Wounded Lovebird

[ShellyBorg]

Can you get a cage just for her also? You can get small cages of of Craigslist for $5 to $10. She may calm down and let the feathers grow back with out being picked one.

 

[Lovely]

She is in a small cage. She is in the Parrots carrier, it is very small but she gets a ton of free time when I'm home sitting on my laptop.
Today was her first bath, and she has stopped picking a lot. It's working. I hope her feathers grow back.

 

[Sammy01]

Hey Lovely,

Please keep us posted with what's going on. You're companion is adorable.

I understand how you felt in the beginning about not being able to take your baby to the vet. My lovebird almost lost his life because we couldn't find an avian vet for him. My parents tried to take me to regular vets just to see if they'd look at them. Only one did and they weren't much help. Luckily my mother is very experienced with parrots and saved him as well the rest of my flock a couple of times.

There are some basics my mother would always keep for me. You'll find on here useful links to first aid kits and I'm really glad I had it (one love bird would have died without it).

I once had a similar issue with my love birds. He got really badly injured and kept picking at his wound. We got him to stop by keeping him busy. I would have a cheap toy for him everyday (I'd make them on the weekend out of Popsicle sticks, beads, twine, etc) to chew on. It really helped. I'd make little different designs for each day. I spent about $5 in supplies and it lasted me awhile. I'd also salvage parts that he didn't destroy (like beads, and even rope).

I also offer my birds a bit of chamomile tea to help them relax. I make a cup for myself, then I get 1/8 and put it in another cup. I add 1/4 of warm water and let it cool a bit. Then I serve it. There are also other relaxing teas for your babies out there. I had a budgie that enjoyed it so much I'd give it to her once a week.

 

[SoCalWendy]

but I'm also getting Aloe Vera and Vitamin E gel for the baby selection

If you want pure Aloe Vera, buy a plant otherwise it might have a bunch of unnecessary ingredients that also includes Aloe Vera.

 

[MikeyTN]

I'm just baffled, why haven't you taken her to the vet if your so concerned??? Except your trying this and that, it may or may not work. When you don't even know the prognosis of the condition from a vet to know exactly what may be going on. I would advice to stop trying all different products until you know what's wrong with her as this have been going on for several weeks now....

 

[SoCalWendy]

I'm just baffled, why haven't you taken her to the vet if your so concerned??? Except your trying this and that, it may or may not work. When you don't even know the prognosis of the condition from a vet to know exactly what may be going on. I would advice to stop trying all different products until you know what's wrong with her as this have been going on for several weeks now....

Maybe when she is done wasting money on products that may or may not work, she will spend money and go to the vet and get a diagnosis so she knows what she is dealing with. Sry don't mean to sound snotty.

 

[Sammy01]

I'm just baffled, why haven't you taken her to the vet if your so concerned??? Except your trying this and that, it may or may not work. When you don't even know the prognosis of the condition from a vet to know exactly what may be going on. I would advice to stop trying all different products until you know what's wrong with her as this have been going on for several weeks now....

Maybe when she is done wasting money on products that may or may not work, she will spend money and go to the vet and get a diagnosis so she knows what she is dealing with. Sry don't mean to sound snotty.

As a newbie I really hate to say something, but I don't think it's going to help to keep pushing for her to take her baby to the vet. That is unless echo lives close by and can take her baby for her - if she accepts. I'm not saying I don't agree with you that the best thing is a vet, I just don't think it really helped the last time. Again, I'm sorry that I'm saying something to you. I just don't want her to get so upset she leaves and she won't even come on here for advice on other issues.

******

Hey Lovely,

Do you think you can take some more pictures of your sweetie? Just some close ups of the area in question and maybe even a good video. Maybe someone on here might be able to help out. I think I saw on here someone spoke to a vet for someone here (I just can't remember the details), so someone might be able to ask for you or they've had the issue before. One of my love birds plucked the other and it turned out to be mites, not aggression as we originally thought. Your baby might not be plucking because of the injury (though I think it's because of the new feathers or habit) but because of something else.

 

[MikeyTN]

Sammy,

Have you been reading from the beginning when all of this was going on since last month?

 

[Sammy01]

Sammy,

Have you been reading from the beginning when all of this was going on since last month?

Yes, I did read this thread.

 

[MikeyTN]

We're not here to try to push to get more products to try without knowing the actual symptom as it is progressed to get worse. Just from reading one reply to the next confused me, one moment the dad says it was ok to take the bird in to the vet, next if she have time, next new product is being ordered, next product received and trying it out. Then there is also no room for another cage. Getting another cage to sit on top of the other one would work for the time being! Something more needs to be done instead of trying product after product!

 

[Sammy01]

We're not here to try to push to get more products to try without knowing the actual symptom as it is progressed to get worse. Just from reading one reply to the next confused me, one moment the dad says it was ok to take the bird in to the vet, next if she have time, next new product is being ordered, next product received and trying it out. Then there is also no room for another cage. Getting another cage to sit on top of the other one would work for the time being! Something more needs to be done instead of trying product after product!

I get what you're saying, but at this point do you think that telling her to take her baby to a vet is going to work?

ETA: at this point I think the best we can do is hope she tries the cone in combination with what's helping her lovebird right now. Maybe some tea to calm the fella down.

I understand that plucking can be due to a lot of reasons, she mentioned weight, it could be on unhealthy diet; dry skin because of a pellet only diet, etc; mites; habit; crop infection (as previously mentioned; stress; etc.

