Worried first time owner

[ramarieat]

Hi, I'm new to the forum and new to owning a parrot or maybe that should be being owned by a parrot, anyway my name is rachel my lovely alexandrine parrot is called Loki he just turned a year old last month.
I've had lots of different pets in the past but after losing my dog last year(Heart problems aged 12) i decided to get a parrot someone to talk to who will talk back lol.
Anyway my worry is, he's going thru his first molt, he lost a load of feathers off his wings then didn't seem to be losing any for a while(guess he was growing the new ones he'd just lost) now he's started to lose feathers again,i read somewhere that they lose their wing feathers first then body ones then fail feathers last and that it can make them hormonal and more aggressive less affectionate, it's been a bit different for me as when i got him i don't think he'd had any if very very little handling,after a few weeks he would only let me near him if i wore gloves,without them he would bite my hands all the time even drawing blood but with the gloves on hiding those scary hands practically no biting now after 8 month i can handle him without the gloves and he no longer bites,he actually has become more affectionate,sorry to ramble on anyway I've managed to get him onto a pellet diet don't even ask me about how hard that was all he was eating to begin with was sunflower seeds and a few bits now he only has those as a treat, he has pellets and fresh fruit and veg everyday and sometimes porridge with fresh coconut,walnuts and Chua seeds for breakfast,but i have noticed that recently he isn't as intrested in his porridge or his fruit and veg and if i make him a veg or fruit skewer he just destroys it takes him between ten minutes to half an hour and he eats very little if any of it ,nearly all goes on the floor i call him my fantastic food flinger,i give him walnuts and pistachios as extra but I'm worried he's not eating enough I've found he likes to eat with me and the same as me so I've been trying to include fruit and veg in nearly all my meals and then i "share" then with him but it still doesn't seem enough do you think this is because of the molting?
he's a bit more sleepy then before but he still plays on the tree stand i built him and he's still vocal but maybe a smidge quieter he likes to be spayed with a spray bottle few times a day,i just know he didn't have the best start as he wasn't in the best condition body wise when i got him and i want him to be happy and healthy,he had a health check a few weeks ago with our vet and he said everything was good but now with him not eating as well as he did( and he'd only just started to eat well) i guess I'm just worrying about him and hoping it's just because of the molting.
any advice would be appreciated

Rachel and Loki x

 

[Flboy]

Hi and welcome to you both!

 

[Vampiric_Conure]

Hello hello and welcome to the forum! Yeah, new birds can be a hair-raising experience at times (or a hair pulling one, depending on the situation!) . My only advice for you two would be to keep an eye out for feather pulling. Several reasons can be cause of that, from the stress of a new home to just thing sin general. Keep up the great food and you should be kay! Most indoor birds moult slowly throughout the year, with two big blowouts in the Spring and Fall.

 

[Cottonoid]

Welcome to the forum, Rachel and Loki!

I adopted my ringneck in the spring and his recent molt had me an absolute wreck of anxiety! He was less active, and grumpy, and very quiet compared to normal. I gave him extra food to help with needing more calories to grow feathers and took photos every day because I was constantly wondering if he was sick. He definitely went through a few days of not wanting to eat much so I offered him baby bird formula with his regular food.

Once his wing feathers were growing in he was a lot more chipper, but then when his face all started molting at once he got really grumpy again!

I haven't been able to get a vet visit until the fall, so I can't say for sure there's been nothing for me to worry about (and he did have a respiratory infection when I got him that was treated), but now that his head looks a little more normal he's back to his happy self again.

All of this is to say that until you've been with your parrot for a while it can be hard to know what's normal for them and I sure do understand being worried

 

[Rowlet]

"new to owning a parrot or maybe that should be being owned by a parrot"

Haha this made me chuckle. Welcome to you and Loki!

 

[bonitabird59]

Hello! This is so weird, my name is also Rachel and I adopted my GCC Jello during his first molt and it had me the exact same way you are now. Have you tried giving him eggfood? I like the one from featherglow, I top his pellet/seed mix with it and it bulks em up!

