# HELP! Chicken acting strange!!!



## 3LoveSkyeTiel (Feb 23, 2016)

So today when I uncovered Chicken, she was all fluffed up and didn't stretch good morning to me. She looked very tierd and when I offerd her, her favorite treats, she rejected them! That is when i knew something is wrong. She drank water but so far refused her treats and won't eat her food. I need "AT HOME" advice to help her. I already put her in a room where i work with a space heater on nice and toasty. I have two windows open (meaning the blinds are over) so she can see out. I am not sure what else to do at home.

The reason I don't want to take her to the vet is because I hate all vets here. They traumatized one of my other birds in the past, and ultimately killed him I want advice to help her today to make her recover. Please help!

~Skye


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## Noekeon (Feb 17, 2016)

How's little chicken doing Skye? Maybe she just didn't sleep well or she's just feeling blue so it's a kinda false alarm? I'm kinda used on Kanas mood swings to be honest that's why I'm asking


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## 3LoveSkyeTiel (Feb 23, 2016)

Well I kept her in a 80 degree room all day, at first, nothing, she had pure clear droppings, and wouldn't eat her favorite treats that she loves. I don't think it was a mood swing. She never acted like that for the 3 years of owning her. It has been hours since she ate, didn't eat anything all day, just through treats out of her mouth when I offered them. Fluffed up and eyes closed, napping all day. 

But at 3:30 today p.m. she woke up a little and ate a few treats! Then she napped, ate some more treats. I removed the treats and she went to the food bowl!!! I'm so happy she is recovering! My local bird expert told me that my house was too cold regularly and I needed it to be at least 74 degrees every day. Mine got to 70 sometimes 69 degrees. I am so happy it was resolved!

Thanks for the concern,
~Skye


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## TamaMoo (Jan 12, 2014)

We usually keep our place at 66 - 68 in the winter, and Joey does just fine. This apartment is fabulously insulated and it feels very comfortable at that temp. Any higher and the heating bill would be insane during the cold months. In the summer we keep it about 73, to keep air conditioning bills from being insane.


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## visualise (Mar 5, 2016)

This is great to hear! While humans can tolerate low temperatures (I personally cannot - I was hospitalized last winter due to a common cold which lingered too long due to cold house & workplace temps), birds cannot and will rapidly decline. There's a reason cave people invented fire. Don't let the advice of fiscal conservatives kill your parrot. 66f will be too low as your bird gets older, and once you find out at what age that is, it will probably be too late.


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## 3LoveSkyeTiel (Feb 23, 2016)

TamaMoo said:


> We usually keep our place at 66 - 68 in the winter, and Joey does just fine. This apartment is fabulously insulated and it feels very comfortable at that temp. Any higher and the heating bill would be insane during the cold months. In the summer we keep it about 73, to keep air conditioning bills from being insane.


Well I understand that, but I live in Florida USA and there are NO cold winters. 
So when a heater kicks into full gear to warm your house up, it will be 68 and feel more like 72 or higher. But in Florida our AC kicks into full gear, it may feel like 68 or 66 and actually be 74. So its a little different. But I'm sure wherever you live it must work fine. But where I live, AC all day makes chills, lol, and that's not great for a healing bird.

She is slowing doing better since this morning. Thanks for the comments!

~Skye


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## 3LoveSkyeTiel (Feb 23, 2016)

visualise said:


> This is great to hear! While humans can tolerate low temperatures (I personally cannot - I was hospitalized last winter due to a common cold which lingered too long due to cold house & workplace temps), birds cannot and will rapidly decline. There's a reason cave people invented fire. Don't let the advice of fiscal conservatives kill your parrot. 66f will be too low as your bird gets older, and once you find out at what age that is, it will probably be too late.


Yeah I'm keeping her nice and warm, hopefully she will have many many years ahead of her!

~Skye


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## enigma731 (Aug 12, 2011)

It really sounds to me like she needs a vet check ASAP. I'm glad she seems to be doing a bit better, but all of those signs point to illness. By the time you see other symptoms in a bird, it's often too late to do anything.


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## shaenne (Apr 19, 2014)

I agree with enigma. Those kinds of signs really do point to something that needs vet attention asap. It may be that she was just feeling a little under the weather, but with illnesses and infections being so touch and go with birds I wouldn't want to risk it. I'd take her in for a checkup with the vet you dislike the least.


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## TamaMoo (Jan 12, 2014)

3LoveSkyeTiel said:


> Well I understand that, but I live in Florida USA and there are NO cold winters.
> So when a heater kicks into full gear to warm your house up, it will be 68 and feel more like 72 or higher. But in Florida our AC kicks into full gear, it may feel like 68 or 66 and actually be 74. So its a little different. But I'm sure wherever you live it must work fine. But where I live, AC all day makes chills, lol, and that's not great for a healing bird.
> 
> She is slowing doing better since this morning. Thanks for the comments!
> ...


