A Peachie problem

[Skittys_Daddy]

I was just wondering if there are any other cockatiel owners out there who have female hens of a geriatric age (20+yrs).

My cockatiel, Peaches, just turned 20 in March. She has always been a VERY calm and docile bird. Kind of like a cat, very independent and not much for a lot of social interaction (when she is, it's for a 'limited' time). That's one of the reasons I got Skittles (my sun conure) because Peaches would only come out for about 15 minutes and then go back in her cage.

Lately, I haven't taken her out much because of her chronic egg-laying which has been going on for several years now - which includes 'stinky' poop. However, at each vet visit, her weight, droppings, and stats are all normal so they tell me not to worry about it. There is no infection.

I HATE having to keep her caged. I usually let her have the run of the bedroom during the day because she never gets into mischief and doesn't need constant supervision. But I don't seem to have much choice. If I so much as touch her it seems to 'stimulate' her and I do NOT let her and Skittles 'see' each other, in fact the only time they are in the same room is after I put them to bed (they both sleep in the bedroom so I have easy access to them in the case of a fire). But when I put Skittles to bed, Peaches is already covered.

The vet believes that Skittles is over-stimulating her since this problem began within a year after getting him. The vet says they don't need to 'see' each other to be stimulated. They are probably conversing vocally in ways we don't understand. However, re-homing either bird is NOT an option so I have limited ways of dealing with this.

I just wonder if anyone out there has had similar problems. I cannot tell you how many solutions I have tried both through vet suggestions as well as research and so far nothing is working. I'd greatly appreciate any advice. I'd pretty much given up on the idea of ever solving this - but I figured I'd give a shot at seeing if anyone else has had similar problems.

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

I take it from the lack of replies that nobody has any insight?

The vet has given me two other options which I really don't want to resort too - the first is giving her a hormone shot, Lupron, but the vet says that given her age she is 'hesitant'. The other being having her 'fixed' which is NOT something I even want to consider.

Even though the vet says her tests are fine as far as nutrition goes/health stats, she (Peaches) does have elevated hormone levels but the vet says not to worry.

But I do - because it 'limits' my ability to interact with her. It also seems that the older she gets, the less she wants to come out and play. I just wish there were something more I could do.

 

[RavensGryf]

I'm sorry you haven't gotten any replies. I'm sure it's because no none with an answer has seen your post. It happens to all of us .

I don't have experience with egg layers, however, I've heard that the cage environment can be made to be less conducive to hormonal and nesting behaviors in females. Does Peaches have any "hidey huts" or "cozy" secluded areas? Any dark corners? Lots of toys that can be shredded into nesting material? Does she get a lot of protein and fats in her diet? Does she get long hours of daylight? If so, try reversing these things. Rearange the cage at least a little, mix things up.

Good luck, hopefully someone with first hand experience with this type of issue will come along.

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

Hey,

Thanks for the reply. No, she doesn't have any cuddle huts. I removed all her mirrors, rearranged her toys (removed all but a few). I tried that Releaves by Harrisons and tried resetting her bio-clock through light therapy (the vet suggested).

I think for me, it just seems like I've tried everything and nothing works. I get that helpless feeling from not being able to solve this problem.

I got some 'fake eggs' which I am hoping might work the next time she goes into incessant egg laying. I just cleaned her cage the other day and I'm 'crossing my fingers' that she has a 'break from egg laying' so I can at least let her out of her cage to get some exercise.

That's my biggest issue. I want her to be able to come out for some exercise but anyone who's had to deal with the 'smelly poops' of an egg-laying tiel will know how bad the smell is! LOL.

 

[Giggleagain]

The timing of this post is absolutely perfect. My canary girl Gigi has been laying eggs non-stop for the past 5 weeks. Her "poopy" messes are huge but I've not been tempted to smell them . I've been told copious pooping is normal while they're laying. I was concerned because I only saw her in her "nest" and thought she might starve, but she's very obviously been eating. I used the fake eggs trick but it didn't work. Last night I researched the subject and started with the advice I found:

- put her cage in another room , away from the other birds
- covered her 2 hours early. She now has 15 hours of darkness.

She actually came out of the nest and I saw her eating and taking a bath today.

- tomorrow I will put her into a totally unfamiliar cage, without "the nest"
- I will mist her thoroughly several times during the day although she usually goes through 3 or 4 dishes full of water (per day). She is a hygiene addict....
- she won't be going back to the bird room until the days get shorter

Canaries don't usually come out of the cage to interact (at least mine never did), I'm just concerned about her health. I'm offering lots of calcium to replace whatever she is losing.

