Helping Parrots

June Is National Disaster Preparedness Month For Animals

Disaster: An event that causes serious loss, destruction, hardship, unhappiness or death.

Preparedness: State of full readiness for action

What you should know.

When I spoke to Ann Brooks, Phoenix Landing’s founder, and told her about my interest in this subject she was resourceful, as always, and quick to send me information from the Katrina Disaster that was gathered in the aftermath. I had no idea how devastating it must have been for people who had pets.

• 104,00 pets were left behind after Katrina, some of the reasons are heartbreaking.
• 15,000 were officially rescued.
• An estimated 3,000 were reunited with their families.

This left an estimated 88,700 pets that were unaccounted for. This is totally mind-boggling. Maybe you have been responsible for several pets during your entire lifetime, or you may visit an animal shelter and help give a loving touch with a gentle voice to an animal without a family. I don’t think you could conceive of such an enormous number!
Yet, it is a terrible reality for those who lived it.

88,700. This means 243 individual animals would have to be touched by you every day for 365 days, sounds overwhelming to consider. To anyone who was told they had to leave their pets behind in order to be taken to a shelter, to be confined with thousands of people, caught up with their own perils, faced with thoughts of the animals that you left behind, to fend for themselves because they were not allowed in the shelter with humans, my heart aches for you.

We can’t prevent disasters but we can be proactive and condition ourselves and our animals to what might happen when circumstances are out of our control. Whether it is Mother Nature or mankind, we can help avoid the chaos of the emergency by gathering food & water supplies, comfort items, first aid items and rehearsing with our animals.
These are not the dogs and cats, birds and rabbits, cattle and horses that can just take off and survive as the creatures they once were. We have domesticated them.

Domesticate: to cultivate plants or raise animals, selectively breeding them to increase their suitability for human requirements.

We made them to conform to our world. We have to assume the role of the king of the jungle, matriarch of the herd, flock leader, pack leader. We need to prepare them to handle what ever comes their way. Those of us who have pets as family members, companions, service animals, search & rescue or maybe you help by fostering and rehabilitating, we have a connection and an unspoken feeling of responsibility to them.
Rehearse with your entire family. Put a plan into motion that is understood by anyone who may be able to help with your animals.

Communication- make a list of important phone numbers, addresses and e-mails. Update and distribute it every 6 months or when we reset your clocks or change the batteries in your smoke alarm.
• Friends and family names.
• Animal rescue organizations.
• List of hotels that are pet friendly.
• Local vets and boarding kennels.
• Local disaster shelters that will provide a safe place for pets.
• List of current vaccinations and medications your pet is taking.
• An up to date photo of your pet(s).
• The location where you keep the “Animal Disaster Kit”.
• Update your ownership address and contact information with the microchip company or organization.

Preparation- a duffel bag or a back pack that can be grabbed quickly with items that you will need for your animal to survive over an extended period of time.
• Travel cage, crate, extra leash, halter, rope, newspaper, and towels.
• Attach a zip lock bag and secure to the underneath of a travel cage, or tape to a halter or attach to a collar to provide owner info, microchip#, medical alerts, vet#, family contact #’s.
• Dry food and water supply for several days if space allows.
• Bowls or containers appropriate for their needs.
• First aid kit, depending on your individual pets needs and check with your vet.
• Blanket, toys, favorite comfort items from home.
• Disinfectant for your hands if dealing with foster or shelter animals.

(Jenny Drummey and Joe the Crow during Katrina)

Rehearse- don’t wait until THE EMERGENCY arrives to introduce an unfamiliar item. Being swarmed into an unfamiliar building will be scary, but if they feel protection in some way by their familiar cage, blanket or toys this will help them adjust.
• Familiarize them with the items in the kit.
• Have them experience the cage or item you will use for confining them at a shelter.
• Put your extra collar or halter on and make adjustments for a secure fit.
• Give them the emergency bowls to eat and drink out of frequently.
• Their odors on a blanket or towel will be a comfort in unfamiliar surroundings.
• Once they are introduced to these items, try to do an emergency rehearsal by moving them in and out of the cage quickly, then even out of the house, into a car for a drive around the block. Always make it pleasant and controlled.
• Obtain information through the Internet, and from animal shelters or welfare organizations for additional information and instructions about your area.

The evacuating authorities have good, solid reasons for prohibiting animals in the shelters. Not that we would all agree but consider the health aspect to the humans in the confined shelter if no one can even open a door for a day or more. Some people have allergies that would cause serious respiratory reactions and complications without conventional medicines or health facilities available to treat them. Not to mention the animals confined with all those people exuding different smells, personalities, and energy. We know that animals have a heightened sense of their surroundings. Nervous people, screaming children, adults crying! I would not want to subject any of my animals to this scene either. People have difficulties after a prolonged period of time. Our animals are not ready for all the trauma that they would be forced to endure, yet how can we keep them safe, controlled and comfortable in evacuations and disasters.

Disaster Response Teams report that after Katrina they are striving to make more emergency animal shelters within close proximity to the human shelters. They realized how many people would not evacuate because they refused to leave their animals behind. The loss of both human and animal lives was staggering enough to demand change.
Petfinder™ endorsed legislation that became law on October 6, 2006, that requires pets to be included in disaster evacuation plans. The bill, called the Pets Evacuation, Transportation Standards Act (PETS), was sponsored by Rep. Tom Lantos, D-California and Barney Frank, D-Massachusetts. The law requires that state and local disaster preparedness plans (as needed for Federal Emergency Management Agency funding) include provisions for household pets and service animals.

