u/zoomieskeeper

He loves the moisture from my shower more specifically. He falls asleep beak grinding while the bathroom warms up.

First two are recent. The next two were this morning. He looks ruffled because he was at the vet

So we woke up and zoro’s belly looked expanded. I couldn’t feel his keel bone and immediately realized he had a pocket of air in his chest. We called and got him in as soon as we could. His chest felt all spongy and he was mad that I felt it, but he was otherwise acting normal besides being unable to put both legs down.

Xrays showed everything normal except for an enlarged spleen. So we aren’t ruling out a bacterial infection that could have presented itself like this. Also not ruling out him falling, hurting himself, and it not showing until now.

He was uncomfortable so they released the air. He has otherwise been his normal self. Maybe just a bit more tired today and not as chipper. I wouldn’t be either after that vet visit. I could hear him crying all the way in my room waiting for him. Ik he’s just vocalizing his distress but it’s still tough to hear.

When the tech came back to the room and tried to put him in his backpack he jumped out of her hand and flew over onto my chest and hid in my hair.

I learned a lot about their bones. How overtime they will reabsorb the air that leaked. Their air sacs can generally repair themselves if there’s a tear or something. They said they can release the air if more builds up but it hasn’t since the vet this morning.

He was prescribed an anti inflammatory/pain med and anti biotic

They took a couple swabs to test for chlamydia. He’s a good fighter. Just wants cuddles now.

Getting his morning scritches after I gave him his medicine. He likes to rage at my hand and then beg for scritches and repeat.

He likes to nuzzle his beak into my hand and into my neck. Also his beautiful blue wings are coming in. He’s still molting and doesn’t have all his flight feathers but I’m so proud of my baby. He can hover over towards me from his tree but can’t get any height.

This has become a daily routine. Chopper will start chirping and singing, Robin takes that as an invitation.
Fortunately, chopper isn’t very interested. He will occasionally shoo her away then look angry.

I have never seen him eating it whilst using the perches provided. Guess it tastes better that way

I stroked the bottom of his beak to his neck for the first time. he melted. That’s the first time I felt him relax his neck like that with me. He usually kept his head firm. This time he’s just like ahhhh.

He just kinda rolled over on my chest. Not the best pic. Didn’t want to ruin the moment.

Once in a while I spray a light mist to offer them baths. This time Piisuke did the asking for a bath pose. At least I thought that’s what it was. He turned around so I could mist under both wings.

It only occurred to me after I could have taken him out of his cage, but I didn’t want to ruin the moment so I kept going. He was loving it.

Sat at the top of his cage beak grinding under the sun lamp after that.

He finally took care of a loose tail feather he had

At least I hope it’s a baby molt. He’s almost 6mo old now and some of his clipped feathers fell out too. I noticed a bald spot (2nd photo) on his head.

Doesn’t seem to bother him besides he likes when I scratch it and it has all little pin feathers budding.

He is still getting Onsior injections weekly. His poops started becoming bore full of food again.

The vet performed X-rays and compared them to two months ago when we started this.

Unfortunately he has a sinus infection now. The vet pointed out by doing a stain and showing me how he has inflammation behind his eye.

So now he takes Celoxib, Enrofloxacin, metronidazole, and metoclopram every 12 hours and has a recheck in a couple weeks. Still getting weekly injections.

The vet hopes as he heals and recovers he still has a chance to go into remission. He was 67g two months ago. Today he is 80g. His gizzard is still enlarged. They said he is less compacted than he was two months ago.

I’ve been trying to change his diet around. If he drops too much I will “force” feed him Harrison’s mash in a syringe. Otherwise I sprinkle it on wet seeds in hopes he gets some. I’ve been trying g to get him to eat. But I swear he will go on a hunger strike if I give him a bowl of nothing but pellets. Has to have some mix.

Anyone have any healthier alternative for picky eaters. I give him freeze dried chop. Zupreem pellets. And Zupreem select seed food mix. I tried Harrison’s. I’ve tried tops. He avoids it like the plague. He needs to see the color to want to taste the pellets.

I mist the food. Sprinkle it with Harrison’s mash and fauna. thrive and immune booster. Probiotics in his water. It’s been working but I’m still tying to reduce the amount of seeds he gets.

Hopefully by the end of this he will be eating more healthier diet. Just difficult with everything going on, the vet doesn’t think it’s a good idea to add any other stressors like changing food too fast. However he’s just not getting any nutrients from the seeds.

He’s got both his feet in different directions and his wing sticking out. Head buried in the palm of my hand. Either way that’s his bed now.

Robin showing off

Last pic he fell asleep on my beard.

Zoro once again trying to merge with me to cuddle. He gets mad when I try to take him away from my neck before he’s ready. Like I stepped on his tail or something. Short little baby yelp.

Like, really? All I did was put my finger in front of you to step up. I know you have to poop and it’s not on me. Then I’ll go back to being the birb hostage. He’s so freaking soft.

For reference, there’s a ceiling that opens up into a taller room. There’s some soundproofing around the side that helped with the echo of their scristle.

Shes spent a lot of time perched on her cage ledge, she watched my other cockatiel fly around a lot. I guess from watching him she learned a little. Her secondaries haven’t fully grown in and are still half clipped. But she pulled the flight feathers that were clipped. She still gets enough lift.

Very much loves to fly circles and yell until I come find her. Then fly around and hide and yell until I come find her. Then repeat. Eventually when she’s ready she seems to step up on my finger for me to insert her back into her cage.

She still hates hands but tolerates the step up to move around conveniently. She will stay on my shoulder. She is just still very hand shy and jumps if I move my hands too fast.

Her and chopper were rescued after being stuck at a pet store for a long time and becoming anti social. It’s been great seeing them be more active. Although quite the handful. Literally.