Something wrong with my cockatiel?

[Redstorm1721]

:( I have been worried about Pearl my cockatiel? She had another egg yesterday and that was shocking enough. I have been hearing her in her cage at night crying. It breaks my heart. She sits at the top perch branch and crys? I took her out last night, late and let her sit with me. That whole time she didn't cry. I checked for egg binding and none. I looked at her carefully and she looks on the outside fine? I spend alot of my time with my birds and I just can't figure this out? I wonder if she has pain from laying another egg? She hasen't layed eggs since summer. I took the egg, after I had her and hid it just incase this is what brothers her. I put her back after she started to fall asleep on me. She didn't cry at all last night anymore, but did this morning she did. Any Ideas? Thanks

[Squawksx3]

I'm so sorry Gail, it must be hard to listen to her and not know whats wrong. Sorry I cant help, I hope she gets better soon.

[Mrs.Birdy]

Gail: Poor little Pearl.....I hope she soon feels better.

I have learned through experiences with my female tiel, Snickers, that cockatiels can go into breeding "mode" all year long. What's a good caregiver to do??

Well, I was given this advice:

When Pearl starts to show mating signs, like tail up, head down, moaning, and egg laying, shorten her daylight time by covering her earlier.

What really helped relieve Snickers' stress was giving her "Nestling Food Plus" by 8in1 Pro Ultra Blend. Also by this company, there a Stress formular (I can't remember the entire name because I ran out of it). Even when she stops laying eggs, the stress formula will calm her for a while.

The Nestling Food has extra vitamins and minerals that egg layers need.

I hope Pearl stops crying soon....My Snickers isn't crying as much, but she does her "mating dance" performance quite often..lol. She hasn't reached the point of being a chronic egg layer, thankfully, but I always keep an eye on things.

Good luck Gail.

:)

[Amanda]

Oh, poor baby Pearl. I understand your worries Gail (about the egg-binding). It must be so hard for you to listen to Pearl crying. I would do what Mrs.Birdy suggested .... she seems to have success with her Snickers. (I was not as lucky as her with my female cockatiel :( ).

I also have the same worries as you about Bijou. She has laid 3 more eggs (this week). I thought she was done with it a few weeks back, but she surprised me this week when I uncovered her cage and found an egg. I'm going to take Roseanne's advise and give Bijou those things she suggested.

Anyway, give Pearl extra hugs & kisses from me and my fids.

[teri]

gail,
i've heard that you should let Pearl sit on her egg for at least 3 days before you take it from her so she gets the satisfaction of nesting? can't think of the word for sittin on an egg. maybe that is why she cried cuz she missed that experience?

[Redstorm1721]

Oh, you are all so nice. I will take your advise Roseanne. I am so thankfull to you for this information. I didn't even think about that. Thanks so much. Teri thanks for the reminder. I have let Pearl sit on her last ones for a week or so. She gets tired of them. This time she pushed her egg so far it went to the other side of the cage. I would put it back for her and she just pushed it away. Not to mention that she looks so funny trying to sit on it. She really can't. Its like she has no clue about how to sit and things. LOl Poor,Poor little Pearl. Now I can understand why the crying. Thats enough to make my heart sick with worry. Thanks Roseanne so very much. Its late now but just as soon as I can get to the store I am getting the food. Thanks so much!Thanks all. I will let you know. Mrs.Birdy is that dance back and forth in one spot? Pearl will dance from side to side alot. Is this what you mean?

[Mrs.Birdy]

That mating dance is done in one spot usually bouncing her tail up and down, and she makes a strange sound like "eh eh eh". It's very funny to look at and very coquettish.

I have 3 male budgies and Snickers loves to get in the middle of their cage and do her thing....naughty girl !!

[Love Bird B]

Oh Gail, I'm so sorry to hear about little Pearl's peril. I'm sure Argo would love her, as he would Snickers too! He's a real lovie dovie!

Mrs. Birdy, 'eh, eh, eh' that's hysterical!

[Redstorm1721]

I know I had to laugh Mrs.Birdy at the fact, you said naughty girl. That was really funny. Well Pearl had her egg last night. I knew this was to happen again. She didn't cry at all last night,but this morning she did. She faces the wall and crys. Poor girl. So this is 2 eggs in a week. I hope no more? I am going today to get her the food you mentioned. I hope it really helps her.

