Help! Parrot advice

[FisherJayme]

My aunts Ring neck parrot (she said that's what he's called) has some issues that we are concerned about. He's probably around 20 years old. Today we noticed that he has a patch near his beak. His tail feathers are also looking pretty rough. I've attached pictures. Can someone explain if we need to see a vet? More info upon request.

 

[SailBoat]

My aunts Ring neck parrot (she said that's what he's called) has some issues that we are concerned about. He's probably around 20 years old. Today we noticed that he has a patch near his beak. His tail feathers are also looking pretty rough. I've attached pictures. Can someone explain if we need to see a vet? More info upon request.

In the second picture, its that cage in the background for the Ring Neck? If yes, it is way to small! That would go to explaining some of the tail feather condition.

With so very little information it is very difficult to make any determine.

I am guessing that this is a new Parrot to your mother's home. It is very common with a new Parrot to have them provided with a 'New Parrot' Examination, which would include a Blood Screen and a Gram Stain tests, along with a complete visual examination including listening to its chest for the condition of the Heart and Air-Sacks.

If she has had this Ring Neck for awhile and has never visited an Avian Vet, then it is time for such a visit.

 

[chris-md]

Good eye Steven. If that is the birds cage That cage is god awfully small, and makes me want to cry looking at it.

I second this - take him to a vet and get him checked out.

 

[FisherJayme]

Thanks for the advice guys! She recently inherited Corky from my grandmother who passed. Corky had a bigger cage but they didn't have room for it. I will talk to her about getting a bigger cage. The cage is also in the kids room. They come over on the weekends. Do you think the noise would stress him out? Just curious if she should consider moving the cage to a quieter room.

 

[SailBoat]

Thanks for the advice guys! She recently inherited Corky from my grandmother who passed. Corky had a bigger cage but they didn't have room for it. I will talk to her about getting a bigger cage. The cage is also in the kids room. They come over on the weekends. Do you think the noise would stress him out? Just curious if she should consider moving the cage to a quieter room.

At this point, less activity will be helpful. With a new home, new people - Stress can be a concern. Building trust is important.

Up-sizing the cage is very important. The minimum size would allow the Parrot to not touch the bars with its tail feathers when turning around. In addition, allows the Parrot to complete a full wing stretch without touching the bars. NOTE: That would be a bare minimum. Consider the joy of a child placed in a minimum size room - not a pretty picture.

 

[Lacewing]

This bird really does need to be in a larger cage. Please have your grandmother read ths article:

https://www.parrots.org/pdfs/all_ab...enrichment/PS 19 1 Feb 07 Parrot Trust SM.pdf

I suggest that this bird be examined by an avian vet. The photos show a need. There could be several issues going on like skin mites and such.

 

[EllenD]

You should ALWAYS have a new bird taken to a certified avian vet directly after bringing him home, and this one is 20 years old and most likely hasn't had a wellness exam or blood work in a long time. The reason it's important to to take a bird that is new to you for a wellness exam that includes blood work, cultures, fecal smear, etc. is twofold; You'll discover any active infections or disease processes the bird may be fighting and get treatment for them, and very importantly you'll get baseline test results to compare future test results to if he ever becomes very sick or develops an issue like diabetes, etc. I don't know if you're aware of how birds hide all signs and symptoms of illness and pain until they can't hide it anymore, so by the time a bird shows any outward signs or symptoms of illness or injury the bird has been suffering for quite some time. It's instinctual, a survival technique in the wild that they all possess. So you can't ever take a "wait and see" approach with your bird, as the first time you notice something wrong is likely a month or more into the problem's progression.

He could be barbering his tail, he's in a new home, his prior owner of years and years is gone, so this can obviously cause stress and behavioral issues. That being said, PLEASE get him a MUCH LARGER cage!!!

If you can still get his original cage back please do that!!! Not only is that little, tiny cage you have him in inadequate and cruel, but if he could remain in the same cage (his safe place) he has been in for years and years his stress will be much lower. Imagine what he's going through! His owner for most of his life is gone, he has been moved out of the only home he knows, he's around all new people he doesn't know or trust, and then his safe place, his actual home within his home was taken away from him...Then he was put into a cage that is hardly large enough for an American budgie! Getting his original cage back with all of his original toys, perches, food dishes, anything that has been his from his former life will lessen his stress.

Even if you've already gotten rid of his original cage, toys, etc. you need to get him out of that tiny little cage immediately and get him into a very large cage the size of the one he was in! There's a reason he was in a cage that size! And he must have lots of toys and foraging activities to keep him occupied; parrots are very intelligent and they get very bored very quickly if they do not have toys and games to occupy them, as well as hours of out of cage time every single day! Especially now I'd make sure he gets a ton of time out of that cage, it's not even a quarter of the size of the cage he should be in!

I would make getting him an appropriately sized cage, like the size he was in his entire life (preferably that exact cage) priority number one, like today! Please don't just talk to your grandmother about it, it needs to happen now! She'll have to make room for that size of cage, that's a must. So before you do anything else get him that size cage and many, many toys, games, etc. to keep him busy and to lessen his stress. Being in that tiny box is not only physically hurting his tail and feathers because he can't even turn around, open one of his wings the whole way, sit up correctly, etc. but the size itself is also stressing him, no toys is stressing him, he's bored, cramped, scared, etc. You couldn't even fit a single toy in that cage with him, if you have then the space he has is even worse...

Second priority is finding him a Certified Avian Vet immediately and getting him in for a complete wellness exam, blood work, etc. Usually I suggest seeing the vet as priority number one but not in this case, he just cannot be kept in that cage any longer! I'm not trying to be harsh or mean, or seem hypocritical, you're obviously new to keeping a parrot, let alone a parrot with the size and intelligence that a Ringneck or an Alexandrine has.

"Dance like nobody's watching..."

 

[FisherJayme]

Comets new/old cage. Thanks for the advice everyone! Is this cage better?

 

[SailBoat]

Comets new/old cage. Thanks for the advice everyone! Is this cage better?

Yes, it is! Is that Comet in the cage?

 

[FisherJayme]

Corky sorry auto correct. And yes that is him ��
Some family members were also concerned about his age. We don't know for sure but aims around 20 years old. How long does this type of parrot live usually?

 

[SailBoat]

Corky sorry auto correct. And yes that is him ��
Some family members were also concerned about his age. We don't know for sure but aims around 20 years old. How long does this type of parrot live usually?

Very difficult predicting the Future is! The life range is fluctuating, due to the pass diet, pass care and whether the parrot had been flighted.

At this point, it is better to get this Parrot's World stable and comfortable with that World. Then work to get the Parrot on a Natural Healthy Diet, followed by increasing its activity. With that in place, as part of next year's Vet Visit, it will be time to request an understanding of the Health of the Parrot and whether it can proceed to learning basic flight skills. That will be a starting point to determine the life expectancy of this Parrot.

 

[SailBoat]

If your family members are worried about this being an older Parrot and therefore not worth spending any money on it. Well so sorry, but that Parrot could easily live another 20+ years.