Hello, I have a double yellow head parrot. Today around noon…

As unusual as it may sound, when a bird loses it’s balance, it could be the result of an internal problem.

Let’s go over a few of the more common:

Sometimes a tumor on the kidney will not appear on the outside of the body, but other symptoms such as limping, the loss of use of a leg (or both) and/or imbalance might occur. This happens when the tumor presses on certain nerves.

Tumors can also be in a male’s testes or female’s ovaries and there are not always obvious changes until later on when the growth is more dominant inside.

Other indications that there may be tumor activity would be a change in cere color, weight loss, changes in droppings (often becoming pasty, soiling around the vent) and just subtle, overall changes that owners may sense more than actually see or be able to describe.

Fatty liver disease is something that is often seen in a bird on a seed only or predominantly seed diet. No matter how much the manufacturer insists they are fortified and healthy, they are misleading all of us.

http://www.avianweb.com/liverdisease.html and though a cockatiel site, this will apply to all psittacines (parrots) http://www.birdsnways.com/wisdom/ww61eiii.htm

Skeletal problems, deficiencies and even toxicities can cause a loss of balance and restlessness in some birds, as well as the more common symptoms such as breathing difficulties, open mouthed breathing and so on.

Take a look here under critical conditions to reassure yourself that urgent veterinary intervention may be necessary (these symptoms apply to all birds, not just ‘tiels) http://www.avianweb.com/cockatieldiseases.html

A surprise to many owners is that a crop problem can be behind the symptoms too. Anything that contributes to an electrolyte imbalance/nutritional

As with all things that might go wrong with our feathered friends, early intervention gives us a better chance at keeping them around a bit longer.

Blood chemistries and X-rays should be expected (and encouraged).

So much information is flooding the net these days about what to feed a companion bird, whether a budgie/parakeet, cockatiel or marvelous macaw, it’s sometimes difficult to wade through the junk science, old wives tales, well meaning owner advice or just plain dangerous suggestions.

It’s generally recommended that most of today’s companion birds have a predominantly pelleted diet. Pellets have been continually updated since being introduced to the market years ago and today’s formulas are better than ever.

Supplementing this diet with fresh foods every day is ideal and many owners find they can re-introduce seeds - in limited amounts (perhaps once or twice a week) without the bird refusing the pellets overall.

Whole grains, dark leafy vegetables, fruits and legumes. Include the colors orange, yellow , green, plus reds too! Think sweet potatoes/yams, squash, melons, oranges, peas, chard, beets and others.

Brown rice, quinoa, whole wheat couscous and natural, whole grain pastas are great choices.

Limit fats, especially the kind from animals. Good fats are most plant fats like soy, olive and canola oils. No fried anything

Even though this is put out by a cockatiel site, it’s applicable to all hook bills from budgies/parakeets to conures, greys and macaws.

http://www.cockatiels.org/articles/nutrition/diet.html cites feeding both seed and pellets, but only after weaning the bird from a mostly seed diet.

http://www.letstalkbirds.com/cockatiels.htm

Here is more on ideal nutritional needs:

The American Cockatiel Society (not just for ‘tiels, it’s for all hookbills) http://www.acstiels.com/Articles/BasicCare/cockatie.htm

The Bird Care Library at Harmony Animal Hospital http://www.petvets.com/petcare/birds.html#nutrition

What you can do while securing a vet to see your companion is supportive care.

Most birds will need a heat source to maintain body heat while you’re getting their medical treatment lined up or while you’re on your way to see the vet with them.

If perching is a problem, lower the perch to just a couple inches above the floor of the cage so falling doesn’t injure them. You might also want to remove the perch completely and layer newspapers on the bottom or put a tee shirt there. We use T-shirts because bath towels tend to have looped surfaces that can entangle little toenails.

Putting a heat source into the cage may be necessary since a sick or distressed bird tends to lose body heat. I prefer a non electric source and use rice socks.

Use a thick, clean sock and fill it ¾ with plain, raw white rice. Knot the end and microwave it for about 1 ½ minutes. Shake it afterwards to distribute the heat and be sure it’s not too hot.

Heating pad options include layering a thick towel on one side of the cage, secure with clothespins out of the reach of the bird’s beak – then clip a heating pad over the towel and set on low. Check often to be sure it’s not overheating and that the bird isn’t gnawing through. A side attachment like this will allow the bird to move closer or away as needed.

If the bird is bottom-bound, install a heating pad under about ½ of the base, again, set on low. Always check it. They have a tendency to turn off or overheat and to be honest, I rarely use them.

The rice sock option is far safer.

Cover the cage with a dark blanket or doubled over dark sheet, leaving just enough open space to be able to peek in and monitor. The bird needs to be kept calm and resting.

For a makeshift incubator (for smaller or younger birds), use a small box lined with soft clothes like tee shirts.

Use a thick, clean sock and fill it ¾ with plain, raw white rice. Knot the end and microwave it for about 1 ½ minutes. Shake it afterwards to distribute the heat and be sure it's not too hot. Tuck this in just under the cloths.

A heating pad under the box is also helpful, set on low. This is one of the few times I’d ever use both heat sources if necessary to maintain incubation temp (90-105 degrees).

If ever using an electric source for heating anything in anyway, please be vigilant and constantly double checking carefully.

Gently drape a light cover over this box to further help hold heat in and keep light low.

If your bird will drink and eat on their own, excellent. If not, have an eyedropper ready to administer a few drops of plain water, or better yet, children’s Pedialyte every 20-30 minutes. Put the dropper gently inside the beak and let the drops fall into the bottom beak under the tongue rather than trying to get into the back of the throat. We don’t want to chance the bird inhaling the fluid and developing pneumonia.

Another feeding option is to offer ½ spoon of all natural, organic baby food (squash, yams, sweet potatoes, mixed vegetables) which many birds take readily; also try some pabulum or baby rice cereal and a few licks of natural (no artificial anything) yogurt.

If your bird develops distress from overheating: Gently spritz a light mist of cool water without frightening them and focus on their feet. Pouring a gentle stream of cool water on their feet may also be helpful.

http://www.exoticpetvet.net/avian/heat.html (details on overheating)

These are just temporary supportive measures to keep your bird alive while you get professional, hands on care. These measures will not cure your bird.

Don’t mistake what looks like recovery to be a real recovery. It is very common for a bird to regain enough strength to start hiding their illness again, but what’s happening is that it’s progressing and by the time you see symptoms again, it will be much worse or too late.

Find an avian vet near you http://aav.org/vet-lookup and

http://veccs.org/hospital_directory.php

These days, with birds growing fast in popularity as in home companions, many DVM’s are quite experienced and able to see and treat many birds. If you have a pet store that sells birds or know of any bird breeders – ask them who they use for their bird care.

Also note that on weekends, nights and holidays there are vets open. Finding them is often just a matter of calling around and listening to emergency numbers listed on the answering services.

An hour’s drive to get help is better than spending an hour at home and not being able to do anything.

Good luck. I sincerely XXXXX XXXXX beautiful feathered friend is ok.