Rey's Trip to the Dr.

[SheilaS]

Rey went to see our vet on Saturday. Dr Hardy was the head vet @ the Dickerson Park Zoo in Springfield Mo for many years so I know he knows his stuff.

 

Everyone was amazed how well Rey gets around being totaly blind. He talked his head off the whole time in between eating his broccoli and grapes. Rey's blindness is cause by catracts and like I thought there is nothing we can do for it. I opened his carrier door in the exam room and out he came head down feeling the table with his beak goind "OOOoooo!" while he explored. He is 40 Grams underweight, but other than that looks really good. His gram stain and blood work won't be in for a while but other than that I think we got a healthy bird. His nails got ground down, they were really long. We also had his leg band removed, I hate thoes things!

 

Any suggestions about what I should feed him to fatten him up??? He was eating Hartz seed (I can hear you groaning from here) He now eats Fruit blend zupreem and fresh veggies, fruit, pasta and whatever I can think of.

 

I also don't know if I should start getting him out of his cage and handling him more or just let it happen on it's own. I want to hold him so bad I can't stand it but don't want to force it. I am a little leary of that big beak. My runt Quaker doesn't bite very hard when he's in a snit but I know Rey could really chomp me. I still do the petting with his feather saying "TOUCH" everytime. I also have started leaning my arm in and as he wanders around the bottom of his cage he will bump into me as I talk to him. This is what led to him falling out of his cage and hiding uner the couch last week. Oh well I guess I learned a lesson on that one.

[BMustee]

Ohh, that is so good to hear that Rey is doing good. The mental image I get of him coming out of his carrier is adorable. My Elmo never gained as much weight back after fledging as I would have liked so I started giving him a nut mix called "Boca Nut-No shell" along with his pellots. He LOVES it and he put on some weight after I started giving it to him...I had to cut it back a bit because I don't want him getting fat on me...LOL. You should give it a try and if your local pet store doesn't have it get the human grade nut mixes with no salt. Elmo seems to really like the walnuts and pistachios. As for the out of cage time I bet it is hard for him to realize you want to take him out because of his sight, so maybe try getting him out and then letting him decide after that where he wants to go. There is this one Buffons macaw at my work that we call Oscar and he can be very difficult to move from the “pit” he says in during the day and his cage at night and I found that with him, and almost all parrots that are biters and difficult to move, you need to butter them up for a little bit before you handle them. Try scratching his head for a while and really read his body language. If you can see he is really enjoying the contact and is relaxed go in and try to pick him up. It works like a charm every time I pick up Oscar, and I bet that is also why I am one of the only people that CAN handle him…I let him tell me when he’s ready. You could also use a towel draped over your arm if he does not like to step up on your hand/arm. There are a few parrots at my work that I believe were abused before they came to us and they are scared of hands and will scream when an arm is put in their cage. As soon as the arm is covered they step right up and are happy as can be.

[judygram]

Glad to hear that Rey has a clean bill of health so far, results of test to be revealed later but otherwise good. He certainly does well to get around and uses his beak to feel things out.

 

I would start handling him some more if that is what you want to do, just let him know what you are doing to him before you actually do it and he will start associating the words with the actions and he will let you know if he is in agreement. He will use his beak to feel you out but don't allow him to bite you too much, tell him no bite and let him know if he clamps down too hard. He will soon learn that softer beakings will accomplish more than harder ones will.

 

I just wouldn't allow him on your shoulder for obvious reasons, too far for him to fall and he may be tempted to grab onto something to keep from falling off balance, keep him on your arm or on your lap.

 

As far as fattening him up, continue to give all he wants to eat and offer the more dense veggies that pack more calories per amount like sweet potatoes and such and you can always give a little extra sunflower seed too.

[danmcq]

That good news on the vet visit Sheila.

 

Perhaps you should start trying to see if he will willingly step up onto your hand or arm when it is in the cage. If he does, then you can just calmly talk to him in a gentle loving voice and continue to let him know you are going to touch him or give him scratches etc. That way he will tell you what he wants and when he wants it. :-)

 

You could even start saying something like "out of Cage" when you are going to take him out. Then he will let you know he wants out to be with you. :-)

 

It sure is a wonderful thing you are doing in helping and caring for this highly intelligent and wonderful Grey!!

[lovemyGreys]

So pleased Rey is doing well the others have given some great advice im sure you will go forward in leaps & bounds