Missing poop

Following on from my previous update on Bezukhov & his ‘Episodes’, there is good news & bad news.

The bad news is that a week after I dropped off the poop sample, I rang the Vet asking where the results were & after being put on hold for some time, they finally told me the sample pot never got to the laboratory.

They apologised profusely.  These things happen.  Fortunately, Bezukhov’s health problem is not critical so, in this instance, no harm is done.  I needed to provide the 3-day sample again, but also needed to pick up another sample pot, which I did on Friday, 20th June.

The good news is that since my previous update, Bezukhov has not had another ‘episode’, to my knowledge.

The second sample pot was given to the vet yesterday, so we now await the results…. again.

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Happy 4th Birthday, Bezukhov!!!

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Happy Birthday, darling Bezukhov. 

We love you lots!

♥♥♥

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Happy 4th Birthday, Cagney!!!

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Happy birthday, darling Cagney.

We love you lots!

♥♥♥

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Three as One

Despite Phineas not being flavour of the day/month/year, when Cagney & Bezukhov are first let out of the Manor, their first port of call is Phineas in the Ferplast.  They do seem to prefer him when he is behind bars.  They all sit quite happily close together in this way….

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Sick as a parakeet

Will the worry the Toyboys & Phineas give me, ever end??

Today, Cagney vomited.

Cagney sleeping

Once would be fine as this could be due to a number of minor reasons.  My first thought was a stuck seed that needed dislodging with a bit of help from contorting the body & elongating the throat.

However, this happened about 3 times.  Each time the seed was quite dry – I did not see much, if any liquid/mucus.

There were other warning bells alongside this.  Cagney had been sleepy, almost lethargic, most of the afternoon.  He was also quiet & was not chirping or grumbling.  They had broccoli today – first time in over a week – & Cagney did not have any, even when it was offered by hand.  He also refused pellets.  The thing that finally made me decide a vet visit was necessary was the thought that I could actually catch him & put him in the travel cage.  That surely meant this was not a minor thing & required some expert advice.

Ms Exotic Hospital Vet (EHV), who has been treating Bezukhov, was not available for another two days, so I decided to go to Mr Exotic Vet (EV) who had last treated Thomas.  His evening appointments were fully booked but they managed to squeeze me in, given the worrying symptoms Cagney was displaying.

As predicted, I caught Cagney in no time (he seemed quite weak) & put him into the freshly prepared travel cage.  He was initially most put out & I guess, surprised too.  Phineas was the first to fly over.  I think Phinny’s prowling of the top of the travel cage put Bezukhov off visiting, so he shouted across to Cagney from the Manor.

Fortunately, Cagney was only in the travel cage for about half an hour before we had to go out.  I did worry that Phineas expected to come with us & had visions of me walking down the road carrying Cagney in the travel cage, with Phineas, still monitoring, on the top….

Of course this did not happen, but as I took Cagney out of the room, I looked back & saw a very confused Phineas & a very confused Bezukhov.  Cagney has always been in the middle of them.  No wonder they were confused.

At the vet’s, Cagney lived up to his ‘Mr Popular’ nickname. 

Reciprocation?

Recently, whilst Bezukhov was poorly & not his usual self, I noticed that Cagney spent more time with Phineas.

This seemed like a natural thing to happen, being as Phineas could be found every which way Cagney turned anyway.  However, there were a couple of occasions when Phineas was desperate to regurgitate & Cagney reciprocated.  I caught one of these moments on video:

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Each time it was over very quickly & Cagney immediately returned to Bezukhov’s side.  It suggests his bond with Bezukhov is strong, yet he is unable to resist the opportunity to flirt, particularly with the recent temporary absence of flirting sessions with Bezukhov. Bezukhov certainly noticed Cagney’s indiscretions but due to being unwell, chose not to react.

Of more concern to me was Phineas.  This is the attention that he craves & certainly from the one he most craves it from!  How pleased I was to see Phinny get some ‘lurving’, yet it worried me that Cagney was leading him on.  Would it make him more jealous than he already is?

Well, Bezukhov is back to his usual self now, so there has been no more exchanging of seed between Cagney & Phineas.  Phinny seems no worse.  He has not taken things out on Bezukhov (any more than usual).  He still adores Cagney.  I cannot see that ever changing, however Cagney behaves.

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Handful of corn

Phineas has a very annoying habit of shredding the baby corn on the skewer.  He probably ingests about 5% of it, but the rest is scattered far & wide.

I hate waste.  Unfortunately, with budgies, food waste is quite common.  In an attempt to salvage some corn, when he is in the middle of shredding, I place my hand directly underneath to try & catch as many pieces as possible & then put them in a seed dish.  He does bite & fling, not just bite & drop, so a lot of corn still goes flying all over the place, but at least this way, some of the baby corn can be saved & eaten in a civilised manner.

Handful of corn

Baby corn

Phineas, aka Mr Shredder

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‘Episode’ update

Bezukhov

Droppings

Following on from my previous post, More medication (continued), the final day of administering of medication was as difficult as the other days!

 

• Day 8 of medication (Wednesday, 21st May)

AM: Caught Bezukhov in the Manor. Due to all the wriggling, a very small amount was given.  1/10
PM: Very quickly caught Bezukhov in the Manor.  Managed to give him some medication.  5/10

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Previously, the last day Bezukhov had an ‘episode’ was Thursday, 8th May.  Unfortunately, he had another one on the 29th May, three weeks after.  Since the last vet visit, he has had Calcivet in the water.  They appear to be moulting again & Bezukhov has lost another tail feather & a couple of wing feathers.  Maybe his immune system is compromised because of the moult.

I sent an email to Ms Exotic Hospital Vet (EHV) for advice.  She suggested that we should test his droppings so I collected a few poops each day, for three days.  The samples were given to the vet yesterday, so we now await the results.

 

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A budgie, the rain & a snowflake

Here is the lovely Bezukhov on the window perch, resting on one tootsie …

 

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Wild grass x 4

Since I last reported on the delivery of May Day wild grass, there have been a further four deliveries!

One of these deliveries coincided with the Spring Bank Holiday (26th May), continuing with the theme of eating wild, seeded grass on a bank holiday.  Unbeknownst to my little grass-addicted darlings, I have frozen some in the hope of defrosting for future bank holidays, particularly those that will, in normal seasonal circumstances, be grass-free.

The first of these parcels was addressed to Dr Bezukhov (I am not sure when he got his doctorate…)   The second parcel was addressed to Cagney & was from the very generous Sharing Sausages, Ian & Marshall.  The third parcel was for ‘Reverend Phineas‘ – also from Ian & Marshall.  I was a little taken aback by Phinny’s new status.  It suggested he had become ‘holy’ which is probably why I was surprised.  However, the following parcel was also addressed to Phineas but had reverted to a simple ‘Mr’.  I can only assume the previous title of ‘Reverend’ was the result of a slip of budgie claw on a keyboard.

First delivery

First bunch of grass

Second delivery

Second bunch of grass

Bank holiday delivery

Bank holiday bunch of grass

Fourth delivery

Fourth bunch of grass

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Nevertheless, however the parcels have been addressed, the deliveries have been thoroughly appreciated & enjoyed. 🙂

Here is Bezukhov indulging in grass served up by Tweety-Pie:

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Here are Cagney & Phineas munching away:

 

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Thank you, rosebudgie & the Sharing Sausages!

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