Nike's first vet visit

[bill_e]

I was lucky enough to find a certified Avian vet just an hour from me and brought Nike in for a wellness check.

It was nice to talk to someone who knew birds and watch him poke and prod her looking for enlarge organs and the like.

I spoke with him about her hormonal behaviour and we talked about things that could be done to reduce it. Most of it I already knew and was practicing but he brought up something new. He said that they have done studies, specifically with Amazons and determined that there is a 12" personal space zone where no one is allowed to enter without repercussions but the mate. The study concluded that being close to the bird, within the 12", engenders hormonal behaviour. He suggested keeping her 12" away from me at all times (not going to happen) as yet another tool in the toolbox.

We also talked about the pellet which they implant, he's done it many times and has had good success with it though it doesn't really work well on males so if we were to go down that route we should have Nike sexed first. The pellet which is actually a ferret medication lasts about 9 months in birds and costs $275 to administer (including anesthesia).

He did not recommend any bloodwork because she was healthy and mentioned that the lab results for birds when they are having kidney failure for instance doesn't show up until they are about 90% failed and by then it's too late to do anything. If I ever bring her in sick they bloodwork may be in order but he gave her a clean bill of health.

He also wants her on 90% pellets which I've been day at for the last few months giving her nuts and extra seed and she's been ignoring her Zupreem (I could tell because her poop has been normal looking and not red ) so I'm going to cold turkey reduct everything but the pellets until she starts eating them again.

And the surprise at the end was that it was only $75

 

[SailBoat]

Yup, that's pretty much what a hands on examination in my area costs.

We tend to run much higher than that since our Amazon(s) are fighting one thing or another. Its the cost of what we do, but the returned Love is really worth it.

Your Hawk Head is still young and unless they catch /exposed to something it pretty basic at this point.

The 12" rule kind of follow the don't get up close and personal with a over-stimulated /hormonal Amazon.

Happy to hear that Nike had a great visit.

90% pellet is a little old school, with the current direction being heavy on Fresh Foods with pellets acting as a smaller value, especially with Amazons.

 

[bill_e]

90% pellet is a little old school, with the current direction being heavy on Fresh Foods with pellets acting as a smaller value, especially with Amazons.

In the context of our conversation he was talking more pellet/seed ratio. I admitted that I had been giving her more of what she wanted rather than what I knew she needed.

 

[GaleriaGila]

Hi, Bill, and Nike!

Great news. I'll just add my 2 cents on pellet conversion. I love Harrison's (great mail service, consistent billing), supplemented by fresh healthy treats. My first and current avian vet recommended it. My bird loves the pellets now, but to get him converted, my avian vet suggested putting pellets out all day, and putting seeds (his old diet) out for two 15-minute periods a day. That would sustain him but leave him hungry. He was eating pellets in a couple of days, and now I can feed a good variety of other stuff, knowing he has the pellets as a basic.
I would guess he eats about 75% pellets now. He's been eating this diet for most of his life.

 

[Anansi]

Hey, Bill!

Great to hear that Nike's first pet visit went well! I always prefer if an avian vet takes blood on a wellness check, though. Especially on a first visit so as to get a baseline for all of a parrot's healthy values. Helps for future reference. Not to mention that any abnormal values in an otherwise healthy parrot might allow for preventative measures before a slightly off reading grows into something of a more serious problem over time.

But I tend toward the very cautious side.

How is Nike otherwise? That's a beautiful pic of her in your sig. Any other pics? And how bad are her hormonal issues?

 

[Scott]

It is comforting to find a good avian vet, and am glad Nike seems healthy. Like Stephen, I believe a lab base-line is helpful, but it appears your vet is a less-is-more advocate. Some of the very best practitioners can keenly observe during an exam and have a knack for avoiding extraneous procedures.

 

[bill_e]

Hey, Bill!

