Cold or just sleepy?

[sweetpeamusic]

Last night Nico and I went to a friend’s house, and on the way back it was way chillier out than expected (37 degrees fahrenheit). I freaked out because he was acting lethargic (fluffed up, wouldn’t move much, kept closing his eyes). He tolerated being held in an unusual way that gave him more contact with my warm hands, which he usually would struggle his way out of. We got into my friend’s car and I immediately put him in front of the heater, and he kept falling asleep. How can I tell if he’s suffering from hypothermia or if he’s just sleepy? We keep our room at about 60-70 degrees and he goes outside at least 1-2 times a week. When he’s outside he always wears a flightsuit, harness, and a little hoodie from avian fashions.
I might just be acting paranoid (my roommate thinks so) but more information would be helpful! Google didn’t yield any great results.

 

[Laurasea]

If you had him for several minutes outside in 37 I would worry. These guys evolved in a tropical climate. While they can get used to cooler temperatures, going quickly from warm to cold and back again is very hard in them....in my opinion...

 

[sweetpeamusic]

What warning signs should I be looking for?

 

[noodles123]

Could you possibly clarify the situation a bit more?
How long was your bird in these temperatures? I am assuming your bird wasn't in a covered cage based on what you said about the hands. Is that correct? How long were you exposed to wind etc? How hot was the car heater and was it already warm when you entered the vehicle?

 

[Laurasea]

Don't take him the cold again, once they've had a chill or hypothermia they are much more prone for this to happen. How many hours ago did this happen? What you describe is probably a sick bird now. He should be on a regular sleep cycle, no keeping him late and odd hours. It can effect their health. My GCC was staying up late a d it was one of the things that played into her getting sick.

 

[sweetpeamusic]

He was out there for about 10 minutes I think, his travel cage is has some mesh sides so I assumed my hands would keep him warmer. We got into the car and turned the heater up and the car slowly warmed up while he sat in front of the vent. Granted it was around 1 am so he was way past his bedtime, so he could’ve just been sleepy... he does have his winter feathers now and he’s much fluffier than any GCC I’ve seen in pictures, even when he’s not fluffed up. I hadn’t seen the replies until I was already outside again with him because he loves walks, but this time he’s alert and chirping in 44 degree weather. I put him in my coat to keep him warm, which he is very used to, but today he’s decided to wriggle out and be on my shoulder instead. He’s been acting completely normal since we got back from the car ride last night.

 

[Laurasea]

Ok while we are waiting for more information...I would get an avian veterinarian consult tomorrow. Keep him a little warmer now, up your house temp at least to 74, abd you can put a lamp on right next to the cage, put a sheet between so the light doesn't bother him. You can order a couple of different type of cage heaters on Amazon, to keep the chill off, abd drafts at Bay, and don't have his cage right next to a window it gets very cold beat bear windows. I use the sweeter heater, yep even here in Florida. I'll try b post the link. It's radiant heat nit a light, you put it outside the cage, abd you can't cover the cage completely when you use it you will over heat them, I use a bracket so it hangs a out six inches away from the cage, abd it's big so I put it down in a corner, with a perch in the cage near it, my birds sit in front if it after bath's. I think it's good to have in a cold climate especially if you don't want to keep your whole house warm, i used it for 18 years, got it when I lived up north. SWEETER HEATER Infrared Heater for Chicks & Pets, Overhead 11x16, 50 Watt

$ 116 00
& Free Shipping
Arrives before Christmas.

 

[Laurasea]

I think you are taking a risk, he is very easy for him to be re chilled at this point .... That amount of time outside at those temps most likely chilled his enternal organs, he doesn't have the mass or the fat to keep him warm, regardless of him having heaver feathering, he probably needs some extra food to help with all the calories he burned trying to stay warm. Do not keep doing this I think you got very lucky.... And I doubt he has fully recovered from that chill yet, even if he is acting fine.

 

[sweetpeamusic]

Yeah I didn’t realize that bringing him outside would be a higher risk, I will keep him home for a while. I have a vet appointment scheduled for Thursday.

 

[Laurasea]

If you are a night owl, just adjust him too, so he gets ten to 12 hours of sleep on a set routine. You guys are very bonded and like your walks, can you keep him in a bundled cage , then take him out in an indoor mall or something like
that for a walk? Maybe a Lowe's or home Depot? I still want you to have fun, just safer. And trust your gut not your roommate...you know how special and fragile, and how bonded you are. Bluebirds pile into a nest box or hollow tree ten deep to keep warm in the winter! Other birds have coping things they do too keep warm. Your birdy loves you so much and trusts you, you are his flock so of course he has a strong drive to be with you, and do what you do. So keep him safe. He sounds very special!

 

[noodles123]

sleep routine and gradual adjustment to any temp change more than 15-20 degrees is important.

 

[TiredOldMan]

Lowes and Home Depot are excellent suggestions. We go there often and are always welcome. In fact the employees at my HomeD usually entertain my fids while I use the self checkout. And even though this is a small town we occasionally meet other parronts and their fids on our excursions.

 

[ChristaNL]

Since you and Nico go everywhere together (this bird is so used to quick transitions by now) ... my vote is on the sleepy part



But why not get/ make him a coat for his cage?
Use an old parka/sleepingbag and some clear plastic for smallish windows.

 

[EllenD]

Just to make another point, Green Cheek Conures don't get "Winter Feathers"...They come from a tropical climate, and the only way that they would ever start getting "Winter Feathers" would be if they as a species were exposed to cold climates over-time for hundreds and hundreds of years and would evolve that way. Most people's parrots just got done with a normal molt, including all of mine, so that's what your bird did...But he certainly does not have "Winter Feathers" at all, not in any way.

I live in central PA, which I'm going to assume is similar to the climate right now in Washington State, and it's far too cold to take a tropical parrot out in except for a quick run to the car...I love taking my guys out with me everywhere (they are all Aviator-Harness trained except for my Cockatiel), but right now it's just not an option. My Senegal and my Green Cheek both look at me every time I walk out the door, waiting for me to grab their harnesses, but it's just not an option this time of year, and won't be until at least March. 10 minutes is a long enough time period to quite literally kill your Green Cheek if it's cold enough out, and at 1 in the morning that's very possible...So I'd be very, very cautious about taking her outside at all right now, unless you're just running her to the car, that's it. And I even cover their carriers with a towel/fleece blanket when I'm doing that...They just aren't built for this climate at all, and can die from exposure quite quickly. Once they become hypothermic they lose the ability to regulate their body temperature at all, and that's when they die...