The PETS legislation represents the first government initiative to officially form evacuation and relief plans for people with pets. This legislation is a critical step to ensuring that pet guardians and those who rely upon service animals will never be forced to choose between their own safety and the safety of their beloved animals.
The more research I do, the more these lists and ideas grow. You will find the Internet has an endless resource for you to fill your brain, invent, adjust and decide how to conform this information to fit you and your pets. Fema.gov also carries a lot of information. Local Animal Control and SPCA’s, bird clubs, canine & feline clubs can all offer seminars on what you can do and things you should do to help them and you through any day-by-day disruptions in your lives. If you have none in your community, get together with local representatives from vets to animal welfare groups and form one.
After a Disaster
• If after a disaster you have to leave town, take your pets with you. Pets are unlikely to survive on their own.
• In the first few days after the disaster, leash your pets when they go outside. Always maintain close contact. Familiar scents and landmarks may be altered and your pet may become confused and lost. Also, snakes and other dangerous animals may be brought into the area with flood areas. Downed power lines are a hazard.
• The behavior of your pets may change after an emergency. Normally quiet and friendly pets may become aggressive or defensive. Watch animals closely. Leash dogs and place them in a fenced yard with access to shelter and water.

Fern Van Sant, DVM
Presented by the Phoenix Landing Foundation
April 1, 2011

THE BIOLOGY OF BIRDS AND THEIR ENVIRONMENTAL NICHE
Birds were not invented at the pet store. So to successfully care for a parrot, one must understand the bird’s biological needs, and strive to meet these needs above others when looking for guidance on bird care. Understanding a parrot’s biology is essential since they have evolved from a unique array of habitats such as a variety of altitudes, temperatures etc. Birds are very adaptive.

For example, many parrots are subtropical – living 30 degrees north or south of the equator. For those species, they do not have 12 hours of light and 12 hours of dark. Parakeets and cockatiels are good examples; they live further from the equator and are photoperiod responsive because of this. Their biological processes are triggered by the length of time these birds are exposed to sunlight. An increase in day length (light) signals abundance to these birds, and the time for mating. Water can also bring on mating behaviors, especially for birds from drought areas like cockatiels.

A study by E.D. Jarvis proves that animals respond to certain environmental triggers by producing proteins in their brains. These proteins then trigger certain types of behavior associated with breeding (a male canary singing, for example). This is also called Behaviorally Driven Gene Expression. So a change in light, food availability, height of a potential nest, or width of a hole can all trigger breeding for wild parrots.

Cockatoos are easy birds to breed, while Amazons are not. Breeders discovered that Amazons require a very particular hole of a certain height and depth to breed. Some behaviors are inherited, like lovebirds stashing things under their wings.

Most parrots are NOT designed to consistently reproduce. They are low-end reproducers. But, without environmental constraints, parrots can be in a continuous breeding mode. As hens produce more chicks, the hen’s health suffers, as does the health of the later chicks in the clutch. Later-born chicks are much less viable. For example, 12 eggs in a year in captivity might be the bird’s lifetime norm in the wild.

PSITTACINE EVOLUTION
Parrots have evolved over 30+ million years. There are 332 species of parrots, with three subfamilies (Psittacine, Cacatuinae, and Loriinae).

Two-thirds of parrots are neotropical Psittacines (189 species) – those who live in central South America and the Caribbean islands.

The other third of parrots are found in Africa, India and South Asia (34 species) and Australia, Indonesia, and South Asia (109 species).

Parrots are flexible in our homes because they are flexible in their natural environments of forest, swamp, and dry land. For example, mitred conures are found all over the US, and the Maui conure, which started as 2 birds, has now grown to a flock of 100.

MYTH OF THE GENERIC PARROT
This myth assumes that one size fits all response to questions of proper diet, housing, behavior and other issues. However, each species and each individual will require care specific to their needs. There are three kinds of behaviors: innate, learned, and reproductive.

Parrot’s innate behaviors are for flight, nest selection, and vocalization. Parrots learn other behaviors, from interacting with the flock. For example, taking off is instinctive, landing and navigating is learned. Some colony nesters, like conures, may want to be more connected to you.

Reproductive behaviors include: pair bonding; vocalizations/duets; mutual preening; cavity seeking; nest building; sexual regurgitation; territorial defense; and copulation.

Do you know what a bird looks like when they are soliciting sex? Here is an example of one approach:

ENDOCRINE REGULATION
The hypothalamus starts the process by sending message to the “master gland” the pituitary gland. The pituitary, in turn, produces hormones to send to target organs, the gonads. The gonads are inactive at times, small and seasonally involuted. Females have one ovary on the left side, to lighten the load for flight.

The pineal gland is a day/night clock, sensing light which drives base physiology. Light is taken in through the eyes, the pineal gland and a third apparatus in the brain that is still unknown. This mystery apparatus has been proven to exist because birds who are blind and have no pineal gland still respond to light.

The Limbic system is the part of the brain that runs bonding, emotional responses, and attachment forming.

The species-specific hormonal cascade, from hypothalamus to pineal gland to gonad, happens in all birds.

Testosterone is highest in a male during nest building according to a UC Davis study.

ENVIRONMENTAL TRIGGERS
Environmental triggers for endocrine events include light, molting, migration, and perhaps lunar cycles. Breeding and molting are biologically expensive and diametrically opposed. They do not happen at the same time.

Due to these factors, umbrella cockatoos do best with a very ordered, predictable day/night cycle.

Seasonal migration – great green macaws (also called Buffon’s macaws) migrate, as do Patagonian conures and smaller conures. These birds all migrate up and down in elevation. Tiny grass parakeets migrate 120 miles across the water to Tasmania to breed.

