tommyn

He's squawking a lot at the moment, I'm afraid I'll have to give him away if it continues and the neighbors complain.

Yeah, thanks for all the advice! I've noticed he kind of ignores me sometimes but goes crazy when my sister comes in, bobbing his head and saying hello and all this. I'm kind of worried he's going to take to her instead of me, though he's in my room so he'll have to get used to me eventually.

Thanks for the posts! We let him out today on top of his cage and he started squawking and flapping his wings and ended up taking off and flying across the room, landing in the corner and then flappin around and onto my desk. He looked fairly scared so I put my arm up to him and he jumped straight on and let me lift him up to his cage. I'm guessing if he didn't like me at all he wouldn't let me do this.

Well, two days ago I got the bird below..... Meiko, a 5 month old blue and gold macaw! I got him and a cage for a good deal, but the cage turned out to be too small for him. So I got the one below, which has loads of room for him, plus he'll be out most of the time anyway. My Grey jake however had his pad upgraded! :woohoo: He's not quite sure what to do at the moment as the cage is so big, but it really is ideal for him. It also has a playstand on top which will make it easier when I let him out. Meiko is already saying hello and taking food etc from my hand, also coming over to the side of the cage and sticking his tongue out when I say 'Gis a kiss!' I've had him stepping up on my arm, and petting the back of his head, but he still does the odd 'mock' lunge and lets a squawk when i put my arm up to him. He's been putting one foot up on my arm and picking at my fingers with his beak, running it along my nails which kind of makes me nervous. Is he going to rip off a nail? I've heard some horror stories about macaws and the strength in their beaks. The breeder I got him off had him on a TV set filming for 3 weeks and he's well socialized with people so I'm hoping he'll adjust to living here. I'll update this post as time goes by!

Thanks for your messages! The breeder still has 4 birds from the clutch this guy came from and as some people will know by reading my other threads, the birds from this clutch are related to a cockatiel I bought 10 years ago which sadly passed away from bone cancer recently. I was determined to get one from the same ancestry, and don't think I'll give up just yet. I'll keep you all informed as my aviary should be built in the next 2 months. Regards Tommy

Afraid so Judy, the breeder told us there's a chance with birds his age that they may die due to stress from leaving the nest and not adjusting to their new enviroment though I'm not sure that's necessarily what happened here. I don't think he would have survived last night even if we had got him to a local vet (who are honestly quite terrible when dealing with birds) it's a terrible shame as he was a lovely and friendly little bird and had the potential to be just like Zack. I've just started learning how to drive so hopefully as soon as I see a problem starting I can do something about it straight away myself, rather than having to depend on other people. Thanks for your help, I'm not quite sure whether to get another bird now or not. Tommy

Well he just died, we had him less than 24 hours...I'm really confused as to what happened him. He was chirping today and jumping from the bottom of the cage up onto perches and back down again and also going around eating seed/picking at a honey stick. He was sleeping a LOT though, I just found him sitting upright, eyes half closed. Would him sleeping alot give any clues as to what happened?<br><br>Post edited by: tommyn, at: 2009/06/26 02:00

Indeed Judy, I'd do anything to save a bird, but I have no way of getting to the specialist tonight. I got on the phone to the breeder and he told me the bird had been eating and drinking as well as perching himself for the last 10 days and that he would never sell a bird that wasn't eating by itself. My father knows him and his parents, so we believe him. Earlier today he was chirping and eating and trying to climb up the cage, even jumping and catching onto the side of the cage. He looks exhausted now and is closing his eyes and leaning over to one side not moving, is he just exhausted and is stressed in his new enviroment? I've read about cockatiels not eating/drinking/sleeping for the first few days in a new place.<br><br>Post edited by: tommyn, at: 2009/06/25 23:39

Thanks for the replies, I was in hospital when the bird arrived so didn't get to talk to him, but he's definitely over 5 weeks old, he's eating seed etc, and we've managed to give him some water via the syringe, also placed a saucer on the bottom of the cage. I may see about getting him to a vet asap, anyone who has read my thread in the past about my cockatiel that died will know the only vet capable of treating/diagnosing birds is an hour away from here. Will let you know what happens!

Hi all, yesterday we received a young cockatiel from a man who keeps and breeds cockatiels, I'm not sure how old he is but I'd say 5-6 weeks. He doesn't seem to understand what a water dish is, and has stayed on the bottom huddled up, asleep. I've put seed on the bottom and have seen him eating, but he won't drink. I've got a water dish on the bottom of the cage, but he won't go near it. We tried using a syringe to give him a small drop of water at a time but he just won't take it. Is the bird 'unweaned'? Is there anything I can do to save him? I had him out in my hands when trying to use the syringe and he just kind of closed his eyes and went asleep. Any help would be much appreciated. Tommy

Thanks for the reply, hopefully now I can have the flight looking a bit more natural for the birds!

