What to expect as your parrot ages?

[M&M Ninja]

Just what the title says. I've raised and lost several dogs and cats. I know what to expect and what to look for in their physical well-being. I'm familiar with the heart-wrenching decision to take them to the vet for the last time.

Is the process the same for parrots?

 

[Macawdamia Nut]

I do not want to think about that day! I have had my macaw 50 fabulous years. He was a wild caught adult when I got him and he never experienced the dreaded “puberty” age that I have read about, so I suspect he’s around 55-ish. No health issues so far. *knocks on manzanita perch* His vet and I regularly check for cataracts and lumps and bumps on his body. All clear.

The only things I have noticed is that he has had 2 dislocated toes when getting his nails trimmed. I popped them back into place, but freaked out the first time it happened. It didn’t seem to cause any pain, but was a weird sight! The vet said macaws get loose tendons when they get older. No big deal. He also snoozes more than he used to (so do I!).

His feathers look fantastic and he has shown no signs of arthritis, which is more than I can say!

Hoping we go out of this world on the same day. I can’t imagine my life without him.

 

[rheashard2]

I am curious also. My CAG is just over 20 yo. I've had her since 15-16 weeks. She's still rambunctious, mischievous etc. Vet checks are normal. She gets compliments for being one of the better behaved larger parrots. I know the 'basics' to look for. These are the same things to look for to keep any bird healthy.

 

[PrimorandMoxi]

I had a RLA amazon that had a prolapsed cloaca and the Vet did not think he could save her.

She was in her thirties and had a somewhat rough past and I only had her for, Geeze, less than a year but she and I developed a strong bond. That silly bird decided It was me who she loved.

We put her to sleep and I was wailing in the vets office.
The life cycle of a dog I can not handle.
But to see a creature that is so independently willed like a parrot be put down is wrenching.

That was in 2021 or so and still hurts.

 

[rheashard2]

That's something I can truly empathize with. Way back in early 97, I lost two dogs from old age within 6 months of each other. Then a fire took my CAG less then a year later. The fire took all my pictures. Nearly 20 years with dogs and just over 21 years with my CAG. The depression was great and still is present. I still occasionally call dogs and that CAG. My vet tech gave me a long list of books to read about grieving for pets. I bought and read, reread several. I refused to have anymore pets. After nearly 7 years my daughter got tired of me moping. She showed up with a just under 4 month old CAG. The feathered baby dived into my arms. She wouldn't let go. Then my daughter decided that I needed another dog. She dragged me to humane society adoption. I was told we weren't going to leave till I had a dog. So now I have two pets. Grief is sl different with each person. The key is to accept the grief. It's normal. But avoid letting it rule. In my case it was crochet and bead work. Let me tell you grief decreases considerably when you're crocheting 'The Beautides, Hail Mary' and more in thread w the smallest size crochet hook made! The tiny wire w a hook is #14. The larger hook did Mr & Mrs Clause. That hook and yarn was using garden hoses. I'd start crochet w tears. Those changed to joy as I completed a row or round. Notice a row or round. Not completed that's a set up for more grief.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

One of my beautiful English Budgies, Lilibet, named after Her Majesty, was plagued with health problems when I adopted her at 5. She had been overbred by the previous owners because she was a "quality show bird" from championship lines and produced "quality" chicks. While I had her she tried to lay two clutches but lost the use of her legs both times for weeks. She had osteoporosis, so when she fell only three feet she fractured her femur. I set her up alone (she didn't care) in a spacious, padded plexiglass cage to heal, and she lived another year until she had an apparent stroke one morning and trashed about on the floor of her "house" banging her pretty head against the wall. I brought Lilibet to the vet knowing I had to be merciful and put her out of her misery. I cried as the vet tech took her away for the last time.
Her failed attempts at breeding, however, blessed me with her daughter, my beloved Rocky.

Lilibet, RIP.

 

[texsize]

I have an elderly cockatiel named Baby.
He must be at least 24.
His voice is very muted.
He flys in slow motion
But he’s still fairly active and healthy.
Healthy enough to try to mate with my hand every time I take him out.

