Info my ill Sunconure

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bleeding green
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Thought I might keep you updated on the progress of my ill sunconure as someone may be able to learn something from it and apply this knowledge to other bird species.

The bird is a male (so I think) with the hen on eggs atm. They are kept in a suspended flight outdoors. They were not hand raised. He is about 5 or 6 yrs old (so I was told).
On Sunday afternoon I noticed he was a bit down but just hoped it was the fluctuating weather. Fed them first thing Monday but headed straight to work. Came home at about 6pm and it was pouring rain. Ran out to check him and saw him vomit. Didn't want to act as it was getting on evening/dark and thought I might stress him out further. Tuesday morning, still raining, quick feed, he seemed just OK but had to run to work again. On Tuesday evening by the time I got home he was already settled in the box for the night.
This morning he looked very weak, just clinging to the wire, fluffed up and soaking in the sun. Eyes look droppy. Took him into the vet. Vet said he was thin, and had no food in his crop. Also said the vomitting could be from metal poisoning by possibly eating a metal dag from somewhere in the aviary. He also said that he would have been for at least a week, even though he may not have showed it as birds do, and that I should have brought him in on Monday. Hindsight is a great thing.
I left him with the vet, they will wait for droppings to test and may x ray. Also may dose him up on electrolytes to re-hydrate. I just have to wait to hear from them.
While I hate losing birds this has come at a really bad time as they are sitting on eggs whic will probably be infertile now if the male had an underlying illness. Laid two clutches of infertile eggs last year also so I was really hoping the new aviary this year may improve my results.

I will keep you informed.

* UPDATE*

Vet called this evening to tell me that an an x ray showed no foriegn objects in the stomach but revealed an enlarged liver. He said it was most likely a poisioning of some sort. Suggested that he may have ingested some plastic or something toxic, but nothing has changed in the flight since they have been in there. (I did change their feeders on Sunday but the bird already seemed ill by this stage).
Vet will give a dosage of antibiotics. I will pick him up tomorrow and continue to administer. If the liver doesn't settle down I may lose the bird.

Watch this space.

* UPDATE *

Picked the bird up yesterday afternoon. Looked a touch better. Will be having a course of antibiotics, twice a day direct to mouth. 5 weekly injections also have to go back to the vet each week.
I have now discovered why you don't hear or see many people taking birds to the vet. the bill so far....$247!! :x I couldn't believe it. I was expecting $100, maybe $120. The most expensive part was the x ray, no wonder the vet looked at me awkwardly when he suggested he might take an x ray. $107.
And each injection will be another $16.
The worst part > all that and once the medication is finished he may turn again. All that dosh, and I still don't know what caused it. All I know is something upset his liver but wihtout knowing exactly what caused it, how can I prevent it in the future??
Anyway, fingers crossed he pulls through.
Last edited by bleeding green on 05 Nov 2010, 14:26, edited 3 times in total.
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jusdeb
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sorry to hear your bird is sick , the conures are usually as tough as old boots too . Hope he recovers
Accept that some days you are the pigeon, and some days you are the statue.
David Brent
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bleeding green
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Thanks Deb,

Yep, when I first saw him a bit down I thought he'd just get over it on his own and would probably bet better off left to his own devises. But he went down hill. Hope the vet, Mike Cannon, can work his magic.
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Diane
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Fingers crossed for you, let us know how he gets on.
Diane
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jusdeb
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That Mike Cannon wouldnt also be the patron of the native cockatiel society would he ?
Accept that some days you are the pigeon, and some days you are the statue.
David Brent
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finchbreeder
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Hope all goes well, both with the cock bird and the eggs. After all it depends how many eggs there are and how long he has been crook. May have done the deed before illness.
LML
LML
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bleeding green
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Thanks finbreeder. They've got three eggs and I only found them mid last so I think he got ill when she was probably on her second egg (if the vet is right about how long he has been ill for). I think they lay every second day.
Also, something I've never known the answer to: Do birds need to copulate for each egg or just once at the begining, and how long before eggs are laid to they need to dance? Someone here might know.
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finchbreeder
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My understanding is the hen can store it for a couple of days. And unsure if it is good for 1 or 2 eggs. But don't hold me to that.
LML
LML
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Jayburd
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my friend just hatched 6 quails from a mother who hadn't seen a male in 3 weeks
Julian

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Feel free to check out my photos here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/lewinsrail/
And my birding antics here: http://worthtwointhebushbirding.blogspot.com.au/
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bleeding green
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Update on the conure: So far so good. He looks fit and healthy. Hi spoos are fine and he is eating well. But the real test will be when the antibiotics finish next week. I took him back for another injection today which was part of the treatment plan. The vet suggested that I maintain the antibiotics for another 5 days. That will mean the bird is without is for 2 days by the time I need to go back for the 3rd injection next week. He reckos by then it would b a good indication of how he will go when the treatment is completly finished.
tbh, I don't know how much of the antibiotics he is actually receiving. He sure is wearing alot of it. But I'll keep doing what I have been.
On my whinge about the cost, I just finished reading an article about why avian vets cost some much. Very interesting read. Talks alot about how diagnosis is completly differant for birds than that for cats and dogs. While I don't take my whinge back, I no longer feel like I've been ripped off.
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