I'm in Indiana, and we have the horribly hot, humid summers too. Not quite in your league, but it is quite common to have temps in the mid to upper 90s with a heat index over 100.


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## ParrotletsRock (Oct 8, 2013)

Actually birds can do quiet well at lower temps as long as they are not in a draft and the temps do not fluctuate rapidly. I too think a vet check is in order.


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## enigma731 (Aug 12, 2011)

Birds can fluff up a bit more than usual when temps are cooler, but the lethargy you're describing is not normal under any circumstances. That's why I think it's important to get a vet check very soon (like tomorrow, if possible).


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## arnabsri (Jul 22, 2015)

Hi 3LoveSkyeTiel ,
It will be better if you take chicken to VET. But in my place as avian vets are less i first try home remedy before its too late. I give "cutie" Basil leaves if vet is not available for a day.. 

Sending lots of good wishes on your way from me and cutie  Chicken get well soon


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## Noekeon (Feb 17, 2016)

Well I'll probably go against the authorities here on the cold matter. My youngster today morning was chirping fine and feeling playfull at 55 degrees. I'm a cold weather lover so she is used to be in a little chilly situations but without leaving her in a draft (also I think it wouldn't matter much she's a bird after all and wind is sometging they are genetically used to)either way they are supposed to be desert birds so they adapt in cold over night it just doesn't have to drop drastically. When my gf is around we usually open up the heater to about 73 but on low so the temp rises slowly and Kana is fine as well.

Nice to hear that Chicken is doing better though! Keep an eye on her (like you wouldn't hahah) and go say a Pokpokpok from us


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## 3LoveSkyeTiel (Feb 23, 2016)

Well thanks everyone for the input! I would also suggest vet, but the stress of them taking my bird and sticking it in a incubator and my baby not being with me.. I am not doing that again. All my local vet does is this: Take my bird, give it blood tests, put it alone in an incubator, keep it for 3 days, the bird dies, and they charge $400!!! I am not doing that with this bird. Worse comes to Worse my local bird store has certain shots or whatever to boost them and then let me take her home. I love this local bird store because some birds are worth $10,000 like even Toucans babies hand-fed, so he can't afford a bird to die. I go to him if emergency and that's just about it. Chicken is doing much better today. When i bring her out of her room though into our house now she shakes? But in the room where it is warm with me, she is doing great. I will have to see how today goes and tomorrow she should be back to normal, I hope.

~Skye


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## bjknight93 (Nov 13, 2011)

She should see a vet. I don't care how you feel about the vets in your area or how she is acting now. Anytime a bird stops eating it is BAD. Yes, she's going to be shaking in the rest of your house because she is *sick* and therefore cannot regulate her body temperature. 

Your vet can only do what you authorize them to do, so if you want to avoid all the outrageous charges, provide supplemental care at home like you're doing and have her tested or at least diagnosed without testing (not recommended, but more cost efficient). 

Try to get a broad spectrum antibiotic like baytril/enroflaxicin at the very least...and perhaps some doxycycline to treat a possible respiratory illness (common in birds because they have sensitive respiratory systems). 

Please do not let her suffer at home because you don't like the vets. You authorized the vet to spend your $400 before on what may or may not have been necessary for your other birds, but that is not Chicken's fault and she deserves to be seen and helped.


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## enigma731 (Aug 12, 2011)

I'd also like to add that a bird that's shaking and showing signs of being unable to regulate her body temperature SHOULD be in an incubator or some other setup with supplemental heat. It might be stressful for you to have her at the vet, but it sounds like that's what she needs to recover. She's depending on you to provide these things.


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## 3LoveSkyeTiel (Feb 23, 2016)

I understand that all because yesterday she was like that, but know she is doing great! The room is 80 degrees, she is eating a lot, playing, not shaking at all. There is no way I am taking her now. I have enough common sense to do that if she didn't improve by today..

~Skye


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## shaenne (Apr 19, 2014)

It sucks that you don't like your vets, but if you have avian vets local to you (and this goes for anyone), PLEASE take advantage of their close proximity any time your bird is acting unwell. My closest avian vet is an hour away, and her attendance at the clinic is very spotty and it's difficult to get an appointment with her. When she is unavailable, my only other option is 2-3 hours away (depending on traffic). You have know idea how much I wish we had an avian vet in this town. It actually makes me want to go back to school to become one myself.


