Ok guys this is something for you all to have a little think about.
As some of you may know, last year I had quite a scare with the misfits.
They all went for a blood test to see how they were doing, I had quite a shock when the results came back that they were all having some sort of liver problem!!!
The major part of this was that Psittacosis could have been a possibility even though all 3 birds at the time had been tested as Negative, and more than once too!!!
So another Psittacosis test was done, but through all the stress and the tears I doubted that it could have been the cause, and the vet wanted to redo the bloods four months later
So, what was having an impact on their livers???
What was I giving to them that was causing havoc??
Not seed!!! The birds had not had seed since Christmas 2010!!
I was giving the odd Nutriberries but again, nothing to cause a major problem. They we're having parrot mash, with veg, pulses and lentils, and a little fruit, so nothing fatty there either. I had always expected problems with Bert and Lady, they were rehomes and used to be seed junkies, but not with Haydes, he was only 14 weeks old when I got him, so either I was doing something wrong, or he was born with a liver condition.
Ruling everything else out, I was left with one remaining factor.....
PALM OIL!!!!!!!
The way I was giving Palm Oil was 1 5ml spoon over 1lb of food (pellets) and or course they were having pellets every day, not a lbs worth, just the normal free choice......
So, I decided to STOP the Palm Oil from when they had the first initial blood test.
A few weeks later I had an email from another parrot owner, they had found out about my predicament and advised that they also had a similar problem with their bird. They had noticed some blood in their bird's droppings and rushed him to the vets, after the relevant tests it transpired that the bird had a major liver problem. The liver was so enlarged that the vet could not risk an endoscopy for fear that the bird would not survive. So the owner went back to basics, stripping the little seed that was given out of the diet, and also the Palm Oil....
One month later after a follow up blood test, the liver had returned to normal!!
I was now intrigued, and for 2 parronts to consider that Palm Oil could be factor, had me wanting to wish four months away just for my lots follow up blood test.
The time eventually came, the follow up bloods were done, and one week later I got the results........
3 IMPROVED LIVERS!!!!!!!!
So from that, I have concluded that Palm Oil was the major factor.
Now, I have always promoted Palm Oil because for those of you that saw the state of Bert when I first got her, and then the Photos a few months later, a transformation is an understatement!!!
However........
We need to consider that although birds in the wild eat Palm Nuts/Oil etc, they fly for miles and miles each day, so burn off the fat in the Palm Oil/nuts, and therefore do not suffer any ill effects.
Our birdies however do not fly for mile and miles every day!!!
So, please don't read this as DO NOT GIVE PALM OIL because that's not what I'm saying at all....
I'm saying that a little, goes a very long way. So you may want to consider how much Palm Oil you are giving!!!!!
At the moment I am just trying to figure out, which method of giving Palm Oil is best for me, so for example, I am only giving a tiny amount of Palm Oil once or twice a month.
I have started firstly with Power Treats, so 2 power treats each a month, I'm thinking I might need to swap to the Oil as the Power Treats will end up going stale before they're used. If I do swap to the Oil, I will only be giving it once a month and it will be half a pea size or less spread on a little wholegrain toast or something.
The last thing I want to add, is that I cannot tell you how IMPORTANT IT IS to have your birds blood tested as part of a routine health check every 12 to 18 months!!!!!!
From this year it will cost me approximately £420 to have all 4 misfits blood tested!!
IT'S WORTH EVERY SINGLE PENNY!!!!!
Peace and Love