A hormonal trigger (as opposed to a metabolic one) produced by the thyroid takes parrots from breeding to molting. Primary feathers molt at a different time than those feathers on the bird’s trunk.

Amazons and macaw share the same nest hole at different times throughout the year.

Birds love warm food because of a thermal sensory apparatus on the roof of their mouth. When we give parrots warm food, we are simulating the actions of their mate.

Vocalizations and other hormonal triggers such as pair bonding, abundant light and food, or nesting can lead to CHRONIC HORMONAL STRESS.

Cavity seeking is also a result of the hormonal cascade. The bird may get on the floor underneath furniture, or go into a closet.

When a parrot is well fed, has nest material, and has a lengthened photo period, the hormonal cascade can begin.

Copulation is initiated by lower back scratching.

Determinate layers have a specific number of eggs in a clutch. Budgies and cockatiels are non-determinate layers, laying eggs as long as the environment supports it. This causes a serious health risk to them.

Birds who have been bred are naturally passing on the genes of productive breeding. In other words, the birds that survive the breeding process are going to be more inclined to reproduce.

LIMITING FACTORS
Parrots in the wild are low-end producers, and certain environmental constraints will limit their urge to breed.

Food availability is not a limiting factor for neotropical birds (food is pretty consistently available around the equator). Neotropical birds are limited by the availability of nest sites. Charles Munn did a study on scarlet macaws and found that adding more nest boxes to the birds’s environment resulted in more chicks.

However, the availability of food for those birds native to Australia, Africa and Indonesia can trigger or constrain their desire to breed. Seasonal abundance and drought is a limiting factor to non-neotropical birds. For example, goffins cockatoos in Australia struggle to find food and water during the drought. When food comes during the rainy season, they are ready to breed. They are designed for this kind of seasonal stress.

LIVING THE GOOD LIFE
Birds that are in a chronic state of hormonal stress can exhibit several different results.

Clinical presentation of birds with hormonal issues (what the vet sees) include:
Feather picking
Prolapse
Screaming
Shredding
Territorial defense and aggression
Elevated mucus production in proventriculus, which can cause continuous vomiting and regurgitation
Degenerative conditions such as: osteoporosis; fractures; calcium and vitamin D3 deficiencies.

Estrogen stimulates the blood vessels. In the wild, a bird regulates its temperature thru flight. However, thermal regulation problems in the wing webs and legs can be a problem for any bird in our homes. These areas (wing webs and legs) help the bird to heat and cool because they are highly vascular (contain a lot of blood vessels). The inside of the legs has large vessels. An increase in estrogen causes these areas to flush with blood. Without the proper ability to thermal regulate, a bird may become hot and flushed in these areas, which can also lead to feather picking.

African Psittacines often develop feather destructive behavior at 9-14 months because they are over-stroked. They do not learn to fledge and fly as they would in the wild where their parents would make them leave the nest.

SOLVING THE PROBLEM: RETURNING AN OVERLY HORMONAL BIRD TO NORMAL
Just because we think a bird loves something, doesn’t mean we should provide it. We should only provide things that are in the bird’s best interest, not ours. Examples are over-stimulation through petting and stroking, foods that contain phyto-estrogens (sweet potatoes, soybeans).

Try “resetting” the bird by putting her in a novel environment.

Part of the problem is that vigorous, healthy parrots who are not driven by the need to breed are more difficult to live with; they are more demanding to keep them occupied. They are full of healthy energy!

When the vet does a physical exam, it starts with a detailed history.

Hormonal problems can lead to plucking, which can lead to dermatitis. The feathers are designed to, among other things, protect the skin. Skin is not designed to be exposed. If your bird has this condition, be sure that the bird thoroughly dries after any bathing. It is especially important that the wing webs are dry.

THERAPIES
Therapies depend on each species, since they have evolved from different parts of the world (wet/dry; amount of light, etc).

The most important therapies include adding environmental constraints, just as it occurs in the wild. These include:
- Limiting shredding;
- Curtailing cavity seeking;
- Limiting physical contact (less petting!!);
- Adjusting feed schedules, such as limited food or fasting in the afternoons;
- Exercise!! More exercise, even for the elderly; and
- Spending time outdoors, especially in flight aviaries when possible.

Some short-term remedies, but not cures, can include:
Lupron can be given as a temporary solution. It down-regulates the gonads, but Lupron is expensive and it doesn’t work that long. Lupron sits on the binding site on the gonads, and prevents the hormones from landing and proteins from binding. It is a remedy, not a cure.

HCG injections are anti-inflammatory. Helps itchy macaws. It is also not a long-term cure because the immune system recognizes it and it stops working.

A more promising cure, Deslorelin, comes from Australia. It is an implant that lasts 8 months and is successful in hormonal birds.

RECOMMENDED SUPPLEMENTS and DIETS
Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs): Can be given in the form of palm oil (Sunshine Factor recommended), for birds that eat palm oil (like African Greys); and flax oil for birds who do not eat palm oil. Another good supplement for all birds is Avian Vegi-Dophilus, a probiotic specifically for birds.

Pellets are not recommended for birds from arid environments such as parakeets, lovebirds, and cockatiels. Pellets are hard on their kidneys and can cause gout. Avi-cakes are a good option for these birds.

Many kinds of birds come and go from The Landing, our adoption and education center in the Asheville, NC area. Therefore, we feed foods that can be enjoyed by a diverse group, but still ensures that each bird is eating a healthy variety of whole foods to complement their pellets, fresh fruits, pumpkin bread, nuts and treats.

