Please help ASAP

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Timmee81
Posts: 9
Joined: Sat Dec 06, 2014 5:22 pm

Please help ASAP

Post by Timmee81 »

I was given a 5 week old Indian Ringneck yesterday for my birthday. As of yet it hasn't stood/sat up. Could it be the paper in bottom of box is too slippery or something more sinister. It stands for short periods when I hold it
Wessel Gordon
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Location: South Africa
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Re: Please help ASAP

Post by Wessel Gordon »

Timmee,

Do you keep the bird in a box?

If so PLEASE put it in a cage suitable for an adult Indian Ringneck. If you do not have access to a cage or don't have funds available to buy one I am sure that someone closer to your area might be willing to borrow or gift you a second-hand cage. If you are willing to tell us from where you are if that's the case you might be able to get some help.

Also (if possible) do not use newspaper in the bottom of the cage because that's slippery by nature. If you can find a good bird supply store they will stock a specific kind of paper that has tiny bits of gravel and other rough bits on it to help the bird keep it's balance while it's on the floor of the cage. The perfect solution for the bird not to slip on any kind of paper is to get a cage that has a wired grate at the bottom so anything he/she tosses out or messes falls through and if he wants to be on the bottom he has something to hold on.

Since he's still very young and doesn't have the balance of an older bird you really run the risk of one (or both) of the feet possibly deforming and him developing other health issues because of falling down into his own mess etc.

At the age of 5 weeks he/she is still dependent on the mother for feeding for at least the next two-three weeks so I will advice you to find someone familiar with hand-rearing birds to help you out in that regard.

Please, I do not mean anything rude with this post so please forgive me if anything I said did seem rude or offensive. I am simply thinking of you and your new friend's future happiness.

Wessel
Timmee81
Posts: 9
Joined: Sat Dec 06, 2014 5:22 pm

Re: Please help ASAP

Post by Timmee81 »

Hi Wessel I was told by breeder to NOT put it in anything with caged floor until its found its stability as legs can slip through the wires and cause serious injury. The nearest vet or pet supplier is 200km away but will try order some of the paper stuff you have mentioned. I've been taught how to feed it and its eating perfectly it just hasn't stood up yet although it seems to be getting better at moving around. Thanks :)
Wessel Gordon
Posts: 408
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Re: Please help ASAP

Post by Wessel Gordon »

I agree with your breeder now that you mentioned that.

My biggest concern about a leg injury is because I got a Congo African Grey a few months ago from a breeder friend who could not sell it due to a leg deformity and I do see when it frustrates him/her when things doesn't want to move the way he/she wants it to move. Needless to say it's heartbreaking to watch. Having said that Banana is a very stubborn bird so the disability doesn't affect it's climbing too much or it's ability to hold a favored treat in the injured paw.

An idea to get it to move more might be to get it to perch on a finger while you feed it and to keep the spoon just out of reach. That will "force" him/her to reach up with it's body to get to the food and it also instinctively teaches the bird to clutch firmly with both paws to keep it's balance in the process.

Wessel
ellieelectrons
Posts: 2708
Joined: Mon Jul 19, 2010 1:17 am
Location: Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia

Re: Please help ASAP

Post by ellieelectrons »

Hi Timmee81

I don't know an awful lot about the development of IRNs. However, we got our first bird at 6 weeks (which with what I know now I believe was too young) and she was well and truly sitting up on perches by that stage. So I'm finding it concerning that your bird isn't able to perch yet... but maybe that week makes all of the difference? Are you able to ask your breeder?

I personally believe that young birds should continue to be raised with other birds so that they learn to socialise with other birds and don't think they are human as a "humanised" bird can develop inappropriate attachments to humans and you can end up with one confused bird. However, I also know that it is common practice in many countries to sell a single bird to a person to finish the handraising process to allow that bird to "bond" with their human. Where I live in Australia it is illegal to sell an unweaned bird.

I'm going to move your post to the Breeding section. We have some really excellent and experienced breeders on this forum. I hope they will give you some good advice. Can I suggest that you post some pictures of your little guy here.

Thanks Wessel for being so helpful :)

Best wishes.

Ellie.
Timmee81
Posts: 9
Joined: Sat Dec 06, 2014 5:22 pm

Re: Please help ASAP

Post by Timmee81 »

Hi Ellie.

Thanks I spoke to breeder and its actually only 4 weeks old and none are standing fully yet. I've began to prop it up better while feeding and he seems to be improving quickly
Timmee81
Posts: 9
Joined: Sat Dec 06, 2014 5:22 pm

Re: Please help ASAP

Post by Timmee81 »

Update!!!!

It turns out that Ziggy is just a really cheeky little baby who was enjoying the attention. I left the room and returned to find him strutting around like a boss only to duck back down when i busted him...
ellieelectrons
Posts: 2708
Joined: Mon Jul 19, 2010 1:17 am
Location: Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia

Re: Please help ASAP

Post by ellieelectrons »

I'm glad you're happy with his progress.

Ellie.
Wessel Gordon
Posts: 408
Joined: Wed Jul 13, 2011 12:02 pm
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Re: Please help ASAP

Post by Wessel Gordon »

Ellie,

It's always a pleasure to help out. Like most of here I'm sure we have the best interest of our birds at heart and if we sometimes seem a bit rash or rude to a owner of a bird with a problem I'll bet it's a case of us being very passionate about our feathered friends.

A quick off-topic remark about my Congo African Grey: he's only 6-7 months old but despite the deformity (or because of it) he has a very strong developed will of his own. It's either Banana's way or no way, lol. Since he has a deformed foot and I suffer a birth defect with life-long effects I'm sure we are the perfect match for each other: meaning we're both tenacious in getting what we want, stubborn in persisting in doing things our way and utterly pigheaded if woken up too early in the morning unless flames are already devouring the bedding.

Kind regards,

Wessel
Wessel Gordon
Posts: 408
Joined: Wed Jul 13, 2011 12:02 pm
Location: South Africa
Contact:

Re: Please help ASAP

Post by Wessel Gordon »

Maybe I should tone that last paragraph down to: I know he will always have "special needs" and days that he simply woke up with the wrong foot clutching the wrong perch. And he senses that I have special needs too so we bonded like two bottles of superglue in the middle of a heatwave. He tolerates my hands in his cage but at this point if anyone else try and risk it they'll end up with more bite-marks than if they tried to mess with a colony of IRN's babies.

I doubt all the billionaires on the Forbes Rich List could convince me to part with him.
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