a very light african grey

[littleT]

to make a long story short --I drove 9 hours to pick up 2 African greys that had laid but all clear.i wanted to have them dna sexed but they didn't like people so I cought wth a towel pulled a few chest feahers from them to test--I noticed the hen is light--thin chested.when I released them into there 4x4x6 foot suspended cage I call a local vet--no experance with parrots----I put a camera on them to watch what is happening.he eats the food--the hen sitsat nestbox or in nestbox.male feeds her alittle but not very much--se jus wants to wait o him to feed er.also they only want seed---I do get the male to eat some fruit and vegs but not much--the will not touch pellets----I put her in a small cage yesterday morning it took 7 hours before she would eat from food boul--she is eating by herself but I need to fatten her up..dropping seem finei gave her alittle aloe juice and sprayed alittle on her feathers-and am trying to get her to try yogert---any suggesting out there----she sing--hollars so she seems ok just very thin chested-------oh yea I would have tied to check the birds out better but we met halfway and he handed me a cage in the dark more or less

[littleT]

what a difference 24 hours made.i put her inside under a heat lamp and gave her everthing I could find to help.she is eating very well this evening--still nothing but seed and a peanut butter sandwitch and a chicken wing bone----male keeps calling for he from outside.they are a bonded pair ,I have seen them mate

[Luvparrots]

You should take your new greys to a avian veterinarian if you have any questions about your greys' health. We are not avian veterinarians here. Looking forward to hearing how things go. Welcome to the Grey Forum family.

[birdhouse]

Well, it's very good that your girl is doing better at least. But even though she's (supposedly) bonded, doesn't mean she has a healthy relationship w/the male. Even if you're planning to breed, you might want to keep them apart for a while & see how they interact & changes in the female's habits & attitudes.

 

Peanut butter, hard boiled eggs, any nuts, Red Palm Oil are high calorie foods for right now. To the last, my guys absolutely love, love, love when I make them flax seed bread which is spread w/Red Palm Oil, smothered in apple sauce & sprinkled w/lots of extra cinnamon. I put it in the microwave until the applesauce just bubbles (l/t 1 minute), let it cool enough to feed it to them warm & messy - not hot (they can get burnt on a hot spot). When my ekkie is laying eggs, she doesn't eat hardly anything unless I really push it. But she'll eat that until she explodes if I'll feed it to her.

 

Even though that's some things to start w/immediately, Janet is right about getting your birds to a board certified avian vet. Not worth taking the risk to wait & see. Especially since you already know the female's not right. Birds really hide symptoms & may only let you see a small warning sign like that when something much bigger is going on.

 

All new fids to the vet within the week they get home is just a really good idea.

Edited February 28, 2016 by birdhouse

[SRSeedBurners]

To the last, my guys absolutely love, love, love when I make them flax seed bread which is spread w/Red Palm Oil, smothered in apple sauce & sprinkled w/extra cinnamon. I put it in the microwave until the applesauce just bubbles (l/t 1 minute), let it cool just enough to feed it to them warm & messy - not hot.

 

This sounds like something that would be right at the top of GreycieMae's ordering menu. What is flax-seed bread? Is it made from flax seed or just have flax seed on the crust?

[birdhouse]

It's flax seed meal. Alone it makes something like cornbread consistency. Combined w/a coconut flour say, could change it up a lot. The store bought loaves I've seen are mixed. But unless they're on super sale they're also pretty pricey around here.

 

Fortunately, the homemade version(s) are easy enough & this bunch doesn't care. They'll gladly eat whichever I put in their dish.

 

https://recipes.sparkpeople.com/great-recipes.asp?food=flax+seed+bread

 

PS

Originally Posted by birdhouse

To the last, my guys absolutely love, love, love when I make them flax seed bread which is spread w/Red Palm Oil, smothered in apple sauce & sprinkled w/extra cinnamon. I put it in the microwave until the applesauce just bubbles (l/t 1 minute), let it cool just enough to feed it to them warm & messy - not hot.

 

I've edit that a bit ..."lots" of extra cinnamon. My guys are cinnamon junkies. Sometimes they just get pieces of cinnamon stick in their dish or I might hide it in their foraging toys. Sometimes it's randomly & liberally sprinkled over something just for a change. They like it on veggies occasionally. It's also a great way to hide, uhhh I mean help introduce new foods that I think they might balk at.

 

Edited February 28, 2016 by birdhouse

[SRSeedBurners]

I guess most birds are cinnamon junkies. All three of mine love it too. Never thought about sprinkling on veggies. Up next - cinnamon veggies!!!

[birdhouse]

One thing I learned the hard way, though. On is okay, but I can't put even a little in when I make a batch of mash. Apparently there is a limit & they won't eat it all day every day like that. They will eat it multiple times a week in some form or other for quite a while, then just quit it for a while. Which can be said for every one of their favorite foods, really & who can blame them?

 

[my *">#@! internet keeps cutting out grrrh ]

 

Was going to say that Phenix would probably suggest trying the warm steamed carrots w/cinnamon, first. He picks them right out, waves them around happily & makes lip smacking sounds every time. Since of course he doesn't have lips, I have no idea where he got that from. lol

Edited February 28, 2016 by birdhouse

[kins2321@yahoo.com]

Sophie, like my kids, LOVES cinammon toast. I learned on food network/pioneer woman, I have been making it wrong! I just toast bread, add butter sugar and cinammon and all are in heaven, including Sophie! Apparently, thats not the right way. I'm trying it her way this weekend. Nancy

[kins2321@yahoo.com]

littleT You sound like a great parent, have insight. Separate the two, feed the poor girl that is under weight. She needs to learn to feed on her own.Give her a diet high in fat, carbs and protein. Emphasis on protein. Temporary of course. Whenever my senior birds were losing weight, they got a diet high in fat and protein. Mac and cheese when I was desperate. Yogurt loaded with fruits, proteins such as cheese. Nancy

[birdhouse]

... Whenever my senior birds were losing weight, they got a diet high in fat and protein. Mac and cheese when I was desperate...

 

 

Since it's hard to think that any poster would be so irresponsible that they'd feed their own &/or suggest that anyone else feed their sick critter anything w/o having studied up on the consequences, this must mean that you've actually found credible nutritional information about "process cheese foods".

 

Hat's off, because I've been trying to find out what that stuff really is for years!

 

It would certainly help everyone who read this thread if you posted the link to whatever convinced you that (store bought??) macaroni & cheese had such nutritional benefits as to recommend it for ailing, malnourished, geriatric parrots &/or spent breeder birds. Thanks!

[kins2321@yahoo.com]

Home made mac and cheese for me. Simple recipe. It was recommended by my bird trimmer. When I brought Sophie and Sunny in for trimming, he pointed out a year ago how thin Sunny was getting.We had no idea how old Sunny was as he was a rescue. Paul felt he was very old, and suggested the high carb diet. Sunny loved the yogurt fed off a spoon and the mac and cheese. I did it twice a day. It was the high light of his day. As he got sicker, a little more short of breath, Paul gave me some suggestions for some recipes that didnt consume Sunny's oxygen requirements when he was trying to eat.Sunny died in my arms, surrounded by those that loved him