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Post by starrymist on Aug 5, 2021 18:11:10 GMT
I’m just wondering if anyone has any suggestions on how to best support an ailing bird? Obviously Brodie's heart failure is only going to get worse but I’d like to do everything possible to support his body so that he’s as well as he can be for as long as can be. I’m in the process of switching him onto Haith’s Tip Top & will introduce Haith’s Tonic soon (for a couple of days a week) as he has always been on the plump side & he’s now more sedentary & not really flying. He gets fresh greens/ veg daily & will try pretty much anything. And I’m making sure he knows he’s loved & is special. But I’m not sure if there’s anything else I can do or add to his diet? Thanks in advance for any suggestions!
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Post by ffiscool on Aug 5, 2021 19:25:04 GMT
I’m really sorry, I don’t know but hopefully someone will.
Your idea if Brody loses a bit of weight sounds good, are you able to ask the vet?
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Post by starrymist on Aug 5, 2021 20:45:10 GMT
I’m really sorry, I don’t know but hopefully someone will. Your idea if Brody loses a bit of weight sounds good, are you able to ask the vet? She said it’s similar to a human, weight & gentle exercise. He’s doing tiny (1 metre or less) flies & that seems enough for now though when it’s cooler (he’s definitely finding it harder in the heat) & if he’s up to it, I will try to extend the distance but I am being led by him, day by day. He’s still a very happy boy in amongst all the naps- singing & ringing his bells & chatting to penguin etc & isn’t distressed thankfully.
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Post by Hezz on Aug 5, 2021 22:14:24 GMT
If he will eat almost anything, I would look at making sprouts a major part of his diet and reduce the amount of seed available. Also try thinking of ways to not serve up his food so that he has to work for it. Foraging is good for getting them eating less and keeping them occupied for longer while they do so, things like pushing sprouts (if/when he starts to enjoy them) into those vine balls as an example.
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Post by starrymist on Aug 6, 2021 15:56:28 GMT
Thanks Hezz. What do you sprout? Just normal seed? I’ve always been a bit wary of sprouting as I think there can be a mould issue sometimes? It has reminded me that I haven’t grown any grass from seed for a while so I’ll get onto that!
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Post by tweetiepiesmom on Aug 6, 2021 16:10:36 GMT
I buy a sprouting mix which is organic and my two boys love it. The ingredients on the package list mung beans, wheat, brown rice, buckwheat and lentils. I sprout about 2 Tbl at a time which sprouts in 3 days. I store the sprouts in the frig and it takes them 3 days to eat that amount so I've always got a batch going. I think as long as you don't try to sprout a large amount, rinse them at least twice a day and make sure they are damp but not wet, you'll be OK. I also feel the sprouts when I dish them out. If I think they feel slimy, I toss them. Good luck!
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Post by Hezz on Aug 7, 2021 0:40:06 GMT
Mould is definitely something you need to watch, and making your last rinse in mild vinegar solution is necessary, in my opinion. When I’ve sprouted, I have used anything from the birds’ seed to human grade organic sprout mixes. If you can get some grasses growing, even better. And while you don’t want to be stressing Brodie, perhaps cutting down on the amount of seed he gets each time may help get a bit of weight off him. My two boys have taught themselves to eat some pellets as I use the pellets to increase the volume of food in their seed pot, to hide the seed in fact. The aim wasn’t to get them eating the pellets but to work for their seed, so I’m not sure who won that round, them or me!!
