Baby Green Wing macaw refusing formula at 11 weeks old

[Flboy]

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.

Fantastic! Fantastic! Fantastic!!

 

[wrench13]

Oh brother, you an Robert really dodged a bullet ( American slang for you both were extremely lucky). A big sigh of relief from everyone's chest I am sure. Please tell me you are going to clip Robert's wings.
If you are not, you will excuse me if I don't follow Roberts progress anymore. I just can not get so emotionally invested in some ones parrot, only to read that yet another flighted 'trained' parrot is gone. IMHO too many have been showing up here, gone. I dont want mention names, because I'm sure it's still painfull for them, and having gone through it myself many years ago, but seeing your best friend fly away through no fault of their own, or yours perhaps, does not seem to balance out. I'm overjoyed to read that Robert is safely back in your arms.

 

[chad84]

Hi guys exhausted after 25 hrs of continuous calling, blazing caribbean sun, looking up and standing up. But it was well worth. Had a couple hours sleep and so did Robert.
We gave him 60 ml pedialyte with a quarter tsp of glucose twice (x2) about 3 hrs apart. Then this evening we made 60 ml of very thin formula mixed with 30 ml of pedialyte. He will have 1 more meal of formula and pedialyte then return gradually to thicker formula until we reach desired thickness.

Robert, after having pedialyte and glucose cocktail, became very active. He didn't want to drink the pedialyte. He complained and protested. I prepared the formula and something amazing happened. He started moving his head up and down slowly (begging) and then as soon as the food touched his tongue he bobbed his head so violently (feeding response) I could not keep the syringe in his beak. Was so relieved that his feeding response returned! He ate 90 ml of the pedialyte/formula mix and begged for more.

Two important things to note is that Robert did the feeding response AND he didn't regurgitate... not even 1 drop fell from his mouth! I have been struggling with those 2 for weeks.

Since then he is happily playing with us and back to his old destructive self walking around the house causing much damage.

The law of our country states that it is illegal to clip/cut/trim the wings of any Avian (especially parrots). I bought a travel carrier and an aviator harness for carrying my baby around.

So relieved he is back with us. Thank you again for your prayers and well wishes.

Below are pictures of some of the spots he went to during his 25 hr long trip.

This is where he landed when he first flew away. 70 ft tall 33,000 Volts.



Close up



The tallest object in the area he flew to. A cell phone tower. 100 ft tall. My wife and I climbed to the very top of the tower. We could not reach him at the last 10 feet as the antenna itself could not be climbed.



Close up.



On the roof top where the cell tower was anchored. We put his toys to entice him to come down.



Another high power wire he flew to after the roof top. 12,000 volts.

 

[plumsmum2005]

Wow so glad you have him back safe and sound, phew! Good news you are managing to re-hydrate and feed him after his adventure. What a picturesque place to live, Super Robert just wanted a better view LOL? You and your wife were brave climbing that tower to try and reach him.

If I may say in a constructive manner and no way critical of you or his care, please be proactive regarding Super Robert as he has really found his way now. Two scares that could of ended badly and thank goodness they didn't. He is a baby still and will want to explore anything and everything and some of those things are dangerous if not lethal. Even with mine (age 11) you still have to think permanent 3 year old and have eyes in the back of your head.

I have thoroughly enjoyed your tales and prayed with you for him to get better. I hope that you will still take the time to continue letting us share his life journey with you. Wishing you lots and lots more days, months, years of happiness with him but praying no more bad news.

 

[chad84]

Goodnight all.

Still could not see my vet as she is busy. So I found yet another vet to go to, not an avian vet though. He was kind to Robert and me. he checked Robert from head to tail. He commented on Robert's prime condition and great health!

I told him about my every concern. 900g weight with now weight gain, diarrhea ( mostly gone now), regurgitation, no feeding response and sunburn. He said sunburn will be gone in a few days and no feeding response is normal sometimes when the bird is tired of eat the same boring formula or is ill. He looked at Robert's poop and said it's actually very good. The yellow tinted urine is also gone. He said the yellow was due to the colour of a food additive that leeched from the faeces to the urine and now diarrhea is gone the yellow is gone too. Now the regurgitation, he tested Robert's faeces and did a throat swab and many other tests. he said Robert has candida positive in all tests and a single strain of bacteria due to antibiotics killing out the all bacteria and probiotics adding back only 1 type.

