Advice on how to relax about conures health

[Flapjack]

Hey all. The title basically says everything. I’ve had my conure Kure, for about 6 months now (wow it feels so much longer) and I’ve been getting worse and worse about obsessing over her health. I understand that a healthy amount of worry is normal and productive, but I have been feeling extremely overwhelmed with fear that something is off. Any slight behavior change will send me down a rabbit hole that ends in a trip to the vet or a post here. I really just want to be able to know that my girl is safe and ok and enjoy our time together without so much anxiety. For example, I returned from a trip this weekend and greeted Kure fed her and gave her a shower (I don’t trust the babysitter to give her a bath cause she gets too excited) and afterwards noticed that her crop was quite large and firm. Now all I can focus on is that she has an impacted crop or something happened while I was away when in reality I probably only noticed because she had just eaten and was wet. She’s acting normal but I’ll post pictures here and am going to monitor her crop anyway just in case something is wrong. (Edit: she was fine) But if anyone has experienced similar emotions and anxieties, I would greatly appreciate any advice you have.

 

[GaleriaGila]

I'm glad you're here I know the feeling... I got my bird 40 years ago... no internet, few resources... fortunately I happened on a great avian vet who helped me through.
You'll get lots of good advice and support here. I don't see anything that really concerns me.
Maybe you can use this...
Certified Avian Vets

Find an ABVP Specialist - American Board of Veterinary Practitioners

Find a Specialist ABVP Diplomates have proven knowledge and expertise above and beyond what is required to practice veterinary medicine. Beyond that, they have earned the privilege to specialize in the treatment of one or more categories of animals. Diplomates are in 49 of the 50 US states...

abvp.com

If none are near you...
Avian Veterinarians

http://www.aav.org/search/custom.asp?id=1803

In my opinion, any of the vets listed here should be better than a regular vet.
International contacts, too.

 

[Flapjack]

I'm glad you're here I know the feeling... I got my bird 40 years ago... no internet, few resources... fortunately I happened on a great avian vet who helped me through.
You'll get lots of good advice and support here. I don't see anything that really concerns me.
Maybe you can use this...
Certified Avian Vets

Find an ABVP Specialist - American Board of Veterinary Practitioners

Find a Specialist ABVP Diplomates have proven knowledge and expertise above and beyond what is required to practice veterinary medicine. Beyond that, they have earned the privilege to specialize in the treatment of one or more categories of animals. Diplomates are in 49 of the 50 US states...

abvp.com

If none are near you...
Avian Veterinarians

http://www.aav.org/search/custom.asp?id=1803

In my opinion, any of the vets listed here should be better than a regular vet.
International contacts, too.

Thank you so much for the resources, they will probably be really helpful in the moment. As of now, Kure is totally fine, it was all in my head.

 

[wrench13]

If you think worry about a parrot is intense, have some kids! I guarantee in the course of your parront-hood, you'll see tons of changing behavior, personality and habits from your bird. Its their nature. We like to think that parrots are static in their nature, but they are not like dogs, who will love you forever but in fact are pretty dumb for the most part. Parrots are dynamic and you need to cater to them a lot.
Best advice - start weighing your parrot every few days, keep a record. WHen parrots get sick or ill, they start dropping weight, sometimes rapidly. Its the best way to tell if something is amiss, because they hide illness really, really well (the one who acts sick in the wild gets eaten first). Keep Calm and Carry On!

 

[Jcas]

I understand where you’re coming from; your bird is lucky to have someone who cares so much, but I know the anxiety can get in the way of just enjoying your bird. Keep in mind that six months is really not a long time to have a bird. It may take a year or more for you to get a good feel for what is normal for Kure in terms of health and behavior but once you reach that point, you’ll worry less and spend more time just having fun with her !

 

[Flapjack]

If you think worry about a parrot is intense, have some kids! I guarantee in the course of your parront-hood, you'll see tons of changing behavior, personality and habits from your bird. Its their nature. We like to think that parrots are static in their nature, but they are not like dogs, who will love you forever but in fact are pretty dumb for the most part. Parrots are dynamic and you need to cater to them a lot.
Best advice - start weighing your parrot every few days, keep a record. WHen parrots get sick or ill, they start dropping weight, sometimes rapidly. Its the best way to tell if something is amiss, because they hide illness really, really well (the one who acts sick in the wild gets eaten first). Keep Calm and Carry On!

Thank you for your response! I’ve been meaning to get a scale after her last vet visit, is it possible to find one with a perch? Or is it better to just glue one on?

 

[Flapjack]

I understand where you’re coming from; your bird is lucky to have someone who cares so much, but I know the anxiety can get in the way of just enjoying your bird. Keep in mind that six months is really not a long time to have a bird. It may take a year or more for you to get a good feel for what is normal for Kure in terms of health and behavior but once you reach that point, you’ll worry less and spend more time just having fun with her !

Thank you for the reassurance, I had to double check how long I have even had her when I wrote it, it definitely feels like much longer!