Baby Green Wing macaw refusing formula at 11 weeks old

[chad84]

Finally a topic I can give great input on. What is AVC? I am very versed in probiotics as I work for one of the largest manufacturers as a Technical Support Scientist. What weight of the probiotics are you adding? I went to that website and rice maltodextrin is not a prebiotic. You should think of it as sugar. What stage of the process are you adding the bacteria to the blend? Before heating? after?

ACV is apple cider vinegar. Can I add the apple cider vinegar to the formula without harming the bacteria?
I heat the hand feed formula to 110 f and then I add the bacteria last.
Well recommend a good avian probiotic to me.

 

[macawluv]

Yes add last. I would add the bacteria to a small amount of formula and let sit for 10 min. They will "wake up" and be ready to work hard by the time you add to the bulk formula and feed the baby. I feed my macaws a formula that I make custom from stock concentrate.
The apple cider vinegar will not harm the bacteria as they are lactic acid producing to begin with and are very tolerant to such an environment.

 

[macawluv]

So if you would like I could send you some?

 

[chad84]

So if you would like I could send you some?

Formula or bacteria?

 

[macawluv]

Bacteria

 

[chad84]

Good morning.

I have some bittersweet news about Robert. He is currently 890g on empty stomach today. Yesterday he was throwing up everything I fed him. He played with his pellets and with his chop. Not sure if he ate any. He has been a little grumpy and sticking up under me all day yesterday and all of this morning. I am scared that he is throwing up all the time for the last 3 feedings. His symptoms for candida are white stuff in the mouth, vomiting, diarrhea and refusing to eat. He literally runs from the syringe. The new avian vet has exams and will not be available till next week. I have been giving him Apple Cider Vinegar in his food but it has no effect since he is not digesting properly and has diarrhea.

I am not vet but decided to save my baby's life last night, I started a course of antifungal since the ACV is being thrown up. Gave him 35 mg fluconazole in 20 ml of pure raw apple puree. He ate it down quickly. Last night's dosing (day 1) was a success. Then I put him to bed.

This morning I gave him 60 ml of a mix of formula, yogurt, carrot puree, multivitamin, coconut oil, ACV and probiotics. After having 30 ml he threw up all of it. Gave him the remaining 30 ml and he did the same thing. Now his crop was empty again.

I took a piece of paper and wrote down all I gave him and decided to start eliminating all that was not necessary to be in his crop/stomach right now. So I mixed 60 ml of greek yogurt, multivitamin, probiotics and apple cider vinegar. Fed it to him and he ate it. He did the throw up reflex but only 2 drops came out his beak. 5 mins later he tried again and 1 drop came up. He is now sitting on my lap grinding his beak. I sit here typing this and kissing him gently on the back of his neck reassuring him all will be ok.

I feel stressed but not too bad as day 1 of fluconazole is down and he ate the yogurt. I will feed him yogurt every 3 hours for the next 48 hrs until i know 2 days of antifungal is in him and 2 days of ACV vinegar is in him, then I will try formula again.

He is asleep now making baby noises.
I have an urgent client to go see now and i don't know what to do.

 

[chad84]

Robert just had his 2nd dose of fluconazole. I waited until he was really hungry and hid it in 20 ml of apple puree. He didn't notice it. And so far he hasn't gone the gag reflex or thrown up. Will feed him 1 hr after that.

*Update*

He just ate 90 ml of formula, coconut oil, carrot puree, multivitamin and probiotics. Left out Yogurt. He didn't have a gag reflex or vomit. He gave me hell to eat it though. he bit me 3 times really hard for the first time in the 2 month I have had him. When he bit me the first time, I was looking for my finger on the floor, couldn't believe it was still attached. I screamed. When I looked at Robert, before I could say anything, he said 'helloooooo', as if mocking me.

I forgave him, finished feeding him and kissed him up. Cried a little letting him know I can't lose him and will always give him best care possible. Finger throbbing with pain. He tore the skin off but not deep enough to draw blood.

His mouth doesn't smell like mold as strongly as it smelt 2 days ago. Smelt like moldy cheese. Tonight it barely smells. He is flying around alot and he plays this game where he comes in to land on me and when I reach for him he passes me and circles around the house again. he gets really tired from that game.

Just happy to see his energy levels high.
He aite 60 ml x 2 yogurt, 60 ml formula, 90 ml formula.
I feel like he hates me because I force feed him 4 times a day. And he bit me. Made me sad. He doesn't wanna eat. Happy his crop isn't a crater. It is a nice little rise above his chest. Gonna rub his head and kiss him till he falls alseep and then put him to bed. Right now he is watching TV shows with me.

