[PetLover72]

Hello - I am a brand new member....just joined today. I have a pair of tiels that recently hatched their first egg which came as a huge shock to me. I was told if I didn't provide the right tools for an egg to hatch, they wouldn't...well one did!

So here I am - with a sweet little "guy" that hatched around Feb 17th-18th and I am scared to death. Mom and Dad have been doing a great job with him, but last night it looks like the male pulled out a bunch of the baby's feathers on his head and neck so after being counseled by a local pet store I decided to take him out and begin hand feeding today.

Here's my issue - he is totally inflated (before I tried feeding for the first time.) I have been online researching what a normal full crop should look like and this isn't it. The pictures do look similar to a ruptured air sac/sour crop and I have no idea what to do. The nearest avian vet to me - if I could even afford the appt. - is almost 2 hours away. If anyone has advice that could help me I would very much appreciate it!!

~Erika

 

[lperry82]

Hello and welcome to the forum... Here is srtiels website and on sour crop and what you can do http://justcockatiels.weebly.com/sour-and-slow-crop-remedies.html and im sure she will be on soon to help you

 

[PetLover72]

Thank you for posting that link - I'm afraid I still have questions and would still love any responses people may have...thanks in advance!

 

[Debbie05]

Do you have a picture of what he looks like?

 

[PetLover72]

@aebbie - yes but I'm new here...trying to figure out how to upload pictures...

 

[srtiels]

If you can post several clear pix's that would help. You can part the feathers on the crop and get several pix's. The easiest way to get a clear close up shot is to take the pix at 18" away, using the auto setting on the camera. when you download the pix crop it so that there is just a little surrounding area of the area you want us to look at.

To post pix's...when you reply, select the 'Go Advanced'...it will bring up another window...scroll down and Click on 'Manage Attachments' Select browse to find the pix's, and click on upload for each one. Once done close the Manage Attachments window, and finish and post your posting.

Here is an online Album of mine....does the baby look like any of these: http://s525.photobucket.com/albums/cc331/Mousebirds-and-more/Other%20birds/Babies%20in%20Trouble/

 

[srtiels]

Thank you for posting that link - I'm afraid I still have questions and would still love any responses people may have...thanks in advance!
-----------------------------------------

READ the article in the link. if there is anything in the article DO IT!

We can not help you if you do not know what to problem is, or post pix's to show what is going on. AND detail how much you are feeding the bird, how often, what thickness/consistency, allowing to empty prior to each feeding etc. MORE info please....

 

[PetLover72]

Pictures

Here are a few pictures of the baby. I took him away from his parents because overnight last night one of them apparently plucked out a lot of feathers on and around his head and neck.

 

[srtiels]

The pix's help. Some MORE info though. In the last pix is that what was in the crop when pull (and how long was it filled like this) or is that formula in the crop. And are those red veins showing?

if the crop feels gassy, and very soft and fluidy, and there are veins apparent you may have sour crop. This crap has to be emptyied from the crop. Try and find a local breeder or someone to empty and flush the crop.

 

[PetLover72]

More pics...

 

[PetLover72]

Hi Susan - thank you for your responses!!
Regarding:"crop feels gassy, and very soft and fluidy, and there are veins apparent" - answer to this is yes...veins are apparent and feels very fluidy and gassy. I can see liquid floating in some of it. I took baby out of cage as of 11:00AM this morning and this is what he looked like - I would say it's about the same as he looked last night.

I went to my local pet store and spoke to a "cockatiel person" there who sold me formula and gave me a couple of pipettes for feeding. I was afraid maybe the baby was hungry so I did feed him a little of the formula, maybe one small pipette full - but he was not very receptive to it so I stopped and got online and now joined here hoping for help.

I've read so many things online here - even someone that suggested trying to poke a tiny hole in the air sac to deflate it - I know I am in no way qualified for this so of course I did not try to do it. I was hoping to find something I could give the baby orally that might help.

On your advice, I will start searching for a local breeder to see if I can find someone to help.... I feel horrible!!! I thought I was doing all the right things with this little baby.

