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OK, I'm not trying to undercut my avian vet, but I'm going to throw this out and see what your opinion is. My vet, who is not certified, but as good as I can get (I live about 100 miles from any type of vet that sees birds), did an exam on a tiel I just purchased 3 weeks ago from PetSmart. I know, not a good idea, but he really needed a home!
He was quiet for the first week of course, but since then has started to make all sorts of sounds, his poop is very normal, he is eating and drinking just like he should, fairly active, but still getting used to his new surroundings, in quarantine from my other two birds etc. etc. etc. From all appearances, he seems healthy and on the road to being a good bird.
Back to the question - the vet looked in his mouth and she said it was red, so she wants me to keep him in quarantine for another 5 weeks. I have no problem with that. She also wants him moved to pellets asap to help fight off the infection he has. She mentioned antibiotics, but did not treat him with any, she felt since he was adjusting to his new home and owner, she did not want to degredate our relationship by trying to medicate him twice a day with liquid antibiotics. She said a pellet diet will strengthen the immune system and help him fight off the infection.
Now, if this bird was really sick, wouldn't it be prudent to forget the relationship and give him the antibiotics? I'm sure I am showing my ignorance about birds, but I have him eating Avi Cakes and a good seed mix at the moment. He loves the Avi Cakes. That's about all he eats.
Today, the day after the vet visit, I started giving him a mixture of different brands of pellets and scaled down the Avi Cakes. He's hungry!!! He did try the pellets and I think he actually ate a few instead of just grinding them and spitting them out.
I'm concerned that if he is under the weather, he's not getting enough food, whatever it is.
I would just like to hear from you to see what you think. I don't want to sound like the vet is not capable, but it doesn't make sense to me.
Thanks for reading all of this!

You've probably already realized you've posted this on the cockaTOO chat -- and easy mistake, and easily corrected by simply copying your post and pasting it into a new one on the cockatiel chat. You'll get a lot of information there. And you might here as well!

I agree with you that a bird sick with an infection needs treatment. I'd want my vet to find out what the infection is and prescribe the appropriate meds to cure it. Most of my tiels have responded surprisingly well to daily meds, becoming tamer for it rather than resenting me.

A sick bird needs to eat, so this isn't the time for radical diet changes. You can certainly begin offering more nutritious food, but as extras. Don't deprive him of what he's used to, even if it's Avicakes, which I've never fed in 15 years of keeping tiels.

I'll be happy to exchange PMs with you about my tiels' diet if you'd like. But first you need to decide how to get your baby medicated. Depending on how far away your vet is, you might want to call Monday morning and ask what the infection is and whether she could express mail the meds, or have a nearby pharmacy or dog/cat vet dispense them to you.

My best, Paca

Sorry about that! Must have just clicked on the next line! Thanks for your input at any rate!

Gotta agree, and to be honest, if you use pellets, use dye free if your tiel will accept them... however, pellets are too high in protein for tiels to have, so they probably shouldn't have more than 25-50% in their diet to begin with (no parrot should! IMO). I think what is more important is getting your cockatiel eating fresh foods...

I suggest getting a copy of The Healthy Bird Cookbook by Robin Deutsch

Cockatiels really are a type of cockatoo.

Not only do genetic studies clearly put them in with other cockatoos, their behaviour and many physical characteristics clearly place them very clearly in that group.

The sexual dimorphism shown by cockatiels is very similar to that of many of the cockatoos that are outside the genus Alba.

Thus it really should not be considered a mistake to post something about them in with others of their own taxonomic group!!

I've always felt that the sweet little budgie is related too. I have seen so many similarities.