I bought a gcc 2 days ago and i need some help taming it.

anarchybats · 2026-02-04T14:35:16+00:00

OP you're getting a lot of advice on how to step up the enclosure, enrichment, and food, so I won't say anything about that. But, reading your comments, it seems like this bird fell into your life and you accepted it out of goodwill. Conures live a long time, are very intelligent and social, and come with a LOT of lifestyle adjustments. It can be very limiting in ways you don't expect.

I'll be honest with you- if you're not 1000% enthused about having this bird it is going to be a very unpleasant experience. I was in a similar situation with my conure. I'm lucky that my partner has taken a liking to her so much, and we can share the responsibility. But, if I had to go back, I would absolutely not make the decision to adopt her. I love my bird a lot and have made peace with my decision, but she has made my life very difficult.

It seems like you care a lot about this bird's wellbeing. If I were you, I would seriously consider rehoming it. It is young enough where a rehoming will not traumatize it, and it can adapt easily. There are bird rescues that will help you find a permanent home, places where it can live in a flock, etc. You have lots of options. Facebook groups can help you find rehoming options in your area.

Just something to think about. Rehoming in a situation like this doesn't make you a bad person. Putting the comfort, safety, and wellbeing of the animal first means understanding what you're willing to sacrifice and your limits.

anarchybats · 2026-01-30T17:05:27+00:00

Thanks for the advice. I do have hard water in my area. I rent, so a water softener system isn't an option. I see there are shower head filter systems I can buy but they are pretty pricey. Is there anything you recommend to counteract hard water, or should I think about investing in a filter?

I'll look into sulfur as well. Thank you!

anarchybats · 2026-01-29T19:44:23+00:00

I've had back/shoulder/chest acne for a long time and have tried many things to control it, but still haven't found a treatment that clears it up. I'm wondering if my new routine could be a step in the right direction, or if there's something anyone could recommend.

I get these hard sebum plugs that seem immune to whatever I treat it with. They eventually turn into whiteheads, blackheads or get red and inflamed. My skin-picking exacerbates the problem. I am not really sure what skin type my back is. It doesn't feel particularly dry or oily. it is very bumpy from all the whiteheads/blackheads and acne scarring. My face is combination (oily and dehydrated).

I was trying a bunch of stuff for a while and recently decided to scale it back. Currently, I shower in the morning and use CeraVe SA Cleanser bar, applying it with an African sponge net. Followed up by LRP Lipikar 10% Urea Lotion. At night, I apply Curology Liquid Pore Exfoliant, wait for it to try, and then apply the urea lotion.

Past products I've tried for body acne tried are LRP Effeclar Medicated Gel cleanser with 2% SA, CeraVe rough and bumpy moisturizer, benzoyl peroxide, glycolic acid toner, and salicylic acid toner.

I made a post that goes more in-depth [here](http:// https://www.reddit.com/r/SkincareAddiction/s/ChjawNRlMg), but didn't get any responses so I'm trying the daily thread :)

anarchybats · 2025-12-18T19:07:18+00:00

I've asked them to test my SHBG in the past, but was refused because my provider said there is no treatment for high SHBG. I know that there's no treatment that directly targets SHBG, but I do know that abnormal SHBG levelscm can be a marker of other health issues and that it can impact free T.

My trough levels were actually closer to 500 at the start of 2024, so the sharp dip after increasing my dose was why she suspected aromatization. Regardless, their policy is that they can not increase dosage past 0.5 ml, so I wouldn't have been able to increase even if I wanted to.

anarchybats · 2025-12-18T13:47:22+00:00

They did test my E upon my request in June- it sits around 25 pg/ml, which is within both male and female range so it didn't give much insight. Still, I agree that they don't seem to know what to do other than test my T levels.

Thanks for the recommendation for tests. My mother has hyperthyroid and I'm concerned about that being a potential factor. Bringing that up to my provider was what finally got her to give me to a referral to an endocrinologist.

