too. She does spontaneously fall of a perch sometimes but nothing like this. I know it's not exactly okay for a bird to fall off a perch but I thought she was just a clumsy bird or could something be wrong with her? 

Does anyone know what might have been wrong with her today? Or did anyone have a similar experience with their cockatiel?


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## bjknight93 (Nov 13, 2011)

It sounds like she had a seizure and took some time to recover from it. I would go discuss this with a vet ASAP.


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## Namyi (Jan 9, 2012)

bjknight93 said:


> It sounds like she had a seizure and took some time to recover from it. I would go discuss this with a vet ASAP.


Wow you really think it was a seizure? Is there even something you could do against seizures? 
It didn't last very long for her feet to recover but more time to get over the shock I think.

I did some research on youtube, watched a couple of vids where some cockatiels are having seizures but they all seem to fall on their side with closed eyes and just really weak, but Raiden just sat on Her bum, eyes wide open and spread wings looking all confused and scared.
And she was hissing like she was being defensive.

The vet is not available right now so I'll keep an eye on her for now and call the vet tomorrow. She seems to have recovered from the initial shock. 
She already ate, climbed and groomed like she normally does.

Thanks for the message!! I really appreciate it c:


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Not all seizures are the same, some cause the bird to be unable to move and others don't. I would definitely get a hold of a vet soon, as it does sound like something neurological is going on.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

Here's some information on seizures in birds:

http://www.avianweb.com/seizures.html
http://www.mickaboo.com/newsletter/jan12/art6.2.html
http://www.vcahospitals.com/main/pet-health-information/article/animal-health/seizures-in-birds/929

There are a variety of causes and the treatment will depend on what the cause is. I agree that you need to see a vet sometime soon. 

There are other forum members that have birds with seizure issues. SunnyNShandy has a bird (Shandy) who's on medications for seizures and doing pretty well. The latest update thread is at http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=39639


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