Jul 30, 2020 13:49:13 GMT
Ellie
Normal Violet
Posts: 110
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Post by Ellie on Aug 6, 2020 11:45:20 GMT
I'm still in search of a vet to bring my new budgie to, but after finding out that he received no vet care at the shelter, I want to make sure he doesn't have anything like mites, etc. He's scratching a lot, although honestly, I'm still thinking it's his first moult (fluffy feathers coming out, could have sworn I saw a few pin feathers under his wings). Better safe than sorry.
I have one issue though - I'm not sure how to get him from the flight cage to a carrier. He's a little tame (although I've been seeing he's less inclined to hop on my hand at certain times of the day). I also don't think I could lift him out of the cage, and in to a carrier. The other issue is that the carrier he came in with (a donated small animal carrier). Had mesh that he started to chew, and his little nails got stuck in. It's also front loading (probably easier to get him in if I line it up with a door). I could quickly order in a new small animal carrier from amazon (I was thinking of this one based on reviews... not sure of which size www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B006JVPL6W/ref=ask_ql_qh_dp_hza ), but it seems all the smaller travel carriers are top loading. Any tips?
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Post by jellybean on Aug 6, 2020 13:08:27 GMT
This is the one I have, bought a few years ago now, and don't think I paid that price for it. It has served me well for vet visits with my two boys, and it's what I brought Sam home in last year.
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Post by birdguhl on Aug 6, 2020 17:12:57 GMT
Sounds like you will have to do a chase down to get him into the carrier, Ellie, unless you can do a very quick job of luring him in to the carrier with treats. My boys wouldn't have bought into this though, so unfortunately vet visit = chase. This is the reason mine will exit any cage they are in when I approach - they remember!
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Post by Hezz on Aug 6, 2020 20:18:34 GMT
I'm fairly sure Marianne Marlow has one like this, Ellie. I have a different Living World carrier, least I think it is ... not checking right now as all birdies are still asleep ... it has two openings, a lid within a lid. For the birds I think a top opening might be less of an escape risk than one that opens from the side if the bird is at all flighty - a bird can shoot straight out at great speed but much harder for them to fly up and out. Found it - www.petcity.com.au/~3097What I like about this one is that the slats at the side give you a place to wedge a perch in, so that the bird doesn't have to scrabble around on the floor.
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Jul 30, 2020 13:49:13 GMT
Ellie
Normal Violet
Posts: 110
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Post by Ellie on Aug 7, 2020 13:02:59 GMT
jellybean it's like a little camping tent! I love the fact that it folds to save space. But unfortunately we don't have that one available here. I've seen something similar, but that's getting up in to the carriers that cost closer to the $85 mark Hezz I think I'll order this one. I see it on Amazon, and I agree, it's probably better considering it also has the smaller door. I also like that I can put a perch in it easier. Looks like I'll have to wait until Monday which isn't too bad, but it may even take me a week or two to get an appointment because of the covid-19 restrictions. birdguhl with my mothers birds (who aren't tamed at all), this is what it came down to. My mother had to catch them with a fine mesh butterfly net, then quickly place them in to the carrier box. I'm hoping it doesn't come to this - the carrier that Hezz recommended might just squeeze through the large doors in the front of the cage. So I'm thinking I might be able to bait him with millet and get him to fly to the perch in the carrier, then close the lid? (lets hope I don't go creating trust issues with my bird)
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Post by Hezz on Aug 8, 2020 0:39:20 GMT
Good choice in my opinion. Budgies are easy to put into it, even my sun conure fits in easily as well. Once you have it, pop a perch in and then bait it with millet, perhaps a favourite toy as well, and leave it next to his cage to be explored at will. The more familiar he is with it the less he will freak out if he is that way inclined when the need arises.
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Apr 19, 2024 4:06:00 GMT
Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 8, 2020 5:43:05 GMT
Hezz makes a very good point with the familiarity. I’ve been leaving the travel cage up as a potential play area, though Yuki seemed to always want to be out of it so don’t know if they’ll explore it. Apologies for an anecdote, but this reminded me of taking Munchy and Peri to visit my grandparents at Christmas. Their travel cage was a bit tiny so I took them in Munchy’s old cage, and because he was tame and Peri would follow him I lined up the cage doors, put my hand through the side door of the old cage, out through the front and into the new cage’s front door. Munchy ran up my hand thinking it was time to come out, Peri followed, and then both looked extremely confused to find themselves in another cage. Couldn’t do that with these two. Would probably have to resort to catching them.
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Post by Hezz on Aug 8, 2020 10:03:42 GMT
I looked after a couple of love birds who lived in a cage that have never been cleaned. Couldn't stand that, sooooo I did almost the same. The two birds were NOT tame at all, luckily my spare cage was the same size as theirs, so I did the same re the doors - lined up the cages front to front with both doors open and shooed the lovies into my cage, stuck their cage into my bath, filled with hot soapy water and got busy!! Initially I thought the cage was rusty, that's how dirty it was (white painted cage, never been cleaned properly) what a revelation to see this lovely clean thing emerge from the dirt!! Once their cage was clean, dry and ahem ... reconfigured ... I reversed the process and got them back into their old-new cage without too much trouble.
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Jul 30, 2020 13:49:13 GMT
Ellie
Normal Violet
Posts: 110
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Post by Ellie on Aug 9, 2020 15:04:52 GMT
@sillycat84 That's how I moved mine from the temp cage in to the flight cage. I put the smaller cage on a table, lined the door up with the flight cage door, stuffed some decorative pillows on each side of the door since there were gaps, and threw a towel over the cage. I had to use a dowel perch to lift him from the perch he was on towards the door. I probably made it more of a production than it needed to be, but considering it was only my second day of having him, I wasn't taking any chances! lol Hezz The carrier is on it's way (although they sent it by local post, so I'm hoping it doesn't vanish in to the void). One question about the carrier exploration though... he hasn't been out to fly yet. Should I just place his carrier near the cage to get him used to it in general? I seem to be facing a little dilemma when it comes to free-flying around the house.
