Multi-zon households?

[ravvlet]

Yes, sorry! I realized my anxiety levels are probably due to starting a new medication this week, oops. What timing! Well, we will muddle through this together. I asked my partner if I was this nervous when we brought Kirby home, and she exasperatedly told me YES! I’m just a worrywart by nature, I’m afraid. But, two and some change years on, Kirby and I are well set in our routine and doing fine. Sammy seems to like my partner as much as he likes me, so for now she’s taking charge of him so that Kirby doesn’t feel jilted and I don’t have to feel quite so overwhelmed.

Going to see if I can’t get a weight on him this morning; but I also have to drive Kirby to the vet for a drop-off nose cleaning. Whew. Sammy’s nostrils look about as bad as Kirby’s; I assume it’s probably related to cigarette smoke. If anyone has any tips to detox a bird who lived in a household with a lot of smoking that would be great, because this is not something I’ve had to deal with before.

 

[SailBoat]

Clean fresh air and misting showers and time, more time and more time! There could be a few mood shifts. A year from now, you will likely not see any effects, depends on the number of years exposed.

 

[ravvlet]

She owned him for 7-9 years; she couldn’t remember. I don’t know who in the house smokes but the smell was very pervasive. Here he is post bath! Looks a lot better, but yoy can still see some greasy looking discoloration on his wings. I spoke to a local parrot store acquaintance and he’s had experience with this, and said it’s possible the vet we see (he sees her also) will need to bathe him so he’s not continuing to consume nicotine deposited on his feathers.

He also said to call back tomorrow; they might have a donated/gently used cage they can sell us as this is a very unusual circumstance. I’ll take anything that means we have more $$$ aside for any unexpected veterinary findings!

 

[ravvlet]

Well, no gently used cage, but the other parrot store had a brand new A&E dometop that’s the same size as our other parrot’s cage we were able to snag! Woo hoo! As a bonus, the employee is someone I’ve spoken too on and off about our birds for years and is really nice, and he offered to deliver it tomorrow when we discovered it did not fit in my car… & also offered to give tips on assembly as apparently it’s a bit difficult.

Looking forward to setting it up once it gets here tomorrow! I can’t wait for him to be in a proper cage, and even more so I can’t wait till he’s in our bird room. Quarantine stinks.

I spent a bit reading a chapter of a book I’ve been meaning to re-read to him out loud today. He started mumbling along with me as I read and afterwards let me pet him. He hates his scale perch but is willing to step up on the scale without it, so that worked out. He also tried an apple slice today and seemed to really like it. His weight was the same as it was yesterday so he’s eating, and he’s starting to poop more often, which is reassuring. I’ve seen some pellet dust on the floor of his cage, so I think he’s been trying them more. My partner is with him most of the day and hasn’t been able to directly observe what he is eating.

I think we will start doing seed withdrawal here in a couple of days, once he’s in a proper parrot cage so I can change the bowls out without sticking my hands in his space. I’m thinking of trying what we did with Kirby, which was to offer veggies for an hour or so, then pellets, and then a little bit of seed so that he’s eating but hopefully is filling up on the healthier stuff. And we’ll cut back on the seed each week until it’s gone.

 

[ravvlet]

Attentively listening to a post dinner reading session!

So I was googling proper quarantine online and I must admit, while he is in a separate air space from Kirby and I definitely wash my hands, I haven’t been changing my clothes - is that ok? Seems like an extreme measure when I know he wasn’t around other birds (so my concerns are mostly bacteria and not viral).

I am going to get him a full work up and also disease testing that’s required anyway by the local parrot boarding facility.

 

[ravvlet]

Success!!