My 4 month old parrot is acting different

[kinnetikz]

Hello,

I’m new to this forum, and I have Asperger’s Syndrome, so I apologise if I describe anything badly. I found a breeder in London, England and purchased a baby African Grey from him at 3 months old. We agreed she should leave his residence when he feels she’s ready. I picked her up on 24th June 2022, so I’ve had her 3 weeks.

For the first few days, she bonded really well with me. She flew to me whenever I tried to leave the room (she is not clipped), she chirped happily on mornings. This continued for 2 weeks.

She is openly fed — I give her pre-prepared vegetable chop mixed with a small amount of Harrison’s High Potency Super Fine pellet mix (I’m now aware this is too small, so I will be ordering the larger size once I’ve run out). She has her foraging wheel once every 2 days, which is filled with mixed nuts, apple, mango, blueberries, dried acai berry, freeze-dried strawberry pieces, etc. On the other days. She gets corn on the cob, a king prawn (de-veined and boiled in unsalted water), and some pumpkin seeds for training or bonding.

She has natural perches and is let out of her cage for 5 hours a day minimum, with her cage door open for her to get a drink or something to eat should she desire.

I brought her to the vets on 8th July 2022 for a first-time general checkup. The vet said she seems very happy and healthy. The vet recommended I use a UV light for winter and to make her vegetable chop less fine. The vet recommended checkups once a year, apart from accident/illness of course.

For the past 3 days however, she has made a strange crying sound (sometimes with heavy breathing), somewhat similar to her fear sound, whenever I go near her. She still however flies to me, wants head scratches and wants to interact just as much as normal. She doesn’t make the strange crying sound when I’m not too close to her, i.e., she makes no unusual sound when I’m still in the same room as her but a little bit away. She chirps just like normal on mornings when she wants me to come in the living room.

I’m really stressing over this a lot, it’s making me paranoid. I don’t want to rush her to the vets literally a week after I just went, without trying to figure out what it could be first (otherwise I’d be rushing her to the vets every week if I notice a new behaviour).

I was wondering if any experienced parrot owners (specifically African Grey owners) who might know what this new behaviour means? Or if you’d recommend I bring her to the vet? I’ve included two videos for observation. I’m really sorry for such a long post and I’m extremely grateful for any replies.

Video 1
Video 2

Thank you
— Kinnetikz

 

[Cottonoid]

Welcome to the forums!

Oh my, Tilly is adorable and what a sweet name for her!

I don't know baby birds at all so hopefully someone else will also take a look. She doesn't seem fearful to me though. Does she make nosies at other times too? Hopefully it's just her finding her voice

It sounds like you've got her off to a great start so far and I'm just like you as far as worrying about everything new. It's all new to me too and I don't know yet what's normal and what's something wrong.

 

[kinnetikz]

Welcome to the forums!

Oh my, Tilly is adorable and what a sweet name for her!

I don't know baby birds at all so hopefully someone else will also take a look. She doesn't seem fearful to me though. Does she make nosies at other times too? Hopefully it's just her finding her voice

It sounds like you've got her off to a great start so far and I'm just like you as far as worrying about everything new. It's all new to me too and I don't know yet what's normal and what's something wrong.

Hello,

Thank you for your reply!

My Nanna chose it for her because it has an Irish twist to it (I’m very bad at making decisions and everyone seemed to like it!).

She tends to chirp quite a lot (more often than usual), especially when I leave the room or don’t talk to her for a particular amount of time. I just assumed this was a natural aspect of her feeling more comfortable in her new home. She also makes a noise which I’m convinced is a sneeze, but I can’t tell if she is mimicking something she heard (kindly see video 2, 9 seconds and 18 seconds in).

I’m mainly worried because it sounds very similar to her fear noise (for example, when hands are placed under her tummy or when the vet picks her up for inspection). It also includes heavy breathing in some instances.

I did several months of research before planning and fulfilling her purchase, but even this was only a small fraction of the learning, so yes, I couldn’t agree more with distinguishing all sounds and behaviours! (For example, some websites say fluffed up feathers mean both fear and comfort, a behavioural oxymoron of sorts!)

— Kinnetikz

 

[HeatherG]

She is very very cute!

Could she have been near a puppy that made that noise? I had a bird that made puppy whimpering noises. It was obvious once I figured it out.

