parrotlet/macaw illness

http://www.birdhobbyist.com/articles/Poopology101.html might give you some useful clues
and this site might too including its thoughts on vegetables and handling
http://www.parrotparrot.com/library/
Have you made sure to keep them warm? sometimes offering a choice of being under a warm lamp or in cooler shaded part of a cage can help a bird recover.
As its all the birds something contagious or something given or accessed by all is the likeliest culprit. Check what you are feeding, check houseplants, check that no toxins are in the home (teflon, bug sprays etc) Did you start any new foods or treats or chew sticks etc before this began - think about things like that.
If you are seeing any neurological symptoms you might wonder about West Nile disease too.
http://www.oldworldaviaries.com/text/miscellaneous/west-nile.htm
I think I'd start with everything the birds are exposed to and take a good look at that. Then look at diet and see if some extra fiber will help and make sure no contaminants are in the food.
Hope this helps you!



Edited by NHolmes on September 3 2005 at 2:54pm

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I have done all those things previously. I need a list of diseases and symptoms.

Due to your listing of blood tests etc I believed you were working with an avian vet. If you are not then I think you should be.
These sites might help you http://www.realmacaw.com/pages/comdisease.html

http://www.avianweb.com/BirdSpeciesSyndroms.htm

http://www.featheredfriendsforever.org/diseases.html

http://www.petparrot.com/Diseases.htm

http://www.tgpa.com/Diseases.html

http://www.pgaa.com/avain/health/birdcare.html



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I am just trying to get back to the answers I received as I need to copy the info.

thanks for your accept I PM'd the answers to you

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Thanks for sending the replies. I have had difficulty manipulating this site, but I copied them all down and am going through them. So far, we are all, including the vet at a loss as to what this could be.

You are welcome - I asked tech support for help on this and they suggested that you may not be logged in. You can see all your answers if you are logged in.
Another possibility is the 'view' on the page 'simple view' may not show you all answers so if you click on that link that says that it will swap to detailed view and show you everything.
My personal belief is animals want us to learn medicine so they drive us nuts with non specific ailments!
You might try some high fiber fresh foods to see if that helps. Make sure to clean any fresh foods of preservatives or other surface chemicals too before using them with the birds.

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These little parrotlets get fresh food along with their fresh seed everyday. I cut up fresh veggies every morning. As they are my "children," I take very good care of them. I clean their cage daily, so I don't think it's an external problem. Also, the Hahn's Macaw got this first and he is a "problem" bird. If it's green, he won't eat it and whoever feeds him gets to wear it. He won't even eat fruit, other than grapes, but loves cheesecake. He is my partner's bird and has been with her for years, so I'm having a tough time changing his diet to something healthier.

If you buy the vegetables and fruit are you cleaning them with one of the products that removes all the stuff on the skins (pesticides and preservatives etc) because that might be a help.
The fact that it started with one bird and moved to the others makes me feel its either something they are all exposed to in the environment or a 'bug' that isn't easily identified.
No new cleaners being used, no teflon pans, no cages in the kitchen where grease and other aerosols from the kitchen could be an issue, no change in source for seed or grapes or chew toys?
I've smelled bird rope chew toys that seem to have been hit with pesticides before being put in the store for sale for example. Were any new toys or perches introduced when this started? Did your seed or pellet provider change formulas? things like that could trigger this.
I'm sure you've been thinking hard as you are the one cleaning the cages after all! Try to think what they all have had in common and see if that helps you pinpoint something.
Has your vet considered bacterial overgrowth in the intestinal tract as an issue? Was the stool checked for just the usual or for anything that might be found? Might be this is from the usual flora going out of balance.
Birds are pretty sensitive to stress as I'm sure you are well aware - any new stressors from a change in furniture to change in soaps you use to people problems might impact this too.
Any chance a new houseplant is a culprit?
You might want to consult with a zoo vet who cares for the exotic birds if your vet isn't being of more help. Worth another try at an opinion anyhow.



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Hi--

I took the parrotlets to another vet today, but while there noticed that the diarrhea has finally cleared up. Thank God for that. They seem to be doing fine now.

Nothing has been changed either in the house or their diet. I have always given them a variety of different seeds/pellets/foods so they don't get tired of it, but nothing they haven't had before. Also, the Hahn's Macaw was the one who got it first and he doesn't eat anything the same as the parrotlets.

No live plants inside and no cleaning chemicals anywhere near the birds.

The birds are not even in the same room.

Everything has been tested that can be without biopsy.

Hopefully things will be fine now.

Thanks for your help.

Victoria
torisue516@aol.com

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