Pet Forum / Birds / Birds / October 2003

 Thi si the same vet the rea us the rio tact about his diet--she
started again, as he'd dropped some weight "but not enough", and my
mom started to argue with her about what the bird will (fruit) and
will not (vegetables) eat. 'till I gently nudged her with my foot, as
I nodded my head like a good little patient. We also got a lecture on
perches and
foot sores, to which I also nod, nod, nodded and  tapped my mom's foot
when she went
"Yeah, but--"  Our cages are ALL equipped with one Pastel Polly, one
square Comfort Perch and  two natural gnarled branches tnat I roptate
on a monthly basis.  Foot problems, my a.s.  I will take the bird
again for a close incision-site exam in a year or so, but not to this
vet, I just did not like her "I Am The AAAAAAYYYYvian  Vet" attitude.
I think it was the obviously canned "You must convert to our pellets"
speil that got me right off the bat.

  "looks" being the key word, there.

  Actually, the fingers are not loose, I think that it is just that
the fingers  are out-of-sight to us not doing the holding, because
they are under the feathers, so it does not look like what it actually
is--you have the bird BY THE NECK--it is the position under the chin
that gives you the control and leverage, and again, I wa amazed at how
STRONG and muscular  his neck felt. She had me move my fingers up and
**tighten** twice before she let go, and I was still, as an expeienced
"handler", terrified.  This great and  personable pet bird is NOT,
however, **tame**, and took a goodly chunk out of my index finger in
June, when I first saw the lump on his wing and opened the cage door
to investigate--he actually *attacked** me.  It was interesting
getting him out of the cage yesterday, I just let him grab a towel and
dragged him out onto the floor, trrying to direct him into the
carrier.  I was able to "shoo" him in, but in the meantime, he rolled
over on his back once, and was laughing and excite-screaming and doing
his loud "NYYEEH-NYEHHH-NYEH-NYEH  NYEHHH!!!" He was NOT pissed or
scared when I shut the door, his eyes were dilating like crazy and he
screamed "bye BYE Aaron!!!" and laughed and laughed.  I think  it was
great fun for him (of course, he WON)  He also never shtu up all the
way to the vet's in the car and   entertained the waiting room,
especially when this
woman let her un-confined cat walk over and look in the carrier, Aaron
went "uh-Uh-UHHH, no BITE!!!"and I told the lady, "You better grab
that cat fast, he's going to bite her", just as the bird struck and
LAUGHED and laughed.   This guy waiting thought I was throwing my
voice.  When we got home, I just opened the carrier door and put it on
the door of the cage, by then, he was more than glad to be going
home--but I think he gave me the finger on the way past....

            XXXXXXgizzieXXXXXX

I'm sure that this has been posted before, but here it is again.
MEDICATING PARROTS (Humor)
by Garry J. Wallan

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Occasionally, we find it necessary to medicate our feathered friends. Here are
some pointers to help you with this task.

FIRST APPLICATION:

Retrieve the bird from the cage.
Set the bird on a table and hold its head by carefully grasping the neck where
it joins the lower jaw, or mandible.
With your other hand, grasp the medicine syringe and place the tip into the
left side of the bird's mouth.
Depress the plunger and squirt the medicine toward the back of the bird's
throat.
Wipe excess medicine from the bird's beak.
Place the bird back in the cage.

SUBSEQUENT APPLICATIONS:

Attempt to retrieve the bird from the cage.
Apply bandages as necessary to wounds on your hands and arms.
Retrieve the bird from its new hiding place under the coffee table.
Carefully immobilize the bird's head to prevent further tissue damage to your
body.
Attempt to break the "Vulcan Death Grip" and remove the bird's feet from your
hand.
Apply more bandages and a strong analgesic cream to the new wounds on your
hands and arms.
Immobilize the bird by carefully wrapping it in a bath towel.
Watch in amazement as the bird "morphs." Its head and tail will probably swap
position, putting your tender flesh in mortal danger again.
Hold the bird snugly in its terrycloth prison.
Grasp the medicine syringe. Try to stop trembling in fear and pain. Place the
tip of the syringe into the left side of the bird's mouth.
Ignore the crushed tip. Depress the plunger and squirt the medicine toward the
back of the bird's throat.
Wipe excess medicine out of your eyes and off the drapes.
Release the bird and squirt medicine in the general vicinity of its face. Some
medicine may actually go into the mouth. The rest will be absorbed by osmosis.
Shoo the bird back to the cage.
Spend the rest of the day attempting to regain the bird's affection with yummy
snacks and new toys.

A more serious site.
TOWELING
by Bill Kiesselbach
http://www.nd.edu/~kkiessel/toweling.html

Regards

     Practice on a tame bird--I was doing it to Katie, my CAG, last
ngiht and she thought it was great fun.  You literally wrap your
fingers around the neck , with the thumb "on top"
(I'm holding my hand up--see??), under the chin.  The vet said "If
they still  struggle, push up and back"--you literally lift the chin
**up** with your thumb. I wish I could show you, it was not nearly as
hard as it looked--and it would have been easier  yet if my knees
weren't  knocking at the time... :)

  It's still stressful for them.  Aaron was WAY more wuiet afte the
appoimtment than before, like he had the starch knocked out of him.
I'm  thinking  the neck wrap is  "easier" , once you can do it,
because you do not have allll that towel material getting in the
way--although I still think the towel is better for confinement,
especailly if you have to do stuff by yourself, as it keep their body
from flopping around--you only have two hands and if one is around the
bird's  throat and one is holding the legs....

  Will do.  Meantime, I am curious about this "Flagal treatment" and
how you diagnosed Giardia.  As this has no doubt been covered here,
feel free to write me off-list.

  XXXXXXgizzieXXXXXX