couple tiel questions

Question
first of all, i'd like to know how can i tell if the birds crop is empty? i know its the best time to weigh them. i can tell when its full, but he goes throught the motion of clearing it like twice and doesnt look empty so i just guess when to weigh. another question.... how do you know if a nostril is clogged? can it be clogged and no symptoms of anything being wrong? eating  and energy levels and behaviors have not changed. it just appears as if 1 side has not open. i can see deeper inside of the other one. and what can i do if it is clogged? i think i may give him more seeds and millet, if you think cold turkey taking it away is a cause. i have only given him a pinch of seeds and he is used to 'all you can eat' along with pellets, vegies, broccoli is all he will eat, but eats other human foods like eggs and potatoes, and oatmeal etc. is he having withdrawl symptoms from no seeds?

Answer
Hi there,

Firstly, as far as I know, a birds crop is never properly empty. Feeling it will stress him out and make him feel sick. So don't worry about weighing him when it is empty or full, just weight him at the same sort of time each day and his weight chart will be more consistent. The amount of food that he can hold in his crop anyway, really is such a small amount and wont make much difference. Concentrate just on the grams and forget the numbers after the point. The only time a full crop matters when weighing him, is when he was a baby.

When you say he goes through the motion of cleaning it, can you tell me what you mean by this?

If his nostril is clogged, unless it is distressing him, I wouldn't worry. They are very dusty birds and often bits get in there. If it irritates him, he will get it out himself. It may just be that one nostril is a different shape inside to the other.

I wouldn't give him more seed and millet. He will tend to eat that over the pellets and veg. Seeds are fun to eat and very fattening. A treat is fine. Did you go over to the pellets gradually? Is he eating his pellets or sulking about it? If he has taken to pellets ok, then leave him as he is. A change in diet wouldn't cause his nostril to be blocked. I can't think why it would. But a change of diet will certainly cause some changes, like his activity level may get more. Seed is a really bad diet for birds to eat continuously and causes birds to be really lazy if its there in abundance.

You ask if he is having withdrawal symptoms from seed. I am sure he is. They are highly addictive. As long as he is eating his pellets, keep it that way.

My African grey would only eat sunflower seeds when I got her, and after a struggle, she went onto the pellet food. My word she had some tantrums..... She soon settled down though.

Take care

Charlotte