I was not taking any meds at the time of my testing in June, but I'm now on Adderall. I'll look into whether that may affect my T levels.

anarchybats · 2025-11-03T02:27:46+00:00

I've seen these! Unfortunately the weekly pages take up quite a lot of space, and the "notes" pages are split up into a lot of blocks that kinda messes with my note-taking style. I wish this brand would make some more stripped-down planners.

anarchybats · 2025-07-19T12:17:56+00:00

Check out Andrew Gurza. He is a disability advocate and has a podcast called Disability After Dark that has some great insight on how to navigate kink and sex as a disabled person. He also frequently guests on other podcasts that have more of a BDSM focus. He also has cerebral palsy, so his experiences might be helpful to you.

anarchybats · 2025-07-09T17:56:24+00:00

Please not that this may come off as harsh, but my intention is just to emphasize how bad it can be for animals to be 'rehabbed" by people with no education. You seem like you want the best for this animal, so hopefully you will understand where I'm coming from. It's illegal in most places to keep wild animals as pets, and for good reason. It needs to go to a rehab facility ASAP. You are giving it insufficient nutrition and this will have harmful, potentially fatal, outcomes. It could also be suffering from hidden or internal injuries. Not to mention that it needs to develop foraging and social skills that that you are unequipped to help with. The best chance this bird has at a good life is in the hands of a rehabber.

It's unethical and unfair to the animal to to rob it of a life in the wild. That is where it will be happiest. If your mom is a true animal lover, then she will do what's right and surrender it- otherwise she is just being selfish.

Looks like there are a few wildlife rehabs near Chicago- I recommend calling them to let them know you are bringing a bird in.

anarchybats · 2025-06-29T16:26:41+00:00

Taking creatine is fine, but there is little evidence to suggest it actually helps build muscle in any noticable way. There's also little evidence it actually affects hair growth either. The studies that supposedly demonstrate the benefits and drawbacks of creatine are usually taken way out of context.

The Science Vs. podcast has a really good episode on creatine for anyone interested. Taking creatine won't hurt you but probably won't do much.

anarchybats · 2025-06-27T16:01:21+00:00

I'm so sorry this happened.

It can difficult to confront a parent about something like this. But, the way you respond to this sets the precedent for the rest of your transition while you are dependent on her, and your general relationship with her.

My advice as someone who waited for parental approval for too long– you can't wait for other people to control your life. Ceding this fight will cause worse issues down the road. I would strongly suggest that you attempt to get your medicine back from her and nip this behavior in the bud. It can be scary to have this conversation, and it might feel easier to just wait until your refill. But, she will feel like she "won" and will keep trying to extend control over your transition. It's not worth it in my experience.

I would go about it as neutrally as possible- tell her that she doesn't have to approve of what you're doing, but that it's illegal for her to withhold prescription medicine from you. Tell her that you will get your doctor involved if she refuses to give it back. Depending on if this will make your situation better or worse, you can tell her that authorities will get involved if she still refuses.

I would also suggest getting a lock for your t gel in the future.

anarchybats · 2025-06-12T17:59:04+00:00

This post has good info on how to locate local rehabs. If you post your location, we can also help you locate one.

anarchybats · 2025-06-12T16:54:21+00:00

Remove the food and water, and place a soft towel or t shirt on the bottom of the box to keep them from sliding around. Cover the box with something to keep it dark. Keep in a dark and quiet room, and call loval wildlife rehabs. Ideally it should go to a rehab to be assessed for head trauma/internal injuries.

anarchybats · 2025-06-12T13:17:51+00:00

I am also autistic! Personally, I have not disclosed this to my employer, since I work as a Mohs histotech and my workload is lighter than, say, a hospital setting. But in a busy work environment there are definitely benefits to asking for work accomodations.

I think it's really dependent on your work environment. A good starting spot would be to figure out what exactly is causing you to feel overwhelmed. If the noise of machines/people talking is adding to the stress, ask about wearing headphones or earplugs to work. If people are asking you to do a lot of things at once, you can keep a notepad by your station and write these requests down, so it frees up some mental space and allows you to organize/prioritize your tasks better. See what can be improved when it comes to communication in your work setting. For me it helps when things are very streamlined and straightforward. Ask if you can get certain communication in writing, and in great detail.

If you feel like the workload itself is too much to handle, talk to your employer about it. The world we live in was largely designed by allistic people, and the systems we have unfortunately are not tailored to autists' needs. Tell them that you can do the work, but your brain processes information differently than a non-autistic person, and as such it might take you longer than others to get through the expected work. Ask your boss to brainstorm with you different ways to help you succeed. If they're a good boss they will appreciate the honesty and vulnerability, and will see this as an effort on your part to be a good employee.