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## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

I was feeling the same way about vets when Sophie was showing signs of sickness, and I couldn't get ahold of my avian vet so I didn't take her to a regular vet, and she ended up passing away that same day because of this. Apparently she was too far gone anyway, but that's not the point -- _please_ take your 'tiel to a vet as soon as you see symptoms. You will feel soul-crushingly guilty if you don't and then she takes a turn for the worse. I'm glad Chicken is feeling better, but please keep this in mind. Not meaning to be harsh, I just care.


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## 3LoveSkyeTiel (Feb 23, 2016)

It's not just that I don't like vets for no reason. I HATE them for a VERY good reason! They killed all my birds and I only have the one left, Chicken. I used to have Lily, Pepsi, Mango, and Coconut. For years now I go to a local bird expert been in the industry over 30 years and cures my bird and lets me go home. The vets killed my other birds and I will never go to them again! I owned Chicken for 3 years and never took her to a vet, just my bird expert. He breeds and sells Hyacinth Macaws and Black Lories, Toucans, birds worth $10,000, he doesn't have a vet for his birds, and he could never afford one dying because that is his work. He always heals my bird:yes:. So those who are not as fortunate as me have to take their bird to a vet, I pray they won't do to you what they did to my birds..

~Skye


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## enigma731 (Aug 12, 2011)

Only vets have access to the prescription medications and tests needed to properly treat a bird. Also, a breeder who doesn't use a vet is a huge red flag. Personally, if I had many birds that had become ill and later died, I'd be wondering what they were being exposed to at that bird shop.

Getting a pet bird vet care is part of being a bird owner. It's not optional. If you're not comfortable with the vets you've used in the past, then please find an alternative even if it involves traveling further. If you're not willing to take your bird to a vet when she's showing signs of illness, that's a very serious problem.


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## 3LoveSkyeTiel (Feb 23, 2016)

Listen, you may have a good local vet. But I just said, it's the VET that killed my birds, not the shop! I didn't even purchase my birds from that shop! I purchased them from numerous bird stores around the area. This breeder has not had 1 single bird die in 30 years of breeding over 100 species of pet bird!! I am set. 

~Skye


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## bjknight93 (Nov 13, 2011)

I'm sure the birds may have been under the vet's care when they died, but this does not mean the vet KILLED your birds. I have absolutely no idea what was going on with your birds when they went to the vet or how long they had been showing symptoms before you took them in, but birds die!!!! And they die easily and quickly. They dont show symptoms until the are weak and dying...so if you didn't catch your other birds' illness early on then there is not much that can be done for them regardless of who treats your bird. So, I'm skeptical about it being the vet's fault. 

Look, I even spent $3000 on one of my birds with a board-certified avian vet who was brilliant and my bird still came close to dying before we diagnosed her.


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## enigma731 (Aug 12, 2011)

3LoveSkyeTiel said:


> This breeder has not had 1 single bird die in 30 years of breeding over 100 species of pet bird!!


This is pretty much a statistical impossibility that I would again consider a red flag if someone made that claim...

What made your other birds ill enough to need to go to the vet in the first place? It's highly unusual to have that many birds become sick and die, so again, I'd be concerned about where they got those illnesses. Do you buy food or supplies from the bird shop? If so, a contagion from there would be my first suspicion.


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## ParrotletsRock (Oct 8, 2013)

If you are having this many birds get sick and die I would also look at what is going on in your household the cause it. Is there mold? Are you using Teflon pans, house hold cleaners etc. I have had 12 birds (not counting the babies I have bred) in the last 7 years and only lost 2. One had cancer and had to be put down, the other was mutilating her feet due to a broken toe, was suffering and was put out of her misery. I also would question the honesty of a breeder who has bred 100's of species of birds for 30 yrs without a loss. Many times with a bird or other pet, by the time we notice a problem and get them to a,vet it is to late and they cannot be saved, the vet didn't kill them, it is just coincidence, birds are very bad for hiding their illness until it is too late.


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## 3LoveSkyeTiel (Feb 23, 2016)

Ok first of all, I live in a SUPER immaculate certified clean home, no mold. 

Second of all, the birds I bought from different pet shops and took them to the vet for a check up, then they died that day or the next.

Third of all this bird store ships world-wide and has the largest bird business industry for exotic hand-fed birds. I am very happy with his business. Him and his wife are the wrong ones to blame for anything going wrong, actually they saved my Friend's Pineapple Conure several times from being near the point of death. They additonaly helped my girl many times. He and his wife are certified to treat all birds and give medical advice.

So please STOP telling me to take her to a vet. They killed my healthy birds and I think there is something seriously crooked with them!

Just because you have decent normal vets you go to doesn't mean they are all good. This world is super sick and crooked and I think that vet is sadistic. Perfectly healthy birds came home and died or never came home.

Chicken is doing great today and now that store let me know to keep it warmer for my bird to keep her healthy, I am. Now I keep it at least 74 and she is super happy. 

