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From: hubler@tomcat.lerc.nasa.gov (Dale Hubler)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: Re: INDOOR - Novice questions about pet birds
Message-ID: <1991Jan2.131553.27363@eagle.lerc.nasa.gov>
Date: 2 Jan 91 13:15:53 GMT
References: <1990Dec26.143531.15098@eagle.lerc.nasa.gov> <3182@legs.UUCP>
Reply-To: hubler@tomcat.UUCP (Dale Hubler)
Organization: NASA/Lewis Research Center, Cleveland
Lines: 44

In article <3182@legs.UUCP> freds@legs.UUCP (Fred Sieg) writes:
>>>
>
>We did not deny food. We took away her standard fare and offered a
>multitude of other foods. In fact, she had more food available during
>this time than usual. She chose not to eat it. The vet said that she
>might and could have gone for three days without harm.
>
>The same vet that takes care of the birds at Universal Studios and runs
>a raptor rehab center. He has taken care of our two healthy, happy
>cockatoos through illness and accident. I would take his advice and more
>importantly, in this context, pass his opinion to other net folks any
>day.
>
>Addressing a dietary problem under the care of a physician is not
>stupid. A vet with these credentials is not a quack.
>I am not a vet and don't presume to know better. I did find a VERY good
>avian vet to entrust the care of our "children" to and heed his advice.

     I apologize for trying to make my point in a sarcastic manner.
I was really trying to point out that 3 days of starvation seems
rather drastic for any type of animal, let alone a bird with a higher
metabolism than us.  I still believe that 3 days is very severe on
a bird.  How would you feel after three days?  I am sure it would
not kill you, but it does seem to be a rather harsh way to force you
to eat new foods.  If the bird does not recognize the new items as
food, then they are not food.  It is not that she does not choose to
eat the food, she genuinely does not know it is food.  Being a vet
at a raptor rehab center does not necessarily mean that he knows all
about pet birds.  I believe raptors and tropical birds have very 
different diets and needs.  My vet has made mistakes, I have made
mistakes, and I am sure most others have also, including your vet.
I would go so far as to suggest that you discuss this with your vet
and let him further consider this opinion.  I believe the best way
to modify a birds diet is to rely on our superior creativity and 
intelligence to "trick" them into trying new foods.  Sometimes this
can be done by letting the bird go hungry for a short time.  Three days
does seem a bit too much.

Dale Hubler


--
Dale A. Hubler  ***   hubler@galaxy.lerc.nasa.gov  ***  (216) 977-7014