Some birds come to us that have not been on a healthy diet or learned to eat fresh foods.  Getting them to try new things can be a challenge, at best.  Feeding a MASH has many positive attributes:
* You can hide things a bird might not eat otherwise by chopping it very small.
* For convenience, you can make large batches, and freeze it in portions.
* Mashes allow you to be creative, adding more or less of certain things to meet your bird’s needs.
* Most importantly, you can cover all the important food groups in one recipe, knowing that your bird will probably be eating the variety needed for a complete meal.

We have had huge success converting birds to better diets using a mash recipe, so we wanted to share it with you here.  We complement this mash with an assortment of fresh fruits, pumpkin bread, and a small amount of egg cooked with palm oil (for vitamin A) and greens.  The birds at the adoption center eagerly await their breakfast every morning, often shuffling back and forth on their perches in adorable anticipation.

THE LANDING MASH (more or less….)

2.5 cups Kamut
A heaping teaspoon of turmeric
2 cinnamon sticks
1 cups quinoa
1 sweet potato cut into 1/2″ cubes (or other winter squashes)
16 oz package organic mixed veggies (peas, corn, carrots)
16 oz package organic mixed greens (kale, collard, mustard greens)
1 cup pepitas (raw pumpkin seeds)
1 can garbanzo beans, drained
6 oz Eden small vegetable shells, whole grain
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
1/2 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup dried cranberries
(Any dried fruit should be unsulphured, with no processed sugar)

If you don’t have much freezer space, or a small number birds to feed, proportionally reduce these quantities.  If you decide to make the recipe using these quantities, then you’ll want to start with a big soup pot.

To start: bring the large pot of water to a boil.  Add the Kamut, turmeric and cinnamon.  Stir well.   When the water starts to boil again, lower the heat to medium.  Cook for 15 minutes.

Add the quinoa and sweet potato.  Stir well.  Cook another 15 minutes.

Turn off the heat.  Drain or add some cold water.  You don’t want the Kamut to cook much more, birds really enjoy it slightly crunchy.

When the grains are drained and a bit cooled, put these in a super-sized mixing bowl, or divide into several if need be.  Add the remaining ingredients (frozen vegetables, pepitas, garbanzo beans, pasta shells, dried fruit).  Stir together.  Divide into storage containers.  Freeze in 2-3 day portion sizes.  As you finish one container, take one out of the freezer to defrost.

This recipe is versatile.  Add and subtract other things that your bird may enjoy (e.g. broccoli, coconut, fresh carrots, other grains, walnuts…).  If your bird is reluctant to eat a mash,  find the ingredient that is their favorite, and put extra amounts to pique their interest.  After they are eating it regularly, you can change the proportions to insure that they are eating the variety intended.

Thanks to Leigh Ann Hartsfield for her recipe “Franco’s Favorite Breakfast” in the Nourish to Flourish cookbook. We started with this recipe, and the adoption center birds really enjoyed the addition to their breakfast meal. Then Mary Ault discovered that undercooked Kamut was very appealing to the birds, because they use their hookbills as nature intended, and crack open the grains. The Landing Mash continues to evolve as we add new things or change the proportions. And with spring on it’s way, we will take full advantage of the fruits and veggies of the seasons.

If you try this recipe for your birds, let us know how it goes!

This one of a kind item is a feather pillow created by Patricia Sund.  It is for sale on Ebay to benefit the parrots of Phoenix Landing. What’s different about this from your usual feather pillow is that the feathers are on the outside. It was created from donated molted feathers from Patricia’s bird friends from all over the U.S. and Canada. It was made from Amazon parrot feathers, accented with cockatiel feathers.  All of the feathers were naturally molted. No birds were ever harmed, plucked or otherwise compromised for the fabrication of this item.

The pillow is 15 inches wide and 11 inches tall. The backing material is white monk’s cloth.

All proceeds from this sale will benefit the adoption and education programs of Phoenix Landing.  If you’d like to bid, go to:

(http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110654311455&ssPageName=ADME%3AL%3ALCA%3AUS%3A1123#ht_500wt_1156)

Thanks for Helping Parrots!

Dr. Scott Stahl (www.seavs.com) spoke at the Phoenix Landing event in early January and shared how vets approach treating medical emergencies. These are the notes from his lecture gathered from a few audience members. Please consult your avian vet if you have questions about the information below.

All exams should start with . . .

History

Birds hide injuries, and there are many common household dangers. Proper handling is the key to success. You can contribute to a bird’s stress by over handling the bird, so patience is the key to any effective treatment. Vets should be cautions when treating a medical emergency, as it is better to have a live bird and no diagnosis than a dead one with answers.

Any vet exam starts with a good history. The vet asks for age, sex, and species, past history of trauma or disease, diet, how long the owner has had the bird, chance of exposure to toxins such as lead and zinc if the bird is free-roaming. (One way the bird can be exposed to lead is by chewing on the lead in stained glass.)

The vet should also be aware if the parrot is wild-caught, as these birds may have parasites or Avian tuberculosis – neither of which are common in captive birds. Has the bird been taken to a pet store for grooming? Many groomers in pet stores use the same towel for all birds, and pass along disease. The vet should dig deep.

Birds kept in an outdoor aviary could be exposed to parasites from wild bird droppings. Other causes of illness or trauma could be exposure to a new bird, children or other pets.

If the bird comes from an only bird household, and has been there for a long time, the chance of chlamydia is rare.

