Updated of Kozmo and Loki

Post by **kyria** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 10:44 pm

Kozmo and Loki are beautiful :wink:

Just beautiful !

Dani03 · Post by **Dani03** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 7:33 am

Wow you have two beauties. I love that green! Is the blue molting? Hehehe they look so cute when they are scruffy

Dani and Prinny

jen5239 · Post by **jen5239** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 9:30 am

What beautiful birds you have! Thanks for sharing the pictures.

spinnergirl · Post by **spinnergirl** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 9:42 am

What pretty IRNs you have!

They look as if they are on an outing, checking things out

darkcloudchild · Post by **darkcloudchild** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 10:21 am

I wish it was just molting that Kozmo's going through. She's looked like that for about the last 6 months, and I can't figure out why. Taking her to a vet today to see what we may come up with. I'll keep you guys posted.

darkcloudchild · Post by **darkcloudchild** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 10:34 am

Yeah, well I'm really nervous about taking her to a vet today. Her and Loki have never been split up before...

I sure hope they both will be okay for the hour or two...

Mazziemom · Post by **Mazziemom** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 11:57 am

Is she really young?

Alice looked scruffy for the first six months, she needed a full molt to pull her together

Good luck at the vet!

Athena

darkcloudchild · Post by **darkcloudchild** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 1:48 pm

She'll be 4 in April.

It really stinks that Wyoming doesn't have any avian vets. *sigh* This vet is going to do some research, but didn't know what to say today. *sigh*

jen5239 · Post by **jen5239** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 1:54 pm

She's beautiful even if she is a bit scruffy! As long as she's healthy and happy that's all that matters!

Post by **Datsun and Family** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 2:14 pm

Has she been treated for mites recently? What do you feed them? When was her last moult? What season is it there?

Maybe we can try to work it out together. She really is beautiful anyway, they both are.

How did they handle being seperated?

darkcloudchild · Post by **darkcloudchild** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 2:49 pm

I haven't treated for mites at all, but I would think that if one had 'em the other would end up with them too, since they are caged together.

I really don't remember her last moult. I thought this was one, and now it's been going on for 6 months.

Right now it's pretty much wintertime, although it's been unseasonably warm.

I called and talked to the breeder and she said she may need some vitamin A in her diet. So I'm going to go see if I can find some tonight after work and see if that starts to help.

The breeder did mention that Loki may be picking on her. I haven't really ever seen this happen though, she always lets him have it when she's fed up with him buggin her, or getting more attention than her.

Mazziemom · Post by **Mazziemom** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 4:15 pm

Dont use actual vitamins, they are much too potent for birds.

Sweet potato, broccoli and other fresh foods have lots of vitamin A, try that instead.

Where are you in WY? Theres a wonderful Avian vet in Ft. Collins, about 2 hours from Cheyenne. A long drive I know, but at least its a good vet if you really need one.

Its about 2 hours from me too

Hows her diet? Shower schedule?

Athena

darkcloudchild · Post by **darkcloudchild** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 5:05 pm

They did seem to handle being seperated for about an hour alright.

I'm in Rock Springs, which is about 4 hour drive from Cheyenne

The breeder said there's usually get vitamin supplements to put in their water. She said she usually has them, but is out at the moment, so I'm going to go check our local pet store for them, if not, Petco.com is my friend usually.

Her diet is great, at least compared to Loki's. She eats everything we do. We always have at least one veggie with dinner everynight. They do eat their pellets (usually by putting them in their water bottles to soak for awhile first).

I can't get either of my birds to enjoy the shower, so I have to spray bottle them down. I do this 3 days a week usually.

Post by **Datsun and Family** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 7:46 pm

I would start by ensuring that they eat at least 30% of their meals as fresh fruit and veges.

From what I can see they both have mite damage so treat them for mites as soon as possible.

Either buy a full spectrum light or put them in an outdoor cage (weather permitting) for a few hours a day sunlight does wonders!

Limit the human food they get and focus on a GREAT birdie diet, including 1 third fresh fruits and vegetables.

Definately get a vitamin suppliment like Avi Cal or Ornithon and use it everyday in their drinking water and a couple of times a week you could use apple cider vinegar in there too.

Maybe you could try seperating them too if you have the space and/or another cage. That at least could rule out bullying.

Good luck!

Mazziemom · Post by **Mazziemom** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 10:02 pm

How on earth do you see mites?

Mites are microscopic, and birds who have them get scales. I dont see a single scale on either of those birds!

Treating for something that isnt there is dangerous! If the vet suspected mites she'd have heard that today. Even a non avian vet would know mites.

Its usually freezing during the winter where she lives, and winddddddyyy. Outdoors isnt a good idea. A full spec light might help some, but honestly it looks like a molt gone bad. I've seen it happen before, when nutrition wasnt up to doing the full job.

Athena

Post by **Datsun and Family** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 3:04 am

Mite damage to feathers can be seen on the edges and shaft of each feather especially flight feathers and mite spray is harmless and good used regularly as a precautionary measure or at least the ones we can get here are.

Also I wrote "weather permitting" as I do not know US weather and winter here is not always too cold to put a bird out during the day.

I know that this owner is neither stupid nor neglegent as they are taking measures to fix this by going to the vet. I would assume based upon this that they are capable of using advice that is helpful and ruling out things that are not suitable at this time.

Here is a site to look at regarding visible mite damage to feathers:
http://petcaretips.net/feather-mite.html

Jeremy · Post by **Jeremy** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 5:07 am

Actually, mites can be seen quite easily, they are tiny dots that move around.
If your bird does have mites, you would know. All you have to do is touch or hold the bird for a few seconds and you will either see mites running around on the birds feathers, or crawling up your arm.

One of my Mask Lovebird hens got a huge infestation of mites in her nestbox, half the population of those mites were Red Mites. ll i did was life the lid off the box and within half a second i had a hundred or so running up my arm. They are tiny black and/or red dots.

A mite and lice spray cannot hurt a bird, just make sure it doesn't go in there eyes.

darkcloudchild · Post by **darkcloudchild** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 10:02 am

The vet did check her wings and body yesterday. No sign of an infestation on her.

I am beginning to think she's doing it to herself though. I watched her start cleaning herself about 6 times last night. I'm going to order a bunch of chew/shred toys from that website that Athena posted. I think that'll help keep her mind off of herself, LOL. I'll start doing the vitamin A also, and maybe a bit of both will help her out.