SilverSage
New member
- Sep 14, 2013
- 5,937
- 96
- Parrots
- Eclectus, CAG, BH Pionus, Maximilian’s Pionus, Quakers, Indian Ringnecks, Green Cheeked Conures, Black Capped Conures, Cockatiels, Lovebirds, Budgies, Canaries, Diamond Doves, Zebra Finches, Society F
Today has been terrible.
This morning started out great, I slept in, even talked to some family on the phone. But a few hours after I fed the birds I heard a terrifying death scream coming from my bird room, clearly from a GCC. I ran to investigate, sure I would find a mass of blood and feathers, but there was nothing. But I just had a bad feeling, and kept going in to check. A few hours later I noticed Buddy starting to droop. I thought for sure it was all in my head until I noticed his mate, Delta, all fluffed up about an hour after that. I tried to calm down, because I have paranoia about these things. I caught them and gave them a once over; eyes, nares, vents all looked good, keels felt good, they both had food in their crops and both put up a fight, good droppings... I decided I was freaking out for no reason. I came back an hour later and saw two birds with eyes closed that did not open when I entered the room.
I called 18 vet clinics. Finally I got an appointment for 8:30 pm, but it was only 4:30 at the time. I watched them deteriorate. I prayed. I ways sure they would be dead by the time they got to the vet. At one point I thought Delta WAS dead. By the time we got to the vet Buddy was laying on his side barely breathing. We got in the exam room. It was FREEZING and I asked for a heat lamp. They brought one, but then they took them to put them in a brooder and give oxygen, and the vet conduced his exam in another room after they had been in the brooder for a while, so he could keep me warm while he examined them.
All the drive over I had been on the phone with my mentor, running through every possibility, every change, every indicator. All but two of my birds live in that room, but all he other birds were fine!
I discussed my specific concerns with the vet and he agreed with my mentor; almost certainly heavy metal poisoning from their new cage. New cage syndrome my mentor called it. I have never heard of it before! I had disinfected it, but not treated it with vinegar. Oops.
We discussed my options. Basically for more info I needed $$$$ blood work, which would have to be sent to the mainland. And when the results came back as to Which metal? The clinic didn't have the drugs. They wanted to keep them overnight so they could stay in the brooder. I said my brooder was set up. They said they needed fluids every four hours, I said I can do that. They said they might need to be crop tubed, I said been there done that. They said what about quarantine? I said they told me it surely wasn't viral or bacterial, so I wanted my babies home! They gave subcutaneous fluids and sugar water by mouth, and sent me home. Half way to my car the vet came running out. He had gone back into a text book and found instructions on using Metamucil to help clear them out. He told me how to do it.
I got home, and my birds who could barely move upon arriving at the vet had perked up quite a bit. Heavy metal I guess attacks the kidney and they were extremely dehydrated. The fluids had done wonders. Buddy, who has never been completely tame, climbed out of the carrier and tried to escape, but he took fluids and gave me a feeding response! That is amazing because he was not. Hand raised at all! Delta practically attacked me to get at the syringe when she saw it, and immediately climbed up onto my shoulder!
The vet said if they are still alive by morning to start feeding formula until they are eating on their own. Once they got into the brooder Delta went right for the food and started to eat! Buddy ran around in the shavings like "ooohhh, fluffy floor!"
This afternoon I thought I had two dead birds, and was terrified for the rest of my flock. Right now (almost 1am here in hawaii) I have two sick birds who just might pull through, and a very low chance that my other birds are in danger. I'm so relieved!
BUT LESSON LEARNED
EVEN CAGES MANUFACTURED BY SAFE COMPANIES CAN PICK UP TOXINS DURING SHIPPING AND SHOULD BE BOTH DISINFECTED AND WASHED WITH VINEGAR.
This morning started out great, I slept in, even talked to some family on the phone. But a few hours after I fed the birds I heard a terrifying death scream coming from my bird room, clearly from a GCC. I ran to investigate, sure I would find a mass of blood and feathers, but there was nothing. But I just had a bad feeling, and kept going in to check. A few hours later I noticed Buddy starting to droop. I thought for sure it was all in my head until I noticed his mate, Delta, all fluffed up about an hour after that. I tried to calm down, because I have paranoia about these things. I caught them and gave them a once over; eyes, nares, vents all looked good, keels felt good, they both had food in their crops and both put up a fight, good droppings... I decided I was freaking out for no reason. I came back an hour later and saw two birds with eyes closed that did not open when I entered the room.
I called 18 vet clinics. Finally I got an appointment for 8:30 pm, but it was only 4:30 at the time. I watched them deteriorate. I prayed. I ways sure they would be dead by the time they got to the vet. At one point I thought Delta WAS dead. By the time we got to the vet Buddy was laying on his side barely breathing. We got in the exam room. It was FREEZING and I asked for a heat lamp. They brought one, but then they took them to put them in a brooder and give oxygen, and the vet conduced his exam in another room after they had been in the brooder for a while, so he could keep me warm while he examined them.
All the drive over I had been on the phone with my mentor, running through every possibility, every change, every indicator. All but two of my birds live in that room, but all he other birds were fine!
I discussed my specific concerns with the vet and he agreed with my mentor; almost certainly heavy metal poisoning from their new cage. New cage syndrome my mentor called it. I have never heard of it before! I had disinfected it, but not treated it with vinegar. Oops.
We discussed my options. Basically for more info I needed $$$$ blood work, which would have to be sent to the mainland. And when the results came back as to Which metal? The clinic didn't have the drugs. They wanted to keep them overnight so they could stay in the brooder. I said my brooder was set up. They said they needed fluids every four hours, I said I can do that. They said they might need to be crop tubed, I said been there done that. They said what about quarantine? I said they told me it surely wasn't viral or bacterial, so I wanted my babies home! They gave subcutaneous fluids and sugar water by mouth, and sent me home. Half way to my car the vet came running out. He had gone back into a text book and found instructions on using Metamucil to help clear them out. He told me how to do it.
I got home, and my birds who could barely move upon arriving at the vet had perked up quite a bit. Heavy metal I guess attacks the kidney and they were extremely dehydrated. The fluids had done wonders. Buddy, who has never been completely tame, climbed out of the carrier and tried to escape, but he took fluids and gave me a feeding response! That is amazing because he was not. Hand raised at all! Delta practically attacked me to get at the syringe when she saw it, and immediately climbed up onto my shoulder!
The vet said if they are still alive by morning to start feeding formula until they are eating on their own. Once they got into the brooder Delta went right for the food and started to eat! Buddy ran around in the shavings like "ooohhh, fluffy floor!"
This afternoon I thought I had two dead birds, and was terrified for the rest of my flock. Right now (almost 1am here in hawaii) I have two sick birds who just might pull through, and a very low chance that my other birds are in danger. I'm so relieved!
BUT LESSON LEARNED
EVEN CAGES MANUFACTURED BY SAFE COMPANIES CAN PICK UP TOXINS DURING SHIPPING AND SHOULD BE BOTH DISINFECTED AND WASHED WITH VINEGAR.
