FoxersArtist
08-25-2009, 09:19 PM
Touche came from the same home as BFA Sadie and when he first arrived, we feared that he would end up having an intense battle with chonic sinusitis like his cousins the african greys. Thankfully, when we did our first sinus flush with Touche, we quickly realized that the infection is localized and has not spread deep into the sinus cavity as was the case with the greys. We started weekly flushes and the vet gave Touche a vitamin shot. We decided to make diet change a priority for this little guy because many birds, especially amazons seem to suffer sinus trouble when they are lacking certain vitamins in their diet. Touche's health has improved a lot, including a lot more strength in his whole body and next to no discharge from his nose. When we first got him, he could not perch and spent his time sitting down at the bottom of the cage on a heating pad. As he grew in strength, Touche eventually moved up to a steady perch and is now a perch potato instead of a floor potato. In all seriousness - Touche is moving around now much more than he was and has even started to explore the idea of toys! Because he had been kept in a cockatiel sized cage for many, many years, his muscles were super weak and unable to hold his weight. He does not threaten to fall now when we step him up and this seems to have gained a lot for his level of confidence - so much so that he bit me a few days ago, causing the entire half of my right hand to go numb. Ah well - the pinky was already numb from a macaw bite I got earlier in the month. Touche, you rock!
When we first got him:
http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa154/Foxersartist/Fosters/Touche.jpg
Still confortable sitting on the bottom:
http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa154/Foxersartist/Fosters/CuteTouche.jpg
...And he's up!:
http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa154/Foxersartist/Fosters/PlexCage.jpg
Here is a photo of him this afternoon (I took him out with a stick THIS time!):
http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa154/Foxersartist/Fosters/ToucheProfile.jpg
-Anna
When we first got him:
http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa154/Foxersartist/Fosters/Touche.jpg
Still confortable sitting on the bottom:
http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa154/Foxersartist/Fosters/CuteTouche.jpg
...And he's up!:
http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa154/Foxersartist/Fosters/PlexCage.jpg
Here is a photo of him this afternoon (I took him out with a stick THIS time!):
http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa154/Foxersartist/Fosters/ToucheProfile.jpg
-Anna