 

[ramarieat]

Hi,
thanks for the warm welcome and the advice, his eating seems to have picked up slightly in the last day or so and I've been watching him and he definitely isn't plucking his feathers ( vampiric_conure) which was slightly in the back of my mind as well.
I have thought about adding eggfood or some other supplement but thought i and my vet first so i have a vet appointment next week just for a check up to make sure everything is ok. ( more for me than him) it's a nearly 2hour round trip to nearest avian vet which sucks.
It's hard as even though I've had him for nearly 9months I'm only just recently been able to get hands on him enough to feel his body condition properly so i don't know if there's been any big changes. Does he feel skinny because he's molting and hasn't been eating as well or was he always been this size and I'm only just able now to feel it and maybe I'm stressing a bit about him which isn't helping.
With this being his first big Molt and mine it's hard to know what's normal for him at least next year I'll be more prepared although I'll probably be just as anxious as he is my baby lol.
It amazes me how quickly they manage to get into your heart and soul and Become so important, I'm disabled and have many days stuck in the house or in bed on bad days so he my constant companion and now i don't know what I'd do without him ,he's just learning to talk and imitate sound the most anoying so far is him copying my phone alarm then laughing about it lol
Thanks again for the welcome loki and I appreciate it.

 

[Ronnie27]

Hi, Rachel.
I haven't had an Alexandrine parrot, but I want to share what I have observed on my Amazons.
As you have noticed, sometimes our birds like to be fed the same food we are eating, however this is not always possible (they should not eat meat and we should not eat pellets LOL). So it would be positive to give Loki a meal which be delicious and amusing at the same time.
Parrots are intelligent creatures, they love daily routines (wake up, breakfast, scream to the sun, play time, nap, wake up, lunch time, beauty session, play time, afternoon singing, dinner, sleep...), but they also get bored easily of doing exactly the same in some activities.
Their daily routine is sacred but, for instance, the breakfast should be different. If Perlita (my 6 year old A. albifrons) eats a chopped apple with a slice of banana as breakfast two days, the third day I know I should give her slices of apple and pear as breakfast. The fifth day I could chop a pear with a banana... etc. This does not mean our home should become a restaurant, we should only be creative sometimes changing the shapes, the color (giving them red grapes when they already know the green ones), the place (alternate green veggies as a salad, and the whole leaves hanging from the roof, or their favorite pellets inside a ball). There is food which is only available during one season, we could take advantage of this.

Also, birds need at least two toys: a swing, a wooden toy to chew, a rattle ball, a jute mesh to climb, etc. Not all birds like the same toys, so the best we can do is to try one by one and see if our babies like it. Our home should not become a toy store either. And it could take some hours or days for a bird to get comfortable with a new toy.

I recommend you to read "Parrot Parenting" by Carol Frischmann, it helped me to understand my birds more even though I now have 25 years raising budgies and almost 20 raising Amazons.

I hope this helps you at least a tiny bit. Being a parrot parent is a beautiful journey, I know you and Loki will enjoy it.

Greetings from Mexico,
Ronnie.

 

[ramarieat]

Hi , well Loki has finished his first molt just waiting for the two long tail feathers to grow back in,.
One of my concerns was that sometimes on an evening but not everyday he would have this drop if liquid on the end of his beak,he would be sat there on his perch leg tucked up so sleepy and grinding his beak and then the drop would appear ,looked like he was drooling so looked it up and birds don't drool and if they do they have cranker ( why do we Google illnesses it just freaks us out lol) anyway went to Vets and it's not canker but vet said he had slight crackle in his lungs but with him being in the middle of a molt it could all be down to that and everything else looked good so unless he got worse to go back and see him after his molt.
Well his Molt is practically over not losing any more feathers just tail ones to grow in and he seems to be doing well his eating has picked up on some ways,he's eating more pellets but seems to have gone off fruit no matter what i try ,only time he's happy eating it is if he's sharing it with me then only grapes and nectarines, I've tried other things.
He's still doing the drooling thing ( if one single drop on the end off his beak counts as drooling) but it's so weird he's never does it at any other time only just before bed when he's relaxed as sleepy and one little drop and not every night other than that he's is chatty and playful and very affectionate,he has the zoomies at Least once every day oohh and the best bit his ring has started to come thru so he has these beautiful pink feathers in the back of his neck it's not fully in yet but i think after his next molt it will be.
I'm taking him back to the vets in November to get a follow up check on his chest and i guess talk more about the drooling thing,maybe it's just a genetic abnormality with him and it's something he does (fingers crossed).
Thanks for everyone's welcome and advice.