So don't be so opinionated when you haven't heard the whole story, just believe what you hear, its tiring explaining the whole story:zzz:!!!

~Skye


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## enigma731 (Aug 12, 2011)

Please try to stop being defensive for a moment and consider that your bird is depending on you to take an impartial look at this situation in order to keep her safe. I'm glad that Chicken seems to be doing okay now, but the temperature in your room would not have caused the symptoms you observed the other day, and you need to do your best to figure out what was going on there.

You've said that you live in a clean and mold-free home, but many cleaning products and other household items are toxic to birds. You did not answer on whether there are cleaners, teflon pans, or other items that could account for your birds' symptoms. Is anything with a scent of any kind used in the same air space with her?

There is no such thing as a certification to medically treat birds unless your shop owner has been to veterinary school and maintains an active license. If he's told you that he's certified and hasn't been to veterinary school, he is legally misrepresenting himself, as it sounds like he likely is in other areas. As I said before, it's fine if you don't want to go to the specific vet you've used in the past, but you must have plans for _a vet_ if/when necessary. That is not optional when it comes to owning birds. 

If you don't want help or advice, then next time you are free to not post a thread with "HELP!" in all caps in the title. If you post here about a bird that could be at risk, you are going to get a lot of concerned people taking the situation very seriously. Everyone here is doing their best to help you and your bird with what sounds like a situation that needs more attention and investigation. What's "tiring" is trying to help people who have no actual interest in changing what they are doing.


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## 3LoveSkyeTiel (Feb 23, 2016)

Please try to stop being defensive for a moment and consider that your bird is depending on you to take an impartial look at this situation in order to keep her safe. I'm glad that Chicken seems to be doing okay now, but the temperature in your room would not have caused the symptoms you observed the other day, and you need to do your best to figure out what was going on there
: 
I had my house very cold and she got very bad sleep for days and that does get them sick

You've said that you live in a clean and mold-free home, but many cleaning products and other household items are toxic to birds. You did not answer on whether there are cleaners, teflon pans, or other items that could account for your birds' symptoms. Is anything with a scent of any kind used in the same air space with her?
: 
I forgot to put that I am a maniac about no oders in my home, windows are open almost all day and nothing is EVER near my birds

There is no such thing as a certification to medically treat birds unless your shop owner has been to veterinary school and maintains an active license. If he's told you that he's certified and hasn't been to veterinary school, he is legally misrepresenting himself, as it sounds like he likely is in other areas. As I said before, it's fine if you don't want to go to the specific vet you've used in the past, but you must have plans for a vet if/when necessary. That is not optional when it comes to owning birds.
: 
They have been to school and both have a active license, if my bird ever needs emergency medical help I would go to the bird store.

My putting this thread is I wanted more at home remedies until I got her to the bird store. And once I said she was doing great, the 'attacking' the bird store didn't stop. I wanted safe help for the meantime of my girl not acting normal. She is doing great and the bird man and his wife said Chicken looks great.

~Skye


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## ParrotletsRock (Oct 8, 2013)

No one is,attacking the bird store, if they have both been to school and been certified then they are avian vets which you hate... Sorry I'm not believing any of this, if you want hel then fine if not I am wasting my time and effort.


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## enigma731 (Aug 12, 2011)

ParrotletsRock said:


> No one is,attacking the bird store, if they have both been to school and been certified then they are avian vets which you hate... Sorry I'm not believing any of this, if you want hel then fine if not I am wasting my time and effort.


Agreed. I sincerely hope this bird will be fine, but there are a lot of troubling things about this situation as described.


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## 3LoveSkyeTiel (Feb 23, 2016)

I hate the place called, 'Vet', like the typical place people go, this is a bird store and they are licenced though. There is nothing fishy about it. I like home remedies incase I ever need them in emergency and I can't have her seen that minute. I hope you understand and if any of you still have home remedies I would love to hear them.

~Skye


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## bjknight93 (Nov 13, 2011)

Well, since they are so great..can we please get a name and location for this store/vet/breeder so other forum members near you will know of a great place to have their birds seen?


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## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

There is always the risk of a sick bird dying from shock and stress from being thrust into an unfamiliar environment, handled in unfamiliar ways by unfamiliar people and being given medication etc, i.e. a vet. Even healthy birds can die from shock. The vet I go to always warns me about this before I bring any bird in. So there's always a possibility that a bird won't pull through. It's a really tough thing having our beloved animals die for unexplained reasons, and I'm really sorry that happened to you. I do think you should check around for another avian vet, because you never know when you may need one. Throughout my years of owning birds I have been through many emergency situations that required immediate vet care, and the vets have always managed to save my bird's lives. It's truly worth it to establish a relationship with a trustworthy and experienced avian vet well before you need one, so that you are prepared for the worst.


