Expert: Chrys Meatyard - 10/3/2006

Question
I have been raising cockatiel off and on for about 10 years. I am still have one delema. Once in a while we get a baby who gets air in it's crop , it gets blown up like a balloon all the way up it's neck. The crop is still working right but the baby seems to be swallowing air and it gets full of air. I was told that when the crop is not doing its job and food spoils in it to express the food and give electralights to the baby and hand feed. So I did this with the air. Now, was I right or wrong doing this ? Do You know what the problem is and what to do about it? I don't want to loose another baby if I don't need to.

                             Leah Ireland
                             fishman@mtco.com

Answer
Hi, Leah.  Thanks for posting!

You are describing 2 different problems here.  Baby parrots get air in their crops from being handfed...this is normal.  Most of the time, the baby can get rid of the air on it's own, but if not, you can "burp" the baby's crop in order to get rid of the air.  When you see excessive air in the crop, gently push that air up and out through the baby's mouth.  If air is getting in the crop (the crop is ballooning up) when the baby isn't being handfed, there could be a hole in the crop.  This would require the assistance of an avian veterinarian IMMEDIATELY or the baby will die.  

Crop stasis/crop slowdown is a different problem and also requires avian veterinarian assistance immediately.  Stasis/slowdown is sometimes the result of feeding the handfeeding formula at too low a temperature, not keeping the baby(ies) being handfed at the correct temperature in their brooder, and/or bacteria/yeast/fungus, etc., in the crop.  

If the problem is air in the crop only, you didn't do the right thing.  If this problem is crop statis/crop slowdown, you probably did the right thing, however, the baby may also need medication to fix the problem, thus, the need for avian veterinary assistance to determine what the underlying problem is.  If the problem is a hole in the crop (usually caused by feeding formula that is too hot and a hole develops from inside out), an avian vet has to take action ASAP to close the hole.

If you've lost other babies, particularly in this clutch, there may be some type of bacteria/yeast/fungus affecting them all.  I highly recommend avian vet assistance for your babies immediately.

Chrys