Great to hear that Nike's first pet visit went well! I always prefer if an avian vet takes blood on a wellness check, though. Especially on a first visit so as to get a baseline for all of a parrot's healthy values. Helps for future reference. Not to mention that any abnormal values in an otherwise healthy parrot might allow for preventative measures before a slightly off reading grows into something of a more serious problem over time.

But I tend toward the very cautious side.

How is Nike otherwise? That's a beautiful pic of her in your sig. Any other pics? And how bad are her hormonal issues?

Nike is doing great, thanks.

Her behaviour is regurgitating (but not actually bringing anything up) and humping. Luckily she humps both my wife and I so she is bonded with both of us.

I hardly worry about a serious bite anymore as she doesn't bite that hard unless she's picking at a skin defect and then it's not so much hard as her sharp beak...both upper and lower. She's almost removed my last skin tag on my neck

Here's a pic from last month.

 

[GaleriaGila]

Hawkheads are so regal... this one is posing and saying... "I hereby claim this land in the name of Myself."

 

[bill_e]

Thanks, take a look at her eyes in that pic and my signature. They were light grey when I got her this past december and now they are dark. I believe that she spent all her life in room light. When I got her I put a daylight bulb above her cage...they only explanation I can think off.

 

[Anansi]

Nike is doing great, thanks.

Her behaviour is regurgitating (but not actually bringing anything up) and humping. Luckily she humps both my wife and I so she is bonded with both of us.

Ah, so Nike is a bit of a player, eh? Lol! But yes, better she spread the love than get fiercely territorial over one of you or the other.

I hardly worry about a serious bite anymore as she doesn't bite that hard unless she's picking at a skin defect and then it's not so much hard as her sharp beak...both upper and lower. She's almost removed my last skin tag on my neck

For all their sharp eyesight and impressive intellect, I don't think there is a bird on this earth that understands something can look a bit different and still be a part of you! Lol! Jolly, for instance, is bound and determined to extricate my "pesky" fingernails. And Maya is guaranteed to find any cuts, anywhere, and attempt to remove them.

Here's a pic from last month.

Abigail hit the nail on the head when she called Nike regal. Description fits to a tee.

Thanks, take a look at her eyes in that pic and my signature. They were light grey when I got her this past december and now they are dark. I believe that she spent all her life in room light. When I got her I put a daylight bulb above her cage...they only explanation I can think off.

How old is Nike? Could it be a matter of juvenile eye coloring? I don't know about hawkheads, but ekkies definitely experience eye color changes as they mature.

 

[bill_e]

Thanks, take a look at her eyes in that pic and my signature. They were light grey when I got her this past december and now they are dark. I believe that she spent all her life in room light. When I got her I put a daylight bulb above her cage...they only explanation I can think off.

How old is Nike? Could it be a matter of juvenile eye coloring? I don't know about hawkheads, but ekkies definitely experience eye color changes as they mature.

Nike is somewhere between 15 and 25 years old. I could not get a good answer from the previous owner. Young hawk heads have a lighter eye ring but this coloration change happened in the last 6 months since we got her on Dec 20, 2015. Besides moving in with us there have been two major changes in her lifestyle, pellets and the daylight bulb over her cage. I am just guessing that it's the light but I really have no idea.

 

[Anansi]

Oh! I see what you mean. That really is bizarre.

I'll do a bit of research on it, too. Very interesting.

 

[SailBoat]

Nike is doing great, thanks.

Here's a pic from last month.

How old is Nike? Could it be a matter of juvenile eye coloring? I don't know about hawkheads, but ekkies definitely experience eye color changes as they mature.

I would also vote for the change being a matter of change from juvenile eye coloring.

A pigment change resulting from changing the indoor light source would be very unusual. However, it is more likely that the change in the light bulb color spectrum may cause your eyes to see a 'specific' color differently. Even with that possibility, I sticking with the growing older thing!

Thank's for yet another dose of 'HawkHead!'