Baby galah help

[jengranger30]

Hi I too arrived home on Friday afternoon to find my border collie pup with a young galah in his mouth although luckily I don't think he did any damage. This little guy obviously can't fly but in all honesty I don't think I've seen a skinnier bird before. This is the second bird in two days I've rescued the other was a female magpie with paralysis tick poisening. But back to Raggles as we've called him? I did take both birds to our local vet and he did suggest to put him to sleep but there was a fighting spark in this little guy so we are trying to give him a chance! I did give him a solution of Manuka honey and water which he ignored with food at first but has now discovered his appetite and seems to enjoy. Interesting two grown galahs have taken residence in our jacarandas tree (they obviously have a nest high up in a giant red gum on my neighbours place around 1km away. He has been given no other medication and is now eating some seed on his own to some degree (prefers me splitting sunflower seed the most for him) but I am worried as his poo is quite runny and bright green. Is this normal? He sleeps a lot but when awake talks to the galahs outside and loves to cuddle into a little polar fleece blanket ... I am trying to give them a view of each other so if he survives I can release him back outside! Any help or suggestions would be wonderful ... Thanks Jen

[avinet]

Bright green droppings usually indicate a bacterial infection of the intestinal tract - which would also account for the poor condition. He will ideally need an antibiotic - Baytril is the one of choice if your vet can provide some - dosage will be 0.2 ml twice a day to the beak for 3 to 5 days.

They can also indicate liver damage from Psittacine Beak & Feather Disease, or even Psittacosis, but a straight forward gut infection is most likely and is at least treatable. Beak & Feather is a virus and so not treatable - if his feathers seem to be falling out then PBFD is likely. Psittacosis is treatable but takes a long course of antibiotics - for 7 weeks in fact. if Baytril does not help then Psittacosis is a possibility - Doxycycline is the drug to treat it.

For feeding - try to mix up some high protein baby cereal into a slightly runny mix and see if the baby will take it off a spoon - or eat it from a feeder. Also give seed - a cockatiel mix - as well as millet spray and chopped up veggies. Basically to be released he has to be able to fly - and if the parents will hang around that is all to the good. Maybe have his cage out in a shady area where the parents might come down to visit and even feed him through the bars of the cage. If he doesn't have his parents still around try to release him into a flock of Galahs, once he is feeding well, flying and droppings have returned to normal.

Good luck!

cheers,

Mike

[jengranger30]

Thanks Mike the baby galah seems perkier this afternoon and getting to be quite a sweet little character. I put him out on the lawn briefly and he called out ... within seconds two adult galahs swooped in from the neighbours red gum so im pretty sure they are his parents its been a littlle cool to leave him out for long but hopefully it will warm up in the next day or so so I can put his cage out as per your suggestion. I wiill get some antibiotics tomorrow for him but his poo this afternoon, athough still green, is much firmer and not as green. Dont want to jinx myself and him, his just climbed up onto my shoulder and is nestling under my hair and chirping softy. I am a bit smitten. Will keep you posted, thanks for the advise on the Maggie to. fingers crossed I can get them both back to their famiies. cheers Jenny