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Post by Hezz on Dec 5, 2021 1:40:18 GMT
That extended crop certainly is not normal, poor Munchy. Does it seem to bother him at all, does he seem to be uncomfortable, or does he just get along with life as normal?
Has he been given a probiotic recently, or even some unsweetened, unflavoured, natural organic Greek yoghurt may help his crop flora reset. I do realise that his is not going to be an easy fix, just trying to think of things that may help him even if only a little.
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Post by Ira on Dec 5, 2021 7:17:21 GMT
Thanks Hezz. It doesn't seem to bother him at all. Yesterday morning he was even quite chatty with Pippin, scurrying about on top of one of the cages. I've had him on AviPro and Guardian Angel ever since his antibiotics finished. I might as well try the yogurt though. The recommended apple juice doesn't seem to have done anything. I added some Potent Brew to their chop yesterday, it says once a week for non-breedibg birds, and that's a live probiotic so might do the trick more than the powder ones.
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Post by Ira on Dec 5, 2021 9:49:36 GMT
He's lost weight, but they all have this week.
OH noticed that his tail was straight down rather than held up more like the others, and he definitely looks tired. But he's also a bit scraggy from losing some feathers last week and for years now he's worried me with how tired he seems during a moult. We've put the heater on to warm the room up. And I'll give them egg later.
I gave him an inch of millet after I'd had to catch him twice to confirm his weight, and he was happily coming to us and sitting on us despite the grabbing, and you could see his crop but not as extremely, but once he'd had some pellets he looked a lot more swollen. I wonder if his gut is a little sensitive. Maybe I'll switch to just seeds this week and ask OH to monitor his crop to see if the diet makes a difference.
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Post by ffiscool on Dec 5, 2021 10:26:20 GMT
Poor Munchy. I think trying the seed is a good idea as then you’d have the comparison. If it goes down easier, that could help I suppose
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Post by ffiscool on Dec 5, 2021 10:28:18 GMT
I always forget I have tonic seed here. Just put some out for Max. Wondered if that might help too for Munchy
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Post by Ira on Dec 5, 2021 10:54:58 GMT
Never know. Although he probably wouldn't eat the seeds he doesn't recognise.
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Post by criswell on Dec 5, 2021 15:36:34 GMT
Poor Munchy. I'm glad whatever the problem is that it's not bothering him too much
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Post by Hezz on Dec 6, 2021 0:26:51 GMT
I am glad that he isn’t too bothered about his old-man paunch. . I’m sure you have said before, but does he drink more than average? I’m wondering if the pellets might be blowing up in his crop if he is drinking rather a lot. I know how much a single pellet grows by if dropped in water. And also soaked seed is supposed to be easier for the budgies … not sure if that is just for them to eat, or also easier for them to digest. Might be worth a try, anyway, and the Potent Brew sounds like another good idea.
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Post by Ira on Dec 6, 2021 0:54:09 GMT
He does drink a fair amount, Hezz. It's tricky to monitor except for the times where he guzzles mouthfuls of running water, but it's quite possible that he's swelling them up. I've only soaked their seed once before but I'll give it a try and see. Anything that might help. I remember the turned up beaks last time I presented them with damp seed!
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Post by Hezz on Dec 6, 2021 22:31:08 GMT
I can understand that; it must seem not normal for their food to be wet. Can only try, I guess.
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Post by Ira on Dec 7, 2021 2:48:55 GMT
Hezz I'll tell them it's been rained on. He didn't seem to go as puffy on seeds yesterday.
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Post by Hezz on Dec 8, 2021 0:35:32 GMT
That is good news, Ira. Hopefully that small change in diet is all he needs.
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Post by Ira on Dec 8, 2021 5:54:25 GMT
Hopefully. He was rather large after seeds last night, Hezz, but I had given them larger portions yesterday because they'd all lost weight, it's cold, some of them are moulting includong Munchy, and they seem sleely, so was wondering if it would help with energy levels. So possibly it was just too much in one go.
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Post by Ira on Dec 8, 2021 10:28:04 GMT
I'd say 1/4tsp of seed is better than 1/4tsp pellets, but 1/2tsp seed is too much in one go.
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Post by Hezz on Dec 9, 2021 0:51:03 GMT
Budgies are generally foragers, so grazing all day if possible, except for the heat of the day. I guess they would get small amounts of seed at one time rather than a belly-ful each time, so smaller amounts more often might be what he needs.
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