Obstruction or Mimicing?

[ZephyrFly]

Since I gave my gcc a bath on saturday afternoon he's been occasionally having a breath that sounds like he's trying to snuff something out?
It sounds like something I've done recently though. I found that when I loudly breath out of my nose (like a heavy sigh) he stops what he's doing, like chewing on things I dont want him to chew, so I started to use this as a last step before I move him away from things.
That worked but the noise he's making sounds like his version of that noise. But it's not something he seems to actively do. I left it til now because I'm in England and we're having our heat-wave at the moment AND because this started after a bath (thought maybe it was water).

edit: He does chew on fabric alot but mostly just peoples clothes.

It's only on occasion but if you spend more than 20min with him you'll notice the noise.
He doesn't show any other symptoms of ill health.
He's still active and even after flying around the room, he doesn't seem any more likely to make the noise.
He's not picking his noise like that's something stuck.

I'll book an appointment with the vet and ask them to do a blood check but Does this sound familiar to anyone?

 

[ZephyrFly]

As of now, I haven't heard him make the noise and the boyfriend hasn't noticed it as he's been home all day (not had pazu out all day as he himself isn't feeling great).
Will update again. If he doesn't make the noise anymore then I may not take him to the vet.

 

[ZephyrFly]

update:
still making the noise though its noticable less frequent. it is cooler today then it has been. til now he's been used to temperatures of 21 celcius and under. it's been 24 give or take a degree.

I'd still appreciate any input.

Edit: he seems to do it around me more than when he's on his play area or cage... to add to the confusion. plus he had a little session of snuffing around me, almost as if it was on purpose, like everytime for about 4 times i put my face near him, he snuffed... now he's off on his play shelf.

 

[ZephyrFly]

Still looking for some help...

 

[Allee]

I'm really not sure. If his nares are clear and there are no other symptoms, it's possible he's mimicking. Parrots have such fragile respiratory systems, I would personally have him checked by a vet. It may be nothing, but it could be a symptom of an illness. I'd be afraid to take a chance since he's been making the noise for several days now.

If the temperature is comfortable to you, you're bird is probably comfortable. A sudden change in temperature or extremely high temperatures are cause for concern. You may want to check your humidity level, dry air can cause respiratory problems.

Good luck, please keep us updated.

 

[ZephyrFly]

Thanks Allee. I've booked an appointment for pazu tomorrow morning (work sadly stops me from going sooner). So we'll see what she/he says. Sadly I have to wait and see the vet to find out about how much blood work would cost me if it's needed. But a consultation won't bust me. How much is blood work normally elsewhere? I have some small idea how much it might be in england.

 

[Pinkbirdy]

Might be jumping the gun here . Sounds like their is something wrong . Don't let the vet have him "Just get over it" . Whatever it is its something not to let go [check for Asparillus [sp?}.

 

[ZephyrFly]

I'm gunna ask for them to run Pazu's blood but we'll see tomorrow.

 

[Anansi]

Yes, definitely a good idea to get him checked. Allee is right when she mentions the fragility of the avian respiratory system.

Hopefully it really is nothing more than playful mimicry. But better to be sure, I reckon.

 

[ZephyrFly]

More like spiteful back talk but yes, i so hope it's nothing but silliness.
I figured if it was an obstruction it'd be more constant and made worse after he flies around the room (not when I bring him to my face for a cuddle).
If it was an infection then same again but there would be other symptoms by now.
.... but I am new to all this.

I've been thinking about going back to education when i get a job with better hours, and looking into animal studies and maybe birds and parrots... a bit of a pipe dream

 

[ZephyrFly]

Post-vet update.

Vet checked Pazu's breathing, all normal but felt for now, with no other symptoms, to see how the next few days go. If I feel the same and he's still doing this then we'll talk about going on antibiotics and/or a blood test, no one at the practice is an avian vet, so this may involve a 3 hour drive to the closest best avian vet centre.
Pazu hadn't made the noise all morning till I got him home from the vet.

 

[ZephyrFly]

Update.

I think this may be bavioural after all. I'm able to get him to make the noise almost everytime doing this: He has a few foot toys out around for when he's out with me, I noticed he seemed to make the noise mostly when he was annoyed (like when I snuffed at him for chewing things I didnt want him to chew). Anyway, when he plays with these food toys he seems to drop them alot, i assumed so I would pick them up for him (this game has turned to he drops them, i pick them up, he flings toy out of hand, then bites me for dropping the toy), needless to say I don't pick his toys up as much any more to dicourage this "game". But I noticed today when i picked up a toy he watched my hand intently (like he does) and snuffed. Gave him the toy, flings it away. Pick up toy, snuffed and repeat. Tried this when he dropped food as well (some times he like sweetcorn, sometimes its floor droppings) as the same reaction most if not all the time.
This seem like a pattern to anyone? Seems like he's copied my annoyed noise (since stopped using the noise as not to encourage it if he was coping and he seems to have decreased a bit but not totally).

He still makes the noise very occassionally otherwise but nothing like when I'm touching his dropped toys.

Still no other changes like fluffiness and lethargy. Bought an electric scale yesturday and he's averaging about 71g-73g (he doesn't stay still on the scale) that's just the last few evenings (weighed him on an analog scale awhile ago and he was about 73g). But I've not noticed any change in shape around his breast bone.

