[PetLover72]

Okay - in a panic trying to save my little guys life I tried to do the "turn him upside down" method of getting the stuff out of his crop and it seems to have worked - although there still seems to be a bit more in there....see attached picture. Not sure where the seeds in this pic came from as I feed my cockatiels a ZuPreem pelleted food? Thanks so much for the help with the shopping list - I'm off to get everything including the spice mix ingredients now. Susan I will definitely take you up on your offer of talking to me on the phone in a little while!!

 

[srtiels]

That is great you got the crop emptied

The seeds almost look like seseme seeds...do you give bread with them on the crust? Or if you also give eggfood sometimes it will have some small seeds in it.

As to an entirely pelleted diet, the parents need a varied diet of seed, pellets, green/veggies when they have babies. I have had pellets be a cause of sour crop, especially if the surrounding environment is to warm.

 

[PetLover72]

Hi again Susanne - I don't give the birds any bread, but I have been giving them a nestling supplement so I guess that's where the seeds came from - good to know! I haven't ever been able to get my adult tiels to accept any fruits and veggies even though I have continued to try introducing them...I have also given millet spray here and there.

So here are pics of what I got out shopping - also a pic of the bedding I have been using for the baby and the new little plastic "cage" I just got at the store - shown with heating pad on it in an "L" shape. Heating pad has a low, medium, and high setting - which is best?

NO ONE here in Mass. carries catheter tubing - I went to Rite Aid, CVS, and Walgreens and they all said it has to come from a hospital supply place only. I bought different size syringes and aquarium tubing in case I could make that work??

 

[PetLover72]

Ok re-read your posts and saw I need to keep the heating pad on low!

 

[srtiels]

It was nice talking with you. It sounds like you are on top of the crop problem

OK...if you have a regular vet, you may be able to ask him to write a script for the catherter tubing. A regular vet would also have the supplies to do sub-Q fluids. He can also run a gram stain to see if there is any budding yeast or excessive bacteria in the droppings. Even if not an avian vet a regular vet can do cultures, providing where he sends his labs to also does avians/cockatiels. If antifungals (such as Nystatin) or antibiotics (such as Baytril) are needed these can be from your regular vet. Most vets have a formulary book as to calculating dosages.

I can't wait to see your little one feathered out...it looks like it is going to be a real beauty.

 

[PetLover72]

Thanks Susanne it was great talking to you, too! Thanks a million for the support! The Alka Seltzer treatment went well and he's already pooped so now off to mix up formula for a feeding - he's begging to eat like crazy!!! *fingers crossed!*

 

[srtiels]

Sounds good...especially the begging. If the little one was real bad it would be lethargic and not wanting to beg or eat. If begging and active it sounds like you caught the problem in time. Now for the next few days allow to fully empty between feedings. With the few cc's you'll be feeding it should be emptying approx every 4-6 hours. If after this time the baby is not completely empty you may have to empty the crop again. Keep up the good work

 

[PetLover72]

Good morning. Ugh - I am still worried sick about the little one. He seems starving so I feed him but the crop just inflates again every time and I still see the little red veins everywhere. I feel like his crop needs to be emptied again but then I feel like he will starve. He definitely seems to continue to dry out and does not seem to be rehydrating at all. He is still loudly begging for food, though. I am looking into finding a vet this morning once 8:00AM hits. Ugh. I am a terrible bird mom.

 

[MeanneyFids]

no you're not
you're doing everything youve been told and srtiels is the best person around to tell you these things! she knows everything there is and you're trying your best. that counts keep on trying, take him to the vet and i hope all goes well for you

 

[PetLover72]

Thank you Dally...

 

[srtiels]

OK...is the baby pooping? If it is pooping then it is digesting some of the formula. If not or only a little and the crop is slow, you might ask the vet for an anti-fungal and antibiotic, AND also show you how to do Sub-Q fluids at home. If the baby is going into GI or crop stasis the Sub-Q fluids is about the only way to get things moving, and some fluids in nutrients into it. AND, if crop movement is slow, and the vet puts the baby on antibiotics, it will not get the benefits from oral antibiotics, so the way to go is injectable. It may take several days of Sub-Q fluids to get things moving.

 

[MeanneyFids]

is there any 24 hour vets in your area?

 

[PetLover72]

As I'm on hold with my local non-avian dog vet to see if they can help me administer sub-q fluids, I wanted to post a picture of what I hope is something positive - poop! I put white tissue under him in his little nest so I could clearly see if he did anything and here's the result...thoughts?

 

[PetLover72]

I want to mention that I cleaned the cage up the second after I took this picture to show you!

 

[srtiels]

The consistency of the solid part of the poop looks good. the urates (white part) are not as good and the baby will benefit from Sub-Q hydration.

You have a beautiful golden pearl...which can be either sex.

OK...if your dog vet will do the Sub-Q, but is not sure of the sites here is a pix: http://s525.photobucket.com/albums/cc331/Mousebirds-and-more/Other%20birds/Babies%20in%20Trouble/?action=view&current=injection-site-for-fluids.jpg The Sub-Q fluids should be warm. The easiest way to accomplish this is to draw the solution into a syringe with a 25ga. needle. Cap the syringe and place it in a warm cup of water to warm the solution.

The injection site is the loose area of skin between the knee and the hip. ALWAYS inject the fluid under the skin, aiming towards the tail end of the bird. You do not want to inject towards the abdomen or the direction to the front of the bird. the reason why is that on the sides of the abdomen are air sacs (which can't be seen) and if the injected solution is injected into them the bird will drown instantly.

Another injection site is on the center of the back, under the skin, up near the shoulders.

1-2Ccc at each site. As the fluid is injected you will see a water bubble form under the skin. As the body absorbs this into the system it will go down. Once the area is flat then you can inject again.

 

[srtiels]

Here are some helpful pix's if you can get the catheters. And also if you opt for injectable antibiotics how to read dosages and where to inject.

 

[PetLover72]

Thanks again Susanne! Vet appointment in two hours - will post an update!

 

[srtiels]

Good luck. Print out any pix's to take if needed. OH...since the vet will be handling the baby you would prefer that it is almost empty. This way food in the crop doesn't accidently get smished up the neck while handling, which can asporate the chick. When the vet handles the bird (if unfamiliar with babies with crops) point out to keep any pressure from the hands near the crop.

 

[roxy culver]

Good luck, fingers crossed for the little one!

 

[srtiels]

Oh...I was thinking of a few helpful things since you will be handfeeding.

Rule #1 is to never save and reuse mixed formula.

How you can overcome mixing too much each feeding is to know how much you will be feeding...such as using the scales to calculate 10% of body weight. If (example only) you will be feeding 5cc of formula, first draw/pull up 5cc of fluid into your syringe. Warm/heat the water, and mix in the powdered formula, and any meds, etc.

Check the temp of the formula for 104-106 degrees. With a small amount of formula it can cool down quickly so place the mixed container cup (I like to use shot glasses for single babies) in a pan of hot water.

In pre-measuring the water, this helps to eliminate excess waste of mixed formula.