A Maximilian Pionus called Larry

Larry

Larry

Regular Member
Hello everyone,

I only adopted a Maximilian Pionus a couple of weeks ago.
I am not sure how old he is exactly but I do know he is a 2019 hatch.
The shop told me that they breed the birds.
It does not make much difference but now that he has settled and I had the chance to check his closed ring, it reads PSNL and then numbers and the number 19 across the width of the ring.
Does this mean that he was not actually bred in the UK but was imported from the Netherlands? Or is it just the breeders initials?
I have many more questions but let’s answer one at the time!
Thank you!
 
Hello and welcome, I have seen this type of ring before, the 19 is the year, 2019. I am not certain about the NL after the PS but it dose sound like a parrot society ring, is there a colour on the ring?
 
Hi Michael,
It's so nice to meet you!
It is not black (as I had expected), it is plain silver.
However when I researched rings at the society, it did offer plain silver rings to breeders for a lower price than the coloured coded ones; maybe the breeder was saving the pennies!
I still can't justify the NL, I was expecting it to read UK.
Not that I do not like the dutch, I just prefer not to be told lies!
 
Well, too late now and you have your little buddie. How is he settling and behaving with everyone?
 
He was very scared for the first 4 days. Then he calmed down. He steps up and takes food for your hand. He lets you handle him, stays on your shoulder and tickles your ear, but flies to his cage if you are close to it, I suppose this is normal?
He doesn't talk yet; he makes a moaning/whining noise (like a baby noise?), I am not sure what that is.
He is very picky with food, does not eat greens or fruit and picks the sunflower seeds off his food to eat.
He looks quite remote, I do not mind that, it might be the breed..he doesn't play much with toys, he just sits and watches.
I haven't taken him to the vet yet, I plan to do so in the next couple of weeks, shall I request blood tests for him or should I avoid the extra stress?
 
:welcome: Larry and Maxi friend! What have you named him? Pionus are usually quite shy to begin with. My Blue-headed Pionus, Kobe, just sat looking rather lost for the first few days. You have to remember that they have just lost the flock that they knew. Everything is different. It takes time and patience to gain their trust. Would love to see a bigger picture of him if you are able. :)

Have you got an avian vet earmarked to see? If you don't I'm sure one of our members can recommend one for you if you tell us whereabouts you are. It is a good idea to take him in for a well bird exam and to see what his "normal" is so that the vet has something to compare should he become ill in the future.

Keep trying with the fresh fruit and veggies - they provide vitamins and minerals that are lacking in a seed. Especially brightly coloured fruit and veg which is high in the important beta carotene (precursor to Vit A)... things like cooked sweet potato, raw or cooked carrots, raw or cooked pumpkin/squash, broccoli, sweet peppers, chilies, mango, papaya, orange melon. Also try berries - blueberries and pomegranate. With Kobe I soon found out he liked peas, so I used to press them into anything I wanted him to try.
 
Silver is a personal ring ordered and purchased via somewhere like the company Avian ID, PS letters means they are a Parrot Society registered breeder, the number its specific to that bird ie which chick hatch number it is (their records then tie it down to parents months etc) 19 indeed is the year of hatching. A couple of my birds have what are called personal rings rather than buying the colour coded ones
Make a note of the ring details, only your insurance company and your avian vet get to know the entire details this is so you have proof that should heaven forbid anything happen and your bird is lost the finder will know when you are the only person that can tell them the details and prove it that you are the birds real owner
 
Thank you all for your answers!
I live in Wakefield, I have found two Avian Vets, one in Killamarsh Sheffield called ArkVetsSheffield and one in Leeds called HollyHouseVets.
I have registered him with both.
First one has an appointment for the 25th of November, the other one doesn't have any until late December!
Shall I ask them for blood tests/swabs just to make sure everything is ok?
I haven't insured him for now, seems to me like a waste of money..I know I can afford paying fees in case of an emergency and the insurance plans do not seem like they really provide cover, they are completely different to the ones you can find for dogs or cats!
I will keep trying with the vegetables, he is currently ignoring them, the same with fruit and pellets doesn't even go near them to try!
I was trying to upload a video with this noise he is doing, is there a way to do it on here?
Photos to follow! :)
 
To me he looks and sounds very young. Is he eating properly? I think you have a youngster there.
Good idea to register with an avian vet anyway. May I ask why you want to take it to the vets? Personal choice I know.
 
dianaT said:
To me he looks and sounds very young. Is he eating properly? I think you have a youngster there.
Good idea to register with an avian vet anyway. May I ask why you want to take it to the vets? Personal choice I know.
Click to expand...
He is not eating properly.
He was sold to me eating Buxtons Aviary Food, the breeder told me that he could not make him eat parrot food although he should be able to do so at his age. I am currently giving him Beaphar XtraVital from which he picks things and eats. I have a full bag of the Buxtons but it looked too cheap, shall I feed him that one too?
When you are saying young, is he too young and not weaned? What shall I do? Does that change everything I do?
With regards to the vet, I just thought that he should be seen, just to have a baseline..what do you think?
 
I would keep him on the Buxtons and slowly change it to a better mix over a period of two months. its what he is used too.
 
Well to me the noise sounds like a youngster who may still be wanting feeding. What do other members think?
@Roz @DizzyBlue @Michael Reynolds anyone? You may like to try offering something warm off a spoon and see if he takes that, I guess formula is not available so if you have say sweet potato or some carrot cook it and mash it up but it must only be warm not hot or it will burn his crop. Baby food warmed is another good option for the time being.
Still offer the seed mix, millet spray and diced selection of fruit & veg so he can pick it over.
 
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Hi that is definitely baby feed me noise. They can be slow to wean and often regress when moved to new home. Good idea is to weigh first thing every morning. Do you know how much he weighs?. I’ve found they need a very large variety of foods the more the merrier. frozen mixed veg served warm, pulses beans soaked overnight rinsed well and cooked, soaked seeds. Have a look in the files section, perhaps contact the breeder. It’s very important little one eats enough.
 
Back on to the Buxtons and slowly mix in the new feed over a couple of weeks to change it as he may not recognise it hence thinks its not edible
For the next couple of days he should only be fed the Buxtons and if you go to a place like pets at home you should be able to buy a product called egg food. Mix a little egg food with warm water (not hot or you will burn his crop) test it on your wrist so that it just feels luke warm and you make it into a mushy gluey paste it should stick to the spoon … hmm rather a mushy gloopy thick porridge texture. If he's not weaned properly he will literally gulp that down. Just make sure when he goes to bed at night he has a full crop
 
And also agree with everybody else those are baby feed me calls.
If you want to hear what they sound like full blown put a finger either side of the beak and he will pump his head up and down yelling like mad
 
Thank you all for such valuable advice!
I tried to spoon feed him the mashed carrots but he didn't really appreciate my cooking..
I also tried to give him some egg food (I have 4 canaries so there is always some in the house) and I have to admit that he ate some. He wouldn't though eat it from the dish, only from the spoon and only if I was holding him (chewing my sweater, fingers and spoon in equal amounts!).
I have put some of his old food in his dish but he has not shown any interest yet..he might be full!
He weighs around 205-210gr before his food, it has been the same for the past few days, plus or minus 5gr as he keeps on moving on the scales..
 
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