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## enigma731 (Aug 12, 2011)

bjknight93 said:


> Well, since they are so great..can we please get a name and location for this store/vet/breeder so other forum members near you will know of a great place to have their birds seen?


I was curious about this too, so I did some research. On the basis of Skye's description and the location she's shared before, I'm going to guess it's this place. Unfortunately, there's only one certified avian vet in the area, and she doesn't appear to be associated with the shop in any way. I really hope the owner of that shop is not misrepresenting himself as an avian vet and this is just a misunderstanding.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

If this is the right store it doesn't look like they claim to be avian vets. Here's a quote from http://www.birdfarm.com/faq.asp



> *** WHAT TYPE OF GUARANTEE DO YOU OFFER? *** Seven days with a Vet check. That means that if within seven business days after receiving your baby, you take him to an AVIAN CERTIFIED VET for a well Vet checkup, and the Vet tells you that there is a genetic defect or physical illness, we will guarantee your bird for replacement. However, the guarantee is void if you do not purchase the food that your new baby has been weaned onto from us.


They're telling people that they have to take their birds to a certified avian vet if they want to have a guarantee. Obviously the owners believe in vets, and if they were vets themselves they could do the well check instead of telling people to take the birds somewhere else.


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## bjknight93 (Nov 13, 2011)

I think enigma is still just instigating and isn't being too sincere about the place that treats your birds...but I truly would like to know so I can add it to my list of trusted bird-savvy medical professionals so I can recommend it to other people in your area. You could private message me if you prefer not to comment on this thread any longer?


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## enigma731 (Aug 12, 2011)

tielfan said:


> If this is the right store it doesn't look like they claim to be avian vets. Here's a quote from http://www.birdfarm.com/faq.asp
> 
> 
> 
> They're telling people that they have to take their birds to a certified avian vet if they want to have a guarantee. Obviously the owners believe in vets, and if they were vets themselves they could do the well check instead of telling people to take the birds somewhere else.


Good catch, Carolyn. That makes me feel better about the store, assuming it's the right one. But in that case, the shop definitely shouldn't be a substitute for a relationship with a vet who can prescribe meds and do tests. I also really hope this shop doesn't give injections to birds. I can't imagine what that would be, being administered by someone who is not a vet.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

BTW that vet isn't board certified. She's a member of AAV but that's not the same as being certified. To be board certified you have to go through the ABVP, and people who do that usually have some letters after their name that I don't see on this vet's listing - it just says she's a DVM. For comparison, here's the listing for a board-certified vet in Arizona, which says she's both DVM and DABVP(avian): http://www.aav.org/members/?id=22940175&hh

For anybody who wants to look for a board-certified avian vet, the ABVP has a search function at http://www.abvp.com/diplomate Apparently there are only 103 certified avian vets in the entire United States. Doing a similar search on AAV, it looks like they have 994 members in the US. So approximately one out of every ten AAV members is board certified.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

Just speculating here, but it's possible that somebody at the store is trained as a veterinary technician and can do simple procedures.


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## enigma731 (Aug 12, 2011)

Man, I'm slipping tonight. Clearly my dissertation is frying more brain cells than I thought. 

I do find it reassuring that the shop advocates having a relationship with an avian vet. They also echo the sentiments of many people on this thread, stating that lethargy and lack of appetite are very serious symptoms which warrant veterinary attention.


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## enigma731 (Aug 12, 2011)

By the way (I had to look this up because I wasn't 100% sure I remembered correctly), veterinary technicians must practice under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian. So even if someone is certified as a tech, they shouldn't be doing procedures in a shop.


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## 3LoveSkyeTiel (Feb 23, 2016)

Well nice guess everyone, but wrong, lol, although I know him as well! It's somebody else, I don't think you would get it, but you don't have to strain about it:lol:.

But that is a good idea, I will give you my county, and you should be able to tell me if you know a REALLY good vet around here. So I live in Citrus County FL and if any of you know a good vet than please let me know. I mean I could just write it down in case of a future emergency.

Thanks for the replies.

~Skye


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## Rumz (Mar 14, 2016)

Chicken's healthy! Whoever did whatever worked! That's all that matters!


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## 3LoveSkyeTiel (Feb 23, 2016)

Rumz said:


> Chicken's healthy! Whoever did whatever worked! That's all that matters!


Well thank you!!:yes::thumbu:

~Skye


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

Actually it would be very nice if you posted the name of the store so everyone can see its quality for themselves. A place that operates on that scale ought to have a website, and there might be people here who would like to buy birds from them.


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## 3LoveSkyeTiel (Feb 23, 2016)

I'd rather not, I know they are very very good at I'l will leave it at that.

But anyone know good vets in Citrus County FL?

