Aspergillious

[dutchputch]

Dutch had a severe case of aspergillious in August. That was his second bout with it. He was in the hospital for over a week and was on meds for 2 months. It seems like he's made a full recovery and he's as active as ever only he doesn't talk anymore. We used to talk all day long with each other. Every so often I hear an "I love you" but it's weak, I figure it must hurt him to talk and whistle. He was an awesome whistler too, composing his own songs, but that too has stopped. Now he bangs his beak on his metal bowl to communicate. It's driving me insane!! But I understand his frustration and my heart breaks for him. Has anyone else had this experience?

 

Annie

[Dave007]

It's hard to say where his behavior comes from for 2 reasons.

1--That illness is a very serious illness and not as many birds get it as opposed to the other more common ailments. It's the type of illness that will require medication and the a long period of recovery. What type of reactions will happen during recovery are just too many to name.

2--A grey doesn't have to be sick at all to do that bowl banging. To many birds, it's a way to release aggression, to let a person know that it wants more food or just to knock the contents out of the bowl. Of course, it may also be some form of communication between you and your bird.

I feel that the best thing to do is to notify your vet and describe in detail what he's doing and find out if it has anything to do with his illness and also ask about the many after effect reactions that birds go through during treatment and after treatment.

I have 2 birds that do the same thing for 2 different reasons...one does that to let me know it wants more food. If I ignore him, he'll eventually pull the bowl out of it's holder, open the latch and come out of the cage.

The other bird does the bowl banging only on his water bopwl and it only happens with fresh water. he becomes violent with the edge of the bowl, trying to spill the water and knock the bowl around. With him, I have to make sure the bowl is filled to the top because it makes the bowl that much heavier and he can't really mess it up. When he's doing this he also bangs his beak around the metal holder that surrounds the bowl and he sometimes bruises his beak but there's nothing I can do about this habit.

Also, I do know of many birds that will stop much of their normal activity with that illness but on the other hand, I'vw seen birds do the exact same things that have minor illnesses. I've seen birds do that when molting time is around the corner. Check with your vet.

What your bird has gone through is traumatic and even when humans suffer serious ilnesses they're not the same for long periods of time during and after recovery.<br><br>Post edited by: Dave007, at: 2008/11/29 18:50

[she]

I totally agree with Dave. I think a word with your vet is the best thing.<br><br>Post edited by: she, at: 2008/11/29 20:23