The substrate used at the bottom of the cage can also cause fungal problems. Critter litter and corn cob bedding can grow mold and fungus easily and can cause the fungus aspergillosis to take over in the bird’s body. Fungus is everywhere, all the time, but can overwhelm a bird with a compromised immune system.

It’s also important for the vet to know whether the bird has a cage mate, if the bird has an egg laying history, and whether there’s a possibility of passing bacteria from a human’s mouth to the parrot. No French kissing your parrot, or allowing her to eat out of your mouth.

Hands-on Exam

After the vet has gathered all the information in the bird’s history, the vet performs a hands-on exam.
The vet observes the bird’s posture, and how she perches, her response to stimuli, respiratory rate (a bird who is having difficulty breathing will have a bobbing tail). The vet will also want to see the droppings, which can indicate a lot about overall health. For example, a pinkish hue to the urates could be lead toxicity. A bird whose droppings contain no feces is not eating.

Another cause for concern is if the bird is sleeping in front of the vet.

The vet examines the oral cavity, heart and lungs, and cloaca, and palpates the abdomen (a swollen hard belly indicates egg binding)

Some birds need to be stabilized before handling. If there is excessive bleeding, or the bird can’t breathe, the vet must stabilize the bird before the exam can begin. The vet should be prepared to treat for shock with medicine and an oxygen tent. For birds who are really struggling, the vet may need to anesthetize, though anesthesia makes it hard for a bird to maintain its normal body temperature of 106-107 degrees.

If the bird has head trauma, they shouldn’t be put in a heated incubator, as it could make the brain swell. Otherwise, keep the bird WDQ-Warm, in a dark place, and quiet.

Fluid therapy may also be prescribed, as most sick birds are at least minimally dehydrated by at least 5 percent. Birds cannot eat when they are dehydrated, neither can they metabolize drugs. The fluid volume given to birds is 5 percent of body weight (a bird weighing 100 grams would get 5 mil of fluid). This is given twice a day. If a bird is really ill, 3-4 times a day. Pedialyte can be given orally, or fluids can be given subcutaneously, which may be less stressful.

Once the bird is stable, the vet can move on to other diagnostic tools.

Diagnostics

A standing x-ray can be used to detect the presence of heavy metals such as lead. Zinc is more often found in a blood test. The Complete Blood Count (CBC) and Avian Chemistry Panel are also often used.

Why do vets prescribe antibiotics so often? Because we don’t get second or third chances with a sick bird. Bacterial infections are common, and antibiotics are safe. Fungal infections are much more rate, so antifungals aren’t used until there’s real evidence of a fungal problem. Once results are back from the CBC and chemistry panel, the vet may prescribe antimicrobials, such as antibiotics or antifungals, but a vet may start the bird on antibiotics before the results are received.

Meloxicam is a common NSAID that may be prescribed for pain, but this can also cause bleeding in the GI tract, so it cannot be used if there is any internal GI irritation.

If the vet must gavage feed, the food should be at between 100-104 degrees. The vet should administer enough food to equal 3 percent of the bird’s total body weight, but this amount will not be fed all at one time. The vet starts with a diluted mixture of the food, and makes sure the crop is emptying before giving any more.

In the case of acute trauma, CPR may be necessary, but may not be effective for really ill birds. This procedure involves establishing an airway, closing the bird’s beak, and putting your mouth over the bird’s nares and beak and breathing out with one quick puff. If you’re doing it right, you’ll see the chest move up and down as you breathe.

The most common fracture is of the leg bone, the Tibia Tarsus. This may be trauma that the owner doesn’t know about, because the bird may appear to be perching on the injured leg, but will not put weight on it.

Blood Loss

Parrots have a higher percent of blood in their body than we have, and are more tolerant to losing blood than we are. We need to be attentive to blood loss, but not panic. In one study, a bird lost 50 percent of its blood and did fine. To stop blood flow, use flour or corn starch. (One person in attendance suggested softened Ivory soap as an alternative.)

Black stool indicates internal bleeding.

To control a hemorrhage, the vet may use styptic powder, tissue glue, or even super glue.

If your bird breaks a blood feather, try to control the bleeding instead of pulling the feather, so that the feather can keep growing. If a feather must be pulled, pull it from the same direction it is growing. Ir you’ve pulled the feather out completely you should see a definite end. Blood feathers that are dangerous are the primaries and the tail feathers. Blood feather bleed out is rare, and it’s best to let the blood clot, and keep the parrot in a darkened quiet room while it does.

When a wing trim is performed on the bird, check for blood feathers. If you see one, do not trim one or two feathers on either side of the blood feather, so that the feather has support.

Treatment for bleeding can be fluid therapy, a transfusion if the bird has lost more than 10 percent of her total blood. There are no blood types for parrots in regard to transfusions, and birds can be transfused one time and tolerate it.

Guest Post by Patricia Sund

Well, I’m not sure. What I am sure of is my commitment to the field of birds. I have a soft place in my heart for parrot rescues in general, but Phoenix Landing has always been by far, my favorite. I met Ann Brooks, in 2005 at the NEI Advanced Parrot Training program in Lake Whales, Florida We sat in the third to the last row on the right-hand side in the tent that served as a classroom.

I was in awe of Ann and all of these people in the class that had already established rescues, or they had their own bird related businesses. I had one bird, my African Grey, Parker and I wanted to learn to train him properly. That was my only reason for attending.

I had no idea that years later, I’d be writing about this business of birds: running around the country to experience life as a Zoo Keeper, a staff member at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, or simply reporting the goings-on at the Houston Parrot Festival.