Well I've been working hard clearing out the back garden since I last posted, in preparation for the aviary being built. Hopefully in the next 2 months it will be built I was just wondering is there any sort of natural bark or chippings I could scatter around the flight? I know this would regularly need to be replaced. Also, are there any bird safe plants that could be places inside?<br><br>Post edited by: tommyn, at: 2009/06/14 02:38

Cheers for the replies all, I may look into it more when the time comes.

Hey all, After losing my 10 year old tiel Zack, it inspired me to get an aviary to keep and breed cockatiels. I've been in contact with the brother of the breeder I originally got Zack off and will be getting all the birds for the aviary from him as well. He's going to give me any advice I may need setting up the aviary and any problems I have in future. I was just thinking though, as I have an african grey too...if all the cockatiels were locked up inside, could the grey be let out into the flight to roam around on his own for a couple of hours (under my supervision), or are there diseases he may pick up from the cockatiels? I'd love to be able to let him have a fly around the flight now and then, so hope some how it's possible! Thanks Tommy

Well something very weird happened today, the brother of the breeder I originally got Zack off 10 years ago decided to drop in today instead of giving us a phone call. He has the original TWENTY year old male bird that Zack was most likely bred from, or is at least from the same ancestry! And even weirder is the fact this 20 year old bird has just fathered 5 cockatiels that will be ready to go in 3 weeks time! I can't help but feel like I was meant to get one of these birds, so in 3 weeks time he's bringing one down to me, at least now I'll have a part of Zack again.

Thanks for the posts. Hopefully this breeder is getting back to me and he may have some ancestors of Zack's

Thanks everyone for the posts. I was adamant yesterday I would never get another cockatiel again, as it couldn't possibly live up to him, plus I'd feel like I was trying to replace him. There's too much of a hole left in his absence though, and it's unbearable going upstairs. Whenever I used to open the stairs door he'd know it was me straight away and go mad, and would even chirp whenever he heard my voice. He was in front of the window in the shade during the day and would see me coming in the front gate and go crazy. I went away for a week and was told he hadn't chirped once since I left..I came back and he went crazy. I feel so bad not being there with him, I was barely ever away from him for more than a few days since I got him 10 years ago and he was in my room where I spent most of the day with him. I can't help but wonder if he was wondering where I was the whole time, having never been apart before. On top of this my Grey is constantly saying 'Hello Zack' whenever I pass his cage to the stairs door, as I usually said that and Zack would squawk back at me knowing I was coming upstairs Anyway, I got a hold of the brother of the man I bought Zack off originally and it turns out he has one of his brothers original males. This means he is probably an ancestor of my tiels, so I'm going to try and get a male off him. Is it too soon though? Am I doing wrong by Zack getting another bird so soon?

Thanks everyone for the replies. Hopefully we'll see each other again some day <br><br>Post edited by: tommyn, at: 2009/05/20 21:59

I'm afraid about 40 minutes ago I got a phone call informing me Zack my tiel had passed away. He woke up from the anasthetic but his breathing was very laboured, she said he had a sudden death and didn't suffer..and that it's probably best I wasn't there to see him, nor for him to see me. It's just as well as I didn't have to go through the pain of being there as he died, as much as I wanted to say goodbye to him. I'm driving there tomorrow to get him. RIP Zack {Love-0002011D}<br><br>Post edited by: tommyn, at: 2009/05/20 19:44

I was back on the phone to her and he still hasn't woken up from the anasthetic, she said they only gave him enough gas for the x-ray and that he should be wide awake by now but she's not happy with his breathing and he's on oxygen/ventilation now. I told her if he wakes up I'll make a decision tomorrow but want to be there with him. She said he's very thin and it's too far gone for surgery..and that it could have spread to his lungs. Either way he's not in pain and will go peacefully today if he doesn't wake up. Thanks for all the posts.

I brought him to the vet this morning and they said they'd keep him in til friday and do an x-ray today, she said she has never seen anything like it. She rang me just now to tell me a tumour showed up on the x-ray and asked me did I want to save him suffering and put him to sleep while he was under anasthetic, I told her no that I'd have to be there with him. I don't know what to do, he isn't in pain and doesnt seem to be suffering at the moment but in the long run it could spread and cause him more suffering. What do I do?

As you can see in the picture his wing is BETWEEN his legs!

Hey guys, thanks for the reply. I rang up the specialist and have got an appointment for early wednesday morning, they had one for tomorrow but it was with a less experienced vet and said by the sounds of it he would really need to see the specialist herself. I'll let you know how he gets on.

Thanks for the reply, I'll keep you updated! I might try get a picture of him just to show what he's like.

Cheers for the reply Dave. I'm not so sure it's the feathers that are causing the problem, it seems that at the start of this his wings totally shifted out of place and were in the way of his legs/feet..and with his feet going through his wings just to climb around the cage they tore up his feathers. It's like he's lost the muscle mass in his wings and they've stiffened up tightly against him and he can't move them at all. I really have no idea what it is, the sooner I get him to the vet the better. I'll get one of those water bottle feeders tomorrow. Thanks again