(Part 2) Best bird health supplies according to redditors

My avian vet said that chickens lack the enzyme to digest dairy. It won’t hurt them, but they don’t benefit. She suggest probiotics for chickens that you add to their water. I had used a powder, but found a liquid that mixes better, and my chickens like it. https://www.amazon.com/Big-Ole-Bird-Probiotic-Southland/dp/B008M72DYE

Did you try any of the chewable bird kabob toys? I got this for my budgie that wouldn’t stop plucking and it works perfectly:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002FP1W0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_zXIOAb9GYJQSW
You can also get a bird pacifier for them to pluck and groom. I have this one:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0034UHCSQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_.ZIOAbWJC0ZYJ
Just press it in between the bars of your cage, twist it and it’s secured. It also comes with refills.

one more thought, i had a vet tell me to feed a little bit of this stuff called Booster from a line of supplements called heal-x. it's red palm oil and bills itself as cure-all for avian and exotic animals and an immune system booster. i was skeptical and i can't say my boy was pooping magic and rainbows but it seemed to help with his overall health. also he LOVED IT SO MUCH and would get really upset if he didn't get his daily 1/4 teaspoon of it.
here is a link, this bottle should last a couple months: http://www.amazon.com/HEALx-Harrisons-Booster-120/dp/B00AJS7Z10/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1396473170&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=booster+heal+x
(there is also a ferret-specific review on the 16oz jar but i suggest starting with a small jar to see if your fuzzy likes it)

edit: more info from the manufacturer: http://www.harrisonsbirdfoods.com/what-is-healx-booster/

We occasionally give ours BeneBac which can be safely used on beardies. I've read some stories of beardies not eating right after a round of antibiotics and benebac has helped. Seeing as though it's a probiotic it can't hurt. Here's the one we got.
Bene-Bac Bird & Reptile Powder, 10oz https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002DGYIC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_hShNAbVE9T837

It does look like my piggy's ears when he had ear mites. We had limited luck applying coconut oil to his ear flaps to "smother" the mites, but he was then very greasy. It takes repeated applications to kill mites so it's a messy ongoing fix for a while.

Ultimately the vet provided some cream which seemed to work well. They do tend to come back after a while though. I believe my vet also applied a treatment when my pig was in their office.

My vet also gave me some spray to use on their cage during cleanings to kill any mites which may be hanging around. Again, we had limited success.

I have learned that some pigs seem to be prone to mites. I have two males who share a cage. One routinely has mites in varying degrees of severity, and one has never had them.

A good place to start is just washing piggy's ear flaps with warm water and a very gentle soap. Be careful not to get any in their eyes or nose. Ultimately I think you will need to find an exotic animal vet. Perhaps all some vets and ask for recommendations?

Good luck!

Hey! So we just dealt with happy tail with our rescue. After about 8 weeks it's finally healed. The first vet we saw told us there was no hope and we should amputate, but we got a second opinion and worked really hard and she's all healed for now. Here's the method we used that kept the tail completely protected so she couldn't re injure it.

Foam tubing cut to size and placed over the area that's injured (the tip in our case).

Tape the tubing on with elastikon. Tape long ways and then also wrap in a spiral. This is vet tape works way better than any other kind I tried. My vet agreed. When you wrap, PLACE the tape on then pat down to stick, DO NOT stretch and wrap tightly or you will cut off circulation. I recommend removing tape after a day and checking circulation when you start until you become comfortable with your method.

Every other day, clean the wound with gauze and chlorhexidine cleanser (can find in wound care section at any pharmacy).

Medical adhesive remover to remove elastikon without ripping off all the fur. Seriously that stuff sticks really well. However, if you use it you have to wash it off and wait for fur to dry before re bandaging because the elastikon won't stick otherwise. I found that sometimes I could get the elastikon off without it by gently peeling but not always.

Derma gel on the wound before bandaging.

This method was highly vet approved (by the 2nd vet) and she was even impressed and said I did an excellent job. Our Bella had a bad case of happy tail and wouldn't heal bc she kept whacking it on everything. Once we started this method it was protected. Like I said, it took about 2 months bc hers was so bad, but it's healed now. Good luck!

Bonus pic of Bella with her tail helmet.

You’re very very welcome! New things can be scary and overwhelming, especially taking care of another living thing. It’s relatively straight forward but remember to reach out if you’re confused or need help, you just might get a super detailed response from an internet stranger!

This is my new favorite response about diatomaceous earth lolol. I think you can find it at like a hardware or home improvement store. This is the kind I have. It’s also kind of multi-purpose...!

