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Post by Scratchpost on Jul 13, 2022 3:26:55 GMT -7
Hi all, I have asked a lot of questions lately haha. Anyway, Aka has this toy, he loves it and plays with it often. I am just a bit concerned that the stones (you'll see in the photo) come off and he eats' them along with the cardboard underneath. Recently, as in the last few days, his crap has been a bit off colour, sometimes like a mustard colour and sometimes lighter (not pale) green and a bit watery. Not every time, just the morning one and one or two during the day then it evens out. The only thing that I have noticed that has changed, is that he has started eating the toy. His behaviour hasn't changed at all, still very vocal and active and eating the same amount if not a little more because its cold now. I will attach a photo, his face is blocking half the toy because he immediately tried to take it back when I held it up for the camera. Thanks. I'm not sure if I should be worried about his crap, one out of maybe 20 in a day smells is that OK or should his crap NEVER smell? Is it the toy? There aren't any new things or foods in his environment. Thanks
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Post by Jane on Jul 13, 2022 4:28:06 GMT -7
How was the toy described and where did you get it?
The stones you mention could be edible calcium (as in some perches) or oyster shell. I don't think he should be eating the cardboard, that can have other stuff in it. The toy has been dyed and that could be affecting the colour of the droppings.
I think you should take it away from him and see if the droppings change back to normal.
Jane
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Post by Haz on Jul 13, 2022 11:00:52 GMT -7
Chy is 13 and has never had smelly droppings and my sense of smell is so acute that I can identify people by scent alone. His droppings shouldn’t smell.
I would certainly take the toy away.
Haz
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Post by Scratchpost on Jul 13, 2022 14:34:06 GMT -7
Hi Jane, I'm not quite sure what you mean about how was the toy described? but I got it from a parrot store called Parrot World. I have bought from them before and their products are great. I didn't consider edible calcium or oyster shell, the dye makes sense because his droppings are a similar colour. I will take the toy away tonight and see how he and his droppings are tomorrow.
I'm really scared that he has an impacted crop, the eating of the toy is a new thing, I saw parts of the toy missing on Sunday but he destroys all his toys so I assumed he just destroyed it and threw the pieces in his cage like his other toys, but when I clean his cage at night, I haven't found the pieces of the toy so I'm assuming he is ingesting it.
I want to take him to the vet by Friday just to be sure, his crop did feel a little hard when he let me touch it (a rare occasion) but he had just finished eating his breakfast so I wasn't sure if it was from that.
Thanks for your responses, I will take the toy away and see if that helps the smell and colour.
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Post by Jane on Jul 14, 2022 1:15:18 GMT -7
I just wondered if what it was made of was in the description. They don't usually eat parts of toys that they shouldn't but if you are sure they are missing then a trip to the vet is a good idea. Parrot droppings should not smell and can be due to infection but see this thread where the smell was linked to pellets: agp.boards.net/thread/3614/strong-smelling-poop Jane
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Post by Scratchpost on Jul 14, 2022 8:36:36 GMT -7
Hi Jane,
Thanks for the link. I taste a few pellets every morning to see if they are still OK and they have been fine (no sour taste, still the same consistency, no bad after taste etc.) but we have had a lot of power outages lately and that might have affected their refrigeration. The packet does say refrigerate after opening, but the packet also said I can put them in an airtight container so it's ok. I'll stop the pellets for a while and see how it goes.
I called the vet this morning and told them what's been happening. They said they will call me back to discuss when I can bring him in. I'll call them again tomorrow to confirm
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Post by Scratchpost on Jul 15, 2022 1:09:54 GMT -7
This is the picture.
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Post by Scratchpost on Jul 15, 2022 1:10:13 GMT -7
Hi all,
The vet is busy and can only see us on Monday. I took a picture of Aka's droppings this morning. This is a combination of the morning load and after breakfast. I am a little concerned about the colour of the urine. Should I call my vet back and tell him its an emergency and we need to see him ASAP? I unfortunately can't email him with the picture because he doesn't converse over email, just in his rooms. Thanks.
I have to send this message in two parts because I have to send the photo from my phone.
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Post by Jane on Jul 15, 2022 1:33:09 GMT -7
That doesn't look right. I would phone the vet.
Jane
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Post by Scratchpost on Jul 15, 2022 4:15:32 GMT -7
Hi Jane,
I know, it looks worse today than it did yesterday. At the vet at the moment, waiting for him to do blood tests and give him an X-Ray. I realised this morning that Aka has been fooling me with his eating. He makes it look like he's eating because he chops his food up like normal but he's only eating about half of what he normally does which is why I thought he was eating normally.
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Post by Jane on Jul 15, 2022 4:22:17 GMT -7
I am glad you have him at the vet. Maybe it is a crop problem. Birds do try and hide illness as much as possible.
Jane
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Post by Scratchpost on Jul 15, 2022 8:29:39 GMT -7
Hi there, So Aka has a bacterial infection in his intestines. The vet gave me/him' antibiotics and probiotics, as well as an anti-bacterial powder to give a few weeks after the infection has cleared up to help prevent more infections. The vet said that the infection wasn't very serious but it needed to be addressed. He wasn't worried about any long term affects because it wasn't very advanced, and said I should call him in a week to tell him if the medicine is working. The vet said the infection could have been caused by the unrefrigerated pellets ( I told him about the power outages) or bacteria he picked up from the air that affect birds more than us, or a reaction to something else in his food like his chop which could have attracted flies etc. They did an X-Ray and there wasn't anything foreign in his crop so the pieces of his toy must have fallen without me realising it. Other than that, he said Aka is in really good shape regarding weight and feathers etc. We might have to remove his old flight feathers by December if he hasn't lost hem by moulting yet, the new flight feathers have grown in already and the old ones are annoying him, he is biting them. Thanks for your help
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Post by Jane on Jul 15, 2022 9:16:12 GMT -7
Thank you for the update. I have been thinking about you all day. It is good to know what the problem is and that Aka has been given medication for it. It is also good to hear he hasn't got anything he shouldn't have in his crop. I would weigh him every day if he will allow it.
Jane
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Post by Haz on Jul 15, 2022 9:41:34 GMT -7
I am glad to hear that the problem can be solved by medication. I hope you don't have trouble giving it to him.
When Chy had an operation, I tried hiding her medication in a favourite food but she wasn't falling for that. We ended up giving it to her by mouth with a dropper. I held her while my husband inserted the medicine into her beak. Then I massaged her crop to make it go down.
I hope Aka gets well soon.
Haz
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Post by Scratchpost on Jul 15, 2022 10:52:17 GMT -7
Hi Jane, Thank you, that is really sweet. I have started weighing him daily since I got back from Germany. I tried before then but he didn't want to know anything about it. I have a scale with a plastic bowl with raised edges, and I have a small ladder (it was from an old budgie cage) that I use to take him out of his cage and put him back in. He hates it when people touch him unless we are scratching his neck and head so I use the ladder to save our fingers. The ladder fits perfectly over the plastic bowl so I just put him on the scale while on the ladder and voila. The vet was happy with his weight, it ranges from 420-450. Hi Haz, That sounds like it was really stressful for Chy. Both the antibiotic and pro-biotic are in powder form that I can add to his food or water. The vet suggested I mix it in with his food instead of water because the taste and consistency will be hidden a bit more. I had to give him medicine in water only after his feather cyst and that was a struggle because if he didn't finish his water for the day I had to give it to him directly. That was fun. If he doesn't eat all his breakfast (he almost always does) I have to give it to him with a bird spoon. Thanks
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