~Skye


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## bjknight93 (Nov 13, 2011)

I feel like 3LoveSkyeTiel has something to hide...perhaps that store *is* the place she is speaking so fondly about? Otherwise I don't see a reason to not reveal where she likes to take her birds to. It would be really helpful to other forum members if we had that place to direct people to when there is an ill bird in the Citrus County area.


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## enigma731 (Aug 12, 2011)

Huh. There's more than one huge bird shop that breeds incredibly rare species and ships them nationwide in a town of 2500 people? And this second shop does business nationwide but has no website or phone book listing? You're right, I don't get how that's possible.


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## bjknight93 (Nov 13, 2011)

Have you been to Homosassa Animal and Bird?
http://www.homosassaanimalandbirdhospital.com

Gwynneth has excellent reviews on Google, with several people remarking about her saving their neglected cockatiel and taking great care of a sun conure, etc. I wouldn't hesitate to visit her if I were you. She's not too far away.


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## Rumz (Mar 14, 2016)

It's her bird..if she trusts the store then that's her decision. If anyone has any questions about the store because you legitimately live in that area, you should PM her about it. All I see is you guys trying to instigate..if you are a member of TalkCockatiels, you're probably are already a better owner than most. The birds in good health  now leave the poor girl alone


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## enigma731 (Aug 12, 2011)

Nobody is attacking anyone. Personally I'm concerned that someone who is not a vet may be illegally administering medications to people's birds. If someone I trusted with my birds turned out to be misrepresenting themselves, I'd sure want to know! 

Plus, I actually am from Florida, so I'm always curious about resources for bird owners in my area.


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## Rumz (Mar 14, 2016)

Which is fair, I don't want illegally administered birds  but I mean if the store truly takes care of the birds..


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

We know there's at least one store in the area that believes in vets, so you could ask them who they recommend. 

If you go to http://www.abvp.com/diplomate and click on Avian for the category and Florida for the state, it will give you a list of all the board-certified avian vets in the state, and you can use this to determine whether any of them are close to you. 

If you go to http://www.aav.org/search/custom.asp?id=1803 and click on United States and Florida, it will give you a list of all the AAV members in the state. Don't try to search for a specific town or zip code though, because it takes the official boundaries much too seriously and won't tell you about something that's 10 feet outside the city limits.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

A word on something that was posted near the beginning of the thread:



> My local bird expert told me that my house was too cold regularly and I needed it to be at least 74 degrees every day. Mine got to 70 sometimes 69 degrees.


Your "expert" is simply wrong. Cockatiels are native to the Australian Outback where the temperatures are a lot cooler than that in the wintertime, and it dips below freezing sometimes. In Florida it's common for cockatiels to be kept in outdoor aviaries all year long because they can deal with the temperature range. They have to be properly acclimated of course - you can't take a bird that's used to a different temperature and put it outside during the hottest part of the summer or the coldest part of the winter. 

A bird that's sick needs warmth so it can direct its energy toward getting well instead of struggling to stay warm. But a healthy cockatiel can do just fine in a house that's 69 degrees. They'd be fine in a house that was 59 degrees if they had time to adjust to it gradually.


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## 3LoveSkyeTiel (Feb 23, 2016)

Well first of all the place I am speaking of is not that store. Second is, There is nothing to hide about it but I don't want to tell anyone now because I trust that place, and I do not want to know anything differently about it. They have legitimately helped my birds and I don't want to know different from what I have saw and seen from their place. 

Thank you for the place-vet that 'bjknight93' Gave me! I looked at reviews as well and it looks like a really good vet! So I will save that to my list of where I will go if so God help me I ever needed one. Thanks a lot!

Thank you everyone for the insight, research, and concern.

~Skye


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

You seem to be saying that if they're doing anything wrong you don't want to find out about it. But you'd really be better off knowing, because it puts you in a better position to judge the quality of their advice. 

We already know that the information they gave you on the temperature requirements of cockatiels was wrong. So they're not as expert as you think, and in the future it would be smart to double check their advice with other knowledgeable sources to make sure that what they told you was right. There might be equatorial birds who would be too cold at a temperature of 70 degrees, but cockatiels come from a climate where the temperature drops into the 30s or 40s every night during the winter. When you have a sick bird you need to turn up the heat, but under normal circumstances a cockatiel can handle temperatures under 70.


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## 3LoveSkyeTiel (Feb 23, 2016)

Actually pet birds cannot take those extreme temperatures so it looks like you so much as not the expert. These are not wild birds, they are pets! And being pets they should not be in temperatures under 70 degrees, that is NOT healthy and will hurt you bird. 

Second of all my bird is super healthy and happy so they are doing a great job. The rest is not your business.

