Parrots "Fingerprint" / Individual uniqueness

[hbalkhi]

Hello everyone,

My name is Hattan and I'm new to this forum. I have a grey african parrot called Aoodi. We had her for more than 8 years now. Always playful and healthy. I'm the one who got her into my parents' when I was young and then I left my parents' house for university and then work (been away from Aoodi for almost 6 years now, but do visit every now and then) and my parents got so attached to her. Recently my parents had a vacation and travelled somewhere and gave Aoodi to a boarding care for a couple of weeks. When they took her back she was sick and her behaviour changed a lot. The vet/boarding care we used to take her to closed up and we had to leave her at a new one, looked decent and people said good stuff about it but no clue why this happened to Aoodi. My mum is being suspicious and says that she feels like it is not Aoodi and she was replaced for some reason. So my question is, is there any visual features that parrots have since they hatch (like a "fingerprint") that we can use to make sure from old pictures and now? Aoodi is quite the character and we would surely know by her usual speaking words, reactions to stuff, etc. but due to her illness she is very quiet and... different somehow, or at least this is what we think.

Apologies if this is a long post, just thought to give you a brief of the whole story.

Many thanks,

 

[plumsmum2005]

Wow what a dilemma. The first thing is to discount illness and that means going to see a Certified Avian Vet for some tests. If she is unwell then that can change them as it can us.

I gather you never had Aoodi micro chipped? Does she have a leg band?

If it was a different parrot then he/she would probably be afraid of you? Will she eat her favourite foods?

A bit more info would help.

 

[SailBoat]

The available documents that study the claws and their pads have very little regarding 'fingerprints' Fingerprints as a study regarding Humans are well defined around their ability to remain the same as a Human ages. With Parrots there are known to be changes in the structure of the legs and claw dependent on their life style. In other words a Parrot keep on a round dowel will have deformations that a Parrot kept on natural branches that vary with length and thickness do not. In this example, the physical condition of the claw and pad areas will differ over time as one Parrot develops physical structural problems and the other does not.

Photos have been used to provide 'general' variation identifications of a Photo, but because Parrots can and do push feathers that differ from the feather it replaced from time to time they rarely are allow to provide clear identification. A strong photo history of the Parrot over years with repeated photos from a specific vantage point may gain some legal support. But Humans rarely take the same precise photo of their Parrot year after year.

DNA Mapping is many long years away and at this point is very expensive.

As provided in the excellent Post above, at present, the only verifiable means of identification near World wide is the Micro Chip, but those are available only for mid to large Parrots. Your species is large enough to fit within that group.

As a repeat of above, your family really needs to get your Parrot to a CAV (Avian Vet) ASAP.

Once again, as provided by my good friend above, there would be very specific changes in the Parrot from food, to interactions, coloration, but you will need to provide historical documentations.

Stealing Parrots does happen to a much more common level than we would want to believe. Switching Parrots is very rare but could happen.

Personality changes do occur very often when Parrots are left for Vacations and can take years to recover the comfort with the family.

Once again, you really need to be moving your Parrot to a CAV (Avian Vet)!

 

[hbalkhi]

Unfortunately, no. Microchips are just introduced in here and not all vets do them. And no leg band. But I will surely try to get her microchipped or get her a leg band when I go visit very soon. My parents took her to the avian vet and he prescribed vitamins and antibiotics (Tebernil products), both to be diluted in her drinking water.

She is not afraid of any of the people she is normally around and she does eat her favourite food (which is unsalted pistachio, apples, watermelon without the seeds). It does seem to be her but just really really quiet and lazy at the moment and normally she responses in a certain way when she hears my name but now she does nothing and that's why my parents are kind of worried. From what I was told she had high temperature, running nose and would hardly eat before taking her to the vet. She spent 3 days there and she is eating better now and her temperature went down however still with a runny nose and keeps her beak (mouth) open all the time and Im guessing it is to breathe.

 

[plumsmum2005]

She is not well then poor thing, unfortunately Antibiotics in her water is not a very good way of getting her better.

Please state where you are located as that helps us to help you.

Ask the boarding place if any other parrots were ill during her stay there please?

As she is showing the symptoms you describe then she has been unwell for a fair while, she probably needs vet hospitalisation for a respiratory infection. Dont delay please act now!

FYI: By the time a bird shows it is unwell it has been this way for a fair while and does its best to hide it, time is not on your side now.

 

[SailBoat]

It is always difficult to provide medical advice from a long distance and the fact that we are not trained Avian medical staff, only loving owners like your family.

That all said, it sounds like the medication is not working as well as hoped. The 'current' conditions you are defining support a return to the Vet Clinic for further evaluation, which may either change the amount or type of medication provided. Normally, one would expect an improvement by this time if the medication is working properly.

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

Also sounds to me that Aoode might be a little frightened..First her favorite person (you) is gone for extended lengths of time ( life things happen,yanno?) Then his/her next favorite people ( Mom and Dad) are gone and she finds herself in a totally new place...that would freak ME out too





Jim

 

[SilverSage]

Please take her to an avian vet right away! She sounds sick.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[hbalkhi]

She is not well then poor thing, unfortunately Antibiotics in her water is not a very good way of getting her better.

Please state where you are located as that helps us to help you.

Ask the boarding place if any other parrots were ill during her stay there please?

As she is showing the symptoms you describe then she has been unwell for a fair while, she probably needs vet hospitalisation for a respiratory infection. Dont delay please act now!

FYI: By the time a bird shows it is unwell it has been this way for a fair while and does its best to hide it, time is not on your side now.

Is it not? I know, as it was mentioned, that we are only loving owners, but from experience and your knowledge, what seem to be an appropriate act a vet should do? Just so I can judge the vets decisions.