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Post by Hezz on Aug 9, 2020 20:25:40 GMT
Yes, just leave it out and visible for starters, with the lip open; if you can fit it into his cage (doubtful) that would be excellent. A pity he can't come out to explore it as that would be the ideal.
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Jul 30, 2020 13:49:13 GMT
Ellie
Normal Violet
Posts: 110
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Post by Ellie on Aug 10, 2020 7:20:47 GMT
Hezz He'll be able to come out to fly soon enough, it's just a matter of deciding where to let him fly. My apartment is fairly open concept - the livingroom (where the cage is) has no doors closing off access to the dining room/kitchen or hallway. The bedroom door doesn't close normally, as I have a baby gate in the doorway as a place to put the dog when I go out (otherwise she's prone to getting into trouble, and I don't want her bothering the bird). So either I have to find a way to curtain off access to the other rooms, or I have to take the gate down every day to roll the cage in the bedroom where it's safe. I didn't realize this would be so complicated (I need to move lol) But I've got bigger worries on my hands right now. Danny doesn't seem "right". I had removed the bamboo toys from his cage earlier, worrying that he was eating them, rather than just shredding them. But I don't think that's the problem. Yesterday he starting bobbing his head a lot. By the afternoon I noticed he was very quiet in comparison to previous days. His chirps are very quiet. Like something is blocking the sound from coming out. He's not even chirping along to water running or music playing like he was. I tried to play budgie sounds on youtube, and while he tried to chirp, it was so quiet I couldn't really hear him. He's also suddenly taken to sleeping on the bottom perch. I'm actually worried that something is wrong with him. Problem is, while I anticipated a first check-up, I wasn't anticipating there being additional tests and treatment should something be wrong. I just spent over $400 on start up supplies - a regular vet visit is about $100-$130, but to add an emergency fees, etc.... I honestly can't even sleep. I'm going to see how he is in a few hours at our normal wake up time to see if it's just a one day thing
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Jul 30, 2020 13:49:13 GMT
Ellie
Normal Violet
Posts: 110
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Post by Ellie on Aug 10, 2020 14:08:12 GMT
Just called 3 vets to try and get an appointment and the soonest available is two weeks from now unless he becomes critically ill. On the bright side, they did give me advice as to what to look for, and suggested things like doing a thorough vacuuming, dusting, washing curtains, etc. to make sure dust isn't an issue (apparently this is more common than people think, and honestly, being in an older building dust is a daily battle). They also said he might be more comfortable now, and doesn't feel the need to respond to every noise he hears. Head bopping might just be a happy bopp lol... This morning he's quietly chattering to himself. Probably making fun of me for being a worry wart.
Carrier to take him in two weeks from now should be here tomorrow.
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Post by Hezz on Aug 10, 2020 20:22:04 GMT
It is good that he seems a little better to you. I'm not sure I'd agree with the vets' take on his symptoms, but then I didn't listen to your conversation with them either. It may have been something like eating too much of his bamboo fingers instead of just twirling the paper in the ends. Have his poops changed at all? He may have been a bit like the kid in the lolly shop - too much of a good thing. (My brother always had to have a vomit on the way home, being too greedy).
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Jul 30, 2020 13:49:13 GMT
Ellie
Normal Violet
Posts: 110
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Post by Ellie on Aug 14, 2020 22:59:03 GMT
It is good that he seems a little better to you. I'm not sure I'd agree with the vets' take on his symptoms, but then I didn't listen to your conversation with them either. It may have been something like eating too much of his bamboo fingers instead of just twirling the paper in the ends. Have his poops changed at all? He may have been a bit like the kid in the lolly shop - too much of a good thing. (My brother always had to have a vomit on the way home, being too greedy). Sorry, it was a bit of a long conversation to relay. They went over environmental stuff that could have an impact, and anything to look out for to indicate it might be more serious.
We've had a few days go by since the call and I'm really starting to think it's just him settling in and seeing his personality lol.
He peeps in the morning to get me to uncover the cage. Now he quietly chatters away with the occasional tweeting during the day. It's almost sounds as if he is starting to pick up garbled words here and there (but I could be imagining it). He gets a little loud near 7pm if I don't come clean his cage out and cover him up.
Poops are normal btw. It's possible the bamboo played a role, but to be honest, I forgot to mention it (I think he's starting to get the idea that they aren't meant to be eaten). I was thinking more along a seed hull gone down wrong. That or being a stray, I was thinking more along the lines of it being something like air sac mites (etc) because of his low volume, scratching (which is clearly now moulting), head bopping, etc. Really, I've never seen a budgie boop so much. I can tell that for most the part he sleeps though the night (droppings in one spot), and when I peek in, he's not doing it, so maybe he's just content? The clinic told me that it's actually surprising - they've had quite a few stay (or temporary escape) budgies in to be seen, and majority never end up having picked up mites or parasites. It's more likely to happen the longer the budgie is outdoors, and they figured given his approximate age, he probably wasn't out there that long.
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Post by Hezz on Aug 15, 2020 1:19:59 GMT
I'd agree, re the lack of mites and other parasites. Budgies who find themselves out in the wild by mistake are not going to be hanging with the other native birds, they are going to keep to themselves so the chance of transmission is going to be relatively low. Good, though, that he seems to be settling down, and that poops have been normal. That is always a plus.
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