 

[plumsmum2005]

Ah bless you, Super Robert is having and giving a bumpy ride.

Two points - nail clipping, as he is very young, have you tried getting him used to having his nails filed by you? This will save on one less thing for the vet to do if he will let it be done. Yoghurt - are you feeding 'live' yoghurt. Yoghurt with live cultures in is best for us and him?
You are doing great with this fantastic little fella and sorry re the bite, hope it heals soon.

 

[wrench13]

Hang in there Robert,your Dad is doing every thing he can for you!!

 

[chad84]

Goodnight guys. Tonight will be short and sweet. Very tired. Long day of seeing clients and rushing home every 3hrs to feed Robert.

He ate 60 ml x 5 times today! 300 ml! He threw up on 1st 2 feedings and didn't on 3rd and 4th. But he gave me hell. 5th and final feeding was 2 mns ago. I fed him in 30 secs. Yup you heard me. Instead of 45 min feedings. I forced his mouth open while kissing him and singing to him, then I placed pointed tip of syringe at back of his throat and squeesed. The formula dissappereed. I squeezed harder and all 60 ml disappeared.

Now he on desk watching movies with me and grind that beak loud as ever.
He was extremely active today for his times out of the cage. He navigated like a boss. Turning corners, entering rooms and hovering... kinda.

Day 3 of fluconazole and day 2 of ACV. Mouth doesn't smell sour anymore. Has no scent.

 

[chad84]

Goodnight friends...

Time for update on Super Robert! (he used to walk but now he flies... Super!)
I have got alot of pictures for my mates. Can't send all now though, but they are colourful. Will send more tomorrow.

Tomorrow is the vet visit with the Avian vet. She is extremely hard to meet with, just like her Avian vet mentor. But I managed to snag a visit for tomorrow (Tuesday 10 May 16). We have a x ray scheduled and I hope she will draw some blood for a blood test and test for all kinds of stuff.

For the last 4 days Robert has eaten 100 ml 3 times a day. I make it a little thick like porridge instead of watery like he likes it. Reason for that is to sneak in some extra food. So instead of 1 spoon of dry formula to make 100 ml, I used 2! Twice the food, twice the nutrition! So instead of his 3 spoons a day, he gets 6 spoons a day. Lol. Because of that, he moved from 870g on last Tuesday 03 May 16 to 915g on Monday 09 May 16 (today). I doubled the carrot puree too. I think the weight gain is because of the teaspoon of coconut oil (plenty fat) and the double amount of protein (2 spoons instead of 1). 45g increase in 1 week after a slow decline from 1050g to 870g over 4 weeks.

On the other side of things. I am not sure, but I think the candida is getting worse (could just be in my mind). His faeces portion of the poop is completely liquid now and he regurgitates (not vomits, i made a mistake before) after every feeding, sometimes during each filling of the syringe. That stresses me alot. He starts bobbing his head and then the formula pours out. I tried stopping him by tilting his head up a few times but it seems dangerous as I hear a 'gurgling' sound as if he is trying to breathe. So I stopped interrupting his regurgitation. I try talking to him lovingly and kissing him and 75% of the time it stops him.

He sneezes a few times for the day but nothing major. He started back panting intermittently as rest. I sometimes think he was flying and I didn't see him. But he never wakes up panting.

These days he is just playing with his veggies and pellets. I saw him putting them in his water but he can never get them out of the water.
He is flying up a storm. He flies several times for the day. Flying all around the house and has started doing precision landings. He even flies to walls, stops mid air, hovers a bit and then turns around and flies away.

Prepared a fresh batch of veggies, grains and almonds for him for next 14 - 21 days, depends on how much he eats (or plays with it). Newest batch below.

 

[wrench13]

Go Robert! Funny and informative as you try to bulk him up, like a wrestler. " And in this corner , Super Robert, weighing in at 13,209 grams, well folks his trainer has certainly done his job. And in this corner, Kid Rock, a 1/2 ton of solid granite. No kidding folks, real granite! I don't know about you, but my money is on Super Robert" ......

 

[chad84]

Go Robert! Funny and informative as you try to bulk him up, like a wrestler. " And in this corner , Super Robert, weighing in at 13,209 grams, well folks his trainer has certainly done his job. And in this corner, Kid Rock, a 1/2 ton of solid granite. No kidding folks, real granite! I don't know about you, but my money is on Super Robert" ......

<3
Lol

I try...