I had to put to sleep one cockatiel named Lady.
Age unknown.
She developed a neurological condition .
Head tilt, walking in circles, inability to perch. Difficulty eating and drinking.

 

[GaleriaGila]

Yeah, the ol' Rb will be 41 in May!
Good thoughts above...
He naps more, battles toys a little less, can't fly far anymore. Our wonderful avian vet watches his blood closely; he's medicated with Enalapril for blood issues, and is holding his own. I weigh him about weekly, and he's steady at 235 grams (same as the last many decades). His feathers are still beautiful... one funny thing... he used to molt a perfect set of 12 tail feathers and complete flights. My crafting friends loved him! But nowadays, he only molts a few of each... maybe he's saving his energy!
I treasure him so much.
It's worth all the worry and care and vet bills.
Thanks for this thread!

 

[texsize]

Yeah, the ol' Rb will be 41 in May!
Good thoughts above...
He naps more, battles toys a little less, can't fly far anymore. Our wonderful avian vet watches his blood closely; he's medicated with Enalapril for blood issues, and is holding his own. I weigh him about weekly, and he's steady at 235 grams (same as the last many decades). His feathers are still beautiful... one funny thing... he used to molt a perfect set of 12 tail feathers and complete flights. My crafting friends loved him! But nowadays, he only molts a few of each... maybe he's saving his energy!
I treasure him so much.
It's worth all the worry and care and vet bills.
Thanks for this thread!

Yes, molting is harder on an older bird. Takes more out of them can leave them a bit listless and grumpy.

 

[Vampiric_Conure]

I have two older birds- a peach front conure who will be 25 and a cockatiel who will be 24, both in July of this year. The cockatiel's mate died when she was 19.

The aging process appears similar to cats and dogs: cataracts, arthritis, an increase in crankiness, and a ruffled look being the examples I've seen consistently. They slow down, although Charlie, my conure, still likes to hang upside down and beat the bejezuz out of his toys. He sleeps on his belly on a flat perch and it's clear he's slowed down a LOT in the past few months. He dislikes using his feet to hold things. I think it's time for a vet visit.

 

[M&M Ninja]

This is a sobering thread, but I'm glad to have the information. These older birds are so lucky to have such loving caregivers.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

I had a budgie named Buddy who lived to be 13 years old. It doesn't sound like much next to the ages of larger parrots but Budgies generally don't live much past 7 years for several reasons. They've been inbred for hundreds of years with no influx of new wild blood so they are very prone to tumors. The poor seed based diet they are fed in captivity combined with lack of exercise makes them prone to obesity and associated health problems.

Buddy was a yellow green recessive pied male, however, when he was about five, his cere began to turn a light tan color indicating female sex. His vet told me Buddy likely had a tumor on his gonads producing feminizing hormones and was unsure of the prognosis. At around ten, Buddy's cere slowly turned back to male colored and the vet told me the tumor may have died.

One night when Buddy was about six, a rat forced its way into his cage, scaring him into a screaming, flapping frenzy! I quickly woke to see Buddy's left wing bent, twisted and bloodied and rat turds on the floor of his cage. At sunrise I rushed Buddy to the vets where they treated his fractured wing by taping it to his body for 6 weeks. Buddy survived but his wing was fused so he was never able to stretch it out or fly again.

Buddy made it to 13, but during his last couple years his kidneys were failing. He would lose his appetite and sit all puffed up so I would take him to the vet where they monitored his bloodwork, tube fed him, and administered fluids, which perked him back up until his next kidney crisis. At his last vet visit the doctor referered to Buddy as a "very geriatric parakeet", noted his cataracts and interesting medical history and asked permission to perform a (free) necropsy when the time came to learn more about Buddys testicular tumor and the aging process. He told me Buddy wasn't likely in much pain because kidney failure isn’t known to be a painful death. I took him home to die comfortably.

About a week later Buddy passed away and I took his body to the vet to make his contribution to avian science. The vet examined Buddy's testicles and found the shriveled up remnants of the tumor that had outgrown its blood supply.

I have to say, the amount of money I spent on Buddy's vet care was pretty crazy but it wasn't wasted because it helped him lead such a long happy life.