# Sick cockatiel



## HelenaR (Aug 30, 2013)

Hi everyone - I have just joined.

My 12 yr old cockatiel is eating her cuttlefish bone alot and her droppings look watery. She seems to be a bit fluffed up. What could be the matter with her?

I am taking her to a bird vet on Monday. 

Txs for any advice, Helena
:wf pied:


----------



## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

Welcome to the forum. 

Do ALL her droppings look watery? It's okay to have watery droppings just after drinking but if they are watery all the time then that is not normal and does need to be checked by the vet. Cuttlebone is a source of calcium, so she is probably chewing on it a lot because she needs the extra calcium. How often does she get sunlight?


----------



## HelenaR (Aug 30, 2013)

:wf pied:

hi Charvicki,

Thanks for your advice - its been winter here in Melbourne Australia (and it has been a cold dull winter this yr) so Nicky hasnt had much sunshine for ~4 months. But she gets some vitamin supplements in her water every 2nd day and spinach or silver beet leaves everyday, that should be a source of calcium. But about 3 wks ago she had a night flight in her cage and lost all her primary flight feathers in one wing that she is growing back now - so hasnt had much exercise since then since she cant fly - maybe she has been depressed because of that? It seems that she has lost some weight, and I have a heat lamp on the outside of the cage that she is seeking out. And given your comments about her droppings on top of her other behavioural changes, she is clearly not well, and we will take her to the bird vet ASAP. 

Hope all your cockatiels are doing well.

Greetz from Melbourne Australia, Helena


----------



## JanP (Aug 27, 2013)

*Maybe a little bit of old age is setting in with your
bird.. I have a 13 year old Tiel Zippi.. he isn't what he use to be..
Best go and see the vet he can put your mind at rest.
Good luck let us know how it goes..*


----------



## HelenaR (Aug 30, 2013)

Thanks Jan
Nicky seems to have perked up a bit and is eating more of her seed/crumbles mix. I have put her to bed now with a heat lamp - hopefully she will be a bit better tomorrow. But yes seeing a bird vet may be the best, although it is very stressful for birds to leave their environment and go to the vet. 
How old do cockatiels live? 
BW, Helena
:wf grey:


----------



## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Since she's going at the cuttlebone a lot I'm more inclined to think egg laying, which can cause watery poops too. Are her poops larger than normal?

FYI, 12yrs old for a cockatiel is NOT old. There are many tiels that live well into their 20's with no issues. She's more like in mid-life right now.


----------



## HelenaR (Aug 30, 2013)

Hi Roxy
thanks for the information. Nicky hasnt laid an egg for > 5yrs - is it possible that a hen can start laying again after a long break? Her droppings are not larger than normal.

Another question - is it OK to feed cockatiels roasted almonds? In the last couple of month we have been having them for dinner and giving her a few bites. 

Txs in advance for any advice.

BW, Helena


----------



## eduardo (Jan 27, 2012)

I agree with Roxy, 12 years is not old. I hope she feels better


----------



## littletiel (May 15, 2011)

Yes, 12 is not that old. I recently walked into a pet shop where the shop assistant (or owner) said her cockatiel is 35!

All the best. I hope she is feeling better!


----------



## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

Yup, I've heard of cockatiels living well into their 30's as well.


----------



## Mezza (Feb 19, 2013)

Hello Helena
Welcome fellow Melbournian.
A vet visit sounds like the best option. Who are you seeing?
And yes I'll vouch for the fact that its has been a dull winter...but how good was yesterday?


----------



## HelenaR (Aug 30, 2013)

Hi everyone,

Txs for your advice. 

I have just got back from the bird vet and he seemed to think that 12yrs was quite old - but that their longevity varied with the particular breed. 
Nicky is a white-faced pied cockatiel.

Anyway he said that her weight was low (~81g) and her keel bone was very prominant. He felt her abdomen and said she was puffy there and that her liver was distended. He thinks she might have a liver tumour. He did a gram stain and said that there was no sign of a gram negative bacterial or yeast infection, so that is good. He gave her a vitamin B injection, and said that we should keep her warm and watch her. But if she loses more weight then 
the prognosis was not good. What can I do to make her eat more?
Does any one have any advice for liver problems in cockatiels?

BW, Helena

:tiel3:


----------



## HelenaR (Aug 30, 2013)

Hi Mezza

Great to meet a fellow Melbournian here! We see Cameron Wood in West Brunswick - he has helped many of my pet budgies recover from infections and egg-laying prolapses etc. It was Nicky's first time there since she has always been healthy until now! At least it was a nice sunny day to go there,
and she didnt seem too stressed out by it, but now she is sleeping in her cage under the heat lamp. 

Which vet do you go to? 

