Lovebird can't fly

[Vicky_1998]

My bird can't fly. All he does is kind of jump up a little and try to fly, but no luck. I can't even call that gliding because he just falls to the ground.

Since I bought him on 9/9/16, I feel he should be able to fly. Or at least something close to flying. His feathers don't look smooth and he looks like he is still missing some. He hasn't really been growing new feathers much, ever since I got him. I have never seen him fly.

So my question is what things can possibly cause this? If it is PBFD, it is to such an extend that you can't really see the symptoms much other than 3-4 weird-looking feathers and not full wings to lift him. The rest of his body is perfectly covered in small feathers. I don't know anything about his life before buying him, if he had clipped feathers or not or anything like that. So I want all possible causes for that. Also note that there are no avian vets in my city and I would have to travel for at least 3 hours to take him to a vet that could maybe have some experience with birds. I have to play the vet here.

 

[SailBoat]

Sorry that you find yourself in a position that 'you' have to play the Vet!

Please understand, that no one on this Forum is a Trained Avian Vet or a Trained Avian Vet Tech! So, we cannot 'play' Vet. There is a depth of experience that can help qualify and provide some direction, but for true Avian Vet care, that must be handled by a trained individual.

At eight plus months, your Parrot should long ago been able to fly! Your Parrot has either lost critical flight feathers or never gained them. Next is broken, weakened or miss-formed bones and/or muscles. The last is issues regarding the formation and structure of the mind.

Point being, with the very minor likelihood of on-going self-inflected feather loss, which as with the rest, a trained Avian expert is required.

When you choose to not provide even a very general location in this Huge World, there is very little we can do to direct you to support services.

A photo would be helpful to at least define a possible discussion point with a Avian Specialist!

 

[crookedbird]

I don't know much about potential diseases this could be, but that sounds like a case of badly clipped feathers! My poor little Ringneck Parakeet, Alex, had way too many of his feathers clipped just before I bought him. The loss of protection ended up breaking a blood feather under each wing at the same time literally as he was being put into the box he was taken home in. So if it is badly clipped feathers, keep an eye out for that! That's what it sounds like to me. Alex /still/ drops like a rock because his flight feathers haven't grown in enough and it's been about 9 months since he was clipped by that store employee. It's can be scary! But a healthy bird will eventually get those feathers back. As for weird-looking feathers, it would help if you specified. Weird how? If you mean the 3-4 outermost feathers under his wings suddenly cut off at a point? That's what a clipped bird's flight feathers look like. If it's not that, you need to provide more details about those feathers.

 

[DerTier]

3 hours could mean all the answers, and at some point he needs to have you willing to get him that vet access. My preferred exotics vet is 2 hrs away, but i have a good one an hr away as well that i see for basic stuff.

It sounds like this guy can't really be assessed via the forum unlike some issues, so really your only option is to talk to your vet.

 

[Vicky_1998]

Okay so I read all your responses.

He doesn't seem to have any problems with his bones. He tried to fly, he flaps his wings but he can't get enough lift. Since he doesn't like me touching him and I don't want to stress him by chasing him around about something that might not be that much of a problem, I can only see his wings the way he keeps them. About those feathers, they're on his left wing. They are not smooth, they look like those feathers you come across the woods but they're not these smooth beautiful perfect feathers you'd take home for decorations. I don't know how else to describe them. On his right wing, I can't see flight feathers. They just stop where his tail starts and they are not clipped. The ends aren't missing. So there's that...

Another thing is that his tail has 3 "long" feathers that are slightly spread out. 3 feathers. That's his tail. From all the research I've done, I'm very confident lovebirds should have far more than 3 tailfeathers. When I got him, they were much smaller so at least they grew. That's something.

My dad suggested that maybe they removed his flight feathers completely instead of cutting them. That could go two ways, the way I see it. Either he would grow feathers normally or he wouldn't grow feathers at all.

Also, since you asked, I live in Greece. I have only found avian vets in Athens. And to go there, I have to either convince my parents to drive me there, across half the country, fly there, which I can't afford, or take the bus, which would be at least 5 hours and a half. And still too expensive for me to pay for the bus and the vet and also most likely stay overnight. And making a bird, as much of a scaredy cat as mine, travel for that long among other people on a bumpy road, is a little too cruel I think. I have to choose between his wellbeing and his ability to fly. If I can't help him where I live, I'd prefer him not flying than dead.

 

[SailBoat]

At the end of the day, it's your Lovebird and you and your family's choices!

If the feathers where removed and or cut at the time you got your Parrot, now eight months ago, many (the majority) should have grow back! Flight feathers are critical to the survival of the Parrot! Replacement of Flight feathers are therefore a priority for the Parrot.

A Parrot should have near thirteen tail feathers.

It is possible that your Parrot is 'Plucking' or 'Barbaring' its own feathers. If that is the case, you should see feathers or feather pieces near or under your Parrot.

At this point, you are likely faced with a Parrot that will either not let its feathers grow into place (removes them) or you have a Parrot with a medical issue.

FYI: Plucking and Barbaring are also medical conditions!

Try visiting their website and see if they have a email contact or site contact 'chat' that you can provide questions!

 

[Vicky_1998]

I haven't seen him chewing on his feathers, only grooming. Is there a way I can stop him from chewing on them even if I haven't seen him doing it? I know he is not plucking then because I don't find feathers in his cage so that's good I think.

I am thinking that if barbering is like when people bite their nails or fingers, then some sort of bad tasting cream could help prevent any further chewing. I bite my fingers a lot and these creans are the only ones who seem to help a tiny bit. So it could help in his case roo. But what can taste awful to a parrot and doesn't harm it?

 

[LeaKP]

I hope you find out what's going on with your little lovie. They are excellent birds! I truly understand the difficulty it might place on you to travel to a vet, may I suggest you calling the vet to get their thoughts on the issue? I live in Africa where any kind of vet is a blessing, I truly miss having the hassle of having to go to the vet as I've lived overseas for many years. It's a priceless blessing....