 

[MikeyTN]

I sure would hope so as it's been said time after time since the beginning. Now products have been tried, nothing seem to work so far as the conditions worsen. After the most recent product, if it doesn't work, perhaps she seriously needs to think about visiting a vet to know IF there's something more seriously going on or is it just a plucking issue. A separate cage might be in order as well, like I've said, cages can be stacked!

 

[Sammy01]

I sure would hope so as it's been said time after time since the beginning. Now products have been tried, nothing seem to work so far as the conditions worsen. After the most recent product, if it doesn't work, perhaps she seriously needs to think about visiting a vet to know IF there's something more seriously going on or is it just a plucking issue. A separate cage might be in order as well, like I've said, cages can be stacked!

Wait now I'm confused about cages. I thought she separated them. I believe she just put the injured lovebird in a small carrier cage.

 

[MikeyTN]

Yes I went back and read that she is in a small carrier for the time being....But those are meant for temporary use, not for long term daily usage.

 

[SoCalWendy]

Sammy,

Have you been reading from the beginning when all of this was going on since last month?

Yes, I did read this thread.

From what I have read and I may have missed something, but she was allowed to take her to the vet, (dad was paying) but for whatever reason hasn't. I think from the begginging it was even suggested from the get go to "go to the vet."

Birds are very sensitive and can be killed from over the counter products not made for birds. There is another thread on here where 2 macaws tragically died either from a bad food product or an over the counter product. Hopefully we will find out soon, which.

Anyway, so why throw good money at a problem, without first knowing what your dealing with? The money she spent so far could probabully have atleast paid for the vet. Meanwhile her bird is still suffering.

 

[Sammy01]

Yes I went back and read that she is in a small carrier for the time being....But those are meant for temporary use, not for long term daily usage.

Hey I didn't say it was an appropriate cage, but it's better than being potentially picked on.

BTW, I used a carrier cage for one of my budgies. She loved it and had difficulty going to her bigger cage until she got a friend. Of course, she'd only use it to sleep and eat. She was free to roam except at night (bed time).

 

[Lovely]

One soak/bath with the Feathshine shampoo, Nip's showing skin is back to a normal color. It's no longer a red tint to it, her plucking has stopped. In about a few days I hope more of her feathers start to grow back. Her little feathers (The white ones that fly off) are showing signs of growth in her bare areas.

I'm not ignoring the vet idea. My last paycheck was $60, that was enough for a tank of gas, and the Feathershine Shampoo. I'm sorry I'm not liek the rest of you with Full Time jobs that make about 20x's of what I make. And Nip only spends about 10 hours a day in the cage (Work, Class, and Bed time) She is in sight of the other birds, and they are constantly talking.

 

[Sammy01]

One soak/bath with the Feathshine shampoo, Nip's showing skin is back to a normal color. It's no longer a red tint to it, her plucking has stopped. In about a few days I hope more of her feathers start to grow back. Her little feathers (The white ones that fly off) are showing signs of growth in her bare areas.

You might want to still use the cone so he doesn't pluck the new feathers. If he keeps at it he may permanently damage the area.

I'm not ignoring the vet idea. My last paycheck was $60, that was enough for a tank of gas, and the Feathershine Shampoo. I'm sorry I'm not liek the rest of you with Full Time jobs that make about 20x's of what I make. And Nip only spends about 10 hours a day in the cage (Work, Class, and Bed time) She is in sight of the other birds, and they are constantly talking.

If you can, ask who ever is home all day if they'd be ok with watching him so that he gets more time out. I'd leave my budgie out all day because my mom would be watching her.

 

[MonicaMc]

One soak/bath with the Feathshine shampoo, Nip's showing skin is back to a normal color. It's no longer a red tint to it, her plucking has stopped. In about a few days I hope more of her feathers start to grow back. Her little feathers (The white ones that fly off) are showing signs of growth in her bare areas.

I'm not ignoring the vet idea. My last paycheck was $60, that was enough for a tank of gas, and the Feathershine Shampoo. I'm sorry I'm not liek the rest of you with Full Time jobs that make about 20x's of what I make. And Nip only spends about 10 hours a day in the cage (Work, Class, and Bed time) She is in sight of the other birds, and they are constantly talking.

Believe me, I don't have a full paying job, either! I work part time, but I'm away from the house for full time hours and then some.


Vet care is recommended because trying to treat something on your own without vet care can cause more harm than good.


I hope the shampoo continues to help her, but please don't avoid getting vet care if you can! Can you get care-credit? Maybe try calling around to different offices that treat birds and see if they will offer a payment plan (some will with Care Credit) or if there is anything they can do for you.

 

[DallyTsuka]

well, i dont work full time. but my husband does, but our paycheck goes to bills, rent, food, etc.


point is, you HAD the money to go to the vet, yet you didnt take the opportunity. that is what people are baffled about. you claimed you had the money, but i cannot keep this story straight. first you had no one to give you money, then you had your dad give you money and permission to take her to the vet with it. but then claimed you had no time that day, and now you dont have the money that you had earlier to take her to the vet, and only had the money you made on your paycheck... i dont quite understand, what exactly is keeping you from choosing the vet option, because you have stated several stories and i cant quite understand which one is right... i'm just confused, as are many others here.


just a warning, careful on over the counter products for birds, even if they say they are for birds, they're not always designated as truly safe...