BW, Helena


:wf pied:


----------



## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

I'm so sorry to hear the vet visit didn't go too well. However, I don't think it was sensible for the vet to claim that their lifespan is measured by their mutation (lutino, normal grey, pied etc). I've never heard that before and it sounds unusual; the colour of a cockatiel shouldn't affect how long they live. It's down to their quality of life that dictates their age.

What is your 'tiels diet like? What foods does she eat daily? Liver problems can be improved by a better quality diet, but it does take a long time to improve. It's commonly said that adding apple cider vinegar to their drinking water can help the liver, but I don't know how trustworthy this is, and it's not really a proper treatment, more of a preventative measure.


----------



## Mezza (Feb 19, 2013)

HelenaR said:


> Hi Mezza
> 
> Great to meet a fellow Melbournian here! We see Cameron Wood in West Brunswick - he has helped many of my pet budgies recover from infections and egg-laying prolapses etc. It was Nicky's first time there since she has always been healthy until now! At least it was a nice sunny day to go there,
> and she didnt seem too stressed out by it, but now she is sleeping in her cage under the heat lamp.
> ...


Hello
At least you know what he's like and that you have used him before. 
Yes is nice out there now 
I take Skiddles to Colin Walker (Melbourne Bird clinic) in Scoresby. They are brilliant and have done great work for Skiddles.
Skiddles also has liver problems and a weak immune system. She's only nine months old and had a pretty hard start. I took her in to get her initial health check and a sexing DNA when she was 3 months old; they did the psoticosis blood test as well as they were taking blood for her DNA anyway. Even though she came from a breeder she came back positive.  She had 6 injections over six weeks and then got a sinus and lung infection (including blood nose) so she had to go on two types of antibiotics. In total she has spent 7 nights in the clinic. The antibiotics then gave her a yeast infection so she was on probiotics for that. She has had in total about 4 blood tests.
She is permanently on probiotics so the yeast infection doesnt come back.
The vet put her on liver tonic drops that she takes every night. Its herbal and has been proven to have health benefits (and I know its not going to hurt even it does nothing). They don't know exactly whether she has a fatty liver or diseased liver - they can only determine the exact issue by a biopsy. As she is well they said there is no point in putting her under any undue stress.
Did your vet talk to you about diet? For Skiddles liver maintenance she has to be on low fat and high protein diet. She seems happy and well these days...and super cheeky and snuggly.


----------



## HelenaR (Aug 30, 2013)

hi again Mezza,

Wow Shiddles has certainly been through alot! Glad to hear that she is doing well now. I have Nicky on a mixture of seeds and crumbles, and she gets greens (spinach, silverbeat leaves, snowpea sprouts) everyday that she loves.
She is also on probiotics as a precaution. All my pet budgies are also on probiotics everyday and have been all healthy since doing this.

What does Skiddles low fat high protein diet consist of? 

Txs, Helena

:wf pied: :yellow face 2:


----------



## Mezza (Feb 19, 2013)

Skiddles is on limited seeds (1 teaspoon) mixed with 2 teaspoons of crumble. 
She get various veggies like capsicum seeds, sugar snap peas and sprouts. 
She has a bean mix that I make with split peas, red and green lentils, mung beans, wild rice, quinoa and chai seeds. She has about 2 heaped teaspoons a day that I mix her probiotics into. She eats it all and I think sometimes she even licks the bowl. Lol!
I need to try some other mixes now for variety. She's a good little eater.


----------



## HelenaR (Aug 30, 2013)

:wf pied:
Hi everyone,
How do you know if your cockatiel is in pain and what can be done to help?
Txs for any advice.
BW, Helena


----------



## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

If your bird is making noises that sound alarming and are not its usual noises, then it could be a cry of pain. They also hold their body tentatively, when Honey's injured wing is bothering her she holds it away from her body and preens it excessively. They typically give a lot of their attention to the part of their body that hurts. Pain meds can be prescribed by an avian vet, and it's important to keep the bird warm and secure.


----------



## HelenaR (Aug 30, 2013)

Hi Charvicki,
Thanks for your advice. I am wondering whether it is likely that my cockatiel Nicky, who has a liver problem and spends a lot of time just sitting and fluffed up or sleeps a lot, could be in pain? I have a heat lamp on her cage so she is keeping warm at least.
Txs, Helena

:wf grey:


----------



## HelenaR (Aug 30, 2013)

Mezza said:


> Skiddles is on limited seeds (1 teaspoon) mixed with 2 teaspoons of crumble.
> She get various veggies like capsicum seeds, sugar snap peas and sprouts.
> She has a bean mix that I make with split peas, red and green lentils, mung beans, wild rice, quinoa and chai seeds. She has about 2 heaped teaspoons a day that I mix her probiotics into. She eats it all and I think sometimes she even licks the bowl. Lol!
> I need to try some other mixes now for variety. She's a good little eater.


