bad looking corella

[Mandy]

Hi,
I found a corella in my backyard and can't find the onwers but im very happy to keep it. So the problem is it looks shocking and very skinny.. not sure on age. Ive looked on line and worked out its a little corella. It will let you touch it and likes pats but will not stay on you hand or step up. Will not eat fruit or veges, no nuts? Is eating seed and having water.
Tried to add pic but not working! Cant get see right.

[EleriDragonfly]

I think you should make some posters and put them up around your area, and perhaps put one up in your local vets. Give the owners a chance to find their bird. Of course if the corella is skinny, it may have been missing for a while. And may have even flown quite a distance from its original home.

[Mandy]

I live in a small town and have hit the pet shop. Looking for advice on how to fatten up the pure thing, how to get it to eat fruit/ veges and nuts. Wont even touch the bottle brush I put in there. Im warming it and trying to feed it egg and biscuit mix. How can I clean it's feathers and help it grow new one's as it's missing alot.
Thank you

[Wolf]

How are you offering the fruit and veggies to this bird? The problem may be how the food is prepared for the bird, they can be so picky and unless it is offered in a familiar way they may nor realize that it is food.

What is the bottle brush for?

Place a shallow dish with water in it where the bird can get to it and it may bathe itself. If after a while it doesn't you can mist it with a spray bottle.

I am not sure that biscuit mix it a good idea unless you bake it into biscuits first.

[Mandy]

Hi Wolf
Im placing the fruit/ veg on a plate in small pieces, they normally love to chow bottle brush as I live in Australia, I was given the egg/biscuit mix from the pet store to help put weight on on as so very skinny.

[JaydeParrot]

Corellas aren't as common as budgies, if it was my bird I'd be going mental looking for it. I'd inform bird and other rescues rescues and definitely ask a vet or rescue to check if it's microchipped, both my birds are. Sounds like you're doing a good job looking after it but please try to at least do both of the above, it's owners must be in tears looking for it.

[Mandy]

I've called all the local vets and rspca ( animal rescue here in Australia) and left my details but no lost reports on their system. No chip found.
Chilli is now eating bread but still no veg or fruit! Ive placed it on a plate with seed but still no good.

[Pajarita]

Could he be a wild one that is very sick? Because, when they are so weak, even the wild ones become 'tame'... Now, you've done your best in trying to find the owner (I know that there aren't that many resources in Australia as there are here in the States for lost birds or rescues). What worries me is the fact that he is not only skinny but that his plumage is bad... have you look at his feathers carefully? Is there any malformation? Because he could have beak and feather, which is very common in wild birds in Australia and which is usually fatal and EXTREMELY contagious so, if you have other birds, I suggest you take this poor boy to an avian vet and have him tested before you do anything further. I don't mean to sound cold-hearted but, when you are dealing with an advanced, fatal, degenerative disease, you need to consider euthanasia for the good of the bird.

In the meantime, if he is eating bread, you can get veggies and fruits into him by baking them into it. I make a birdy bread (in a bread machine -easiest thing in the world!) with whole grain flours like whole wheat, corn meal, oatmeal and whatever catches my fancy at the organic food store and add pureed pumpkin, sweet potatoes, grated carrots and zucchini, unsweetened apple sauce, raisins, currants, pieces of apple (with the skin on because that's where all the phytonutrients are), chopped nuts, flax and chia seeds, etc. This is, without a doubt, the best way to get fresh veggies and fruits in a hurry into a bird which doesn't know how to eat them on its own. If you don't have a bread machine (and don't know anybody who can lend you one), you can try making a 'fake' birdy bread with baking powder instead of yeast, just make sure you use the one with aluminum in it.

I know somebody who rescues cockatoos in Australia and could put you in touch with him but I don't know how close you would be to him.... but I guess you could always talk on the phone with him or email him questions. He is a very kind and helpful man and I am sure he will be more than happy to give you more specific advice.

[Mandy]

Thank you for your advice Pajarita. That would be great if I could have his number or email, I live in Queensland. Chilli is getting new feathers through so I'll see how they go.

[Pajarita]

I sent him a message. Will let you know when he answers. Sorry for delay, I've been real sick.