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Post by starrymist on Aug 7, 2021 18:20:55 GMT
Thank you @tweetiepiesmum & Hezz. I’m a bit wary of messing around with his seed too much as, in the past when I’ve tried to limit it, he’s got really stressed then when he has had access to it, he’d ‘panic eat’ - literally eating everything he possibly could (presumably thinking it may disappear again, he’s not daft!). I really don’t want to stress him just now! How funny Hezz, yes, I think they outwitted you this time! 🤣🐦
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Post by Hezz on Aug 8, 2021 2:17:15 GMT
Maybe we can call it a win for both of us? I do understand you not wanting to stress Brodie at all - that is important - but you can go about making small changes. Budgies’ diets shouldn’t be tampered with too quickly, anyway, so just small changes over time may help. It may not, either … now that Misty is eating pellets, he seems be filling up on them and his weight is now not dropping at all. I do try to convince myself that they are more healthy for him and that his fat is a more healthy fat than before. 🤓.
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Post by tweetiepiesmom on Aug 9, 2021 1:47:27 GMT
I would encourage you to try sprouts. If he loves them like my guys do, maybe he'll eat lesser of the seeds and it'll help get some weight off. If you try it, ask any questions you may have. mona also does a lot of sprouting.
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Post by mona on Aug 9, 2021 12:29:50 GMT
I have sprouted seeds for mine, including their seed mix, mung beans, chickpeas, mustard, fenugreek and anything organic/birdsafe I have at home.. Normally, it takes max 2 days to sprout at my place, but it goes bad really quick during summers. During summers, I give them soaked seeds instead after rinsing it well in ACV once.. Sometimes I soak it and half cook it to change the texture. They have liked it all so far. I have also sprouted and planted these random seeds to grow grasses too, inspired from this forum.. they love grasses too.. They have soft food/sprouts/soaked seeds one time, veggie chop + green leafy veggies at one time, grasses and fresh herbs at one time, bird bread occasionally. For birdie bread, whatever they don't like normally (cooked quinoa, brown rice, sweet potato, etc) and have rejected after trying it for many months, I mix all of that in the bird bread. Keep varying the ingredients too. There's always one small herb based birdie bread too in the lot. I normally bake it in small cupcake moulds, since consumption is very less. I don't have access to non colored pellets, so I have crushed the colored pellets I have & use that in the bird bread too. I keep switching between dried herbs, herbal tea, dried edible bird safe flowers, fresh bird safe flowers, and fresh herbs. They love it all. They would still pick some of the veggies from the veggie chop, so sometimes I blend the veggies and mix the paste in their soft food or sprout or bread. I wanted to include a balanced diet with all nutrients possible for them, even when they are being picky about something. I had been trying to get them eat mixed pulses inspired by tweetiepiesmom, which they haven't touched so far & I didn't get much time to continue with that. Changing diet takes a lot of patience. For me, it took around 6 to 7 months to switch them to just 30 percent seeds and rest with other food.. One of my birdie is struggling with his health right now and when at his worst, he eats only his old seedmix, but once he feels even a bit better, he goes back to all diet for him..
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Post by starrymist on Aug 10, 2021 16:01:00 GMT
Thanks mona , that sounds like a supreme buffet! 🤣Lucky buds.
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Post by willowsmum on Aug 10, 2021 23:18:46 GMT
If we ever get together for a party I'm volunteering mona for the catering. I'll bring the crisps
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Post by mona on Aug 11, 2021 6:39:13 GMT
Haha 😃😂 Most welcome. I would be glad to do that.. 🙈
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Post by starrymist on Aug 15, 2021 9:19:41 GMT
Update on the switching to Haith’s experiment: Well, Brodie switched over to Haith’s with no bother however….. as the days passed, his poos changed, getting darker & bigger. It got to the point he was really struggling to pass anything then, with some explosiveness (plus sounds effects) all the wriggling & squiggling would produce a huge sludgy mess - easily equivalent to 4 or 5 normal poos - followed by some chirps of relief. 😳 We tried him back on his usual seed yesterday & while not quite normal, his poos were much more like usual. He also ate a lot more of it. Has anyone else’s bud experienced this with Haith’s? Given that it smells like liquorice / aniseed & that can affect humans maybe it’s that? Or maybe we did it too quickly? He was starting to lose weight on it & I would like to get him back on it but not if it upsets his innards.
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