Moon's Graden

> SNIP
> I think that most birds are more resiliant than we give them credit for.
> I'd take him to the vet - if he's that badly off, then you have literally
> nothing to lose.  

> Best of luck,

>    -J.

> --
> Jennifer Mullen

> Hi,
> I have 2 male button quail that are about 6 or 7 years old. One has
> suddenly begun to act old and feeble over night. If he were a mammal I'd
> swear he had a stroke. On Thursday he was acting almost normal (taking
> meal worms from my fingers) but we noticed he could no longer climb onto
> his log to get to his shelf so he could look out the window and visit
> with the quail in the cage next his. Yesterday he started acting as if
> he's almost blind. He creeps around the cage in very slow tentative
> steps, and pecks and the ground as though looking for food. Just now he
> managed to peck at a meal worm and he obviously wanted to eat it but it
> squirmed away and he couldn't relocate it even though it was a fraction
> of an inch away. Does any one here have experience with buttonquail this
> old? I'd take him to the vet if I didn't think the car ride would kill
> him because he is not used to being handled. I want to make him as
> comfortable as possible and not cause him undue stress. I did pick him up
> yesterday to feel his chest and belly. He is somewhat dehydrated but I've
> seen him drink water since then. Should I make him endure a car ride and
> hope he makes it to the vet in order to be euthanized or leave him be in
> his cage since he will still eat and drink? He sleeps alot and seems
> comfy when he's sleeping. I made him a ramp so he can get to his shelf
> and he does go up there to sit and visit with my other bird.
> If he were your bird what would you do?
> I realize now that my second quail (he's the same age and acts as chipper
> as ever) has been trying to warn us that something was wrong with Blue
> Boy (feeble bird's name, aren't we original). He's been doing the alarm
> call for about a month. We thought it was because Blue Boy had taken to
> sleeping on the other side of his cage. I wish I had listened to Silver
> Boy (the chipper bird). If I had realized sooner that Blue Boy was in
> trouble I'd have taken him to a vet while it was still possible to help
> him.
> Hope someone here can help, sorry for being so long,

> Definitely take him to the vet. It may be something that can be cured. Just
> cover him up well so he stays as relaxed as possible.

> Dave

> > Hi,
> > I have 2 male button quail that are about 6 or 7 years old. One has
> > suddenly begun to act old and feeble over night. If he were a mammal I'd
> > swear he had a stroke. On Thursday he was acting almost normal (taking
> > meal worms from my fingers) but we noticed he could no longer climb onto
> > his log to get to his shelf so he could look out the window and visit
> > with the quail in the cage next his. Yesterday he started acting as if
> > he's almost blind. He creeps around the cage in very slow tentative
> > steps, and pecks and the ground as though looking for food. Just now he
> > managed to peck at a meal worm and he obviously wanted to eat it but it
SNIP

> Definitely take him to the vet. It may be something that can be cured. Just
> cover him up well so he stays as relaxed as possible.

> Dave

> > Hi,
> > I have 2 male button quail that are about 6 or 7 years old. One has
> > suddenly begun to act old and feeble over night. If he were a mammal I'd
> > swear he had a stroke. On Thursday he was acting almost normal (taking
> > meal worms from my fingers) but we noticed he could no longer climb onto
> > his log to get to his shelf so he could look out the window and visit
> > with the quail in the cage next his. Yesterday he started acting as if
> > he's almost blind. He creeps around the cage in very slow tentative
> > steps, and pecks and the ground as though looking for food. Just now he
> > managed to peck at a meal worm and he obviously wanted to eat it but it
SNIP

> Blue Boy was in a
> bad way and could barely stand so I had him euthanized
<snip>
> Blue Boy will be buried among my daylillies.
> Thanks again.

> > Definitely take him to the vet. It may be something that can be cured.
Just
> > cover him up well so he stays as relaxed as possible.

> > Dave

> > > Hi,
> > > I have 2 male button quail that are about 6 or 7 years old. One has
> > > suddenly begun to act old and feeble over night. If he were a mammal
I'd
> > > swear he had a stroke. On Thursday he was acting almost normal (taking
> > > meal worms from my fingers) but we noticed he could no longer climb
onto
> > > his log to get to his shelf so he could look out the window and visit
> > > with the quail in the cage next his. Yesterday he started acting as if
> > > he's almost blind. He creeps around the cage in very slow tentative
> > > steps, and pecks and the ground as though looking for food. Just now
he
> > > managed to peck at a meal worm and he obviously wanted to eat it but
it
> SNIP

> David and Jennifer,
> thank you very much for your replies. I took the bird in to the vet this
> morning. The vet said he'd never seen a Button as old as mine and that he
> only sees about 2 a year. He said the sudden change we noticed in his
> behavior could have been caused by organ failure or hardening of the
> arteries. He also said he thought that the bird had been declining for
> awhile because he had almost no pect***muscles left. Blue Boy was in a
> bad way and could barely stand so I had him euthanized. I gave them an
> extra $20 so he could have some isoflurine gas before the injection.
> 2 things I've learned:
> 1) Never forget that when you keep prey animals as pets they hide their
> illness.
> 2) Handle your Button Quail even though it upsets them, to assess the
> status of their heath.
> Blue Boy will be buried among my daylillies.
> Thanks again.

> The vet said he'd never seen a Button as old as mine and that he
> > only sees about 2 a year. He said the sudden change we noticed in his
> > behavior could have been caused by organ failure or hardening of the
> > arteries. He also said he thought that the bird had been declining for
> > awhile because he had almost no pect***muscles left. Blue Boy was in a
> > bad way and could barely stand so I had him euthanized. I gave them an
> > extra $20 so he could have some isoflurine gas before the injection.
> > 2 things I've learned:
> > 1) Never forget that when you keep prey animals as pets they hide their
> > illness.
> > 2) Handle your Button Quail even though it upsets them, to assess the
> > status of their heath.
> > Blue Boy will be buried among my daylillies.
> > Thanks again.

> You have my sympathy. I'm sure Blue Boy is watching over you and thankful
> for the life you gave it. I lost a***atiel two months ago, and I know how
> you must feel right now.

> Dave
> SNIP