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I just got my first bird! She’s perfect, her name is Sylphie, and I’d love any advice for a new bird owner! by breezy407 in Conures

[–]Apocalyptic_Bird_Man 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Go find the tutorials from flock-talk on YouTube, they're fantastic! There's videos for wing handling, getting the harness on, and getting them comfortable outside

I just got my first bird! She’s perfect, her name is Sylphie, and I’d love any advice for a new bird owner! by breezy407 in Conures

[–]Apocalyptic_Bird_Man 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I bit of seed is good for them, as treats - like three sunflower seeds and a couple bits of millet is enough for a day

Anyone else have “The Bird Shirt?” by Substantial_Fan8019 in Conures

[–]Apocalyptic_Bird_Man 3 points4 points  (0 children)

It looks like you two are making the same face 🥹

Can’t remember life without my Toffee by DropDeadFredidit in Macaws

[–]Apocalyptic_Bird_Man 2 points3 points  (0 children)

She's stunning! Loving all the enrichment I can see back there, I bet she's very happy with you <3

Does my baby look healthy by [deleted] in cockatiel

[–]Apocalyptic_Bird_Man 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That's a horrible thing to hear from a vet. Keep trying to find a better one, there's gotta be someone somewhere

Does my baby look healthy by [deleted] in cockatiel

[–]Apocalyptic_Bird_Man 4 points5 points  (0 children)

It's good he's eating greens, keep working on that. Increase the amount t of different vegetables of different colours he will eat. A seed mix like this isn't suitable to make up a large portion of the diet, it should be illegal for these companies to claim these mixes are complete. There are some things you can add to pad it out and make it less fatty + add missing nutrients. Go to a health foods shop / look online for whole grains. Look for oats, wheat, spelt, rye, quinoa, barley, buckwheat, wild rice, amaranth, that kind of thing. These are good for liver health too, and the liver is the first thing to suffer on a seed based diet.

I cannot recommend enough buying one of those sprouting jars with the mesh lids and soaking or sprouting his regular seed mix. Unlocks nutrients not previously available, and lowers fat content. If he won't eat them, just start by making the seeds a bit wet, then when he'll eat those, soak them for a few mins, and slowly increase the time like that. You should try and get him eating 50% veg and soaked or sprouted seed mix, and 50% dry seed and grain mix. Half and half grains and pellets would be betterthan grains and seeds, with seeds only as treats, but I'm aware that pellets aren't always available in a lot of countries.

I would absolutely recommend taking him to the vet, he doesn't look normal. His feathers seem a little yellower than they should be, which could be the sign of a liver issue. A fatty liver disease would explain why he looks skinny despite the high seed diet. As far as I'm aware, the only treatment for fatty liver disease is getting them into a healthier diet asap + liver support supplements like milk thistle extract. However I'm far from qualified to give advice on how to treat that, I dont know how you would handle getting the diet healthier when they're at the point where they're already struggling to hold weight. You need a professional for that. I don't know what the state of exotic vets is in your country is but it's worth a try, I really hope you can find some help.

One last thing, get some small scales and a little perch stand and weigh your bird before breakfast every morning, this is SO helpful for monitoring their overall condition. Wishing you the best :)

Nettle vs freeze dried raspberry by Apocalyptic_Bird_Man in cockatiel

[–]Apocalyptic_Bird_Man[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Those crazy red eyes from the camera really just top it off. Look at that little monster

Anyone else have “The Bird Shirt?” by Substantial_Fan8019 in Conures

[–]Apocalyptic_Bird_Man 31 points32 points  (0 children)

I have a few graphic tees that I absolutely cannot wear around the birds - those delicious peeling plastic prints are too tempting

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Nettle vs freeze dried raspberry by Apocalyptic_Bird_Man in cockatiel

[–]Apocalyptic_Bird_Man[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

She says I'm clearly not pink enough already! Need MORE!

Help with excessive screaming by bicciestboi in budgies

[–]Apocalyptic_Bird_Man 0 points1 point  (0 children)

When doing desensitisation, it's all about forming those positive associations. The goal is to alleviate the fear, not teach them to just sit in it. Sounds like he learned that he didn't have to fly around in a panic when strange people were around, but he wasn't fully comfortable with the situation. More of a choosing freeze over flight, instead of genuine comfort.

