Please HELP: Jenday ate some chocolate!!

[RXK]

i had some chocolate (the kind that ice cream cones are dipped in) on my shirt, which i wasn't aware of. and, our Jenday took a lick of it!!!! it was a centimeter by a centimeter melted piece of it, and he only licked a tiny bit of it. i didn't even know until i saw him chewing. i know chocolate is toxic. what should i do? should i be worried?? none of the avian vets are currently open right now in Toronto except for the emergency clinic that may or may not have an avian vet on call tonight. i gave him a few pieces of grape and apple to try to flush it out. what else should i do??? i will being watching him closely.... any suggestions will be much appreciated. he's currently chewing away on his pellets and acting completely normal.

[RXK]

UPDATE: spoke to a technician who spoke to the vet on duty at the 24 hour vet clinic here in Toronto, and she said that i shouldn't be concerned since it was a minute amount and the kind of chocolate has very little actual chocolate in it, mostly sugar and other ingredients. said that i shouldn't worry and there isn't anything i need to do. lastly, she suggested that i notify my avian vet on Monday but that there shouldn't be any complications. so, as you can imagine, i'm very relieved right now!!!

[tielfan]

I'm no expert, but I don't think a tiny taste of chocolate is going to hurt him. I've heard of people intentionally feeding their birds chocolate (not knowing it was a no-no) and the birds were OK. It's not good for birds to eat chocolate but it's not in the same category as eating rat poison.

[RXK]

Hi Tielfan,

thanks for replying! yeah, you're right, a tiny bit won't do much harm, unlike your example of rat poison. and, i just spoke to a technician who spoke to the vet on duty at the 24 hour vet clinic here in Toronto, and she reassured me that i shouldn't be worried since it was a minute amount and the kind of chocolate has very little actual chocolate in it, mostly sugar and other ingredients. said that i shouldn't worry and there isn't anything i need to do. plus, it's been more than 2 hours and he's been completely normal (including his poop). and, other than that she just suggested that i notify my avian vet on Monday but that there shouldn't be any complications. so, i am relieved right now!

[MLaCross]

Oh boy what a scare! I am glad to hear that it should all be okay!

[Jag]

Glad that it sounds like everything should be fine!! I wouldn't have known what to do, either, other than call a vet! They find the smallest little bits! I think they do things to keep us on our toes!

[xMemory]

I think you'll be alright, chocolate contains theobromine a chemical compound that they cant break down thus theobromine harmful to some animals, PLUS it was only a little bit, and its mostly sugar/milk other stuff as your vet said, it was also probably absorbed by your shirt, it's usually only toxic IN BIG amounts, and small ammounts( which I guess its like median) causes dogs diarrea/vomiting and shaking. Death can be usually rare.

You're alright!

[hollyhawkz]

I'm glad you mind has been set at ease. I think that he was eating real food right after would help as well. Thank goodness it was only a little!

[menafu23]

I agree with the vet tech, I am also a vet tech and dark chocolate is actually the more harmful type out of the "candy" chocolate that people tend to eat.

You can always tell the great owners from the indifferent, the ones that call us at the clinic vs. the ones that wait until their pet can barely lift their heads.

[RubyMuse]

Wow, if everyone were as aware and concerned as you we wouldn't see so much neglect out there. How is your birdie now?