 

[Ronnie27]

Hi , well Loki has finished his first molt just waiting for the two long tail feathers to grow back in,.
One of my concerns was that sometimes on an evening but not everyday he would have this drop if liquid on the end of his beak,he would be sat there on his perch leg tucked up so sleepy and grinding his beak and then the drop would appear ,looked like he was drooling so looked it up and birds don't drool and if they do they have cranker ( why do we Google illnesses it just freaks us out lol) anyway went to Vets and it's not canker but vet said he had slight crackle in his lungs but with him being in the middle of a molt it could all be down to that and everything else looked good so unless he got worse to go back and see him after his molt.
Well his Molt is practically over not losing any more feathers just tail ones to grow in and he seems to be doing well his eating has picked up on some ways,he's eating more pellets but seems to have gone off fruit no matter what i try ,only time he's happy eating it is if he's sharing it with me then only grapes and nectarines, I've tried other things.
He's still doing the drooling thing ( if one single drop on the end off his beak counts as drooling) but it's so weird he's never does it at any other time only just before bed when he's relaxed as sleepy and one little drop and not every night other than that he's is chatty and playful and very affectionate,he has the zoomies at Least once every day oohh and the best bit his ring has started to come thru so he has these beautiful pink feathers in the back of his neck it's not fully in yet but i think after his next molt it will be.
I'm taking him back to the vets in November to get a follow up check on his chest and i guess talk more about the drooling thing,maybe it's just a genetic abnormality with him and it's something he does (fingers crossed).
Thanks for everyone's welcome and advice.

View attachment 45011View attachment 45012

Handsome Loki with his new suit on.

I hope everything is okay and the drooling be his attempt to feed you (a way to say " I love you so much" in parrot language).
My male budgie sometimes tries to feed my pinky finger (so... my nail is like another beak for him), this looks a bit gross because it's drool with or without mashed food. His behavior began after the loss of his partner two years ago, now he does this less often which I appreciate.

Blessings,
Ronnie.

 

[ramarieat]

Hi Ronnie.
I'll mention it to the vet see what he thinks, i did wonder if it could be something like that but there is never any food in it just saliva and there is no retching or regurgitating motion before it, plus he's half asleep when it happens and I'm not that near him for it to be at me so i don't know i guess I'm just worried about him,i don't want him to be sick.
Vet said if his chest was still crackly then he was gonna do xrays and bloods see what he can find until then i guess I'll just have to make sure he's happy and continue to spoil and pamper him as normal .
Managed to get a pic of what it looks like sorry it's not great picture was lucky to catch it. It's one drop then it's gone.

 

[HeatherG]

I wonder if Loki is feeling romantic or excited and producing a lot of crop juice to get ready to feed the object of his affections.

My birds don’t look like they’re retching but sometimes Bob their heads if they’re bringing up regurg.

I would not worry about him having canker. I don’t even recall what that’s supposed to be. If he was really sick his ring wouldn’t be coming in, I don’t think.

 

[ramarieat]

Hi, thanks for your input, i hope it's that but i just don't know, i would have thought if he was getting ready to "feed me" would he be doing it when he's falling asleep and grinding his break or would he be doing it when we were having tea together.
When you Google birds drooling all you get is info on canker nothing else, As for what canker is this is the Google explanation.

"Trichomonosis (canker) It typically affects finches, and doves and pigeons but bird can catch the infection, but being bird specific, it does not pass on to mammals, including humans. Trichomonosis causes lesions in the throat of the infected bird, which makes it progressively harder for the bird to swallow its food.They drool and make repeated swallowing movements. Watery eyes may be apparent in birds with lesions located in the sinuses or tissues around the eyes. Diarrhea, increased water intake, and respiratory distress may be noted. Birds may die suddenly due to suffocation if the lesion blocks the opening of the trachea."

hence why you should NEVER Google illnesses it just freaks you out and scares you to death lol.
The only symptoms he has is the one drop of drool and a very slightly crackly chest which the vet didn't even think needed treating otherwise he it's bright eyed and bushy tailed. Maybe it's just me being a overly neurotic Pet parent, god i hope so lol.
Thank you for everyone's input it's nice to hear other options of what it could be.

