SUPER STRESSED: First Molt, Extermination, Travel, Cage Change, Funky Sounds

[Puck]

I am so, SO stressed over birdie. I know, I know, you probably opened this thinking it was my RB2, Lucille, who was the stressed one. But no, it's me, the parront, who is super stressed. Lucille has had a few pissed off moments, but she's taking all this better than me. Anyone else get this stressed over life with birdie? Basically, my house is full of German cockroaches and will have to go through several rounds of extermination before it's clear. I covered the cage, but it's a macaw sized cage and can't be moved. Lucille had to be kept in her carrier while we moved the smaller cage I used for my sun conure down to my parents' house for her to stay in. I covered the carrier while we transported the cage, and when I took off the covering she freaked out, screaming and slamming around it in a way I thought was going to break her bones, especially when she only stretched out one wing when I got her out. (Turns out she was fine--she was flying later.) Then I had to put her in what she had to think of as a tiny cage/prison since she's only known aviaries and macaw sized cages. I felt too guilty to leave her down there alone in a small cage, so I stayed with her (which meant staying with my parents--kill me now) for three days. My mom kept commenting on her "screaming" whenever she chirped because people were talking (by the way, it was not even close to screaming--she is a super quiet bird, these were quiet tweets). Also, Lucille was being pissy about the whole traveling thing and refused to play with toys or enter the small cage on her own, staying on the playtop the whole time, grooming herself since she's in molt. Of course, this made me worry she might start plucking (because worrying about my bird is what I do). She also refused to let me scratch her head which is covered in pin feathers and has feathers that want to fall off until we got home again, making daddy feel rejected and leaving her itchy. Once we got home I had to clean the big cage just to make sure no insecticide ended up on it. Oh yeah, on top of all this she keeps making a sound that may just be a fun sound she decided is cool to make or could possibly be a sneezing or wheezing noise (according to my paranoid mind--and yes, she was making this weird noise long before the extermination so I don't think it has to do with that, plus she sometimes does it after I make a kissy noise, so I really can't tell if it's a fun sound or a problem sound!), and so now I want to take her to the vet but am solidly booked all week long with all the work I missed while they were exterminating. ARGH!

LUCILLE'S DADDY IS VERY, VERY STRESSED.

Seriously, why is being a parront so much emotionally tougher than owning dogs???

 

[GaleriaGila]

I doubt I have any ideas YOU haven't had, but here's something I can offer...

A great big Patagonian hugggggg!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Puck]

The R-bird swoops in and all problems are solved!

 

[Flboy]

The smart asp answer, "What doesn't kill you, will make you stronger!"
Kill the guy who first said that!! But it is true!

"Seriously, why is being a parront so much emotionally tougher than owning dogs??? "
Because you care!

 

[KrisandPenelope]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who is a stressed parront! You sound exactly like me

 

[Puck]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who is a stressed parront! You sound exactly like me

Haha, good to know I'm not the only one!!!

I have given in to my worry, and I scheduled a visit with the avian vet on Monday morning. I am fairly sure the sound she is making is a mimicing/fun sound and not a wheezing, but better safe than sorry, right? Though now that she's been home for awhile, she is quite the happy birdie, despite looking like a train wreck going through her first molt! Bye, bye baby feathers!

 

[GaleriaGila]

LISTEN!

After 32 years, the RB had his third or fourth runny nose EVER, and I FREAKED (witness the frantic thread a couple of weeks ago)!

I think you are all compleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeetely norrrrrrrrrrrmal!

 

[plumsmum2005]

Hi, keep up with spraying and/or bathing routines as this will make it better for Lucille and her feathers.

PS Easier said than done I know but try and be calm, Lucille will pick up how you are very quickly, sometimes before we have actually realised.

 

[Puck]

Hi, keep up with spraying and/or bathing routines as this will make it better for Lucille and her feathers.

PS Easier said than done I know but try and be calm, Lucille will pick up how you are very quickly, sometimes before we have actually realised.

Good advice, thanks! I've been trying to give her regular baths, but I will go for even more--she certainly seems itchy enough! And I will try to remain calm; I am such a worrier when it comes to my sweet fid!

 

[plumsmum2005]

Hi, keep up with spraying and/or bathing routines as this will make it better for Lucille and her feathers.

PS Easier said than done I know but try and be calm, Lucille will pick up how you are very quickly, sometimes before we have actually realised.

Good advice, thanks! I've been trying to give her regular baths, but I will go for even more--she certainly seems itchy enough! And I will try to remain calm; I am such a worrier when it comes to my sweet fid!

Have you tried spraying Lucille? My friends RB2 loves to sit on his cage door and be sprayed with warm water and then warm air dried! He will ask for a shower from his Mum .

You are welcome, worry less you're doing great and enjoy more!

 

[Puck]

Great news! Took Lucille to the vet, and she is fine! The AV is pretty certain that the noises she's making are just mimicking sounds--her respiratory system sounds fine. Yay!

 

[Kentuckienne]

Now you will have to find something else to stress about...is that one nostril larger than the other? Does that back toe look funny? I KID, parrots are crazy-making!