jbsmomto1 Posted February 20, 2013 Share Posted February 20, 2013 I took Storm to the vet for a checkup, there doesn't seem to be much wrong with him, but his weight seems to fluctuate daily. When I first got him he was 326G than in a few days he went up to 331, today he is at 314. So quite a loss in my opinion given that many grams seems like a massive loss. She was great, so good with him and he seemed to not mind being handled by someone he has only met once before. She took more blood to compare the results with the tests she took in November when we brought him home. They were all normal then and she suspects they will be again normal. She also took the poop samples he was kind enough to give every 10 mins or so lol, but again she expects them to be normal. She said weight loss could be nothing but it can also have many causes, most are benign reasons and something that just happens. We went over his eating habits and she said it sounded like a well rounded diet, she asked me to stop giving him his handfeed at night except for maybe 2 nights a week, OR to give it randomly in the daytime, SHE thinks he is holding out for formula at bedtime and therefor not eating as much other stuff in the later part of the day because he doesn't want to miss out and be to full for formula lol ...yeah Echo did this as well just not as bad. She said by offering it randomly he will never know when to expect it so will eat anytime bc he doesn't know if or when it's coming. He is 7 months old and she said formula now is simply for comfort for the both of us (more for me apparently and more habit for him) but not needed to receive proper nutrition. And she is right, he has been fully weaned for a good 8-9weeks now, it's just something I have continued because they don't eat at night. Oh she said she would like to see him off the coloured pellets just to help with his colour pickiness but that there was no real hurry to switch that. She said that as long as he doesn't look sunken in or that you can feel his keel bone sharply that he isn't losing that much weight and since he does fly around the house and is quite a busy boy, that will also burn calories. He apparently is within the average TAG weight. When I mentioned that sometime he DOES look sunken in in the crop area, she said that they know when to let their crop empty fully before adding to it again. She assured me that while it might look sunken in she COULD Feel food in his crop. It isn't uncommon for them to lose weight when they go from the breeder to owner...said the more I relax about it the more he will relax about it She also took a swab from his mouth though I never asked why, I am guessing she is looking for yeast or something else?? It was a good visit and she was happy to see a TAG, said she doesn't get many greys in at all but when she does they are usually always CAGS. She would like to see him socialized a bit more, I guess bc he was much more co-opeerative with his bloodwork when I chickened out and went to wait outside the door to listen and and not watch. Feathers are in great shape, he seems to be adjusting and adapting well...She will call back when she has ALL the results back and let me know if he is ill or not but she feels he is just fine and that i worry to much. is she right about the sunken in part...do your greys get sunken in or do they always look rounded and full? Does your grey's weight fluctuate like his seems to? I weigh him morning and then again in the early evening and there is always a gain in the evening but a loss when I weigh him in the morning, but he was up 4G this morning from yesterday so thats good news. My main concern is the 326 the day i got him than the 331 a week later now a 314G 3 months exaclty...yes he has been with us 3 months exactly today, hard to believe that its ONLY been that long, it seems like so much longer, like he has always been here really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave007 Posted February 20, 2013 Share Posted February 20, 2013 (edited) I took Storm to the vet for a checkup, there doesn't seem to be much wrong with him, but his weight seems to fluctuate daily. When I first got him he was 326G than in a few days he went up to 331, today he is at 314. So quite a loss in my opinion given that many grams seems like a massive loss. She was great, so good with him and he seemed to not mind being handled by someone he has only met once before. She took more blood to compare the results with the tests she took in November when we brought him home. They were all normal then and she suspects they will be again normal. She also took the poop samples he was kind enough to give every 10 mins or so lol, but again she expects them to be normal. She said weight loss could be nothing but it can also have many causes, most are benign reasons and something that just happens. We went over his eating habits and she said it sounded like a well rounded diet, she asked me to stop giving him his handfeed at night except for maybe 2 nights a week, OR to give it randomly in the daytime, SHE thinks he is holding out for formula at bedtime and therefor not eating as much other stuff in the later part of the day because he doesn't want to miss out and be to full for formula lol ...yeah Echo did this as well just not as bad. She said by offering it randomly he will never know when to expect it so will eat anytime bc he doesn't know if or when it's coming. He is 7 months old and she said formula now is simply for comfort for the both of us (more for me apparently and more habit for him) but not needed to receive proper nutrition. And she is