Rachel and Loki

 

[HeatherG]

If you think he’s been exposed to parasites then you could have him treated for them. Has he been in contact with dirt or substances from outdoors? I had thought the vet ruled that out. I suppose he could have come from the breeders with an infection…. or could have eaten some dirty soil or wild bird poop or maybe contaminated bug…. My first “no” came because it’s a parasitic disease and one would hope an indoor parrot wouldn’t pick that up.

I wasn’t sure how lovey you were with your parrot and thought maybe when he was getting sleepy was a cuddly time. My bird likes to get very close to me and crunch his beak, but he isn’t a very regurgitating type bird and I don’t observe spit.

If he is not eating well AND feeling skinny AND having respiratory crackles AND having drool during non regurgitation times then that does seem concerning
AND it seems it would be good if you had this checked out as you’ve been concerned for a while.

 

[ramarieat]

Hi,
I have wondered if he came with anything as he wasn't in the best condition when i got him his feathers were dull and raggedy and looked chewed on especially his tail and he was totally unhandled it took me 8months to get to the point where i could get my hands on him fully and him be calm enough to go see the vet for the first time, vet said he was in good body condition then and starting his first molt then two months later he started the drooling so took him back to vets and he'd actually put weight on and that's when he also noticed the slight crackle on his chest but said it could all be due to him molting as everything else is fine so to go back when his molt is done so that what I'm doing.
as for how lovey he is, he is very lovey he comes and gives me kisses all the time the first thing he's leant to say is" can i have a kiss" then makes a kissy niose lol but when he does the drooly thing he's always on his perch on the cage falling asleep before bed and it's not even all the time he can go days without doing it it's so weird.
I'm hoping his chest was just because of the molt and it's better now but will still get the bloods anyway see if they show anything.
Loki says hi

 

[HeatherG]

What a handsome big beak!!

 

[ramarieat]

What a handsome big beak!!

All the better to chew a new solid wood wardrobe with MUAHAHAHAHA

 

[Ronnie27]

If you think he’s been exposed to parasites then you could have him treated for them. Has he been in contact with dirt or substances from outdoors? I had thought the vet ruled that out. I suppose he could have come from the breeders with an infection…. or could have eaten some dirty soil or wild bird poop or maybe contaminated bug…. My first “no” came because it’s a parasitic disease and one would hope an indoor parrot wouldn’t pick that up.

HeatherG is right. It might be a parasite/bacteria disease, they are common to find not only outdoors (dirt, wild bird, etc.), but indoors too if there is no good cleaning habits. Water, food (fresh veggies and fruits must be washed before being given to birds, few veggies and seeds should be offered boiled), dirty wood perches and toys, the floor (of the house and the cage), etc., they could be an easy source of infection. If you are doing things well, maybe the previous owners were not. The vet will tell you better what is happening with your little guy.

Blessings to Loki and you, we'll keep an eye out for updates on his health.

 

[ramarieat]

HeatherG is right. It might be a parasite/bacteria disease, they are common to find not only outdoors (dirt, wild bird, etc.), but indoors too if there is no good cleaning habits. Water, food (fresh veggies and fruits must be washed before being given to birds, few veggies and seeds should be offered boiled), dirty wood perches and toys, the floor (of the house and the cage), etc., they could be an easy source of infection. If you are doing things well, maybe the previous owners were not. The vet will tell you better what is happening with your little guy.

Blessings to Loki and you, we'll keep an eye out for updates on his health.

Well hopefully bloods will tell us if it's an infection,the place he came from was not great to be honest and I'm very careful with keeping things clean,food and water bowls cleaned everyday,all fruit and veg washed and Loki actually prefers his veg cooked,he will eat raw but eats better when its cooked , his cage is cleaned every morning when i get him up its part of our morning routine, perched and toys regularly disinfected,floor swept and cleaned every day even thou he doesn't ever go on it but don't have much choice about it as he is as I call him "my fantastic food flinger." lol porridge is actually rather good for your hair so I'm told lol.

 

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