So his advice for regurgitation was, use Diflucan for 7 - 14 days at 20 mg a day for 7 days or every other day for 14 days. He also said use apple cider vinegar in water on empty stomach between meals. He said to increase Robert's complete darkness resting time and change Robert's formula from Kaytee exact baby macaw formula to Harrisson's Juvenile hand feed formula & add various fruits and vegetables to it to change the taste of the formula regularly.

To recap.
-longer dark hours
-ACV
-new formula
-diflucan

This should solve the regurgitation and weight gain issues.

Which formula is better, Harrisson's or Roudybush for my Green wing macaw?

 

[wrench13]

So glad Super Robert is back with us. Both brands are good, Harrison is maybe a tad better, they use human grade ingredients, personally I feed Salty Roudybush, only kind he will eat right now. If you contact most companies, they will send free samples, for Robert to try. Not bad report from the new vet, do you like him?

 

[chad84]

He is ok. I prefer my avian vet though. Waiting on her.

 

[chad84]

My birdie is now 17 weeks old. Robert is active as ever, flying all over the house and perching on everything you can imagine. And that beak! Oh wow! Such destruction and strength.
We love Robert so much. He has become a little more demanding and quarrels when we stop rubbing his head. We have started putting him to bed earlier now too.
He seems so content. Grinds that beak morning, noon and night. He mumbles all day as well. At 32 years old, I couldn't ask for a better pet... ahem... buddy.

He has been on Diflucan for 2 days and will be getting his day 3 dose later this evening. He is having 120 ml of formula 3x a day now instead of 4. He gets apple cider vinegar in 20 ml of water 3 times a day 30 mins before formula. I give him Diflucan mixed with 20 ml of apple puree, once per day, 30 mins after apple cider vinegar and then I wait 30 mins before I give him his final evening formula.

I give him pure formula and probiotics for now with nothing else to minimise regurgitation.

We came home today and I was so tired from all the running around to get veggies and stuff for Robert, I said let me lay down for 5 mins and fell asleep. My wife came looking for Robert and I and couldn't find us. When she check the bedroom she saw Robert sitting on my chest as if he was waiting for me to awaken.



Purchased some new goodies for Robert. Bought the training perches from Parrot Wizard (Michael Sazhin). Also tested the flight harness. Allowed Robert to play with it and he let me put it on him with ease. Also bought a book about parrots.

 

[wrench13]

Put the training harness on him with ease??? Ok, now I officially hate you guys, Salty and I been working for 2 moths at least on doing that, the best we can do is get it over Salty head. Make sure you use it, I don't want to have come over there and scold Robert! Really good to read Robert is getting back to normal.

 

[chad84]

Put the training harness on him with ease??? Ok, now I officially hate you guys, Salty and I been working for 2 moths at least on doing that, the best we can do is get it over Salty head. Make sure you use it, I don't want to have come over there and scold Robert! Really good to read Robert is getting back to normal.

Is it the aviator harness? Let him play with it and see it's no threat. Then leave it on his head and let him play. Then do one wing at a time and tighten up. That's what I did.

 

[wrench13]

Yes, an aviator harness. Same one you have for Robert only smaller.
Salty hates his wings touched, though.

 

[plumsmum2005]

As always enjoyed more tales of Super Robert. Loved it when you said he was waiting for you to wake up by sitting on your chest. Already has a very strong bond. He is sure going to like having the opportunity to fly more. One possible reason IMO he has taken to his harness easily is he has been hand reared by you so therefore has a high level of trust and probably used to being messed with.

I can remember Wendy's tales of having to buy boat loads of wood to make toys to keep her birds happy when caged. Keep on with the good work with your buddy.

 

[chad84]

Good morning.

Robert only eats (plays with!) his veggies, fruits and pellets when he is in his cage during the day while we work.
How do I get him to eat them when he is out of his cage and on his perches or roaming the house?

 

[plumsmum2005]

You eat some or pretend to. You try a bit loads of enthusiasm and see if he comes over. They are so nosey, he's bound to want see what's going on.

 

[chad84]

Today took Super Robert flying in one of our savannahs. He flew till end of harness and kept flying as if he didn't know he was suspended. He flew for 20 mins. When we put him back in the car he was just crunching/grinding his beak very LOUD all the way home after the flight.