[crazeemama]

Good Luck with Pearl, i hope she gets some releif!

[krazy4birds]

I have a question here....I have had cockatiels for about 6 years now and I can not remember hearing anything that sounds like a cry to me. What is the sound they make? I hate to think one of them was crying and I did not reconize what it was!!!!!!

[Redstorm1721]

Oh, I am not sure I can describe it? Lets see,its 2 squeeks together. like eakeak! Its hard to say. But You would know if your baby was crying. Its very sad feeling. She crys and its a very different sound then any other sound she has. She is not a talker and says very little. But when she crys its something you know. Probably you have males? They seem to always be pretty happy singing and talking. Anyway, I looked for the food here and couldn't find it? But am on my way out today again, and am going to another store here, and asking for it. Thanks everyone for your concern. "By the way"she layed 2 more since we spoke last. Poor Pearl.I now am able to cover her as she lets me. When I uncover her, she gets mad and puts her feathers back like a mean dog, and hisses at me.LOL Poor thing. Her eggs are a mess. But faithful she sits on them and waits. She would make a great mother. I hope I am doing all that I can?

[krazy4birds]

Oh gosh.....I hope things get better for Pearl and fast! I have had male and female "tiels. But usually it is in pairs so maybe that is why. The only "tiel I ever had single in a cage was a male. That is probably why I have never heard a cry...yet....and hope I never do. Bless little Pearls heart......

[Redstorm1721]

Thank you.

[krazy4birds]

Redstorm....how is Pearl? I have been thinking of her today. I hope she is better. How old is she?

[Redstorm1721]

Hello thank you for asking. I went to a really nice store about 2 hours from where I live, and bought some helpfull drops,for her. when she is nesting. They told me not to rid of her eggs for "3" weeks. Also I bought this really great food mix with all the helpfull things you can believe. She is in a dark room for 2 days now and hopefully she will get over this and on her way to a better happy self!!!!!!!!1 Thanks again,Gail

[crazeemama]

Just wondering if the new measures were helpful in your tiel getting some releif from the chronic egg-laying. Hope all is well.

[Redstorm1721]

Hi Crazeemama, She has layed 4 more eggs. I still have her in a dark room. I took her out after she layed 2 eggs and put her back,thinking this doesn't work! But she started to cry all day, I felt so awful I had put her back in the dark room, where she sits on her eggs all day and also stops to eat. Nothing seems to work at all? I have no clue what else to do? Any info on this? I give her the extra drops for her and the nesting food. I have no idea what else to do for poor Pearl? She hates the nesting food and will not go near it. The special drops help a little. At least she drinks the water and gets them in her. Please Crazeemama w/b.Gail, thank you for your thoughts

[crazeemama]

I would say make sure her diet is very good, lots of good things. Most beans are fairly high in calcium as are dark greens, ie kale, dandelion (root and leaf) etc. then the other greens are smaller amounts.
The only thing i would suggest is avian medicine chest. They have a website (just google it! LOL) and there is a phone number and you can call or e-mail about your bird and they will tell you more specifically what they have that may help your birds' situation. A dusting of cuttle bone on her moist food or very finely ground egg shell will be of some use. Just make sure you are not too heavy handed as it can cause an impaction in the crop or the intestines.
Outside of that, have you read any of the articles at birdsnways or National cockatiel society, or American Cockatiel society? (you can google on those names for the websites, also).
I don't know what could help outside of the nutritional support i have already mentioned. You may gain some insights at these other sites. Oh, perhaps www.parrothouse.com also!
Good Luck!
P.S Sorry it took so long for me to respond.... everyone is sick with the CRUD at my sons house (kinda looked like the night of the living dead over there yesterday when i went to the store for some 7-up for them!! Then i had to make an emergency batch of chicken & dumplings (sorta poor peoples' penacillin, LOL). Anyway i hope something in one of these other resources will help!

