Looking for advice - 27 year old Blue Fronted Parrot

[starlady77]

Thank you for the good advice. We are on it. Will have cage set up today if possible. Looking for a bird vet too. Found a page that will find vets within a 25 mile radius, but I am looking for a vet that see's birds only. I think I found one in Woodland Hills, CA. Fingers crossed I can get her out of cage into carrier. She swiped at me good yesterday when I tried to get her to step up onto my lower arm so I could get her out of cage. We had to move her while she was in the cage. I don't think anyone has taken her to vet, isn't that sad? So she is totally not used to being moved or picked up. She does let me pet her all I want, thankfully.

 

[starlady77]

Thank you Sailboat. I have a comfortable glider that is next to her cage and I will read to her. I have a good reading voice, I read to my grandson and he loves it. You guys on Parrot Forum are wonderful.

 

[Kiwibird]

Pro tip for getting a disagreeable parrot into a travel cage: Hold the travel cage up to the door of the big cage and in the other hand hold a highly desirable treat at the back bars of the travel cage. This encourages the bird to enter the travel cage of it's own free will to get the treat

 

[starlady77]

Update to those people who were so supportive to me when I had questions before I picked up my rescue, Gina. The people I got her from didn't know what kind of Amazon Gina was so I scoured the internet and came up with Blue Fronted Parrot because Gina most closely looked like The BF's. I took her to a bird veterinarian who specializes in birds. In the exam room he asked me if I knew what kind of parrot Gina was, I said I didn't really know and that if I had to guess a BF. He told me that she is a Mealy Amazon. Gina has a health issue with the vessel that leads from her heart down, it's narrowed and hardened. Vet says it's mainly from the diet that previous owners fed her. I have been working like crazy to get her to eat vegetables, fruit is no problem, she loves fruit which she didn't really get much of before in old home. I have to give her oral medicine from a syringe every morning. You know how they say parrots attach to one main person in the house? Well that's me. The bird LOVES me thank goodness or I'd be bitten to death every morning giving her that dose of medicine. LOL - The meds help unrestricted her heart vessel helping her to breathe. Quote from my husband "I didn't know having a parrot could be so entertaining". I wish I could have found Gina years ago, what a pleasure it is having her and spoiling her rotten to make up for that prison she lived in. I am going to start a Facebook page for Gina and leave it public so anyone that would like to see pictures of this little character can. I'll put the name of the FB I make for Gina on here probably tomorrow, I need time to upload them. Anyone have suggestions for CD's for opera for Gina? She loves to sing and I found Maria Calas utube on my phone and Gina was in heaven. She was singing along with her bless her sweet heart. If you told me a year ago I could be in love with a parrot I'd thought you were crazy, here I am a year later kissing my little angel telling her mommy loves her.

 

[Scott]

What a wonderful update! I'm sorry to know she has a cardiovascular issue, hopefully the therapy will assist. Does the vet believe the process can be reversed, at least partially?

So fortunate to have been "chosen," especially as daily meds are required. If you ever encounter resistance to syringe dosing, mixing the meds with oatmeal or similar cooked cereal is often better tolerated. (ask your vet if this is OK, but not a problem with most meds)

AFAIK Mealy's are fairly rare and distinctly beautiful. I am so happy you and Gina have a loving relationship; parrots are wonderful and loving companions!!