right, he has been fully weaned for a good 8-9weeks now, it's just something I have continued because they don't eat at night. Oh she said she would like to see him off the coloured pellets just to help with his colour pickiness but that there was no real hurry to switch that. She said that as long as he doesn't look sunken in or that you can feel his keel bone sharply that he isn't losing that much weight and since he does fly around the house and is quite a busy boy, that will also burn calories. He apparently is within the average TAG weight. When I mentioned that sometime he DOES look sunken in in the crop area, she said that they know when to let their crop empty fully before adding to it again. She assured me that while it might look sunken in she COULD Feel food in his crop. It isn't uncommon for them to lose weight when they go from the breeder to owner...said the more I relax about it the more he will relax about it She also took a swab from his mouth though I never asked why, I am guessing she is looking for yeast or something else?? It was a good visit and she was happy to see a TAG, said she doesn't get many greys in at all but when she does they are usually always CAGS. She would like to see him socialized a bit more, I guess bc he was much more co-opeerative with his bloodwork when I chickened out and went to wait outside the door to listen and and not watch. Feathers are in great shape, he seems to be adjusting and adapting well...She will call back when she has ALL the results back and let me know if he is ill or not but she feels he is just fine and that i worry to much. is she right about the sunken in part...do your greys get sunken in or do they always look rounded and full? Does your grey's weight fluctuate like his seems to? I weigh him morning and then again in the early evening and there is always a gain in the evening but a loss when I weigh him in the morning, but he was up 4G this morning from yesterday so thats good news. My main concern is the 326 the day i got him than the 331 a week later now a 314G 3 months exaclty...yes he has been with us 3 months exactly today, hard to believe that its ONLY been that long, it seems like so much longer, like he has always been here really. When a CAG or a TAG are babies, they'll weigh much more than any future time in their lives. The average approx size for a adult TAG who has stopped growing is 290( small TAG) to 325 gms ( large TAG). Their weight will always fluctuate a little throughout their lives and the gms that you mention is nothing unusual. As far as the crop looking full--as a bird gets older you'll never see a swollen crop or sunken crop unless they'res an illness. The crop size can be easily see when the bird is a baby. Because of the bird's present age, that's why the vet had to go searching for the contents in the crop. Edited February 20, 2013 by Dave007 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbsmomto1 Posted February 20, 2013 Author Share Posted February 20, 2013 When a CAG or a TAG are babies, they'll weigh much more than any future time in their lives. The average approx size for a adult TAG who has stopped growing is 290( small TAG) to 325 gms ( large TAG).Their weight will always fluctuate a little throughout their lives and the gms that you mention is nothing unusual. As far as the crop looking full--as a bird gets older you'll never see a swollen crop or sunken crop unless they'res an illness. The crop size can be easily see when the bird is a baby. Because of the bird's present age, that's why the vet had to go searching for the contents in the crop. Thank you, I feel better now. But am wondering if I just wasted almost $400 on an unneeded vet visit lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted February 20, 2013 Share Posted February 20, 2013 In my opinion it is not money wasted, it got you peace of mind that Storm is apparently not ill and you found out some things that will help you with him so consider it money well spent, peace of mind is priceless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave007 Posted February 20, 2013 Share Posted February 20, 2013 Thank you, I feel better now. But am wondering if I just wasted almost $400 on an unneeded vet visit lol. If it brought you peace of mind, it was worth it. At least you learned a few things for the future. Lots of people spend large amounts of money during the first couple of visits. But the major spending is now over. The tests were complte, the results were complete and good and more than likely, the results from the tests you're waiting for will also be good. Weight is something you'll never have to worry if the bird is in decent shape. Swollen crops is something you now know about so that too is something you;ll not have to worry about. Watching the vet tryin to find anything in the crop was probably done for yor benefit. He sounds like a caring, honest vet that you can trust. Some people can't find that type of vet because some vets are basically scumbags and crooks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mistyparrot Posted February 20, 2013 Share Posted February 20, 2013 Thank you, I feel better now. But am wondering if I just wasted almost $400 on an unneeded vet visit lol. Of course you know it's not wasted money. I agree with Judygram and Dave007 . $400 for peace of mind is a bargain. Steve n Misty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbsmomto1 Posted February 21, 2013 Author Share Posted February 21, 2013 no your'e right, I was worried and rather than continue to worry I took him to be seen so I could either have a reason to