UPDATE: Wrote this blog two years ago when April turned 25 years old....now she will be 27 in a few days. She is amazing...has expanded her vocabulary by several swear words and a new dog name....we rescued a 5 year old Chihuahua named Tipo...we call him TT....so she says in a high pitched voice TT...(like I do) She is now located in the kitchen where I'm sure she picked up the new curse words...but hopefully will pick up the timer ring sound, and start singing like I do when I do the dishes and when I bake, which is often during the winter months. Currently still singing Christmas Carols....but will switch back to old favorites soon. HAPPY NEW YEAR...I say that to her everyday (every time I pass the cage) and she just looks at me and asks for a chip...Oh Well...she does have a mind of her own.
This is April.
Today is her birthday...she is 25 years old. Life expectancy of an African Grey is about 90 years. So, she will still be here, probably living with one of my children/grandkids after I am gone. So, I am busy teaching her as many naughty words and questionable expressions as possible so that my memory will live on as the eccentric, creative, potty mouth person that I am.
We are currently experiencing a possible health issue with April. According to Google she might have anything from a fungal infection, bacterial infection, mites or depression. We have moved from WI to MI over the last few months. Our last trip we pulled an animal hauler with our sheep, llama, peacocks and chickens in it and our parakeet, dogs and April were in the backseat of our truck. We had to move her from her large floor cage to a smaller cage that we could actually fit in the backseat. And, carry her large cage in the hauler.
It has been hard getting in touch with a Vet in our new area, especially an Avian Vet to either have them make a home visit or take her in for blood tests that might possibly tell us something. (Also, all of the Holidays) We did find out from some people that we met that there are two female vets in our very town that service a local zoo. So, knowing that the local zoo has many parrots, I'm sure we're going to be in good hands.
On advice from Google, I thoroughly washed her cage with vinegar and water, cleaned and sanitized her bowls and toys and actually put her in the bathtub and gave her a shower. She did not seem happy with me capturing her in a towel and placing her in a few inches of warm water. But, after some complaining, she spread her wings and started to bath herself.
Once I put her back in her cage and put a warming light on her, she began to preen herself and afterwards looked much better.
I have offered her every food in the world in the last few days....even going so far as to chew food myself and give it to her (I am her mom after all). She really had stopped eating. She would just push food around and mostly turn her head and put her beak into her back feathers and sleep. But, after her shower, pushing food, rubbing her and talking to her constantly....she seems to be reacting and talking more.
I was busy thinking about how stressed I've been, selling our home in just a few days, packing up a very large home, filling a semi container and making several enclosed trailer rides to our new home (4.5 hrs. one way), (a small log cabin in the middle of not much). But I never stopped to think about how all of the changes might affect her. Birds are very sensitive and can become stressed and depressed I have learned. So, we moved her closer to where we are most of the time and put her parakeet friend right next to her (like it was in her old house) and are making an all out effort to get her to eat and interact with us.
I had been so busy working...I'd throw food and clean water in there everyday and peelings and fresh fruit...and talk to her for a moment. But, I am who she has bonded with, and I was letting her down. I promised her that I would not let her down again...she wants kisses all of the time and wants me to rub her head and I now always make time to do that. She is very important to me, more than I knew. This is the first time in 25 years that we have had a potential health issue. l
I have made an appointment with the vet to take her in....I just want to be sure....and, by the way, we refer to her as her but we have no idea is "she" is male or female....there is no difference in appearance in male or female African Greys....you have to blood test them to find out. So, if our new vet thinks we should run some tests, I may actually find out after 25 years if April is a girl or if she is a boy. She's still going to be April no matter what...cause she says her name....but, it will be interesting to know if I guessed correctly. She just always struck me as a girl...just a feeling...we'll see if 'my radar' was correct.