~Skye


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## ParrotletsRock (Oct 8, 2013)

3LoveSkyeTiel said:


> Actually pet birds cannot take those extreme temperatures so it looks like you so much as not the expert. These are not wild birds, they are pets! And being pets they should not be in temperatures under 70 degrees, that is NOT healthy and will hurt you bird.
> 
> Second of all my bird is super healthy and happy so they are doing a great job. The rest is not your business.
> 
> ~Skye


Excuse me, when you post in a public forum it becomes everyone's business, and no, just cuz these are pet birds does not suddenly make them unable to stand the tempuratures they evolved in. My house is rarely 70* in the winter and my birds are all very healthy and do not shiver. Most of my birds are a lot smaller than a cockatiel and have no problem with the cooler temps. Being rude and snippy to people who are trying to help you is in very poor taste.


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## bjknight93 (Nov 13, 2011)

As long as the change in temperature is gradual, a pet bird can thrive in any temperature that their wild counterparts can.


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## 3LoveSkyeTiel (Feb 23, 2016)

Its not good to change a weather your bird has had since a baby. My girls has always been in 74 degrees. Then for a week I had is much lower 68, even i got chilly, and then she got sick. Coincidence, no its not.


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## ParrotletsRock (Oct 8, 2013)

3LoveSkyeTiel said:


> Its not good to change a weather your bird has had since a baby. My girls has always been in 74 degrees. Then for a week I had is much lower 68, even i got chilly, and then she got sick. Coincidence, no its not.


What I don't understand is if you have all the answers you need and don't believe anything anyone tells you on here, why are you here looking for help that you don't want and don't believe?


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## 3LoveSkyeTiel (Feb 23, 2016)

I DON'T WANT ANYMORE HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I got a resolution a long time ago!!!

~Skye


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

I let the temperature drop to 60 degrees in my house every night during the winter and the birds are fine with it. They live indoors but have an outdoor aviary that they play in sometimes. If it's sunny with no wind I can put them out for a while when the temperature is in the upper 40s and they're fine with that. A few years ago the heat went out during a cold snap and the temperature in the house was in the 50s for three days. The birds handled it better than I did. 

Wild cockatiels inhabit almost the entire continent of Australia (everywhere but the coastal regions) and they do not have a seasonal migration. The town of Alice Springs is pretty much dead center in the continent and probably represents the average Outback weather conditions. Here's a chart showing their climate conditions: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice_Springs#Climate The average low temperature in July is about 39 F (which means it's lower than that half the time). That's what cockatiels can deal with on a routine basis when they're properly acclimatized. 

BTW the climate chart for Tucson (where I live) is remarkably similar to this when you offset everything by 6 months to compensate for the fact that it's opposite hemispheres. The monthly average temperatures, the record highs and lows, and the annual rainfall are about as close to identical as two places on the opposite side of the globe could be. My cockatiels feel right at home here lol. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tucson,_Arizona#Climate


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

> Its not good to change a weather your bird has had since a baby. My girls has always been in 74 degrees. Then for a week I had is much lower 68, even i got chilly, and then she got sick. Coincidence, no its not.


I agree it's possible that it's not a coincidence. It sounds like you've had birds dying left and right so it's possible that she has an ongoing underlying infection because there are bad germs your house. When a bird has a chronic infection the least little thing can let the germs get the upper hand. Any healthy animal should be able to withstand a 6-degree drop in temperature, and if your bird couldn't then something is wrong and you need to see a real vet. In the wild the average difference between the daily high and low temperatures is 25-30 degrees, and the wild birds have to deal with that fluctuation every single day.


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## bjknight93 (Nov 13, 2011)

3LoveSkyeTiel said:


> Its not good to change a weather your bird has had since a baby. My girls has always been in 74 degrees. Then for a week I had is much lower 68, even i got chilly, and then she got sick. Coincidence, no its not.


I have twenty birds that all came from various homes with different temperatures; if birds were seriously affected by temperature change, then I would be asking each owner what temperatures they keep their homes at. I do not ask this when a bird is surrendered to me because they all adjust fine, no matter what temperature their previous home has been kept at. 

Maybe it wasn't a coincidence that Chicken fell ill after the temperature drop, but like tielfan said, any healthy bird should be able to withstand fluctuations without any harm. My home ranges from 65-85, and can drop 6+ degrees over a 24 hour span (because where I live, the weather fluctuates daily and we rarely use our heater or A/C). If healthy birds were affected by a sudden 6-10* temperature change, then surely at least some of my twenty birds would be symptomatic.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

I'm actually pretty impressed with the ability of wild birds to deal with temperature fluctuations. Besides the ordinary daily temperature fluctuations of 20-30 degrees, when a front moves in it can drop both the upper and lower boundaries down by 20 degrees. In the winter, we can have a high of 60 one day and 40 the next, and it doesn't seem to faze the wildlife at all. 