Feast your eyes.

 

[wrench13]

He looks great! They sell these really long retractable dog leashes at pet shops, ideal for harnessed parrots who fly. I've seen ones that are 25 feet long, must be even longer over available.

 

[psychocircus91]

Awesome! great that you got him harness trained so early.

 

[plumsmum2005]

Great news and great pics, he's fantastic.

 

[chad84]

Hiya friends,

So my Robbie Bear had a slow crop yesterday (probably candida) and took about 10 hrs to empty when 6 hrs are usually enough. I watch Robert so closely and keenly everytime I enter his personal space. The regurgitation is also making it difficult to medicate him properly.

Last night I said if he can't sleep I won't either, because he was very restless. His crop was empty at about 1am. I gave him 30 ml of water with 4 drops apple cider vinegar to rinse out his crop. He tried about 6 times to bring it up.As he lay on my chest, I held his head up by propping it against my chin while we took in a movie on Netflix. In 50 mins the 30 ml was out of crop and a watery mess of poop was everywhere. Crop felt flat and nice. His breath was increasingly sour, either candida or ACV. Gave him some very watery formula and put Diflucan in it. I had to take matters into my own hands as the vets don't seem to have a clue. And the "your bird is ok and looking great" bull**** isn't cutting it with me anymore.

I figured Robert could do with a change of taste in his mouth in the morning. As I woke up, at 5:45am, I realised that he had regurgitated in the night and he did it again in front of me. He looked very unhappy. He didn't beg for food. I figured as much. He flew and flew and flew and FLEW. I let him. I decided I will take 2 days off from work starting today to ensure my buddy is on his way to recovery. Screw everything else! A life is at stake! Dropped the wife off to work and came back home at 10am. He begged to get out of cage and flew on me and started begging. I waited for his poop to confirm no food was in his body. Yep. Green colour, slimy, tiny poop with alot of water.

He was ready. Ready for Harrison's Juvenile Hand Feeding Formula!!! I did not gradually give it to him as advised by the reps (you evil evil man, chad84). I mixed pure Harrison's and gave it to him. Only gave him 60 ml (1 syringe) to gauge how fast it leaves his crop (60 ml usually takes 3 hrs). I REALLY LOVE my first impressions.

1) Powder is extremely fine.
2) Smells fantastic (I felt like making a glass for me!)
3) Tastes great (Yes I ate some. I always eat anything I will be feeding my bird)
4) Mixed very well (I made it very thin as it was the first time he will be eating it, but within 2 mins, the formula became very thick. I was pleasantly surprised because it means it will last longer)
5) He liked it (Don't get me wrong he still gave trouble to eat, just less trouble, way less)
6) He didn't gag or REGURGITATE (fingers crossed)
7) Doesn't run out of his mouth like a waterfall. It is very slimy too, it goes down easy and almost no drips. And when he shakes his head it doesn't fly everywhere.
8) Very very very easy to clean up wet or dry. When dry it simply wipes off almost like a powder. And was super easy to wash feeding utensils too.


The Kaytee is course and a little hard to mix but I found my ways. Didn't smell too great. Robert got fedup of the taste I think, especially how he is close to weaning. He always regurgitates and he makes quite the mess with drips and formula flung everywhere. Don't have these issues with Harrison's. Not too mention how hard the feeding utensils are to clean because of the greasy mess Kaytee leaves behind. I always have to sponge bathe Robert when feeding Kaytee. I had no clean up to do on Robert with Harrison's!

Stay tuned friends. We will be back with more updates.

 

[chad84]

Hey all.

Update on the Harrison's: I love this stuff. Robert digests it quicker than the Kaytee. It's kinda slimy and goes down so easily and smoothly. I didn't have to mix the 2 to get him aclimatised. He simply ate it and never looked back. 3 hours after his first feeding of Harrison's and his poop went from soft/water faeces to completely tubular and firm. It smells great and has an amazing consistency.


These poops are his normal Kaytee formula poops. He has the watery and then soft and back to watery. Never firm.





2 hrs using Harrison's formula


36 hrs using Harrison's formula


The photos speak for themselves. "Diarrhea be gone!" - Harrison's