I began my own blog (http://parrotnation.com/) and it has been happily chugging along for almost three years. The blog has caught on and a post I did about Phoenix Landing a while back still gets hits.

At the end of November, I received an email from Quark Expeditions about a blogging contest. The contest, Called “Blog Your Way to the North Pole” is a writing contest. The winner of the Contest is awarded a trip for two to the North Pole through Helsinki, Finland to Murmansk, Russia, and then on to board a nuclear-powered ice breaker expedition vessel to the North Pole which will take between four and eight days. So I entered the contest with the idea that if my entry won, it could raise awareness of Parrot rescues and nonprofit aviculture related foundations.

This trip is rough, long and cold. I live in Florida, so this will be an uncomfortable trip for me. It would not be a glamorous journey. It crosses 8 time zones so I am sure the jet lag would be brutal. It could possibly involve getting seasick. It’s on a nuclear powered vessel and I could come back glowing for all I know. I’ll have to take time off from work, get a Russian Visa, and the packing is probably going to be very complicated. But this doesn’t matter to me because I’d be doing it for something much bigger than me. It’s not about me, it’s about the birds, and as far as I know, I am the only entrant that has a shot who has an interest in birds.

To win, you have to get people to vote for you. A lot of people. If you get enough votes to be in the top five, a committee, including the president of Quark Expeditions and a professional travel blogger will judge the top five and the entry considered the best wins the trip.

There is only one vote per person. You can’t vote every day like you can with other contests. So, in order to win, I must get enough people give me their one vote.

So I am asking for your vote. I am asking that not only you vote, but that you ask your family, friends and anyone you know with an email address to vote for my entry.

How could this possibly help birds? It can and I think it will. Along with the publicity of the contest, the person going to the Pole on the trip has to write about it as they travel. Obviously, my personality, my interests and my passions would be coming out in the pieces as I write. The fact that I am a writer in the field of birds will obviously come up. Traffic to my blog would increase and I have so many links to wonderful websites that benefit birds including Phoenix Landing. I’m hoping this will enlighten other people about some of the foundations and non-profits that I love and respect.

If my entry wins, I want to make a feather scarf and wear it to the pole, return with it and auction it off, all proceeds going to Phoenix Landing. I have other ideas that could benefit Phoenix Landing, as well as the Alex Foundation and other bird related non-profits. But I have to win first. Here is the link to the Quark Expeditions Blogging contest:

http://www.blogyourwaytothenorthpole.com/entries/94

The current title of my entry is “Santa’s Sleigh Needs a Flight Attendant.”

It only takes about a minute to vote.

I thank you so much for helping someone who loves birds go to the North Pole and I thank you for your vote.

With Respect,
Patricia Sund

By Nelson Quinones

I was in bed checking the Phoenix Landing web site and went to see the calendar for the upcoming events. I was reading about the conservation event on December 11, 2010 in Fairfax, VA with Stewart Metz and Bonnie Zimmerman from the Indonesian Parrot Project. The event information includes the web site for the Indonesian Parrot Project (www.indonesian-parrot-project.org). I copied and  pasted the web site and went to check it out.

While I was looking at it, I heard a faint parrot call. I muted the TV volume and kept hearing the sound. It sounded like a lost parrot outside. I was worried for the lost parrot because it is cold. I was already thinking that I would have to contact Debbie, Jenny and Ann from Phoenix Landing to see what to do with the parrot if I was able to catch him or her. I quickly got up, got dressed, got a flashlight, put my shoes and jacket on and opened the door. I stood halfway outside the door and kept hearing the parrot  call. I closed the door and stepped outside. The outside light came on. I couldn’t hear the call any more. I stood there like a statue thinking that maybe the parrot saw me and went silent. I waited for a few minutes but no sound.  I thought maybe it was one of my birds making a sound I had never heard before. I opened the door and heard the sound again. I went back out thinking maybe the parrot saw me leaving and started calling again but I closed the door and again I didn’t hear anything. I came back in to go check if it was one of my birds.

As soon as I opened the door I heard the call again. Then I remembered that I was just looking at parrot web site and maybe the parrot call was coming from  there. I went back to the computer and YES, the parrot call was coming from the  Indonesian Parrot Project’s web site. I started laughing out loud. My computer is connected to a speaker box that is near the door, and the volume was set at low, that is why it sounded like it was coming from outside. Well, at least I’m  glad there is not a poor lost parrot outside in the cold. :~)


For more information about this event in Fairfax, VA on December 11th, from 10-12:30 go to www.phoenixlanding.org/events. We will have a fun auction to support the conservation efforts of the Indonesian Parrot Project. A great way to start your holiday shopping and support wild parrot conservation too!!!

Please consider Phoenix Landing Foundation as your Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) charity of choice!  Phoenix Landing is dedicated to helping parrots that lose their homes just like cats and dogs.  Parrots live a very long time and will need many homes through-out their life time.  Phoenix Landing works with relinquisher’s that need to give up their parrot(s.) Through an adoption and foster program, parrots are placed into new homes. Phoenix Landing holds monthly seminars about parrot care and they support conservation and parrots in the wild.

Our 5-digit charity code is: 31469

Thank You,
Debbie Russell
Federal Employee and Volunteer for Phoenix Landing

Lories are brilliantly colored, playful, high-energy birds: easy to love, but difficult to clean up after. I’ve fostered lories in the past, but never adopted one. Their nectar-heavy diet results in frequent, sticky droppings. Too much work for me.