worry or stop doing it lol. I was nervous about putting him to bed with no handfeed, but he went right to bed without any problems. I am a little sad b/c it confirmed what the vet said. He doesn't need it and while I love having that special few minutes with him, there are tons of others ways to get that satisfaction...It was harder on me than him lol. I think I am extra nervous with him bc the last grey we had just didn't work out, he was a breeder bird and when his mate died, I was pretty sure that I could turn him into a pet..all that did was result in me having to replace a wall in my rental home, and watching him stress and stress....But Storm IS a pet, he is NOT a breeder bird and unless they can magically change into a breeding bird I am really stressing for nothing (they can't can they, once they are pets they are pets right??) ....so no tonight I will sleep without worry that he is not well....I am sure the vet is right and the tests all come back normal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingy Posted February 21, 2013 Share Posted February 21, 2013 In time you will end up replacing that feeding time with something else that is special. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayd Posted February 21, 2013 Share Posted February 21, 2013 (edited) Thank you for the update. If I may, If your not aware, you need to weigh your baby at the same time each day, shortly after the big bomb and before the morning feed. This is the only time you can get a reliable estimate.....Don't weigh him at any other time, this will only bring unnecessary concern to you. A couple of questions if I may:How many big meals does your baby eat a day? How often do you feel you see a full crop a day? Are you practicing Abundant feeding? [that's keeping food available at all times 24/7] Thank you Jayd P.S. We've feed formula for up to a year or longer depending on the fid. It doesn't hurt anything. It helps the bonding/trust process. The reason for the bed time feeding is the parrot goes 11-12hr's with out food, the crop completely empty's and the food is well digested and ready for the big bomb and a hearty breakfast.....We have always kept a half cup seed and a separate half cup pellets 24/7. Edited February 21, 2013 by Jayd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbsmomto1 Posted February 21, 2013 Author Share Posted February 21, 2013 yes I abundanced weaned him, he ALWAYS has a variety of fresh, premade foods as well as pellets and water...he doesn't eat big meals at any one time, EXCEPT his breakfast when he will eat the entire dish and sometimes ask for more lol he loves his sweet potato mash, otherwise he picks at mostly everything now, though he doesn't like some fruits or veggies, but he does he loves brocolli, pasta, couscous, carrots if they are shredded as well as some other things....I see a full crop usually day, sometimes it might be a little smaller but if I run my finger down it gently its obvious its more full that I thought, though it has been known to be empty about 5:30 and I think this is why she says to lay off the handfeeding or have it randomly instead of at a certain time because she feels that he may be holding out for the "good stuff" ....its about the same time of day, sometimes if he has been with me much longer than usual it will seem shrunk but will still have food in it...he started to want (need, demand) to be with me more since Echo took off out the window but he is getting better at entertaining himself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayd Posted February 21, 2013 Share Posted February 21, 2013 Thank you, seeds are a important part of a parrots diet, more so I feel instead of pellets. Thank you so much,,,,,Jayd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted February 21, 2013 Share Posted February 21, 2013 Your bird should have a good seed mix and/or pellets in their cage at all times for birds will eat throughout the day and not in meals like we do, that way when he gets hungry and wants a snack it is available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbsmomto1 Posted February 21, 2013 Author Share Posted February 21, 2013 oh I do offer seed but more often then not, its better for dumping than eating lol.....he gets a nutriberry in between breakfast and lunch and *usually* eats that...he ate an avi cake today which surprised me actually ...as he isn't much for seeds at all, but he seemed to like it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayd Posted February 21, 2013 Share Posted February 21, 2013 (edited) oh I do offer seed but more often then not, its better for dumping than eating lol.....he gets a nutriberry in between breakfast and lunch and *usually* eats that...he ate an avi cake today which surprised me actually ...as he isn't much for seeds at all, but he seemed to like it. LOL...You just might have a sugar junkie lol, Avi-cakes and Nutra-berrys are loaded with sugars, molasses being a main ingredient. When we feed our parrots to much sugars, they get full quickly and don't eat the proper food they need. To much sugar and fruit fills the bird and doesn't supply the needed nutrients non sugar food supply., It also cause the food to move fast through their digestive system not allowing enough time for required foods to be digested, hence possible weight fluctuation and non weight gain. Something to think about..........You might want to eliminate them and most fruit/sugars for a while......Thanks Jayd Edited February 21, 2013 by Jayd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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