Runt?

[Phoenix-cry]

I've just adopted a P'let who was born in Oct of 2007 and looking at all the pictures of P'lets on people's hands and in comparison to other objects my little Teak seems...well...LITTLE!

Now at just over a year old I know we must be fully grown. I'm wondering if we might be a runt, or rather smaller due to a lack of good food while growing up.

Does anyone else have P'lets that are a little more 'let' than normal and if so has it caused any particular health problems?

He looks so pathetic right now. Hopefully we'll have feathers soon.

PS- He also has deformed feet however I don't think they are painful, he just has a little trouble stepping up and always has to take a good beakful of something to get up (often times it is skin, but he doesn't draw blood).

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3173/3088940300_e9282502e6_o.png

[unpoquito]

How tall is he? I know when my Emmie had lost her feathers she looked a bit smaller than she does now that she's fully feathered again. The feathers sure make a difference.

[unpoquito]

Also, do you know how much he weighs? My p'lets Emmie and Ziggy are both 30 grams.

[abird4u]

first of all...what a cutey pie!! he is very small. By me just looking at the pic (and I'm no vet) I'd say this started from the egg. His feathering looks "rough". I'd have a vet do a complete blood test on him, he may have lacked something from the beginning...calcium? (by the pic) doesn't look like he has splayed leg..but maybe some other deformity..again I would say from the beginning in the egg.

[Phoenix-cry]

thanks! Teak is a cutie!

He's about three to four inches or so...haven't put a ruler to him. giggle. I hear he should be more like 5. I'm sure the feathers do make a big difference!

His legs aren't splayed (I used to work in wildlife), it looks like the foot was either broken and healed in the wrong position or may have been curled up in the egg wrong.

Teak is getting lots of good food now and boy does he like to EAT!! Munch, munch, munch, all day long!

Teak has a vet appointment next week. However...is there enough blood in there to do a full work up and still have enough left for his heart? :D I'll get a weight on him then, I don't have a way to weigh such a tiny creature.

The feathers have been chewed on, hopefully the less stressful enviroment will fix up that 'rough' look.

[skthurley]

Oh! He looks precious! I'd have wanted to scoop him up and kiss him if I'd seen him.

I, like most of the other commentors, think his smaller size likely has to due with complications while in the egg. Definitely keep us posted about his vet appointment

[Phoenix-cry]

As long as he's always been small I won't worry about it. I really like my avian vet so hopefully Teak will get a clean bill of health.

It is hard not to snuggle him, but he's so small I can't really give him a hug without crushing him. I can see how these guys get lost so easily.

[skthurley]

Jack adores cuddling. lol. He's been my cuddle buddy everyday this week. He'll curl just under my neck and bury himself in my hair. He constantly wants to with me, and have scritches. He's actually sitting on my keyboard right now, begging me for some. lol.

[abird4u]

I know they are so tiny to have blood drawn and I hate being in there when its done..no matter what size the bird is. He is a real cutie!! here's pic of chester with his cast on..his leg healed perfect Our vet did an excellent job..would never known it was broke in half http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w201/darsmellya/IMG_0040.jpg

[raiven]

He is sweet! I bought a little gram scale at the drug store that I weigh Sadie on. I believe 28 to about 32 grams is normal for them. I taught Sadie to just step on it using clicker training. :)

They are such personalities and so smart! You just fall in love with them on day one.

[Phoenix-cry]

I have definatly fallen in love! And as soon as he's healthy I was going to try the clicker training thing.

That is an amazing story about the broken leg!

[YWallpaper]

Both of my birds, one male one female, are 27 grams. Feathers do make a huge difference in how large they look.

[unpoquito]

It's also amazing how a feathered parrotlet can make themselves look slender one minute and like a marshmallow peep/dumpling bird the next too, depending on how they position themselves!

[Phoenix-cry]

Yeah my pionus looks all chubby, but if you hold a treat above her she streches up all slender and sleek!

[Phoenix-cry]

So the vet went well! Teak is only 25 grams, but the vet says he's nice and fat around the keel so he's just small. She took the band off for me since it was on his heavily deformed foot and already he is using the foot better.

Blood work came out perfect and she agrees with me that stress is the likely the cause of the feather plucking so we are going to just wait and see if a better life situation and some misting improve the feathers.

Teak is right now sitting in his food bowl munching happily. Although he does pick the seeds out of his seed/pellet mix. Sigh. I'm also trying some pelleted bird bread.

[pattypan]

I'm happy for you! Teak looks so adorable in your picture. If it makes you feel any better, I just took my new parrotlet, Kona, to the vet and he also weighs 25 grams. I worried over his scrawniness, but the vet reassured me as well. It's ok, their smaller size makes them even more lovable. :)

[chapala]

Teak is a tiny guy! Re the preference for seeds that so many parrots have, you might want to overnight soak or sprout a grain/seed mix (mostly lower fat grains) for more nutrition. Most birds take to the soaked or sprouted mix readily, and once they're eating it, you can try sneaking in some VERY finely chopped fresh vegetables, little tiny bit at first.

Glad to hear he checked out well at the vet, and that the band removal is helping his bad foot!
Reta

[Phoenix-cry]

I'll give the soak and sprout a try. Hopefully watching Saba snork down everything in sight will help too. The pionus will eat anything!! giggle.

I'm pleased that the vet trip went well.

Teak is beak grinding right now while Saba is destroying a carrot.

[abird4u]

ooo so glad to hear all is well! and now that he is yours..I bet he gets the best life ever :) he is such a cutie!

[Phoenix-cry]

He's already singing and strutting his stuff like he owns the joint! Giggle. I watched him preening today and he wasn't obsessive about his chest, so hopefully soon I'll be able to post pics of a well feathered Teak!

I just love him, he's such a delight. And Saba loves him too, they've been chattering back and forth all day.

Squeee! I'm a luck P'let slave!

[Phoenix-cry]

PS- Teak clearly knows which cage is his cause he was on my shoulder in the bird room and when he'd had enough hanging around he flew right into his cage for a nice millet break.