Wanted to share a remedy...

**DesertDweller** · 08-04-2012, 02:02 PM

Little Rosey, my 4 month old female parrotlet, got sick a few weeks ago. I think she might have gotten her little beak pinched by Riley, but I can't be sure. She shared housing with Riley but now they've got their own separate cages. Riley is also 4 months old. He's never bitten me and is the gentlest little guy you could meet. I hand-fed him since he was a couple of weeks old.

Anyway, Rosey has been very lethargic and not inclined to eat, but now she's doing a whole lot better. She's almost back to her old self!!

So, I wanted to share with everyone what I did to help her along because it's kind of unusual in some ways. First, she would only eat millet spray and she wasn't drinking water. So I soaked the spray in diluted Pedialite unflavored for a half hour to moisten it and give her some electrolytes. I hand-fed her thin-mixed Baby Bird Formula so she could get a full regimen of nutrients. I also watered down the formula and dipped the millet spray in it to lightly coat it. Then when she sat nibbling on her millet, she was getting fluids and nutrients. Oh, and I also kept a dish of her normal seed diet and her daily salad mix in her cage every day, too.

Well, it worked! I haven't heard of anyone else doing this and it certainly cannot hurt any bird for sure. So I thought I'd share.

**maxollie** · 08-05-2012, 12:15 PM

Pat, I'm so happy to hear that Rosie is better. The information you have shared is very valuable to all bird owners, because we never know from day to day what unexpected challenges might come to our little friends. Thanks so much for posting this info!! I'm going to write it down in my journal and keep it for reference.

**Pipers Mom** · 08-05-2012, 03:51 PM

Pat, thanks for sharing your remedy. I'm going to print your forum post and keep it in case of an emergency. If it worked well for you, I'm sure it will be helpful to others. Happy to hear that Rosey is feeling much better and almost back to herself again.

**DesertDweller** · 08-07-2012, 05:22 PM

Thanks Ellen and Carolyn. I hope you never have to use the remedy, but glad you kept it just in case.
Update on Rosey's progress: she's still a little quiet, but she's sleeping a lot less. At first she had a tough time getting to her food and would only eat millet. Now, she's the acrobat!! She sits on a perch and hangs upside down to eat her millet! So cool! She's back to eating everything on her own and taking baths.

After doing a lot of research on her symptoms, I really feel somehow her beak got pinched, but I cannot figure out how. The big birds don't - and can't - get near her cage, and Riley's mouth is too tiny to pinch Rosey's beak that way. And, none of the things in the cage could have done it. Really puzzling... But her symptoms match a mildly cracked beak.

I'm so glad I had that baby bird formula on hand... And I'm so happy she's getting better.

**DesertDweller** · 08-07-2012, 05:56 PM

Thought I'd share a couple of photos I took today of Rosey and Riley:

Here's Rosey:

And, here's Riley:

**maxollie** · 08-07-2012, 08:22 PM

Oh, Pat, they are sooooooooooo precious! It is very puzzling what might have happened to Rosie! I will pray that she continues on a well path to recovery. I LOVE their feathering and colors!! Sure wish I could have an aviary. I'd have a couple of parrotlets too!!

**DesertDweller** · 08-09-2012, 09:47 AM

I was mistaken. I let Riley visit Rosey for a few minutes under my close supervision and I saw him put his beak in the exact same position that would have injured Rosey. His little beak IS big enough to cause her beak to crack. So, these birds are separated permanently.

People wonder why I don't house my birds together, why I have so many cages. That's why. Unfortunately, I let the tiny birds live in the same cage - 2 parrotlets in one, 2 female sparrows in another. But, the parrotlets can't live together. The sparrows are doing fine together. But I'll never house 2 parrots together ever again.

**Pipers Mom** · 08-09-2012, 10:30 AM

Originally Posted by DesertDweller

Thought I'd share a couple of photos I took today of Rosey and Riley:

Here's Rosey:

And, here's Riley:

Just hard to believe that Riley would bite little Rosey's beak like that. He looks so innocent in the pictures. I don't blame you for now housing them together. Better to be safe than sorry.

**DesertDweller** · 08-15-2012, 04:10 PM

Hee hee hee. Poor ole Riley is a sweet innocent child anyway. But still a dangerous one. It's almost like you could say that being around a juvenile bird with a strong beak is like being around a 3 year-old kid with a handgun

.

Little Rosey is now doing great. She flew around her cage today, which is the first time since her injury. She's much more active and nearly back to her old self.