It doesn’t sound like the typical hungry baby parrot screeching. But I have never had an African Grey Parrot.

I notice she’s making the noise with her head in the dish. Maybe she likes the sound to be echoey or amplified?

 

[wrench13]

Offer her some baby parrot formula.

 

[Africangreylover2009]

Hello,

Thank you for your reply!

My Nanna chose it for her because it has an Irish twist to it (I’m very bad at making decisions and everyone seemed to like it!).

She tends to chirp quite a lot (more often than usual), especially when I leave the room or don’t talk to her for a particular amount of time. I just assumed this was a natural aspect of her feeling more comfortable in her new home. She also makes a noise which I’m convinced is a sneeze, but I can’t tell if she is mimicking something she heard (kindly see video 2, 9 seconds and 18 seconds in).

I’m mainly worried because it sounds very similar to her fear noise (for example, when hands are placed under her tummy or when the vet picks her up for inspection). It also includes heavy breathing in some instances.

I did several months of research before planning and fulfilling her purchase, but even this was only a small fraction of the learning, so yes, I couldn’t agree more with distinguishing all sounds and behaviours! (For example, some websites say fluffed up feathers mean both fear and comfort, a behavioural oxymoron of sorts!)

— Kinnetikz

Hello,

I’m new to this forum, and I have Asperger’s Syndrome, so I apologise if I describe anything badly. I found a breeder in London, England and purchased a baby African Grey from him at 3 months old. We agreed she should leave his residence when he feels she’s ready. I picked her up on 24th June 2022, so I’ve had her 3 weeks.

For the first few days, she bonded really well with me. She flew to me whenever I tried to leave the room (she is not clipped), she chirped happily on mornings. This continued for 2 weeks.

She is openly fed — I give her pre-prepared vegetable chop mixed with a small amount of Harrison’s High Potency Super Fine pellet mix (I’m now aware this is too small, so I will be ordering the larger size once I’ve run out). She has her foraging wheel once every 2 days, which is filled with mixed nuts, apple, mango, blueberries, dried acai berry, freeze-dried strawberry pieces, etc. On the other days. She gets corn on the cob, a king prawn (de-veined and boiled in unsalted water), and some pumpkin seeds for training or bonding.

She has natural perches and is let out of her cage for 5 hours a day minimum, with her cage door open for her to get a drink or something to eat should she desire.

I brought her to the vets on 8th July 2022 for a first-time general checkup. The vet said she seems very happy and healthy. The vet recommended I use a UV light for winter and to make her vegetable chop less fine. The vet recommended checkups once a year, apart from accident/illness of course.

For the past 3 days however, she has made a strange crying sound (sometimes with heavy breathing), somewhat similar to her fear sound, whenever I go near her. She still however flies to me, wants head scratches and wants to interact just as much as normal. She doesn’t make the strange crying sound when I’m not too close to her, i.e., she makes no unusual sound when I’m still in the same room as her but a little bit away. She chirps just like normal on mornings when she wants me to come in the living room.

I’m really stressing over this a lot, it’s making me paranoid. I don’t want to rush her to the vets literally a week after I just went, without trying to figure out what it could be first (otherwise I’d be rushing her to the vets every week if I notice a new behaviour).

I was wondering if any experienced parrot owners (specifically African Grey owners) who might know what this new behaviour means? Or if you’d recommend I bring her to the vet? I’ve included two videos for observation. I’m really sorry for such a long post and I’m extremely grateful for any replies.

Video 1
Video 2

Thank you
— Kinnetikz

Hello, I don't know if you have figured out the problem or not, but it sounds like sneezing. I'm not an expert but I have a 6-month-old African grey. Again, I wouldn't trust what I am saying 100 percent because I too do not know much.

 

[Laurasea]

I think she is baby bird hungry and a little frustrated with food possibilities more hungry and not enough food or not grown up enough to eat the food or eat enough of it.

There is a lot of crop adjustments going on in the second clip as she eats the pellets from the bowl. Not e actly normal to do that...maybe needs wster...I just don't know.

Offering a once daily support feeding of baby bird formula may be beneficial.

Maybe adding warm water to the pellets and making a mash may be easier for her to eat.

Get a digital kitchen scale and track weight. Bsbues often have a hard time adjusting in a new home. And extra care with food may be needed.

Reach out the breeder you got her from. I'm sure they will be happy to be supportive and offer tips.