But, on the rare occasion that we have one relinquished to us, I am always curious about the bird, and wish I had enough time to care for one properly. The bird recently relinquished to Phoenix Landing sounded wonderful: friendly, and he’d even had an exam with an avian vet a few weeks before. He was being given up to Phoenix Landing for the same reason that 80 percent of the birds that come to us share: The caretaker no longer had the time to care for him. Remembering that Debbie, our MD adoption coordinator, had mentioned a family looking for a lory, I sent the information on, and very soon afterward, we had found a foster family.

We arranged for the lory to be dropped off at a recent event held on a Saturday, and I met the relinquisher outside. She was obviously distressed, sad to be giving up her companion of almost 10 years, but she knew it was for the best. She brought out bags of supplies for him, including lots of toys. He also had a powdered lory nectar diet, and she emphasized that he only consumed in the liquid form, it couldn’t be served in powder. She also said that he had increased his regurgitation lately, and that it was sexual behavior, and that the problem had gotten worse the less time she was able to spend with him.

I looked at the incredible, gorgeous creature in the sunlight. He looked to be the picture of health. I envied Jane and Pete, his new foster family, getting to share their life with something so splendid.

He regurgitated when I looked at him. He pretty much regurgitated any time someone came up to the cage. I guess he just likes everyone, I thought.

Jane took the bird home, and I thought we’d had yet another happy landing. I was certain they would adopt the lory, and I hoped she’d send out pictures soon. I really wanted to get a chance to paint a picture of that bird.

The next morning, Debbie called with some bad news: The lory was being rushed to Pender Exotics in Fairfax. He hadn’t eaten or passed food since Jane had picked him up, and he was constantly vomiting. I was confused: the relinquisher had told me the behavior was sexual, so that’s how I’d seen it. The foster family had not had the bird for even a day. But could we all be overreacting? Was this bird just stressed? He had looked so healthy.

The more Debbie and I talked about the bird’s behavior, the more alarming it sounded.

Once the bird made it to Pender, I started communicating with the vet on-call, Dr. McDonald. She suggested we start with an X-ray, to see if anything was obviously blocking his digestive tract and preventing food from getting through. The results of the X-ray were inconclusive: It appeared as though there was some strange gas patterns visible in his digestive tract, but that was all.

The next test to run was a barium series.

A barium series is a set of X-rays taken of a bird’s digestive system as a dye passes through it. Using this test, vets can see how much and how quickly food passes through the bird, and if there are any obstructions. The test takes hours to run, but it was crucial to find an obstruction (if one existed) before proceeding with medication to help food pass more quickly through the bird.

Late Sunday afternoon, Dr. McDonald called with the results: the lory was passing some, but not all, of the barium. She suspected a probable hernia and possible ulcerations in the stomach, as the syringe used to give the lory the barium had some blood on it after she administered the medicine. However, they wanted to keep the lory overnight and have Dr. Davis pick up care in the morning.

The next day, Dr. Davis called, and, after reviewing the results of the barium test and the X-ray, and considering the fact that the bird was still vomiting, she recommended exploratory surgery.

This was a really hard call to make. The surgery would be over $1, 000, and both Debbie and I agreed that we needed more information and another opinion before we could pursue this option. Jane kindly offered to help do whatever it took to get the little bird well, as she’d already come to care for him, and though the financial investment was a concern, it wasn’t my biggest one.

Surgery was risky, introducing additional stress on an already compromised animal, raising the chance of infection, and then there was that word “exploratory.” The surgery was no guarantee the vets would be able to help the bird get better. Frankly, it didn’t sound to me like he would make it through the procedure.

We decided to move him to a vet closer to Jane, and, in the process, get a second opinion. We needed a few days to arrange a space at the next vet hospital. Dr. Davis said that they could keep him stable for a day or two.

We made arrangements to get him moved, and hoped for the best.

Phone calls in the middle of the night are never good, and, sadly, Pender Exotics called to tell me the lory died in his sleep at 3:30 on Tuesday morning. Phoenix Landing had not had this bird in legal custody for three full days yet.

I talked to Dr. Davis early Tuesday, and she said he was an incredibly sweet and well socialized bird who they were very sorry to lose.

But now, we had to make a choice, should we do a necropsy? We had already spent $900 on care for this bird. But we had to know why the lory died, to make sure it was nothing contagious, even though Jane had practiced good quarantine in her home. It was vital for us to learn what had claimed this beautiful bird’s life.

Dr. Davis performed the procedure Tuesday afternoon, and then she called me with the results.

A parrot’s digestive tract starts with the mouth, goes into the crop, then into the stomach, which has two parts, the glandular proventriculus, and the muscular ventriculus (also called the gizzard). A massive wad of thread or material filled the bird’s proventriculus entirely, and partially filled the ventriculus as well, causing a hernia as the GI tract was squeezed and forced into an unnatural position. His kidneys, brown in a healthy bird, where white and had an excess of uric acid crystals. Dr. Davis said there was nothing that could have been done to save this bird.

Dr. Davis said she has seen this happen to other birds too, those that like to pick on thread or fabric. If the bird ingests tiny pieces, a mass can form that plugs the bird’s stomach. Unfortunately, he would not have survived any surgery, and the condition had been around for a while.

This experience has been heartbreaking, but it’s taught me many important lessons.

Don’t be so quick to accept that a description of a condition is the only possible explanation. What had been identified as sexual regurgitation was clearly not that to Jane. She saw a bird who is vomiting, and she reacted exactly the right way.

It has also taught me to be more vigilant about fabric, thread and material in general. Jane looked through the bird’s toys, and did see an obvious culprit, a small dishtowel hanging in the cage like a toy.

