8 replies to this topic

[Seraffa]

Your thoughts on a 10 year old bird that has never been trained,  and has eaten the wrong parrot mix? ( I cannot tell if she's lost so many feathers from wrong diet, or simply picking at herself.)I bought her knowing she needs rehab, if possible. She was very excited on the long drive home to be with me in the car, going away from her previous owners.

 

She has been kept in a cage 2 years with no training, no handling, and came with no toys, poor thing.

 

Tomorrow she gets wings clipped and beak trimmed for the first time.

 

She is REALLY rattling her cage door in frustration.

 

The previous 8 years she was allowed to fly freely in a garage. Then 2 years she was shut up in the cage.

[Cindi&Jeriel]

Welcome! What was she eating? Pellets are best for them and should make up the bulk of the diet. If she is not eating them now, I would suggest introducing them. You can use the search bar on the forum and get answers to many questions. It was very valuable to me.
 

[Seraffa]

Hi Cindi. The previous owners did not identify her as Quaker and fed her Forti-Diet by Kaytee which is a mix of large seeds she never eats, so - being Indian, they boiled up rice for her every day. She threw a large peanut, threw some unidentified red stuff in the mix and screamed at me half a minute for having offered it to her, and would only eat some small squares of a cornlike substance. Then she eventually threw those too, and screamed. I took her outside last night and when I found I couldn't clean her cage adequately, I changed her water and dumped her old food on the ground. She was really happy to see me "throw food on the ground" too, and bobbed and gyrated with glee!

[easttex]

I'm not sure what my Peppy was eating before I got him, but reportedly it was only cockatiel seed mix. He's been open enough to trying a few other things that I don't know if that is entirely true, but he certainly was not on pellets. I'm trying to get him to accept them now, but he's resisting. In addition to two different pellets and a small amount of seed, I'm giving him something that might interest you. Higgins Wordly Cuisines Cooking Diets for Birds. They're a mix of grains, nuts, veggies and fruits, and he seems to like them. Even my picky, picky grey will eat a little. I haven't used them enough to give a totally heartfelt endorsement yet, but it does seem to be a way to sneak some veggies into their diet. I'd love it if they'd eat fresh, and maybe one day... I order it from drsfostersmith.com.

[Seraffa]

Hey Cindi, thank you! I'm on the run today and getting its pellets, and having to look for a job while I work my other job. Since Pauly has a LOT of bare spots on her, is it time to mist her down with water? We have the AC on a mild temp but i'm concerned for her skin drying out, and she's preening a lot......

[Cindi&Jeriel]

Some birds love mist and some love to bathe. I have a small baking pan that we put in the bottom of Ocho's cage. He had to be coaxed to go in, so that may not work for you, unless Pauly already likes a bath. I think someone had suggested aloe in the mist water for bald spots. I hope someone will be by to clarify as I have no experience with that situation.

[easttex]

I would offer a bathing opportunity first. Your bird can drench herself far better than you can with a misting bottle, and she may bathe often on her own. Depending on her habits you may want to mist her on days she doesn't bathe. You can add some aloe; I've seen people using a 3:1 water to aloe recipe, but you should watch her pretty carefully. If you use aloe too often, it can build up, and a bird that is already picking her feathers may start working harder to get rid of it. I would also not use tap water for her bath or to mist if her skin is already irritated. (Chlorine, etc.) She may eventually enjoy taking a shower with you.

[Jean from SC]

I've had a rescue in the flock now for 2 years.  He's also a plucker.  BUT believe it or not it seems to really be slowing down.  He was kept in a small cage with no toys or no out of cage time.  This of course is when the plucking started.  We have made lots and lots of progress in 2 years.  He was also afraid of hands.  At first all you could do was put something over your hand and he may step up if you were lucky.  Not any more.  He loves to step up on your hand anytime.  I let him fly free but he stays on his cage top most of the time.  Once in awhile he'll make 1 round in the room and land back on his cage.  As soon as I got him, I started giving him "AvaCalm" and "Featherific" sprinkled on the food.  His feathers are greener now.  He was always switching his tongue but that also has stopped.  He has his own cage but the door stays open.  I also have 2 other quakers who are together on their cage.  Sophie has started a few months ago trying her best to make friend with Louis (the rescue).  Use to be and still sometimes they could get 6 inches and then beak each other.  Sophie would then fly back to her cage.  Now, lately I have seen them actually kissing each other.  Depends on the mood.  I really think that time and Sophie trying to make friends has given the rescue something to think about besides plucking.  I'm still not sure if he'd actually say OK I'm going to pluck my feathers out or if he was a over preener.  Whichever it has really slowed down.  I'm so proud of him and he knows it.  His bath when I first got him was his water dish but I also put a rectangular baking dish on the top of his cage for him.  Now he goes in that about every other day.  I use bottled water.   I try to keep a humidifier running for him and me.  I sleep better with it on.  He's not much on the fresh veggies but neither are my other 2.  I give my birds Higgins World Cousine every day at lunch time. I can sneak whatever I want into that. They also love Roudybush pellets.  One a week they get a little seed mix but not much and not more than once a week.  Good luck and thanks for taking a rescue!!

[Sharyn and Mr Piggy]

Just an FYI to feeding, Mr P is VERY picky when it comes to healthy things. I have to hide veggies in birdie bread to get him to eat it, same with chop.

 

I decided to sprout some lentils on a whim.

 

HE LOVES THEM. I am amazed.

 

I put his yummy/dinner dish in his cage about 20 mins ago. His dinner tonight was quinoa and lentil sprouts. He is standing IN his dish (it's a long feeder, reminds me of horse trough) and has not stopped eating. I can see it's the beans he's eating because when I look at him, I can see the shell part of the bean covering his beak.

 

I even ate my dinner which he normally begs for some if he's in his cage and I'm eating and he didnt even stop munching the lentils to bother me for a taste of my dinner.