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Post by chris on May 5, 2020 8:02:22 GMT -7
So on Saturday I took Ruby to her avian vet for a grooming (nail + beak). This is not her usual groomer but it was necessary due to the lock down. (Vet is open; groomer is not.)
To say things went poorly would be an understatement. The groomer let her escape and she flew around the office, eventually flying into a window. I don't think she hit too hard and she flew down to the ground. I think the groomer took a lot off her beak - it seems quite a bit smaller now.
Anyway ever since Ruby hasn't been acting normal. Her weight is okay (maybe down a little) but during the day she is putting her head behind her back in a 'deep sleep' posture. I know this can be normal but it is not something she used to do very often and now she's doing it a lot. I would say generally she seems more lethargic and less talkative although most of her other behaviors are fairly typical.
If anyone has any thoughts or maybe similar experiences I'd be grateful. Obviously if it continues or her weight declines significantly she'll be off to the avian vet. Beyond the possible trauma aspect I'm wondering if her beak is sensitive or bothering her because he trimmed too much. Honestly I don't know but of course am worried.
Thanks,
Chris
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Post by beakertrout on May 5, 2020 8:39:10 GMT -7
Trauma & drama.
Sorry to hear this.
Beaker had his grooming yesterday.
For some reason he didn't appreciate it at all and sulked most of the day.
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Post by chris on May 5, 2020 9:18:28 GMT -7
Trauma & drama. Sorry to hear this. Beaker had his grooming yesterday. For some reason he didn't appreciate it at all and sulked most of the day. Thank you beakertrout. Really appreciate it! My wife noticed that she doesn't seem to want to eat anything hard. She gave her something she really likes and she started using the side of her beak to bite it. Does it make sense that maybe this is the root of the issue?
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Post by beakertrout on May 5, 2020 9:36:02 GMT -7
Could be. They get used to a beak of a certain shape.
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Post by Jane on May 5, 2020 9:50:43 GMT -7
Oh no that is quite an ordeal. If the beak gets cut too short it can reach the blood supply, rather like the quick of a finger nail, and be sensitive. If Ruby doesn't want anything hard it sounds like a problem with sensitivity.
Jane
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Post by Adele on May 5, 2020 11:05:54 GMT -7
Yes, it sounds like maybe they hit a nerve inside her beak and it may be sensitive for a bit. Once Manzi broke the tip off his beak and it bled a little bit, but he was better within a day. Maybe when Ruby hit the window, it made something sore in her beak/head?
Manzi used to be very aggressive with his toys, and once his beak by his eye was slightly pressed out, and I pressed on it, and blood squirted out, like he had some kind of little abscess or blood blister inside. It didn't bother him though and he didn't change his behavior.
I would continue to monitor Ruby's weight. If she drops 10% of her weight, I would maybe take her back to the vet. But if it was so traumatizing at the vet, I'm not sure that would fix things. Hopefully it is something she gets over.
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Post by chris on May 5, 2020 11:14:44 GMT -7
Thank you everyone for your replies. Very much appreciate all of your expertise.
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Post by Haz on May 5, 2020 12:57:48 GMT -7
It could be that she bruised her beak when she hit the window. That plus the trauma would affect her. A sore beak would make her miserable.
Chy once slid into a cupboard door then said, “Chy bunged up her beak”. It helps when they tell you what is wrong.
Haz
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Post by chris on May 5, 2020 15:26:09 GMT -7
Just weighed Ruby and she's 309 grams which is almost her maximum so not too worried at this point.
Thanks again for everyone's help - really appreciate it!
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Post by chris on May 7, 2020 6:38:00 GMT -7
Ruby was so lethargic yesterday we decided to take her to the vet. The vet wanted to keep her overnight for observation. We called this morning and the doctor won't be in for a few more hours. The only update they said was that her poop last night "looked really bad" but this morning she pooped and it looked normal. I don't know what really bad means or if now that it's normal she's normal. Stressful situation here .....
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Post by Jane on May 7, 2020 7:00:54 GMT -7
That is a stressful situation. Maybe she has an infection. Her beak was troubling her after it was trimmed and then that affected her eating. I hope you hear some news soon.
Jane
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Post by chris on May 7, 2020 15:06:37 GMT -7
Well long story short the vet did a full workup on her and she has a clean bill of health, with the one caveat that it will take a week or so before the poop cultures come back. Basically they thought she was perfectly normal. The "bad poop" comment from the receptionist seems like it was just that there was *no* poop which doesn't surprise me because she hadn't eaten much the day before. Man these things are stressful but I'm so thankful she seems okay. The behavior changes and such I guess may just be part of being an AG. I know I've read stuff from y'all about behavior changes but I just haven't really encountered it. Even after 5 years with Ruby and 2 birds prior I feel like I know absolutely nothing. Thanks all for your support. Chris
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Post by Thomas on May 7, 2020 16:26:26 GMT -7
Hopefully she will be back to her normal self soon. I know how stressful it can get. Sheeba started limping very badly about 6 months after I adopted her 8 years ago or so. She had a cracked pelvis, which healed very slowly. It would get better and then she would start limping again, this went on for a few years, every 6 months or so. But she has been okay with no limp for about 3 years.
Sheeba's last beak and nail trim was very stressful for her, she was very subdued afterward and slept a lot that day, which she hardly ever does.
Get well Ruby!!
Thomas
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Post by Jane on May 8, 2020 0:45:23 GMT -7
Yes, hopefully it is all to do with the beak trim/flying into window incident that has caused her some discomfort and stopped her eating properly. The beak is used so much for eating, climbing and playing that anything changing the feel of it must have an affect on behaviour. Try feeding her some soft food if she is still not wanting to eat normally.
It is stressful. I know what it was like last year when Mitzi had the egg laying episode and was at the vet overnight and a day. It was so quiet in the house without her there and Monty was so upset too that he wouldn't eat or play.
I hope everything is back to normal soon.
Jane
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Post by chris on May 8, 2020 4:26:51 GMT -7
Thank you guys. So nice to get comfort from folks who know what it is like. It really helps. And yes, the quiet yesterday was brutal.
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