 

[srtiels]

Your chick has sour crop... It's also dehydrating. And since the viens are present there is high rish of the viens absorbing pathogens (yeast and bacteria) in the crop and it going systemic (throughout the body and organs)...and once this happens it is hard to turn this around.

Here is a link: You have two options: http://justcockatiels.weebly.com/sour-and-slow-crop-remedies.html do what is listed in the article OR go to a vet ASAP. The thing that has to bee done ASAP is th empty and flush the crop, and to also get this baby rehydrated.

 

[PetLover72]

Here are pictures of my little one at different stages so you can get an idea of his progress...

 

[srtiels]

You do not have a ruptured air sac.

You have sour crop. At this stage this can be irreversable, and fatal, if aggressice actions are not taken.

A pipette is not good to use. Go to a pharmacy and in the baby section see if they have any syringes....either 5 or 10 cc/ml. Also while there pick up a baby digital thermometer. ANY fluids or formula that is put into the chick should be approx 104-106 degrees. ALWAYS feed where the food/fluid is fed into the birds right side of the throat. this lessens risks of aspiration.

make a hospital box. In an emergency a plan cardboard box works fine. Put 2-3" of bedding in the bottom of the box. Use a heating pad set on low...have part of the heating pad under the box and part going up the side (forming an L shape) Lightly wipe or mist just the inside walls of the box with water. Close the top flaps of the box, and let the inside warm up. Ideally you want an enviroment inside the box that feel warm and moist like a suana.

 

[srtiels]

Here are pictures of my little one at different stages so you can get an idea of his progress
-----------------------------

Your little one started out normally....what a cutie

One problem I see is the lack of a decent bedding. Were there other eggs, or babies and what happened if so. The main problem with what you used in the nest was that it would've been very hard for the chick to retain heat, etc. This is styress and with stress things go wrong. if the parents started plucking it after it was fully feathered, many times they will do this to get the chick to fledge, and it is also an indication that they want to start another clutch.

Also what was being fed to the parents to feed the chick? many times if alot of soft foods are given this can be the main contribuor to sour crop in the nest.

 

[PetLover72]

Ok so a vet is not possible in the next 12 hours so I want to try to follow the steps given in your link. I need to run to the local CVS drugstore - I will get Alka Seltzer and some syringes and what else? If you can quickly respond to me with a list of everything I might need to buy at a drugstore or pet store right now I will leave immediately to go get them... meanwhile I am reading all the info I can find on your site...

 

[PetLover72]

Sorry - I hadn't read your responses before I posted last. So I will get those syringes, a heating pad, alka seltzer...and?

As for the bedding - I was afraid I wasn't I wasn't providing the right things. There is a different nesting material than shown in the first pic with the paper towels...I had him in a small cardboard box on the floor of the cage, but he kept getting out of it so I took it out. This baby was the only one to hatch out of three eggs - and please remember I was not tying to have babies. I was told if I didnt supply nesting materials the eggs would not hatch. I feel just awful - will have to have my boyfriend drive me to get the supplies because I am crying too hard to drive. Thank you SO MUCH for offering what help you can.

 

[lperry82]

Awwww dont feel too bad its not your fault you are doing whats best for them

 

[srtiels]

A few things for your shopping list. Get the spices to make the remedy, they do work. Get plain or original Alka Seltzer. And plain unflavored store band yogurt.

Do you have a Whole Foods or healthfood store nearby? If so if you can get some Capryl (caprlic acid) capsules these will be useful as a natural form of an antifungal to treat yeast. if they don't have the Capryl, then ask id they have Pau 'd Arco extract. This is also great for yeast and or a mild bacteria. Just 1-2 drops per feeding for about a week. The capryl is 1/4 capsule per feeding for a week.

 

[srtiels]

If you need any verbal help you can click on my Mousebird website link in my signature. Go to the contacts page and it has my phone #. Feel free to phone anytime....I can talk you through several of the things you need to do.