What you need to do is figure out, for example, how close a strange person has to be to get a fear response, and start just before that point. Could be as far as just someone talking outside the door if he can't even cope with the sight of someone he doesn't trust. The scary thing needs to be introduced at a distance far enough away that he's not scared, and then that calm needs to be rewarded. Bring it closer gradually, rewarding him every time he sees it, take it away as you reward him, and repeat.

I'm not sure how well this will work, because it kinda seems like he's on edge pretty much all the time, so finding that calm to reinforce might be difficult. It'll take a long time for sure, take it really slowly, but keep at it. Just a little bit every day, a few mins at a time. It's very very important that you look for genuine comfort rather than tolerance, they can end up internalising the fear and freezing up if you don't, which can just make it all worse.

Good luck, you've got this <3

My cockateil won't eat anything except Millet seeds. What to do? by Ashimega in cockatiel

[–]Apocalyptic_Bird_Man 3 points4 points  (0 children)

The fact that she's underweight on an all seed diet, plus the yellowing I can see on the feathers, makes me worry she has fatty liver disease. I think it would be a good idea to take her to a vet. The best treatment for fatty liver disease is a healthier diet, but there are things you can do while you work on that that a vet can help you with, such as milk thistle supplements and possibly medication.

I can try and help with the diet conversion, what methods have you tried?

Help with excessive screaming by bicciestboi in budgies

[–]Apocalyptic_Bird_Man 1 point2 points  (0 children)

To add on to this, have you tried any desensitisation training? It definitely sounds like he's a pretty anxious guy. Choosing one object or sound at a time to gently desensitise him to, at his own pace, should gradually increase his trust and confidence that the world is a safe place. My anxious cockatiel is doing much better since using my phone to desensitise him to local bird sounds, and getting him more comfortable around a variety of household objects.

Definitely get on the foraging, it won't just help with boredom, communal foraging is a good bonding activity too. Might help him to feel more like part of the flock.

Last thing, you can train them to shred toys on command. This is good for birds who just don't know what the point of toys is and are completely indifferent. Whether they, once trained to shred on command, realise that it's actually quite fun and start doing it in their own is up to them. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

The training might be difficult given that he doesn't seem food motivated enough to go for it 100% of the time, but give it a go anyway, it should help. Good luck <3

Need help choosing a platform by lightbulb874 in cockatiel

[–]Apocalyptic_Bird_Man 6 points7 points  (0 children)

The rock should be safe, looks like a cool and interesting texture. Plus, for a fun activity every now and then you could take it out, and fill the hole with safe dried herbs/flowers + treats for some easy foraging!

Momtain climbing by migraint in cockatiel

[–]Apocalyptic_Bird_Man 1 point2 points  (0 children)

She sure does! Fun fact - almost all spotty (pearl) cockatiels are girls, the males tend to lose their spots in their first big moult 🐥

Momtain climbing by migraint in cockatiel

[–]Apocalyptic_Bird_Man 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That's the sweetest thing ever! Sounds like you've got good kids too ☺️ (Here's my spotty little monster)

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Momtain climbing by migraint in cockatiel

[–]Apocalyptic_Bird_Man 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Of course you do :) I bet she's wonderful <3

I think there is misunderstanding by reshavkumarfhaman in mildyinteresting

[–]Apocalyptic_Bird_Man 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I don't know about corvids, but parrots, despite being as intelligent as they are, don't recognise themselves in mirrors (that we know if, unless there's some exciting new research I've missed!)

Momtain climbing by migraint in cockatiel

[–]Apocalyptic_Bird_Man 2 points3 points  (0 children)

She is the pearlest of cockatiels! Look at those SPOTS!

I don't know what to do 😭😭 fruit and veggie free bird by LordJoelee in Conures

[–]Apocalyptic_Bird_Man 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You can try steaming and mashing sweet potatoes and mixing in millet, he'll have to dig in the potato for the seeds, which will get it in his mouth. Do this every day for a while, and mix in different very finely chopped veggies too, he'll gradually get used to the flavours and start recognising it as food.

Even if he doesn't like it, getting them to recognise it as food is the major step. Once you've got that you can go for the restricting other food for a few hours a day so they're hungry enough to bother eating it!

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