We live in Saudi Arabia. Having good vets in here is very hard. I had a bit of experience with bad ones who had no clue what they are doing and I completely refused to leave her there for a minute. The country just started to realise that people are starting to have more pets (or I would say family members) and are trying to force all of them to be certified, although some do get around it and get fake qualifications.

I called and they said no birds were ill, although after what happened to Aoodi, I dont know if I can trust them.

So we should look for another vet that would know what he/she is doing.

SailBoat,

You are absolutely right. Im asking for guidance from the people here who are, and Im pretty 100% sure, are waay more experienced than I am of what to do.

How long does it take for medication to start working? She has been taking her medication for 4 days now.

AmyMyBlueFront,

Sadly, I couldn't take her with me as I studied abroad for my higher education and my job now requires me to constantly travel and the travel can happen suddenly as business needs. I would really love to have her with me but I cant. My family do care about her and they do have special bond with each other. Sometimes she would even prefer to be by my mum and dad than me when I go visit. But you are right, the sudden change of place with no one she knows being around isnt good. It wasnt her first time staying somewhere new though. She would actually be fine after a day or two and start talking/playing with who is taking care of her and when she is back at my parents' she would be a little bit upset with them for a day and things would turn to normal again the next day. But we will surely think twice next time before doing anything.

 

[LordTriggs]

yes that's a sick parrot not a switched one. Get her to a CAV and they should hopefully be able to hospitalize her for a few days to give her a lot of TLC.

the other to note that when she recovers that she will almost certainly be grumpy with you for disappearing. It sounds entirely like the boarder had a sick parrot in who infected yours and possibly many others

 

[Scott]

Welcome to the forums, Hattan! Thanks for the detailed welcome, more is better!

My hunch is you are in the company of Aoodi. While it is possible to switch a bird for any number of reasons, Greys are intelligent and very sensitive. You'd probably quickly know if she was substituted.

Did the avian vet perform any lab tests? High on the list would be a comprehensive blood panel, fecal swab, and possibly tests for communicable diseases. Once a diagnosis is reached, infections are usually treated with oral or injectable antibiotics. Mixing with water does not guarantee a proper dose.

Hopefully you can find a suitable avian vet. Please keep us updated, always looking to help!

 

[plumsmum2005]

If you can locate the educational/accredited body that certified avian vets are certified by. I am looking but you may do better re the language?

Oh do you do Facebook? If so jump on that and reach out to parrot keepers for help?

 

[SailBoat]

"SailBoat,

You are absolutely right. I'm asking for guidance from the people here who are, and Im pretty 100% sure, are way more experienced than I am of what to do.

How long does it take for medication to start working? She has been taking her medication for 4 days now."

Thank-you, for the additional information!

Saudi Arabia is a Country that has a long tradition of keeping 'Hunting Birds." To my understanding, they get very good and highly specialized Avian Vet Care! Those Vets are likely expensive and very busy. but they are highly trained in Avian Care.

Regarding medication: If I read your Thread and Posts correctly your Parrot has had three days of medication at the Vets office and an additional 4 days of medication at home for a total of 7 days. With 7 days, you should be seeing improvements. If you are now, just at 4 days (3 at the Vet and 1 day at home) You should see that your Parrot has stabilized.

If you are at 7 days, return to the Vet! If you are at 4 days, call your Vet and update them as to what you are seeing. If there is no improvement at the end of day 5, return to your Vet.

See Scott's more recent Post!

 

[plumsmum2005]

Let us hope that Aoodi starts to show some improvement.

A rather tardy welcome to you all btw. There is no blame we recognise that it isnt possible to be with your parrot 24/7. The important thing is she gets better.

 

[hbalkhi]

Thank you all for the wishes and advice. My dad took her to the vet again and she is staying there for a while until she gets better. I did look up on facebook but with no luck .

My parents are suspicious because they did receive offers from people to buy her for more than $2000 and of course they refused and many people were interested in her because of how sweet and playful Aoodi is. And we did hear stories of parrots being switched in here for money, which is scary especially when the parrot is part of the family.

She have been taking her medication for 4 days (5th now). She was taking oral antibiotics for 3 days when she was at the vet's. This time in contact with the vet myself to get updates about her.

I was on a call with my mum and she said there is a swelling in her throat when she opens it. Another reason to taking her back to the vet.

You are right about the hunting birds, however, these ones are very far for my dad to drive (more than 7 hours to get to them) and most just care about falcons and dont accept other birds.

I'm going there next week and will give her a visit and see how she is doing. I'm in contact with the vet myself this time. I will keep you updated .

 

[hbalkhi]

Hello everyone,

Sorry for the late update. Aoodi is back home (2 weeks home right now) and she is healthy and back to normal; talks, whistles and all. My family and I are super glad and happy. The vet said and stressed that a change of atmosphere is a big no no for Aoodi as it is probably the cause of it, so Im assuming the boarding place had sudden changes in room temperatures for some reason (as it is hot and humid in here, a room can go from cold to hot in a matter of minutes if a door or a window is left open).

Thank you all for the great support and help.

Here is a picture of her once she got back to her room .

 

[plumsmum2005]

Hi and welcome news that Aoodi is much better.

Sorry cannot see your picture?

 

[hbalkhi]

Yeah, dont know why it isnt inserting the picture. Hopefully the link would work?

https://www.dropbox.com/s/wxn2lykppk8l9rb/2017-09-11 22.40.51.jpg?dl=0

 

[plumsmum2005]

Thanks, great picture, she looks happy and importantly well.

 

[LordTriggs]

yay good to hear all is back to normal! Even just the change in location could have done it and you were seeing a birdy silent treatment for your transgressions