Honestly, how does this sound to you guys?

I'll see how things go tonight, I'll phone the vet tomorrow with my decision on how I want to proceed (they're open every day of the week, yay) and decide then how I'll proceed.

Second less good update

Since seeing the vet, Pazu has become much more bitey with us. He's 10 months old so it could just be puberty starting or his distaste of having a stethoscope half the size of him put on him or maybe all of this.

 

[ZephyrFly]

Guessing no one has any input?

 

[Doublete]

Sounds like mimic to me.
My gcc weighs 71 usually although I haven't weighed him in awhile actually.

 

[ZephyrFly]

well as for now, last night and this morning i could get him to make the noise, until i got my phone out to record him making the noise....
This indicates to me that he's chosing when to make the noise because he was annoyed at me moving something, snuffing at me. then I got my phone to record it while i did it and he stopped doing it.
Vet asked if I could record him making the noise, thus the recording.

Also I know weight is individual to the bird, i.e. not the same for every gcc.

 

[BoomBoom]

I could be mimic, not sure how the respiratory system of birds are. Just keep an eye out for any decrease in weight, energy and appetite. Make it a habit to log your bird's weight every morning. I need to start getting back into the habit myself.

 

[jasper19]

If it was something of an illness, he wouldn't be able to just stop doing it. Like if it was a breathing problem. That is my thoughts anyways.

Is like when angel starting mimicing my cough exactly, i thought she was sick for a split second lol

 

[ZephyrFly]

If it was something of an illness, he wouldn't be able to just stop doing it. Like if it was a breathing problem. That is my thoughts anyways.

Is like when angel starting mimicing my cough exactly, i thought she was sick for a split second lol

Well the issue I have is there's no other symptoms but he does do it when he's not annoyed. Like he might be sat in my hand and do it a few times for seemingly no reason, then stop. Spend a day doing it alot one way or the other then the next day only do it a couple times cause I did something he didn't like.

He's healthy and active otherwise. No swellings, not any more fluffed up than normal, no odd poops, no worrying weight change (my scales aren't great and the I've had to put things on the scales to get him there, so he averages between 71g-73g. never higher or lower), no other breathing noises, noise and eye's are clear and doesn't seem lethargic.

So basically I don't think putting him through a blood test with a non-avian vet is worth the stress he'll get at this point in time (not a money thing, my vet wasn't guuna take a leg over it. between £50 -£80 for bloods depending how much they'd test for. This is apparently the normal rate for birds in the UK. But for a broad spectrum test they'd need to take more blood then normal (and it would be broad spec' if I do get it done).

Side note: I think that's $77 - $124.

 

[Kyoto]

If it was something of an illness, he wouldn't be able to just stop doing it. Like if it was a breathing problem. That is my thoughts anyways.

Is like when angel starting mimicing my cough exactly, i thought she was sick for a split second lol

Well the issue I have is there's no other symptoms but he does do it when he's not annoyed. Like he might be sat in my hand and do it a few times for seemingly no reason, then stop. Spend a day doing it alot one way or the other then the next day only do it a couple times cause I did something he didn't like.

He's healthy and active otherwise. No swellings, not any more fluffed up than normal, no odd poops, no worrying weight change (my scales aren't great and the I've had to put things on the scales to get him there, so he averages between 71g-73g. never higher or lower), no other breathing noises, noise and eye's are clear and doesn't seem lethargic.

So basically I don't think putting him through a blood test with a non-avian vet is worth the stress he'll get at this point in time (not a money thing, my vet wasn't guuna take a leg over it. between £50 -£80 for bloods depending how much they'd test for. This is apparently the normal rate for birds in the UK. But for a broad spectrum test they'd need to take more blood then normal (and it would be broad spec' if I do get it done).

Side note: I think that's $77 - $124.

Baseline bloodwork for my GCC in Nova Scotia - $550 to $600 . I wish it was $124

 

[ZephyrFly]

If it was something of an illness, he wouldn't be able to just stop doing it. Like if it was a breathing problem. That is my thoughts anyways.

Is like when angel starting mimicing my cough exactly, i thought she was sick for a split second lol

Well the issue I have is there's no other symptoms but he does do it when he's not annoyed. Like he might be sat in my hand and do it a few times for seemingly no reason, then stop. Spend a day doing it alot one way or the other then the next day only do it a couple times cause I did something he didn't like.

He's healthy and active otherwise. No swellings, not any more fluffed up than normal, no odd poops, no worrying weight change (my scales aren't great and the I've had to put things on the scales to get him there, so he averages between 71g-73g. never higher or lower), no other breathing noises, noise and eye's are clear and doesn't seem lethargic.

So basically I don't think putting him through a blood test with a non-avian vet is worth the stress he'll get at this point in time (not a money thing, my vet wasn't guuna take a leg over it. between £50 -£80 for bloods depending how much they'd test for. This is apparently the normal rate for birds in the UK. But for a broad spectrum test they'd need to take more blood then normal (and it would be broad spec' if I do get it done).

Side note: I think that's $77 - $124.

Baseline bloodwork for my GCC in Nova Scotia - $550 to $600 . I wish it was $124

Is that done by an avian vet at least?