Guessing age

[Siobhan]

I know there's no definitive way to guess a parrot's age once they're mature, but I was hoping someone would have an older 'too and be able to give me some guidelines for an educated guess.

Rocky doesn't move quickly. He's deliberate and slow, puts one foot on your arm and kind of tests it before he steps up. He destroys his toys, but even that is done slow and thoughtfully. He trembles a lot and we can't decide if he's afraid or cold. He shouldn't be cold because we keep the house warm and he's not in a draft. He shouldn't have anything to be afraid of, either. Are any of these signs of an older 'too? We were told so many different things by the people we got him from that I finally concluded they didn't have any idea and just said what they thought we wanted to hear, or lied purposely. First they said he was 10 to 12. Then they said 12 to 15. Then they said "at least 15." Considering how long 'toos live, 15 is still pretty young, but he doesn't act like a young bird.

 

[Kiwibird]

My dad's goffin is about 40. He is a healthy, active bird who gets frequent baths, and to be honest, you couldn't visually or behaviorally tell the difference between him and a 6 or 7 year old goffin (any sexually mature bird). His plumage is perfect and he's full of energy. I think the same could be said for any healthy bird. The only 'signs' of aging I'm aware of in any parrot are only present in very old birds. Things old people get too, like arthritis and cataracts. In unhealthy birds, diseases related to decades of poor diet (like fatty livers or kidney issues) can be an indication of age since they take decades to happen.

 

[akrrm]

Does Rocky have a leg band? You might be able to tell from that.

 

[Siobhan]

No leg band. I'm guessing that some of the tentative behaviors are because he's still feeling us out, even a month later. He can certainly clamber around his cage with no difficulty.

 

[Scott]

My dad's goffin is about 40. He is a healthy, active bird who gets frequent baths, and to be honest, you couldn't visually or behaviorally tell the difference between him and a 6 or 7 year old goffin (any sexually mature bird). His plumage is perfect and he's full of energy. I think the same could be said for any healthy bird. The only 'signs' of aging I'm aware of in any parrot are only present in very old birds. Things old people get too, like arthritis and cataracts. In unhealthy birds, diseases related to decades of poor diet (like fatty livers or kidney issues) can be an indication of age since they take decades to happen.

Agree! My parent Goffins are close to or at least 40, and their behaviors and external condition are not notably different from their offspring of 20, 19, and 17 years.

I've had a Moluccan for 25+ years and believe he is quite old. Feet are arthritic and he's not as active as in the distant past.

 

[Allee]

The slow, deliberate movements and the shivering are typical U2 behaviors, especially during a transition period. Poppy still shivers when she's unsure or uncomfortable about something, it has nothing to do with room temperature. For the first few months with us, Poppy would freeze like a statue when something upset her, we called it cockatoo vapor lock, she stopped doing that when she gained a little confidence and got comfortable in her new home. An extra hug or just telling her she's okay usually distracts her enough to stop the shivers.

 

[Siobhan]

I like that "cockatoo vapor lock." That's exactly what he does when he hears a sound, even one he should be used to, like arthritic and overweight Lab Gigi trying to get up. She can sound like a whole herd of buffalo stampeding, but he hears that several times a day. It still makes him freeze, slick down his feathers, and get bug-eyed.