Parrot mandibles have incredible dexterity and strength. Unfortunately, these very attributes can frustrate even the most patient of Amazon owners when they find they must medicate their bird via a syringe. Many Amazons quickly learn that they can just clamp their beak closed, leaving a frustrated owner trying to dribble the dreaded concoction down the side of their jaw. Some quickly learn that the medicating syringe is made of plastic and that they can easily nip the tip right off. Others use their tongue to push the syringe out of their mouth before the dreaded medication can be expelled, followed by the jaw clamping trick.
So how do we get our little darlings to take their nasty tasting medicine? Veterinarians now have flavored meds available, but some little birdies like it little more than the unflavored version, leaving us back at square one. Some folks have learned to hide medications in a treat to get it down voluntarily, then there are the die hard Amazons who just see right through any attempt to fool them the moment they see that dreaded syringe or its accompanying bottle. For these I have come up with a plan of action that, so far, works to get the medicine inside the bird instead of dribbling down the outside or blown back into my face.
We are going to use an appropriately sized water bottle and remove the plastic from the cap for use in medicating our parrot. To the right you can see the original cap and two sizes of stainless steel tubes left when the plastic is removed. I use the size sold as a rabbit water bottle for my Amazon, which is the one in the center.
Next, using a serrated bread knife, cut the round plastic part of the cap off first. Then make another cut to the remaining plastic, length wise on the nozzle to free up the stainless steel tube inside. Once this stainless steel tube is cleaned and sanitized it's ready to use.
Before you towel the bird, get your medication measured out into the plastic syringe. As you see on the left, hold the stainless tube and squirt the medication into it. The balls inside will prevent the medicine from coming out the other end. Now set it aside so that the open top is elevated slightly to prevent the medication from running back out, as it will if it is just set down horizontally. Once this is done it is time to get your bird ready, either toweled or held. Now you can simply use the rounded tip to open the beak and let the medication drip in. Usually the bird will use it's tongue to try and push the nozzle back out, but in doing so it releases the medication more quickly, drop by drop. Even should your bird successfully get the tip out at least now you will only be dripping a drop or two instead of loosing the whole dose.
© 2001 -2009 by Talking Green Parrot Aviary