 

[chad84]

Hey guys.
Went to vet yesterday but she said the clinic was closed of this week. She said it was an emergency shut-down. she still looked at Robert for a minute and said he is active and bright and looking well. I managed to ask for her private number and she said no. Too many guys are talking to her inappropriately and other people send her 20 photos a day about their rabbit. So she doesn't wanna take any more risks. That was totally understandable. I told her I would check back next week and started packing up to leave. The I told her it's hard to come to clinic to set an appointment and then come back another time to see her. and when I come to set appointment, i still have to WAIT to set it. She said if I promise not to abuse the privilege she would give me her personal number for setting appointments and HOUSE CALLS! Didn't know she did those. I promised and we exchanged numbers. Told her I was married and she doesn't have to look forward to any inappropriate conversations.

So in the end of the brief meeting she told me she would do a faecal analysis to check for parasites, fungus and bacteria AND a x ray to check for blockages and tissue damage sometime next week. I am going to ask the other vet I met before her to do the same thing and compare their notes.

Last night I was really tired and I decided to retire early. My wife left Robert out sleeping on my worked desk. when I awoke this morning, oh the carnage! Destroyed my mouse, speakers, poop was everywhere. he went to town on the monitor. When I woke up and called for him, he screamed in shame and tried to hide. I reached out to touch him and he flew all over the house screaming out. I fed him, kissed him up and put him on the gate to dry off after I cleaned him up.

Below are the most recent pics of him.
Today he is 16 weeks old! Can't believe that months have passed already.

 

[plumsmum2005]

Hey guys.
Went to vet yesterday but she said the clinic was closed of this week. She said it was an emergency shut-down. she still looked at Robert for a minute and said he is active and bright and looking well. I managed to ask for her private number and she said no. Too many guys are talking to her inappropriately and other people send her 20 photos a day about their rabbit. So she doesn't wanna take any more risks. That was totally understandable. I told her I would check back next week and started packing up to leave. The I told her it's hard to come to clinic to set an appointment and then come back another time to see her. and when I come to set appointment, i still have to WAIT to set it. She said if I promise not to abuse the privilege she would give me her personal number for setting appointments and HOUSE CALLS! Didn't know she did those. I promised and we exchanged numbers. Told her I was married and she doesn't have to look forward to any inappropriate conversations.

So in the end of the brief meeting she told me she would do a faecal analysis to check for parasites, fungus and bacteria AND a x ray to check for blockages and tissue damage sometime next week. I am going to ask the other vet I met before her to do the same thing and compare their notes.

Last night I was really tired and I decided to retire early. My wife left Robert out sleeping on my worked desk. when I awoke this morning, oh the carnage! Destroyed my mouse, speakers, poop was everywhere. he went to town on the monitor. When I woke up and called for him, he screamed in shame and tried to hide. I reached out to touch him and he flew all over the house screaming out. I fed him, kissed him up and put him on the gate to dry off after I cleaned him up.

Below are the most recent pics of him.
Today he is 16 weeks old! Can't believe that months have passed already.

Oh dear naughty Super Robert LOL. He's looking fantastic. Hope none of the electrical items were live? Love the updates too.

 

[chad84]

Hi all.
I bring you sad news.
Robert flew away from me at 7:30am this morning at the clinic. He landed on a 36,000 volt power line. It's 1:10pm, that's almost 6hrs he is sitting there in the hut sun with no water or food. I haven't moved. I am writing this in the open by the highway waiting for him to fly down. He is at the back of the vet office.

The electricity company said they cannot shut off the current for a bird. So the vet said he might get weak and fall. So I am here with him crying, he is crying too. Keep me in your prayers.

 

[psychocircus91]

Hi all.
I bring you sad news.
Robert flew away from me at 7:30am this morning at the clinic. He landed on a 36,000 volt power line. It's 1:10pm, that's almost 6hrs he is sitting there in the hut sun with no water or food. I haven't moved. I am writing this in the open by the highway waiting for him to fly down. He is at the back of the vet office.

The electricity company said they cannot shut off the current for a bird. So the vet said he might get weak and fall. So I am here with him crying, he is crying too. Keep me in your prayers.

Cant the fire department try to help you get him?? Can the electrical company use their lift for a fee?

 

[plumsmum2005]

Oh no! Sending prayers, please, please may he be OK?

 

[Nicky76]

If Robert ok?


Animals are like little angels sent to earth to teach us how to love. They don't get angry or play silly games. They are always there for us

 

[chad84]

I have Robert back safely in my care. He has sunburn and he is dehydrated. Gave him pedialyte and he fell asleep immediately after. Thank you for your prayers and well wishes. Will update you later when I get to speak to the vet.