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

Yeah, the vet told me to watch Peaches calcium too. She uses her cuttle bone a LOT and she eats and drinks regularly. I noticed she drinks MORE when she is laying eggs.

I don't actually 'smell' the poops, lol. They actually stink up the whole bedroom and you can't help but smell the odor when you get near her cage.

As soon as she stops laying eggs, her poops return to normal size and no scent. The vet says she is fine, but I have a HARD time with the odor cause she is in the bedroom.

I do limit her daylight - the only thing I haven't tried that had been suggested by the vet is moving her cage as well as putting her in a different room. Unfortunately, neither is realistic for me. I live in a small apartment and I have a VERY small bedroom.

Also, three sides of my bedroom wall are unusable. One side has a window, the other side has my closet doors and the third side has a fire exit door, while my bed is on the fourth side. So if I move her around, she won't get any sunlight at all.

Skittles is in the living room, and the kitchen is off of the LR.

My neighbor/best friend has offered to take her for a little while, but I fear that Peaches might think I've abandoned her.

I wish there was a way to rearrange the bedroom, but it really isn't possible, it's about the size of a prison cell.

Do you think having her spend some time with my neighbor might work? I just don't want to psychologically damage her (Peaches, not my neighbor. LOL)

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

Peaches appears to be taking a 'break' from her incessant egg-laying. However, she won't come out. I can't even coax her out and when I try to take her out she 'bites me'. Peaches has never been a big biter, more a 'nibbler', however these bites feel more like pinches in that they are harder than usual.

I would like for her to come out of her cage and get some exercise but I also don't want to force her to do anything she doesn't want too.

She turned 20 in March and may just be too tired to want any form of activity. But I don't know for sure.

I've contemplated returning to leaving her cage door open during the daytime so she can come out on her own, and have the run of the bedroom, if she wishes. But if she starts to produce an egg, I don't want her to injure herself while out of her cage. I suppose I could just examine her daily to make sure she isn't producing one but again, she doesn't want to be held.

What do you folks think I should do?

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

So, Peaches has taken a break from her chronic egg laying for over a week now. So I decided to try letting her out of her cage (since I don't have to worry about the 'stinky poops' or egg issue at the moment).

However, she won't come out of her cage and when I try to pet her, she is VERY nippy. She's never been an aggressive bird, much less a nippy one. Her bites have always been like 'tickles', but lately, the bites hurt and she does not want to be touched.

I think it's hormonal, she's just probably exhausted from the chronic egg laying, I don't know. I just hate her being in her cage all day but I can't force her out. Well, I won't force her out I should say.

Just curious if anyone else has similar issues. I realize that she is over 20 years old now, so I try not to overstimulate her or stress her out. But I really wish I could interact with her more especially given her age. I don't know how much longer I have with her.

I don't let her or Skittles 'see' each other, but they can still 'talk' to one another. I am wondering if she 'senses' my bond with him and is acting out towards me or if it is just stress from the egg laying.

The chronic egg laying really only became a problem after I got Skittles, the following year in fact. I just wish I knew how to resolve this.

 

[Allee]

I'm not sure how I missed this thread. I really wish I had an answer for you. It sounds like you've tried just about everything. I have no experience with female geriatric cockatiels.

Did the vet explain the hesitation to prescribe Lupron? Is it dangerous for Peaches due to her age? I do understand your reluctance, I've had to consider hormone therapy for a plucking quaker, so far I've avoided it.

I hope someone with more experience will see this and be able to help.

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

Thanks for the reply.

Actually, her age was the primary concern for Peaches.

She has gone almost two weeks without laying an egg so far. The first few days after, she would not let me near her (which is very unlike her). But for the past few days, she has been back to her old self. I took her out the past few nights.

She is very unsteady on her feet and does not have the grasp strength that Skittles has, so I have to be very mindful of that.

I just don't want her final years to be spent entirely in her cage. I get that she is old and it's showing and I don't want to push her - but I do want her to at least have the opportunity to come out if she wishes.

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

I thought I'd give you all an update on Peaches.

She is no longer laying eggs. Has stopped for over a month now. I wish I could take her out, but she won't come out. Not on her own and not on my finger. She gets nasty and bites when I try to take her out so I leave her be. I just HATE that she spends all that time in her cage.

I at least leave her cage door open during the day so she can come out and have the run of the room she's in - but she won't.