Help Needed

[shnakeygirl]

Hi guys,

It's been awhile since I posted on here, but I need some information and help

We've had our Galah, Ruby for about 8 months now and shes a beautiful girl. We had a few problems with her in the beginning, but shes come a long way

Yesterday we took her to the vet so we could be shown her to clip her nails and wings.

That was all good, but while we were there, the vet told us that Ruby is 'a bit skinny' Both my fiancee and I were shocked by this. Ruby is fed quite a substantial amount everyday; shouts, seed (a mix of budgie and wild bird) vegies, sprouts and thats just her staples. She will have toast crust for breakfast most days too and generally gets more vegies as we're cooking.

What shocked us even more was what the vet told us to feed her to make her gain some weight. Apart from the usual sunflower seeds (which she will not touch with a ten foot pole) he told us to give her;

Cake
Doughnuts
Hot chips
Flavoured chips (apart from sour cream and chives)
CC's

Is this true? I'm not about to give her things that are detrimental to her health. If not, what can be used to put a little bit of weight on her?

Thanks in advance

[carlsandclan]

Good lord!

Personally, I would find a new vet! OMG! I would never dream of feeding stuff like that to put weight on myself, let alone a bird.

Have you got a gram scale so you can weigh her yourself? Galah's have a huge weight range - anything from 320 - 420g from memory. Depending on the sub-species of course. Anyway, I weigh AJ once a week just to see if there are any major fluctuations in her weight. I also feel her keel bone - if it is protruding a lot, with not much breast muscle, that is a serious problem.

Her diet is great! The only other reason she might be losing weight is if she has an illness - has she had a health check-up? Mind you, it could be the way she is built! Birds are just as individual as we are.

If you are really concerned, see another vet. You can also feed her a bit more protein - hard boiled eggs, scrambled eggs, cooked legumes (lentils, chick peas, kidney beans).

Carls

[shnakeygirl]

Thank you so much! She doesn't look skinny at all. I remember about 6 or so weeks ago, just as it was starting to get cold down here, we thought she was putting on too much weight, but we realised it was just a reaction to the cold.

Apart from the 'skinny' thing, shes in perfect health. A very happy and healthy bird.

I just went and felt her keel bone and it seems fine, it feels like there is heaps of muscle around it and certainly doesn't feel like its sticking out too much at all

[vankarhi]

If you can feel meat around her keel bone but can still feel her keel bone then she is fine.

and OM bloody G is all I can say about the advise your vet gave you. To have any of that stuff occassionally as a treat is ok but not for trying to fatten your bird especially a galah. If she doesn't like sunflower seeds then wonderful because they can become addicted to it and it can give them health problems later on.

They do need seed but they also need to have fresh food too and good variety of it.

[shnakeygirl]

I've always been thankful she doesn't like sunflower seeds.

She has a heap of fresh vegies everyday.

I'm going to give her a go on eggs over the weekend, shes never tried them, so it could be interesting!

[asharee]

LOL! that vet is a bit retarded