Tips For A First Vet Visit?

Squabbie

Regular Member
I'm booked in to take my new baby cockatiel Luna to the vets for the first time tomorrow and just wondered if anyone had some pointers on how to make it go as smoothly as possible. I'm concerned that a vets visit so soon after moving her in might damage our relationship at a critical time. I don't want her to associate me with being taken to have scary vet things done on top of having been taken away from her flock-mates. Like for example, would it be best to stay out of the room if she needs to have any procedures, or will that terrify her even more?  Also I don't know if it's a good idea to towel her as she is hand-tame already and I think it would be less stressful to place her in her box by hand than to wrap her up. On the other hand I would prefer that she associate the towel with going to the vets rather than my hand. Any input would be appreciated!
 
I always have favourite treats (cashews, pinenuts, walnuts or almonds) for my two in my handbag for afterwards. I talk to them the whole time in waiting room and reassure them when in with the vet. I generally have fresh cut up fruit only in the bowl in their travel cage - this serves as food and liquid; if very hot outside I also take a misting bottle of water just in case. I also have take their favourite towel - or a towel that I use to wrap them when necessary at home so they feel comfortable getting wrapped. I try to wrap mine in a towel a couple of times a month just to get them used to it (when I first got them I did it more often - but now a couple of times a month seems to work). I also use that towel to cover the top of their travel cage when traveling but they can still see out - and I also cover them with it in the waiting room until I see they are settled and then take it off, but if there is a lot of commotion in the waiting room I sometimes leave it on - I judge by their reaction really. When you go into the vet room the vet usually observes the bird and talks to you and then once the bird is settled the vet will usually either use their towel or your towel to get the bird out of the cage for further examination. My vet usually leaves the room after a couple of minutes with my parrot and does bloods et cetera in another room and then they both come back and vet puts parrot back into cage and lets the parrot escape from the towel. then after reassurance and parrot has settled down I give the treat while communicating how good he/she has been. Hope this helps.
 
I would let your vet take the lead. When we got Ruby, we took her for a new bird vet visit. Different circumstances to you because Ruby was a baby. Our vet chipped her and suggested he did it without us there so she wouldn't associate the experience with us. He also advised we towel trained her at home and made it feel safe and secure as part of her routine just in case she needed treatment in the future.


Is your vet an avian vet? Ours is and he is so used to dealing with birds, we trust him completely and always follow his suggestions.
 
Thanks for the advice so far. Getting her used to a towel and vet routine is something I'd really like to do in the future. I've been considering the chip as well so will remember to leave the room if I decide to get it done.

I've not met the vet before but I am told he is an avian vet and the first practice I called said they refer any birds they get over to him.
 
I strongly recommend the micro chip. Accidents happen and you have peace of mind that if your bird is found then this increases the chances of being returned to you. With Rhonda's advice and the fact your vet is specialised avian, I'm sure your visit will go smoothly.
 
Each bird is different, Luna may well take it all in her stride. Birds pick up our signals easily and if we are acting stressed or odd then that will cause great unease with the bird. It's a self fulfilling act, you stress over the bird being stressed and the bird becomes stressed as a result

I do nothing different taking the eclectus to the vet then I do taking him down to the caravan. He goes in his travel cage and off we go. I don't leave the room and not had a problem as a result. I don't practice towelling him because the Vet and I know he is steady so if he gets towelled at the Vets he gets towelled and that's the end of the matter but if you have a bird that is not as steady or gets stressed then it's sensible to practice.

Your Vet will give advice tailored towards you and your bird with regards towelling and staying in he room. With a more delicately framed bird like a cockatiel you might be better off not towelling or certainly not with a thick towel. You need to be able to feel the body, it's easy to hurt a bird otherwise. Something like a tea towel would be OK.
 
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That must be really nice to be able to take him out like that Kim. I plan to harness train my Luna and depending on if she is steady enough to cope with it as an adult take her away with me as well but we'll see. I've only needed to 'towel' a cockatiel once and I used a face cloth rather than a towel per se but Luna is very happy to step up and be handled so it shouldn't be necessary.

Which vet are you using?
I'll be seeing Greg (don't know his surname) at the Portslade branch of Coastway Vets. I thought I would give them a try and if I'm not happy then Sears Croft avian specialists are not far from me.
 
 Our vet & weve gone to her for years asks if possible will you bring the bird in a plastic catype carrier because by doing this the bird has nothing to cling to when she towels it :nono:   & doesn't have to stress it so much coz it aint got no bars to cling to  . She also tells us not to give the bird anything to eat for 3 hrs before in case she has to put it to sleep to work on the bird . She hides nothing from us :nono: & were there all the time with her not sat in the waiting room :nono: .
 
 Our vet always towels the bird & she told me why

 Some years ago she had a family come in with Double Yellow head ( not a small bird are they ?) :nono:  She said conversation went like this

Vet/ is he tame ?

Family/ he wouldn't hurt a fly :nono:

 So she picked him up and  straight away he bit her right on the soft skin between her thumb & index finger :shock:

 She said she felt the top & the bottom of the birds beak lock inside her hand :cry:   She said they all tried to prize the birds beak from her hand & at the same time it was streaming with blood . In the end she said she walked over to the tap with the bird hung off her hand put her hand complete with bird under the cold water tap & turned it full on  with her other hand . Then the bird let go :good:
 
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Woah! Sounds painful! Ruby's boarding at our vets in August so they are doing her annual check then. I trust them completely though and I'm sure Ruby can handle herself if she's not happy! :)
 
That has happened to me with Thabo when he was young, the pain was unbelievable 
 
Well, just got home from the vets and nobody was bitten today :biggrin:

The vet was very impressed with Luna's condition and how friendly she is. She took the whole thing very well and didn't seem bothered at all so I'm taking her back tomorrow to get microchipped.
 
Well done Luna

we are taking 2 of ours tomorrow for a nail trim and have their beaks checked
 
Aww glad all went well though I fear she may not be happy tomorrow after being chipped! :) Kidding aside, I'm sure she'll take it all in her stride.
 
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