UPDATE: She, yes, she is a she...was getting ready to pass her first egg. It was somewhat stuck...sticking out partially one morning. So, I again put her in warm water and put her in her carrying cage and off we went to the vet. They had to semi cut the skin around her vent to get the egg out...it was stuck and dried to her skin. They got it off and out and gave us a lubricant to apply to her vent everyday.....it happens they said...good that we got her in. Her first egg when she was 25 years old. I kept the egg, it looked like a golf ball....put it in her cage and she ignored it. Glad she wasn't ill...just having a little trouble doing something normal...
Today is her birthday...she is 25 years old. Life expectancy of an African Grey is about 90 years. So, she will still be here, probably living with one of my children/grandkids after I am gone. So, I am busy teaching her as many naughty words and questionable expressions as possible so that my memory will live on as the eccentric, creative, potty mouth person that I am.
We are currently experiencing a possible health issue with April. According to Google she might have anything from a fungal infection, bacterial infection, mites or depression. We have moved from WI to MI over the last few months. Our last trip we pulled an animal hauler with our sheep, llama, peacocks and chickens in it and our parakeet, dogs and April were in the backseat of our truck. We had to move her from her large floor cage to a smaller cage that we could actually fit in the backseat. And, carry her large cage in the hauler.
It has been hard getting in touch with a Vet in our new area, especially an Avian Vet to either have them make a home visit or take her in for blood tests that might possibly tell us something. (Also, all of the Holidays) We did find out from some people that we met that there are two female vets in our very town that service a local zoo. So, knowing that the local zoo has many parrots, I'm sure we're going to be in good hands.
On advice from Google, I thoroughly washed her cage with vinegar and water, cleaned and sanitized her bowls and toys and actually put her in the bathtub and gave her a shower. She did not seem happy with me capturing her in a towel and placing her in a few inches of warm water. But, after some complaining, she spread her wings and started to bath herself.
Once I put her back in her cage and put a warming light on her, she began to preen herself and afterwards looked much better.
I have offered her every food in the world in the last few days....even going so far as to chew food myself and give it to her (I am her mom after all). She really had stopped eating. She would just push food around and mostly turn her head and put her beak into her back feathers and sleep. But, after her shower, pushing food, rubbing her and talking to her constantly....she seems to be reacting and talking more.
I was busy thinking about how stressed I've been, selling our home in just a few days, packing up a very large home, filling a semi container and making several enclosed trailer rides to our new home (4.5 hrs. one way), (a small log cabin in the middle of not much). But I never stopped to think about how all of the changes might affect her. Birds are very sensitive and can become stressed and depressed I have learned. So, we moved her closer to where we are most of the time and put her parakeet friend right next to her (like it was in her old house) and are making an all out effort to get her to eat and interact with us.
I had been so busy working...I'd throw food and clean water in there everyday and peelings and fresh fruit...and talk to her for a moment. But, I am who she has bonded with, and I was letting her down. I promised her that I would not let her down again...she wants kisses all of the time and wants me to rub her head and I now always make time to do that. She is very important to me, more than I knew. This is the first time in 25 years that we have had a potential health issue. l
I have made an appointment with the vet to take her in....I just want to be sure....and, by the way, we refer to her as her but we have no idea is "she" is male or female....there is no difference in appearance in male or female African Greys....you have to blood test them to find out. So, if our new vet thinks we should run some tests, I may actually find out after 25 years if April is a girl or if she is a boy. She's still going to be April no matter what...cause she says her name....but, it will be interesting to know if I guessed correctly. She just always struck me as a girl...just a feeling...we'll see if 'my radar' was correct.
UPDATE: She, yes, she is a she...was getting ready to pass her first egg. It was somewhat stuck...sticking out partially one morning. So, I again put her in warm water and put her in her carrying cage and off we went to the vet. They had to semi cut the skin around her vent to get the egg out...it was stuck and dried to her skin. They got it off and out and gave us a lubricant to apply to her vent everyday.....it happens they said...good that we got her in. Her first egg when she was 25 years old. I kept the egg, it looked like a golf ball....put it in her cage and she ignored it. Glad she wasn't ill...just having a little trouble doing something normal...