Hi Mezza,
Txs for that - that is very useful - presumedly it is cooked rice and quinoa?
I give Nicky sprouted red lentils and mung beans sometimes (like in the spouts mix you can buy from the green grocer) and she really loves them.
She also loves silver beet and spinach leaves and snowpea sprouts.
My pet budgies like brocolli and carrots, but Nicky doesnt go for these.
Since Nicky is losing weight at present I am trying to entice her to eat 
by giving her some corn flakes and toasted bread crust from my breakfast 
which she seems more interested in than her normal seed/crumbles mix.
BW, Helena
:wf pied:


----------



## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

If it's a liver tumor then there isn't much that can be done, but if it's fatty liver disease there's quite a lot that can be done. It would be a good idea to check the situation out more thoroughly to identify the problem precisely.

Here are some links on fatty liver disease that talk about symptoms, diagnosis and treatment:
http://www.avianweb.com/liverdisease.html
http://www.exoticpetvet.net/dvms/fattyliver.html
http://www.freewebs.com/crestedlove/liverdisease.htm
http://theexoticvet.com/care-sheets/avian-liver-disease/


----------



## HelenaR (Aug 30, 2013)

Hi Tielfan.
Txs so much - that is very useful information.
BW, Helena
:wf grey:


----------



## HelenaR (Aug 30, 2013)

*Rest in Peace - Nicky*

Hi everyone - Txs for your help - I guess it was a liver tumour - Nichy stopped eating and she died in my hand at ~1:25pm Sept 6th - this is the first time I had the strength to tell you all. I am not sure if I will get another cockatiel, so this may be my last post on cockatiel forum. Good luck with all your cockatiels. Helena


----------



## SoniTheEchidna (Sep 7, 2013)

Helena, so sorry to hear of your loss!!!


----------



## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

Hi Helena. So sorry for your loss, rest in peace.


----------



## stevechurch2222 (Sep 25, 2011)

So sorry for your loss,may she rest in peace til one the two of you meet at the rainbow bridge never to be parted again.:frown:


----------



## .Alexandra. (Sep 11, 2012)

i am so sorry for your loss :angel:


----------



## scootergirl762 (Aug 27, 2013)

So very sorry.


----------



## JanP (Aug 27, 2013)

Healthy Teils can live into their 30....


----------



## sunnysmom (Sep 23, 2011)

I am very sorry for your loss.


----------



## Lulu-Tiel (Jun 3, 2012)

I'm so sorry for your loss.


----------



## Kiwi (May 12, 2013)

I'm sorry for your loss... fly free little one :angel:


----------



## HelenaR (Aug 30, 2013)

Hi everyone

Thanks for all of your kind words. I miss Nicky so much. 
Have a picture of her where her cage used to be.

Maybe I should get another cockatiel?

BW, Helena

:wf grey: ied:
:lutino: :yellow pied: :wf lutino: :wf grey: ied: 
:wf pied: :grey tiel: earl: :tiel4: :tiel6: :tiel3: :tiel2: :tiel5: :tiel1:
:cinnamon: :wf lutino: earl:


----------



## Tequilagirl (Mar 4, 2013)

HelenaR said:


> Hi everyone
> 
> Thanks for all of your kind words. I miss Nicky so much.
> Have a picture of her where her cage used to be.
> ...


I'm sorry for your loss, but I'm glad you're thinking of bringing another one home. It won't replace your Nicky but it will bring you joy and help you with the grief you're feeling.


----------



## ollieandme (Mar 25, 2013)

i'm sorry  another cockatiel would definitely partially fill the hole left by Nicky.


----------



## scootergirl762 (Aug 27, 2013)

I think they bring so much joy, bringing a new tiel into your life would be a good thing.


----------



## naniandcourtney (Sep 9, 2013)

I think it's atleat OK to give them too her, but not the best...


----------



## stella116 (Jun 29, 2013)

I hope your baby gets better soon!:flowers:


----------



## xNx (Jun 6, 2012)

RIP :albino:


----------



## catalinadee (Jan 1, 2011)

I just read through this thread. Very sorry for your loss  I had a dusky lory with liver disease and kidney disease due to a previous incorrect diet and as soon as his symptoms started to show he was hospitalized, put on meds for the rest of his life and everything had to change for him. He died a little over a week of showing symptoms 

I do think having another cockatiel would be good for you. It can be hard, but don't feel like you'd be replacing at all. It will help fill the hole he left and being birdless when you've had one for so long will feel very alien. If you can find one, then go for it


----------

