Jan H is worried about her Blue Front Amazon’s diet and relates,

Willie is doing fine on a variety of fresh fruit and veggies, plus Harrison’s Adult Lifetime pellets and Higgins Safflower Gold for Parrots. Should I change or add anything?

Dear Jan

As they say, don’t fix what works. If your bird is healthy on its current diet, stick with it. The only change I would recommend is instead of Fruits and Vegetables, it should be Vegetables and Fruit.

Meaning more veggies, less fruit, especially the super sweet ones, and little to no citrus which includes tomatoes.

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Patty M. relates,

My 38-year-old DYH Amazon just had an echocardiogram done by Dr. Fitzgerald, an avian cardiologist specialist. It was a beneficial exam that helped us adjust Pancho’s meds. Pancho has the typical Amazon heart disease, but it doesn’t mean the end if you take special care and take advantage of all the modern technology available.

Pancho has been on Isoxsuprine and Enapril for 5 years!

She gets checkups with blood work every 6 months.

With the guidance of my Avian Accredited Veterinarian, she is doing better than expected.

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Carla H. wants to know about lighting for my parrotlets.

Hello,

I am needing assistance in finding the best lighting for my parrotlets.

I have spent countless hours reviewing the lighting needs for my pets and am more confused than I was about this topic than when I started.

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Rebecca A. relates,

We are the (at least) fifth home for an older yellow-nape amazon.

The only information I have from the couple that took him in before us is the previous owner died of old age, he doesn’t like outdoors, and his name is “Brindle”, and he bites… a lot. That was 4 years ago.

He is now a healthy 743 grams (appropriate for his larger than usual size frame, according to his avian certified doctor) DNA-sexed male, microchipped, well socialized, loves classical music and opera, has arthritis in his shoulders and jaw, “walking bird” who trills and plays with family and dogs.

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