What medication is he being given for the pinworms? A lot of vets prescribe a lot of meds that are too harsh for reptiles- Ivermectin being the most common one used for parasites that causes problems. Hopefully he was only given Panacur.

Is he receiving probiotics as well? Deworming is very hard on their gut flora and it will need to be replenished with something like Bene-Bac in gel form. Get it in most pet shops or online.

No problem at all! I know the struggle, so I'm very happy to help if I'm able to. :) Four parrots is a handful! I can't even imagine your daily routine/cage cleaning days.. lol.. It's just intimidating!

So far as the plucker goes.. Well, we've got one of those CAGs, too! Have you ever heard of or tried avicalm and/or featheriffic? We've had our CAG on both of them since about September and while it's a slow process and we didn't see any immediate results over the first two or so months, he's finally allowing his neck feathers to grow back in! His plucking was a mental tick that developed because of his attachment to his previous owner (roommate that we adopted him from) leaving for about two months and returning out of the blue (so far as the parrot was concerned). So, if it's a mental thing or a habit these supplements combined might be a very worthwhile thing to try. I can't 100% guarantee success, but they, along with a healthy diet and a lot of love have really done wonders. :)

We give them one scoop of featheriffic in the morning and a scoop of the avicalm with each meal.

I've gotta give you the breakdown/warning that I got from my vet, though. He said that these homeopathic supplements are fine for the bird, but should they work they may only mask the underlying problem if it's a health concern. So, it's definitely something to bear in mind.

It could be worms. I know they tend to slow them down. I would think about worming her also you can add diatomaceous earth to her food to help keep them from coming back. When you worm them you cannot eat their eggs for awhile, it will tell you in the directions usually. DE you can put in their feed daily and it doesn't affect your ability to consume the eggs because it's safe for human consumption. When you worm you should probably worm all of them since they are living together and the hens will eat the worms that are expelled and start a whole new cycle. I hope that helps.

Here are some wormers: http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/rooster-booster-multi-wormer-125-lb

http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/red-lake-earthreg%3B-diatomaceous-earth-with-calcium-bentonite-20-lb

http://www.amazon.com/Verm-X-Liquid-Poultry-Internal-Parasite/dp/B003L6JK10/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1406072702&sr=8-2&keywords=poultry+wormer

http://www.amazon.com/Rooster-Booster-038-50101-Multi-Wormer-1-25-Pound/dp/B00H5T8X3U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1406072702&sr=8-1&keywords=poultry+wormer

Poor guy. I hope he gets better soon! We've been giving our guy Missing Link Well Blend Plus Joint Support for years. I'm not sure on its effectiveness since he's never had a hip injury, but he's 14 and still going strong!

Booster is also available on Amazon--I'm unsure if they ship internationally from here? The actual site was loading weird for me earlier today so that may have contributed.

Another thing that may help is that rats actually have some similar nutritional needs to humans. It will help them if you give them some fresh fruits (tomatoes or apples are great) that are high in vitamins, baby food is always good, and garlic, if you can get them to eat it, has some great health benefits for the heart while helping to fight off illness. If you are aware of any other health foods that you keep in your diet, you can try giving them to your rats after doing some quick research to make sure they are rat-safe.

It is possible that your rats came from a hereditary strain that causes illness to appear early on in life.

Additionally, I am sorry for your loss with Kase--if you can, try to stay calm for now, as the death of a pet is never easy. If Kit is showing severe symptoms as well, I would recommend emotionally preparing myself for a second passing. Regardless, try to make her comfortable--if she has the energy to do any of her favorite activities, let her do them. Give her one of her favorite treats here and there (A peanut is always good here and there, especially for a skinny rat).

Remember that the rest of your mischief is confused right now and needs you to be there for them. Try to find strength in caring for them. I wish you the best and hope Kit pulls through.

I use one that doesn’t use a ball, I clean it out easily with a toothpick. Quick Fill Bird Bottle Large, 33.81-Ounce, Colors may vary https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006RQULN2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_6mqMDbN14F0CX

The safe bet is to stick with chick food. If supplementing with occasional treats, make sure to provide some grit (I used this product, though Amazon's price is ridiculous) to prevent impacted crop.

For the cage I usually just take it in the backyard, spray it with this stuff from Amazon I bought, and wipe it off with a towel usually after sitting for a moment or two, the poop wipes or sprays right off, I have not used vinegar myself but it is definitely more affordable of a cleaner so if you don't mind the smell of it, it certainly won't hurt your bird:

https://smile.amazon.com/Natures-Miracle-Cage-Cleaner-Birds/dp/B009GOBK2I/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1538254691&sr=8-5&keywords=bird+cleaner