| What determines obesity in birds? An outward observation such as a deep crease in the breast can be a sure sign of an oven-stuffer. There are exceptions to that rule, though, such as Amazons and Greater Sulphur (Galerita-Galerita) Cockatoos - birds who are naturally heavy breasted. | ||
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Birds that squat on the perch with legs far apart ("squarrots") might look good to the neighborhood butcher. Another outward sign of internal corpulence can be muddy looking feathers or black oily scalloping on the feathers. | |
| Amazons do have a propensity for gaining weight as they get older - along with being inclined to developing fatty tumors. Fatty tumors are also commonly found in parakeets and budgies as they age. |  |
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Feel the chest of the bird. It should feel muscular and not mushy along the sides. If you cannot feel the keel bone at all, the bird is TOO fat! Panting and chest heaving after flight or exercise is another sign of an overweight parrot or one with some sort of disease or internal disorder. Overgrown beaks are usually indicative of fatty liver disease. In the early stages this disease may be corrected by diet, milk thistle (upon the advice of your vet), and an extra enzyme vitamin such as Flight Plan made by Phoenix Unlimited. | |
| Fatty liver disease will also manifest in feather aberrations such as different color feathers in spots which some aviculturists mistakenly label "pied". The feathers will generally lose their luster and brightness and become dark, muddy, oily, or have black scalloping. |  |
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In
some cases, there are no outward indications of obesity, yet upon necropsy,
fat has been found to have enveloped major organs such as the heart. Hence
the need for a healthy diet, proper housing and exercise.
If you suspect that your bird may be too fat, proper blood testing (CBC - complete blood panel) can easily be done by your vet to determine the overall entire health of your parrot.  |
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| Consider
first the housing of the bird. Unless you can afford the space and materials
for a flight cage or aviary, be sure to accommodate your pet with as big
a cage as possible even if you have to sacrifice style for space. You don't
even have to be too handy to make a cage out of galvanized after welding
(GAW) hardware cloth. It does need to be scrubbed down before using in
order to get any little burrs of lead off the wire. Avoid round or
dome top cages, as they are not designed for climbing around and hanging
from the top. Some wrought iron cages with playpen tops also do not have
top rods for hanging toys and "hanging out" and should be avoided. Braided
rope toys and wrought iron and wooden ladders are great for climbing, a
natural activity of the psittacine species who are endowed with strongly
developed muscular legs. Rope, macramé, and rubber rings are fun
for swinging so long as they are large enough for the bird not to get his
head or body stuck in them.
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Plenty
of exercise is vital to your parrot's heart and general health. Set aside
some constructive playtime each day if you have a friendly handleable bird.
If not, set aside some training time (no more than 5 to 15 minutes to start)
with the parrot. Have a thick towel and net handy.
Be sure to supply your parrot with enough chewing material to keep them busy while you are away. Some of my birds will grab a slice of pine that I cut up for them before they hit the food dish. That's when you know that they are being overfed. |
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| Proper
diet is the essence of not only a physically fit bird, but also of healthy
luminescent plumage. The proper vitamin, mineral, amino acid combination
produced specifically for exotic avian species is a must since they are
not able to forage for what they need to attain their potentially lengthy
existence. Parrots are fruit, vegetation and grain eaters in the wild and
need minimal protein in their diets. I recommend a wide variety of seed,
grain, fruits, veggies, table food, pellets and nuts for good nutritional
maintenance. See the diet page for more info. Keep
peanuts to one or two a day.
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| Most
bird aficionados tend to overfeed due to the unfounded fear of their favored
pet not getting enough caloric sustenance. If you follow a sensible diet
regime to start out with, you won't have deprive your bird at a later date.
If you find that you have a parrot that needs weight reduction, gradually
cut back its portions. Feeding half the amounts twice a day is another
solution. Offer more fruits and veggies and maybe some cooked pasta in
place of seed and nuts.
Remember, that even though birds usually have a high rate of metabolism, caged birds are for the most part sedentary with very limited flying or climbing activity and low caloric expenditure. They are also kept in temperatures warm enough and have excellent insulation capabilities, lessening the need for a constant intake of energy foods. |
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| If
you feel that your bird is grossly overweight or feel what may be a fatty
tumor, have your loved one checked by a competent avian specialist. If
there are apparent external tumors, there are probably internal ones too.
A determination can only be made upon testing and veterinary consultation.
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| While
potbelly pigs are all the rage, potbelly party parrots are definitely out
- so love your birds - don't let them dine like swine.
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