Lettuce makes for runny poops too.

I'm sorry to hear that Pinto seems to be getting weaker. I know how heartbreaking it is to see her like that. My heart goes out to you and little Pinto Lisa. I am certain that Pinto feels your love for her and is comforted so much by your closeness.
Poor girl

Tweetymom - that's a very good point for others to keep in mind, in case they have a non-sick bird who happens to be overdosing on lettuce. In my case it's really not more lettuce than she gets normally, so it wouldn't be the lettuce causing this issue. It definitely began with the medicine regimine.

Pinto was really missing her flock mates so I am working in my office room today. That way Pinto can be in here and I can keep an eye on Ivory and Santo treating her well. The three are currently on their perch over the window, all in a row, sleeping. I think Pinto really missed being with her friends and she seems as content as she can be up there with them. I hope they stay this "peaceful" for a while.

Hey, that is great! I also hope they can all play nice for a while. It must be weird to have the 'flock' turn on you. Or your 'pack,' if you are a dog. Animals have deeper relationships than we are truly aware of.

I agree with that completely, animals have very intricate social networks and they feel even small changes in how they are respected by that group. Animals - especially more intelligent ones like parakeets, cats, and dogs - are far more aware than I think some scientists give them credit for! There are things only an owner really notices.

It is especially distressing in this case because it's not anything that Pinto "did". It is not like she was attacking Santo and as a result of her actions she was ostracized. It was for an illness, something her body is doing.

I'm pleased to report that today went reasonably well. I worked all day in my office room, keeping an eye on the other two birds as Pinto got to be "home". I had to shoo them away occasionally, but in general the three of them were near each other and Pinto seemed happy with that. I played a variety of music for them, and that did help a lot. I filled my tabletop fountain up with water, because they really like to listen to the gurgling noise -



so that probably helped as well. Note that you can see "fragrance sticks" near these - I like to use these instead of candles because they do not put any ash into the air.

We will put her back in the separate cage tonight when I go to bed. I don't trust the others that much. Still, I am very pleased that Pinto had a full day with her friends, and to feel part of their flock. She didn't "do much" - she just sat with them, but I think that was enough.

thats good to hear at least she got to enjoy today =)

Yes, although late in the day I went in the other room for a few minutes to spend time with my boyfriend. I barely was out of my office for 5 minutes before I heard noise. Santo was harassing Pinto. It was time to bring Pinto over into her separate cage. On one hand Pinto didn't want to go into the cage, but on the other hand once in there she could safely fluff up and get some sleep free from harm.

I gave her some medicated lettuce and she gobbled it all down, so there's no problem at all in giving her her medicine thoroughly. It's good too that she still has a healthy appetite.

But she's not sleeping well. She'll close her eyes for a few minutes, then jerk awake. Then go through the cycle again. I wonder if part of that is just her defensive reactions that have been building over the past few months, with the other keets becoming less and less friendly. Poor thing ...

Today we an odd mix. For the first half, Pinto was very sluggish and I spent a block of time laying on the couch, with her on my chest, keeping her warm and nurtured. She just lay there with her eyes closed.

But then later she got a second wind and really wanted to go be with the other birds. So I moved into my office and let her play with the others. They were being generally good and I was very happy for Pinto.

But then, about 5 minutes ago, Santo and Pinto were both sitting on the "drawbridge" at the front of the cage. All of a sudden Santo just *lunged* for Pinto's chest, as if she was a velociraptor or something! I was horrified, Pinto went plummeting backwards into the floor of the cage. I ran over. Luckily Pinto wasn't hurt, but Santo could easily have really hurt her. It wasn't a gentle tap, Santo looked like she was out for blood. It came out of nowhere!

So now Pinto is back safely in her personal cage. She didn't get hurt at all, but it was a powerful reminder to me not to let Pinto alone near the other two now that she is so sick. The other two are being nice 99% of the time, but when that "remove the sick flock member" thought hits them, it hits hard.

She looks very similar to the budgie we had when I was a child. The colouring is similar. Ours was named Beauty ~ and, sadly, Beauty developed a tumour as well.