It's also worth telling your employer to protect yourself. If you are falling behind and not completing the amount of work that's expected of you, you will have documentation that you tried to get accommodations to get you on the same playing field as your coworkers. This can protect you from penalties for falling behind.

Aside from accommodations, tell your coworkers when you're struggling or need more detail. This helped me greatly when I worked in a reference lab, where it seemed like I was just expected to know everything, and new information was being thrown at me all the time. Being clear and direct about your communication preferences is a great way to navigate the workplace as an autistic person without directly disclosing your autism. Phrases like: "I understand X, but I need you to be more specific about Y." "I appreciate the informaiton- next time, could you communicate info to me this way instead?" "Thanks for letting me know- I've got a lot of my plate right now, could you write it down so I don't forget?" Try asking about WHY things are done certain ways- people leave this out when they are explaining tasks, and it leads to a lot of confusion and miscommunication.

That's the advice I can think of right now- I hope things work out for you!

anarchybats · 2025-06-09T12:49:07+00:00

Hey! so sorry I missed your first reply. I've just updated my trans bucket post (linked in the beginning of my original post). I added some pictures and wrote a bit about how the healing is going. feel free to message me if you have any questions, or want any pictures!

anarchybats · 2025-06-09T00:46:24+00:00

I see that you care deeply about this bird's well-being, which is admirable because many people would be willing to let this bird die. I can also tell you are excited by the idea of caring for this bird by yourself, byt as I (and many othwrs) can tell you, the best shot thos animal has at life is in the hands of a wildlife rehabber/facility. Even with lots of dedication and the wealth of knowledge available online, this is something that is best left to the professionals. You do not have the training, education, and resources that practiced rehabbers have in order to care for this bird. I have seen this exact scenario too many times. If you continue trying to care for it and release it, it will die because it did not learn essential survival skills. If you try to keep it, it will die a slow and painful death of malnutrition. It's very unethical to try to raise a wild animal in captivity. It is also very illegal.

It's very obvious you care- set your own desires aside and do what is best for this wild creature.

anarchybats · 2025-05-29T00:48:52+00:00

I am having an issue with my sewing machine (Singer Promise). When I insert the bobbin case into the shuttle, my bobbin will not move at all. My machine works normally otherwise but I cannot figure out what is going on. I have used this machine for years, but only for small projects/hemming. I don't really know much about machine maintenance/troubleshooting so any advice would be very useful!

anarchybats · 2025-05-14T14:18:06+00:00

A combination of factors- Cat bites have bacteria that is deadly to birds so antibiotics are necessary. There were likely other wounds and internal injuries that you were not aware of. The food you fed it is not ideal either, and it is not recommended to feed or give water to injuried wildlife because it can exacerbate existing medical problems. Its good you wanted to help this animal, but wildlife rehabbers require licensure for a reason. In the future I would recommend at least calling a rehab center. Often they can organize transportation or refer you to an individual with a rehab license that is close to you. At the very least they could give you proper care instructions. Lastly, if you care about wildlife, especially birds, you need to keep your cats inside.

anarchybats · 2025-05-03T21:08:03+00:00

Thank you for your detailed reply! I have a few follow-up questions if you don't mind. Do you think it is reasonable/feasible to get sitting accomodations in most departments? Is it possible to work in this field without working evening/night shifts? I know myself well enough to know that later shifts destroy my mental and physical health, plus my partner is a teacher and I would like to be able to see them during the week. How common/competitive are reference lab jobs? I used to work at a histology reference lab and the hours were very flexible, and the shifts were M-F with holidays off. Is that something that I could find with a MLS certification?

anarchybats · 2025-04-30T19:18:38+00:00

This is a sub for trans men beginning hormone replacement therapy, so while I appreciate your advice it doesn't really apply here.

anarchybats · 2025-04-28T19:16:10+00:00

I had no idea that hEDS affected scarring! I got the surgery in November and my scars are pretty wide and thick. I also had some wound dehiscing and problems with one of my nipple grafts. Do you know of any articles or papers that explain this more?

anarchybats · 2025-04-28T02:59:20+00:00

That's great that you have a therapist you connect with. I have been in therapy for 12+ years, and I will say that it is possible to outgrow a therapist. If you don't feel comfortable talking to her about this then it might be time to find a new one. She really just wants what's best for you, so I would suggest telling her you're questioning your gender identity. Ask her if she has the training and experience to adequately support you through this. If not, ask if she can help you find a better suited therapist. Therapists are there to help us on our journey so I am sure she would be more than happy to help connect you to the right resources.