Know your bird. Watch what he plays with, and how he plays. If toys are missing pieces, find the pieces. If you don’t find the pieces, throw the toy away, no matter how much it cost you, or how much he likes it. My guess is that the washcloth was the bird’s favorite toy.

Know the difference between regurgitation related to sexual behavior and vomiting. Foster parent Pete who helped transport the lory to the vet, reported that the bird was trying desperately to eat, but vomited everything. If the bird isn’t ingesting any food and isn’t producing any droppings, the problem is serious. We have no way of knowing how long this bird had been swallowing the bits of fabric that filled his stomach and eventually killed him, but it was probably months.

Finally, I am always amazed when I think of all of the “behind the scenes” work at Phoenix Landing. It takes dedicated volunteers, lots of time, and lots of money to help parrots.

Imagine what five months, or longer, in a small ferret cage constructed of chicken wire can do to a blue and gold macaw? In the case of Basia (pronounced Basha), the blue and gold macaw that Phoenix Landing recently took in, it’s a lot more, and a lot less, than you’d think. This inappropriate cage was the key to figuring out his persistent vomiting, but his isolation and mistreatment didn’t break his spirit.

Sarah, our West Virginia coordinator, was contacted by a family who owned a bird who was much loved by one of the family members, but, unfortunately, this person had died a number of months ago. The rest of the family wanted nothing to do with Basia the blue and gold macaw, and kept him alone in a room in a small cage for months. When Sarah understood how desperate the situation was for this bird, she immediately began looking for a solution. Without any open foster homes in West Virginia, she contacted Debbie and me, looking for homes in Virginia and Maryland. Fortunately, we had a home in Virginia that was eager to give Basia a new place to land.

Basia was transported by Maryland volunteer David, who fostered him for a few days, and picked up a large donated cage for him. He said he was immediately struck with how social Basia was. Left in a room by himself for months at a time, Basia wanted nothing more then to interact with people.

Laura and Jeff, a Phoenix Landing foster family, picked Basia up from David, and also remarked on how much he wanted to interact, especially with Laura. Very soon after coming home, Basia was spending time with the whole family and fitting right in. However, there was something wrong with him. He was vomiting.

Basia was taken in for a well bird exam and a Complete Blood Count (CBC). Phoenix Landing pays for most birds to have this important medical baseline. Basia’s white blood cell count was elevated at 40,000, which is twice the upper limit of what’s considered healthy for a macaw (20,000 may be acceptable to indicate stress during a vet visit). Basia went on a 10-day course of antibiotics, and though he bit some syringes in half, he took his meds pretty well.

Unfortunately, the vomiting and weight loss continued.

Laura and Jeff, like all of our wonderful foster families, are patient and compassionate. They took Basia back to the vet after the first round of antibiotics was almost complete. Because the symptoms persisted, Dr. Richards at Pender Exotics did a crop wash to test for the presence of fungus or bacteria. Both were found, though, there was a bit of good news: Basia’s white blood cell count on the second blood draw had dropped to 20,000.

Dr. Richards suggested an Aspergillosis test, because Basia had a slight cough, and because he had come from a filthy environment. Dr. Richards also suggested different antibiotics to treat the bacterial and fungal infections, as well as adding apple cider vinegar to Basia’s water.

Laura and I were talking about Basia’s treatment s few days before the results of the Aspergillosis test came back. Basia was still vomiting, and we were stumped. We talked through everything that he had been tested for, and everything he’d been treated for.

All of a sudden it popped into my head: What about heavy metal toxicity?

I had recently had one of my birds tested for this, and I knew that vomiting could be related. The more we talked about where Basia came from, and especially his cage, the more it made sense. Basia could have ingested a piece of the galvanized chicken wire on the cage he was in for months. Laura brought up this possibility with Dr. Richards, who suggested an X-ray, combined with a blood draw to test for elevated zinc and lead levels. Fortunately, Pender Exotics does not anesthetize a bird to do an X-ray, which is something I always worry about in treatment.

A few days later, after Basia’s appointment I talked to Dr. Richards. The Aspergillosis test had come back negative, and the X-ray hadn’t revealed anything either. She saw no foreign bodies, and no apparent pieces of metal in Basia, but we’d have to wait for the test results to come back to confirm that heavy metal toxicity was not the problem. I worried that we might never find the reason for Basia’s persistent vomiting, and he would continue to suffer. Though thankfully, on last weigh-in, Basia had actually gained a little.

A few days later, we had our answer.

Basia’s zine levels were more than twice the normal limit for a bird. What a relief that we’d finally found the cause for his symptoms, and that it was something that could be treated. The treatment is chelation therapy, continued monitoring and retesting to confirm that the zinc is finally removed from his body. While Basia isn’t healed, we now know why he’s sick, and what to do about it.

I wanted to share Basia’s story for a number of reasons. His story is by no means typical, but it isn’t unique either. Most birds do not come to Phoenix Landing with extensive medical problems, but some do. It took the hard work and dedication of many folks (Sarah, David, Jeff, Laura, Debbie, myself, Dr. Richards and the staff of Pender) to get this bird on the right track and to save his life. It also took a lot of money! Phoenix Landing has paid over $500 in vet bills so far for Basia’s treatment. This amount will certainly double, if not triple, by the time we’re done.

We’re happy to help Basia to get well, but helping parrots takes time and money. If you can donate to us to help with vet costs, wonderful. If you’re a federal employee, don’t forget about us when you complete your CFC contribution (our number is 31469). And, above all, keep learning about good parrot care, and how to keep your bird healthy. If Basia had been housed in a safe cage, it is likely none of this would have happened.

Basia, a blue and gold macaw