[Redstorm1721]

I am LOL. Whats the crud? Flu? LOL. Poor kids huh? Well The drops are Calciboost. Its a saturated liquid calcium/Magnesium.Has added vitamin D3...Its a real good product, I have bought at an avian store 2 hours away. The Avian vet is right next door, and this is where it comes from. They said I was doing it all right, but why the hell is she laying more eggs? she has 5 more now!!! She is in a dark room and if I turn on the lights for more then 15 minutes, she crys and crys for loving LOL. so I turn them all off. I give my birds a special feast with beans and corn and all the nutrients they need. I buy it from the Avian store I told you about. Sunni loves it,But poor Pearl she only likes carrots and eggs. She loves her seed. I also bought a nesting food for her. She is not a human food eater and only likes seed. I think when I bought her she was already like a couple years old and only use to seed. I mean I know she was not only 4 months old. I would say at least a couple years old!!!! I bet they got rid of her because of her egg laying. Anyway, so sad that someone would do that. She was also so wild. No one could pick her up. But she is all trained,but very particular about her cage. No way can anyone go near it. I mean to pick her up!!!! I can but even then she hisses at me.LOL she puts her feathers back and looks like a cat or dog when doing this.Its quite funny. Okay well I can't believe that I wrote all this with my fake nails on LOL Sunni attacks them and tries to bite them off. Oh her nails are also kinda long and I am bring her to get hers clipped. In the mean time she bites her nails like a human and spits them out.LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for all your advice!!!!! Gail

[crazeemama]

BTW, the CRUD is whatever virus/flu du jour, that is circulating around. Right noew there are schools that closed early for Thanksgiving break, just due to the number of kids absent. Everyone seems to be getting it.
I have a 'sinus thing' going on today. I am hoping that the preventative measures i am taking, along with the fact that i have had a flu shot, will weigh heavily in my favor and i will be safe from the worst of it anyway!

Hope you can get some resolution with Pearl.

[Redstorm1721]

Well Crazeemama, Pearl layed another egg this afternoon. Can you believe that? This makes something like 11 eggs in the past 2 weeks, just ending the 2nd week? Wow I am becides myself? I am wondering what I am doing, that is wrong? I am doing all that the doctor tells me and she is still having them? What next? I feel bad she is in this dark room to break the cycle, and it seems to be helping her have more?? I think I am going to buy a book on this and see if there is something else I can do? I hope your family gets well soon. This flu is getting the worst of everyone. I had a sinus thing 1 month ago. and it stayed with me for 1 month. I hope that was the flu and not get it again. Anyway happy thanks giving to you and your family. Don't eat to much! LOl I know I will as always. Gail

[crazeemama]

Redstorm,
Besides the places i already gave you that have articles on the subject, i really can't be of much assisstance. It sounds like you are doing everything 'doable'. How long do they suggest leaving Pearl in the dark? Is this 24 hours a day she is in the dark room?

She may always be a chronic egg-layer. If that is the situation, there is something akin to a hysterectomy, but it is a very risky procedure on a 'tiel. Plus it just empties the eggs, from what i have read, into the abdomen and they end up dying sometime later of egg yolk peritonitus!
Probably the most important things are what you arealready doing . Nutritional support is very important. lots of veggies that are high in calcuim etc.
Good Luck to the both of you!

[Redstorm1721]

Well, I can't believe this,but she had another egg! Yes there are 7 in ther now. I ould agree she is a chronic egg layer. Anyway,she has been in the dark for at least 9 hors a day. his is what I was told,and for 3 weeks they said. I am taking her out tomorrow and putting her back with sunni. If she lays eggs well I don't know what else to do. But she needs a life. I will cover her when she crys to much!!! Thanks I am so sorry for her but she will be okay!!!

[Kaye]

After reading this thread.. the only thing I can think of doing is taking her to your avian vet and seeing what your options are. Laying that many eggs in so little time can't be good for a bird! Can you give us an update?

[Redstorm1721]

Well she is still laying eggs. can't count how many. I am concerned. I will be bringing her in to the vets and sunni too. Sunni has to have nail and wings clipped. Pearl, well I love her so much and have no other thought on what to do, I think I have almost tried them all? I will update as soon as I find out. It has snowed her at least 1 foot. I am snowed in and can't even get my car out. I have a car thats only to drive in the summer. I am looking for another for the winter. So as soon as we can get out of our snowbound yard I will get her there. I am also very concerned about the very cold weather and bringing her out in it. So I might have them come here if he can?????? Thanks for asking. Gail