kins2321@yahoo.com Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 Poor Sunny. When we started talking about how much our birds weighed, mine were due for nail and beak trimming. Asked my groomer to weigh them all. Everyone was fine, but Sunny my sunconure is 22 grams under weight. Vet says he is healthy, just probably very old. ( a rescue I've had for 12 years.) I need fattening food ideas guys, please! Not crazy about mac and cheese, pizza. LOVES yogurt, as long as I give it to him with a spoon. Sneaking some oats and a few fattening seeds in the teaspoon. Will eat eggs, again, only if I give it to him on a teaspoon. Today, put the teaspoon in a bowl inside his cage. He wasn't happy about it... but was going at it. I would appreciate all the help I can get. I have been very worried about him this week. Got a scale, still holding at groomers weight. .98 grams.( I know it will take time.) Its scary to see a bird that is healthy, active, flying and eating, come to find out, they aren't doing as well as you think! It humbles you. Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayd Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 (edited) I'm very sorry about. Sunny, Jay Edited August 12, 2012 by Jayd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timbersmom Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 My TAG is a bit underweight too Nancy, so I understand how troubling it is. Like Sunny, there are several things he will eat from my hand or a spoon but won't touch if I don't stand there and hold it. Ha. So, I stand there and hold it! He must think I'm a real sucker (I should say knows it), and anyone watching would think I'm nuts. Oh well. On the other hand, I'd think it might be a mistake to take a groomer's word over the vet's. If the vet says Sunny is healthy and isn't concerned about the weight, maybe it isn't a problem? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CLB Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 When was the last time he was weighed? Maybe he is just on the small side of the spectrum. Have you kept a record of his weights to compare? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kins2321@yahoo.com Posted August 11, 2012 Author Share Posted August 11, 2012 Have never watched any of my birds weight. I was schocked that Sunny was under normal weight.It is totally freaking me out! Jayd, please put aside our differences, and give input. I respect your opinion, and am worried about Sunny.I can't imagine life without him! Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CLB Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 I thought normal Sun Conure weigh was 3.5 -4.5 oz.....98 grams is just 1 gram shy of the low end. Maybe he is just a small guy. I would stick with the vets opinion. If he thinks he looked good, then let yourself believe him. hugs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katana600 Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 I am glad you posted this Nancy, I was wondering what Sunny's weight range would be in and what percentage of her normal weight the 22 grams represent. When our greys were really sick and losing weight, our vet gave us some formula to mix up and give to them to help gain weight. They were definitely sick though, in intense treatment and in obvious need of rehabilitation. When you check Sunny's weight every morning after his first potty drop it will give you something better to go on. It is so scary to see a potential harm coming to our loved ones but if you make a recording every day and don't see a trend downward, it might be less of a crisis. If it doesn't start trending upward after a couple of weeks, maybe a call to the vet to ask about a supplemental formula feeding would help. I agree that without a history of his "normal" weight, he may just be a slightly smaller guy. Our vet is always checking the keel to see if it is prominent and they go in annually so he is familiar with their blood profiles and the "feel" so he can be sensitive to change. Good luck with Sunny, I know he is a big part of your heart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talon Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 Nancy, as the others have said, since you have no history of his weight, perhaps he is just a small, not average size bird. I know Talon is on the small size, but don't worry cause she has always been smaller. My vet says she's very healthy, just tinier than average, but that is normal for her. You may be upset for no reason. If he seems happy and thevet says healthy, the you can relax. I would definitely weigh your birds on a regular basis. I weigh mine monthly, write in on a sticky note, date it and add to it each month to compare. I keep it in them drawer right near my scale. Seems you are doing all the right things, as you would say, trust your instincts..... Also, try some oatmeal, my birds love sharing mine with me every morning, being fed by spoon of course!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murfchck Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 I am sorry to hear Sunny has lost some weight. Just stay positive, i believe he will be just fine, he has you looking after him!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave007 Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 (edited) Poor Sunny. When we started talking about how much our birds weighed, mine were due for nail and beak trimming. Asked my groomer to weigh them all. Everyone was fine, but Sunny my sunconure is 22 grams under weight.Vet says he is healthy, just probably very old. ( a rescue I've had for 12 years.) I need fattening food ideas guys, please! Not crazy about mac and cheese, pizza. LOVES yogurt, as long as I give it to him with a spoon. Sneaking some oats and a few fattening seeds in the teaspoon. Will eat eggs, again, only if I give it to him on a teaspoon. Today, put the teaspoon in a bowl inside his cage. He wasn't happy about it... but was going at it. I would appreciate all the help I can get. I have been very worried about him this week. Got a scale, still holding at groomers weight. .98 grams.