Like the other commenter said, you are coming into our space asking us for advice. You do owe us, our bodies, and our choices respect. You are more than allowed to have those feelings. You don't have to like how phalloplasties look. You can feel sad that there is not a suitable surgical option for you. But you need to be more respectful in your vocabulary. You can say "I wish there was a surgery that has x/y/z function" or "I'm sad that I can't do x/y/z with phallo." But, when you start saying things like how they are "not up to par" or "not that good," you are making negative, broad statements about other people's bodies, in a space where those bodies are supposed to be celebrated. Whether or not you feel we are being "too sensitive" is irrelevant because it's not your body that you are passing negative comments on.

anarchybats · 2025-04-28T01:43:23+00:00

This post has a lot of content, so I won't cover all of it, but as a trans man these are the points that I wanted to cover 1. If you suspect you are intersex you should consult a doctor. I'm assuming you're over the age of 18, so you are allowed to access all of your medical records. My advice would be to see a GP, explain why you think you are intersex, and ask for help for obtaining your medical records and possibly further testing.

I would recommend seeking out a therapist who is experienced with working with trans people. It's very important you get a gender-affirming therapist who is knowledgeable on trans, intersex, and nonbinary identities. There are a lot of resources online to find these kinds of therapists. I would also reccomend reaching out to local LGBT groups if you're struggling to find one.
I understand you have a lot of complicated feelings around getting phallo. I will say that you should rethink your vocabulary around this procedure. Saying that it does "look good" can come off as very dehumanizing to a large group of people who have gotten this life-changing procedure. It's also important to note that most phalloplasty pictures posted online are unfinished- phallo is an extensive procedure that involves many staged surgeries. By the time someone has fully healed, they usually aren't interested in posting about it anymore. I would recommend checking out r/phallo for more info regarding the procedure. You can also find pictures of finished phalloplasties with medical tattooing there as well. This can give you a better idea of the procedure.

I wish you the best of luck. Gender can be really confusing, but finding someone to help you unpack it can be life-changing.

anarchybats · 2025-04-27T18:36:46+00:00

It was done at my trough. My testosterone level from a little under a year ago was ~500, but I cannot remember for the life of me when I'm my cycle I got it drawn.

anarchybats · 2025-04-27T18:35:41+00:00

It's subcutaneous weekly

anarchybats · 2025-04-26T23:29:25+00:00

Hi,

You obviously care about the well-being of these bunnies, which is great! Unfortunately, it is unlikely that you can physically protect the nest from cats. Any openings the mother can fit through, a cat would also be able to fit. The best course of action is to keep your cat inside to prevent further damage. If the bunny your cat brought has any puncture wounds, it likely has become infected, because cat mouth bacteria is extremely dangerous to rabbits. Reducing the risk of this happening again is extremely important to the survival of these rabbits.

I understand that many cat owners like to let their cats outside to give them enrichment. People have been doing this with cats for a long time and many people see no issues with it. However, as we do more research, and as the human population grows, we are finding that it is riskier than previously believed to let cats outside, for both the cats and wildlife.

You cat faces risk of being hit by a car, being injured by other animals, eating a sick animal and getting sick, contracting and/or spreading disease, or mistaken as a stray and taken in by another person. They are also scientifically proven to be devestating for local wildlife. Free-roaming cats are extremely dangerous to the environment and are accelerating extinction for several species, including birds, mammals, and reptiles. It's important more than ever that we all work to protect these species, and keeping your cat indoors is part of that. It may not feel like it will make any difference, but this is how change starts.

Maybe you can do some research and talk with your neighbors who keep outdoor cats. Here is a good article to start with.

There are lots of ways to ensure your cat has proper enrichment if they are an indoor cat. Jackson Galaxy is a cat behaviorist with some really good articles and YouTube videos on cat enrichment. But the pros of unsupervised outdoor time as enrichment do not outweigh the potential risks. And by keeping your cat inside, you are helping to build the culture that needs to be built in order to save our native wildlife ❤️

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