As mentioned, the climate here is VERY similar to the Outback and we have a lot of non-migratory birds who are adapted to that climate. The temperature here rarely dips below 25 degrees, and when it does it's usually very brief. But in the cold snap three years ago that shut off the natural gas supply, the temperature dropped to 17 and stayed there for three days. But I was surprised that there were few reports of birds dying from the cold. Plants were a different matter - the deep freeze took a heavy toll on the landscaping, and water pipes were breaking all over the city.

I was especially impressed with the Costas hummingbirds who overwinter in my yard. They're not even supposed to be here in the winter since that species normally migrates to Mexico, but these birds obviously didn't get the memo. I thought for sure they were goners, but they survived. I had to bring the feeder inside every couple of hours throughout the day to thaw it out so they'd have something to eat. Because there sure as heck weren't any unfrozen flowers around for them to snack on.


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## enigma731 (Aug 12, 2011)

Agreed, even my plucker who's practically naked doesn't shiver when my apartment gets into the mid-60s (also in an area with temp fluctuations and we like to try to be green and minimize energy use). Nor do my birds shiver when they come back here in the winter to my much cooler apartment after visiting my parents' house, where it's commonly 10* warmer. 

The first thing I think of when I hear a bird is shivering and lethargic below 70* is that this bird must have compromised health and need the supplemental heat. That's common in my human medical patients too, btw -- if you see an individual who can't cope with typical environmental demands, you have to question what underlying illness is causing that.


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## 3LoveSkyeTiel (Feb 23, 2016)

Well if you look in the first pages of the forum it looks like others agree its a little cold. You both are so unreasonable and in person I really can't stand people that fine tooth comb everything. So I'm done on this thread no matter how long you two go on it. There are so many better threads than what this turned into.

Bye


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

> You both are so unreasonable


If you're talking about me then I think you've misunderstood something. All I've done is present factual information without passing judgement on you at all. If you'll point out the comments that you think were unreasonable I'll be happy to clear up the misunderstanding.

It's a simple fact of life that 70 degrees is a very moderate temperature that any healthy cockatiel should be able to handle with no problems at all. If your bird is so chilled that she gets sick at that temperature then something is wrong. It's possible that somewhere along the line you bought a bird that was carrying some kind of disease and now it's being passed from one bird to another in your household. I'm not saying that you need to run to the vet right now if she seems fine. But if she starts showing symptoms again you need to go to a medical professional. You don't have enough confidence in your pet-shop resource to even tell us the name, and their lack of knowledge about temperature doesn't give me confidence in them either. So please don't risk your bird's life with them next time she's in trouble.


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## ParrotletsRock (Oct 8, 2013)

I have a nest with 8 babies in it right now and my house is less than 70 ... So if my babies can take that temp and keep themselves warm (they are all 9 days old or less and mom and dad are off the nest much of the time eating.) then a healthy adult bird should have NO trouble keeping warm.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

Very young babies can't maintain their own body temperature and need supplemental heat (normally from mom and dad) to stay warm. If mom and dad aren't in the nest they'll clump together to stay warm. But when they stop clumping and are scattered around the nestbox, you know that they're staying warm enough by themselves and don't need anybody else's body heat.

Eight babies is a pretty big clutch!


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## enigma731 (Aug 12, 2011)

3LoveSkyeTiel said:


> in person I really can't stand people that fine tooth comb everything


Also not sure if this is directed at me, but...this is kind of my job as a scientist/medical professional. I'd also like to add that while it's your choice to get Chicken vet care or not, it's dangerous to have misinformation here that could lead other owners to conclude they don't need to get vet care when in fact they do.


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## ParrotletsRock (Oct 8, 2013)

tielfan said:


> Very young babies can't maintain their own body temperature and need supplemental heat (normally from mom and dad) to stay warm. If mom and dad aren't in the nest they'll clump together to stay warm. But when they stop clumping and are scattered around the nestbox, you know that they're staying warm enough by themselves and don't need anybody else's body heat.
> 
> Eight babies is a pretty big clutch!


Yes, I know, It was just an example that they can do well at this temp,and manage even as babies in a nest to stay warm... They do cuddle up in the nest when mom and dad are not in there... And yes I made a rookie mistake letting her keep all 8 eggs, (this is only our 3rd clutch) I honestly thought 3 would be duds, but they all hatched... I had to assist the last one as he had a hole poked in the egg , I am assuming one of the parents stepped on it, the egg was a bit dehydrated and the membrane stuck to his head preventing him turning to pip... He will be 2 days old tonight, I am supplement feeding him as mom and dad are concentrating on the older babies and not feeding him consistently.


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## Rumz (Mar 14, 2016)

I like cockatiels.


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