( I know it will take time.) Its scary to see a bird that is healthy, active, flying and eating, come to find out, they aren't doing as well as you think! It humbles you. Nancy It's very possible that you're getting paranoid over nothing. You never weighed your bird so you have nothing to compare the weight to. Just like most parrots, there's different sized birds of the same species. Small Sun conuires usually weigh about 98/99 gms up to 105/110 gms for larger Suns. Your vet already told you that there's no problems but you've instead decided to follow a groomer's opinion. Who's opinion do you trustl, a vet or a groomer? Messing around with a bird's regular diet by adding a % of this and subtracting a % of that just because of the contents of these foods that have higher % of this or that could be harmful. You really don't need foods that are fattening. Who would wanna fatten up a healthy bird? That applies to other parrots too. Many people have tiny TAGs and trying to fatten them up will only cause problems. Oatmeal won't put weight on a parrot. Heavy thick pastas won't put fat on a bird. Nuts have no fattening agent in them. The only bad thing about nuts is that not enough birds will eat them. Eggs won't put weight on a parrot and these foods are usually fed by spoon or scoop. So called 'fattening' foods such as seed won't put weight on a parrot. That's a falacy. Seeds may not be the greatest thing for parrots but it has nothing to do weight. It has to do with arteries. Ever hear the expression **If it ain't broke, don't try to fix it*** Edited August 12, 2012 by Dave007 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 Dave is right, my sun conure is small compared to other suns I have seen and she is healthy enough, she is just a smaller boned one, you cannot go by the actual weight unless you had been weighing him all along so don't freak out over probably nothing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvparrots Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 Great advice from Dave and Judy. Calm down Nancy and weigh Sunny and see if that changes from day to day. Watch Sunny's food intake and output and how he acts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayd Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 (edited) Maggie here, writing for Jay... Great advice from Dave and Judy. Calm down Nancy and weigh Sunny and see if that changes from day to day. Watch Sunny's food intake and output and how he acts. Yes, there advice is great, . Dave, egg's were for protein, nuts were for "EFA," Dave, Sir, I would never contradict you, I have to much respect for you so I deleted my post. Jayd Edited August 12, 2012 by Jayd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greywings Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 Some bird are just naturally more slender than other of the same species, like they are all telling you keep a weekly weight journal and don"t stress. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarasota Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 You really don't need foods that are fattening. Who would wanna fatten up a healthy bird?...Oatmeal won't put weight on a parrot. Heavy thick pastas won't put fat on a bird. Nuts have no fattening agent in them. The only bad thing about nuts is that not enough birds will eat them. Eggs won't put weight on a parrot and these foods are usually fed by spoon or scoop. So called 'fattening' foods such as seed won't put weight on a parrot. That's a falacy. So very, very true. What they don't need or can't process just comes right out the backside. Avian biology is so different from their furry friends! Nancy, I'm sorry you are so worried - I would be too! But if the vet doesn't seem concerned, and Sunny's behavior seems normal to you, don't get too panicked. Think of it this way, your stress and worry will only upset the bird - they are very empathetic creatures! They depend on us to be calm and stable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kins2321@yahoo.com Posted August 13, 2012 Author Share Posted August 13, 2012 Thank you all. You have asked me, " whom do I trust most, bird trimmer, or vet"... I trust my bird trimmer anyday. he has defined our lives. Has been there for all of them, from a rescue, baby and rehome. He encouraged me to go to the vet, but identified the problem. Took me in the back, to show me Sunny's ribs. Vet never even addressed his " ribs showing!" My groomer made me feel the ribs. Told me what to do. Vet, say's he's old. Not as much suggestions, so yes, I trust my bird groomer more.If he was unhealthy, I would trust my vet for antibiotics, etc. I may not have a baseline weight, but when my groomer showed me his ribs, I was horrified.I'm sticking with my groomer, how to fatten him up. Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kins2321@yahoo.com Posted August 13, 2012 Author Share Posted August 13, 2012 My stress, won't upset Sunny! He is happy to getting the extra attention!Stress on my part, never stresses our birds, to alter their behavior. We are WAYYYYY past that.The other day, I was walking past the birdroom, Kiki was being groomed by Sunny, on his rope. It was adorable!Ten minutes later, I walked by again, Sunny was still grooming Kiki.Kiki's feathers were all ruffled up. They were still loving each other. Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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