Just found a Sun Conure - has strange wing flipping

[Dois]

Just about an hour ago, I heard an incessant loud calling outside my apartment, I decided to take a look and true enough, it was a bird. A Sun Conure to be precise. It looked ragged and scared. I gave it some food, which it readily accepted. The bird is clearly very tame and now refuses to leave my side.

Despite all the food I've been giving it, it has not pooped in the past hour, I guessing because its crop has been empty for some time. The bird also has a tag with an ID on it; I'm actively looking in our community for the owner now.

Ok so that's the background information. The issue I'm having now is that this bird seems to be doing some strange wing flipping. It's like a weird tick with it constantly opening and closing its wings once in a very quick motion. It looks like some videos I've seen with Eclectuses flipping their wings.

The best thing I can think of doing for it now is to give it some electrolytes (orange juice), which it has happily taken but does not seem to have helped. I'm not sure if this is something that is commonly seen in birds that are afraid or have not been eating for a while. I'm guessing it might be some spasm from an electrolyte imbalance in the body, but I really have no idea and would like to know if anyone else has experienced this before.

Thank you.

 

[imouse1]

Poor baby

 

[Flboy]

I have observed that jerky flapping in nervous birds! Like in, do I panic, or am I OK!

 

[saxguy64]

First, thank you so much for helping this poor baby! I hope he'll come around and get the flipping under control. Wing flipping is something all of us eclectus people wish to never see. There a number of things that can cause it, but mostly comes down to diet. Calcium and vitamin A levels are usually the prime suspect. I haven't heard about it happening in other species, but never really looked into it much except for my ekkies. So, if this is in fact what's going on, some time with a proper (or any!) diet should help. Typically takes several days to subside once it starts.

Other than that, I might take a look for parasites? Something crawling or itching would make me want to flip them off of me too. Also, as mentioned above, fear or nervousness can be the source of all kinds of physical behaviors.

Thank you again for rescuing this lost little soul. You're my hero today! I hope he'll be okay, and that you can reunite him with his owners. (Unless they've neglected or mistreated him causing his current condition)

 

[Dois]

Well we've managed to return the bird to its owner (they stay just a few blocks away). I hope the flipping is just that it was nervous (it seemed kind of extreme though, like once every 3 or 4 seconds). I guess I'll never know.

 

[fiddlejen]

OH im so glad you got it back to its owner!

I tend to suspect the wing flipping you describe might have been some kind of discomfort. Hopefully the owner might take it to a vet to get checked out. Reading your post I kept thinking perhaps a minor sprain or muscle pull. Or Even - for a pet that has escaped - perhaps just a bit Too Much flying and so muscle aches from fatigue. Hopefully a problem that might resolve itself within a few days once birdy is safely back home.


Again, thank you so much for rescuing this poor birdy, and even more so for getting it back home!

 

[imouse1]

OH im so glad you got it back to its owner!

I tend to suspect the wing flipping you describe might have been some kind of discomfort. Hopefully the owner might take it to a vet to get checked out. Reading your post I kept thinking perhaps a minor sprain or muscle pull. Or Even - for a pet that has escaped - perhaps just a bit Too Much flying and so muscle aches from fatigue. Hopefully a problem that might resolve itself within a few days once birdy is safely back home.


Again, thank you so much for rescuing this poor birdy, and even more so for getting it back home!

I wish there was a registry to keep track of these kinds of incidents. Like, with all pets. I know where I grew up we had people who would neglect animals to death when they weren't abusing them to death. And then they'd be able to go get another one like nothing happened, even from the City...after the City prosecuted them. I hope these owners weren't *those* people but it would be kinda hard to know without at least a vet keeping track of something like that. =(

 

[Dois]

Well we have a recording of the issue in case anyone is interested; note that the bird was constantly doing this while it was with us.

 

[imouse1]

He was so happy to be with you. His owners are lucky you returned him.

 

[Laurasea]

that's a baby thing, asking fir food or comfort.
I'm so very happy owners were found.
As a mom to a lost one, I can say I did everything to find him, and the pain is huge to have one missing.
It gutts to me think someone might have kept him. ....

Imouse, a baby likes everyone, and any well cared for parrot would be thrilled to be rescued and back in surroundings it recognize. Found parrots aren't gifts they are missing family members, whish families desperately want them back. No one throws away a $600-1000 parrot. They'd sell them if unwanted.

 

[SweetiePie and Kelly-Bird]

that's a baby thing, asking fir food or comfort.
I'm so very happy owners were found.
As a mom to a lost one, I can say I did everything to find him, and the pain is huge to have one missing.
It gutts to me think someone might have kept him. ....

Imouse, a baby likes everyone, and any well cared for parrot would be thrilled to be rescued and back in surroundings it recognize. Found parrots aren't gifts they are missing family members, whish families desperately want them back. No one throws away a $600-1000 parrot. They'd sell them if unwanted.

It could also be a learned action, because it saw other birds doing it in the wild, maybe. Well, now, that the baby’s back there, it knows where to go to get better care.You never know it be right back on your porch again someday

 

[Skarila]

that's a baby thing, asking fir food or comfort.
I'm so very happy owners were found.
As a mom to a lost one, I can say I did everything to find him, and the pain is huge to have one missing.
It gutts to me think someone might have kept him. ....

Imouse, a baby likes everyone, and any well cared for parrot would be thrilled to be rescued and back in surroundings it recognize. Found parrots aren't gifts they are missing family members, whish families desperately want them back. No one throws away a $600-1000 parrot. They'd sell them if unwanted.

Even those who were planning to give away the bird, with any heart left would go out and search for the escaped bird. Having on your heart the lack of information whatever happened to the bird must be extremely painful and heart wrenching...