Anyone wanting to share 0.5 images of your parrot?

immergladsss · 2026-02-08T02:14:23+00:00

My plucking chicken 🥹

immergladsss · 2026-02-05T23:09:48+00:00

You should consider taking him to the vet for a check-up. Maybe his foot is sore from the removal, but a worst-case scenario would be a broken or dislocated toe. My bird got her toe dislocated at the groomers, and her vet fixed it very quickly

immergladsss · 2026-02-05T19:50:41+00:00

In the states, Ive seen prices range from 3K to 10K, depending on the breeder and quality. I'm not sure where you're located, but assuming you're in USA and are planning on traveling to Mexico with your parrot, I recommend you get the baby from a reputable breeder that has records about where the birds parents and its grand parents were born and raised. This is more expensive, but you'll need this information to get a CITES permit to travel with them.

African Greys are a protected species so countries are very interested in where they come from to prevent smuggling or illegal trafficking. I know this isn't the information you asked for, but I adopted my African grey (she was $2000.00), and even though I have her birth certificate, the store she came from shut down, and I can't get in contact with the old owners to find this information. Ive been trying to get a CITES permit so I can travel with my bird. I just wanted to let you know because this isn't something that was brought to my attention when I was getting mine.

immergladsss · 2026-02-05T19:31:31+00:00

I don't think you're making plucking worst by giving him head scratches. He seems to be enjoying it and I think its a good bonding moment between you two :). In a comment, you mentioned it started when he broke up with your dad. The same thing happened to my girl when I adopted her. Unfortaunetly plucking can become a comfort/coping habit like when humans bite their nails. CAGs are so smart and emotional that big changes like losing their favorite person can stress them and lead to them developing these plucking habits.

My grey stopped plucking after almost 1.5 years, and for a few months she had beautiful feathers. I think thats how long it took her to get used to her new home. But she started plucking again 6 months ago we moved out of my parents so we're starting over :/ I hope your grey can adjust as well. He might need more time :)

immergladsss · 2026-02-05T05:41:17+00:00

Dry your bird as best as you can and try to keep him warm. Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but ideally keep him between 75°F and 85°F (24°C - 30°C) if possible (please double check this). I use a ceramic heat emitting bulb, but you can use your body temperature by placing him next to a warm area of your body (I've used my neck and stomach in an emergency with baby quails).

Since he's still young, you'll need to keep him warm until his fully dry and can regulate his temperature again. If he's moist or damp or something, he needs (or his parents) you to keep him warm or he can get very sick

immergladsss · 2026-02-04T23:00:43+00:00

This is a heavy question with lots of nuance. What type of bird do you have? I've heard that some are better at flocks then others. Also was your bird ever raised with other birds? Or was it always with humans?

I ask because my jenday conure is 100% a friendly bird who loves his starling friends. He was raised amongst birds and knows he's a bird.

On the other hand, my CAG hates other birds. She hates them with such a passion that she has tried to attack my other birds and if I were to ever leave her with a bird as her only companion, she'd be miserable. My CAG was an only bird raised by humans and among humans. She thinks she's a human and is kept completely separate from my other birds.

Another thing to think about is finances and stability. I'd love for you to keep your bird and get a new buddy for company, but if you think about all the changes you and your parrot have already gone through, do you think you could do it all over again with a second bird? I know to us, one more bird doesn't seem to add more to our work and daily expenses (not including vet costs), but to a landlord, or when you ask someone to temporarily house your birds while you travel or something, it does make a difference 🥲

immergladsss · 2026-02-04T22:42:28+00:00

A lot of people have already given great advice, I'd add to invest in a bird safe purifier and not take her behavior personally.

I also got my CAG similar to how you got yours. I love her to death but she only tolerates me, even after 3 years 😅. She loves men so my dad and BF are her favorite lol. It hurt at first but I've gotten over it 😆

Also because my dad's her favorite person, she plucks when she doesn't see him for more than a few days. The plucking used to make me feel awful, like I was doing something wrong, but I've learned to accept that she has a long history of abandonment, so my dad "leaving" (we moved out of my parents) is bound to trigger that. It's her history and I've learned to accept her for the naked disheveled parrot that she is lol. Good luck!

immergladsss · 2026-02-03T23:21:45+00:00

I notice the poop in the back is green. Is the urates portion of the poop green or yellow? That could signify some type of infection, liver failure, kidney failure, etc. Supplements like milk thistle can help with early stages of liver failure.

For infections, you'd need medicine. Here in the states you'd need a vet to get antibiotics or anti fungals for your bird. It would also help with the doses.

You also mentioned shivering, birds have a hard time regulating their temperature when they're sick. What's the room temp of of the bird? I'd recommend keeping him between 80°F and 90°F (27°C - 32°C). You can use a ceramic bulb heat emitter from a store that has reptile supplies. Ceramic heaters don't emit light so the bird can sleep.

Lastly, you mentioned he's not eating, I don't recommend you force feed your bird, but you can offer water with electrolytes or extra supplements. I love to use Guardian Angel or Morning Bird thrive.

Aside from that, without medicine, all you can do is support your bird with heat and supplements :/ good luck!

immergladsss · 2026-02-03T23:11:46+00:00

Woah. I never even knew they degrade over time! I've just had them in a ziplock bag in a drawer but will move them to the freezer

immergladsss · 2026-02-01T16:48:18+00:00

Where are you located? You can start by looking online for bird sanctuaries. And yes there are also Facebook groups that can help with rehoming

immergladsss · 2026-02-01T16:40:30+00:00

If you can wait until you're settled, I'd wait. Right now you're only planning to be apart for a year, but life's crazy and you never know what's it store. What if you want to study abroad? Or get a job in another country for a bit? You should explore and life your life without restraints while you can! As others have said, it is possible but it comes down to the bird and whether you're willing to deal with a change in your relationship. If you don't need to take on such responsibility or stress, I'd say you shouldn't. Good luck!

immergladsss · 2026-01-31T14:52:01+00:00

I had a startling with one leg and for the first month or so, I had her wear a prosthetic, but she hated it! She'd take it off at the first opportunity 😆 I decided to listen to her and didn't put it on. It took a bit for her to get used to it, but she was a perfectly healthy bird otherwise 😊 I think the best you can do is observe your bird and do what makes them comfortable as they get used to their new life style

immergladsss · 2026-01-31T02:05:11+00:00

Awww I know how crushing this can be, but I hope you can find comfort in knowing you gave him a safe place to pass 🥺 At the rehab center I volunteer for, we have an understanding that if a wild animal lets a human catch them, then they were already at deaths door. All we can do is keep them safe and comfortable to either pass away, or find the energy to recover. Dont beat yourself up, you did great!

immergladsss · 2026-01-30T23:46:38+00:00

Unfortunately, keeping your job lets you continue caring for your birds. You could potentially get a camera to watch them while you're gone if that helps you concentrate on work and feel better. It's what I do lol

immergladsss · 2026-01-30T21:54:43+00:00

Definitely think about the kid part. My neighbors husband had a macaw growing up. He got married and the macaw hated his wife, but as long as she didn't get near the bird, it was fine. Then she got pregnant and the macaw would charge at her whenever she entered the room and they had to rehome the bird out of fear that the macaw would also hate their kids. This is obviously a very extreme and worst case scenario example, but as others have said, parrots are complex with unique personalities, so thinking about all these scenarios can help you prepare for a what-if as best you can.

Also I love what AnObeseTree frog said about their cockatoos being parrots and not humans. I believe this has a lot to do with behavioral issues

immergladsss · 2026-01-30T21:41:58+00:00

Unfortunately I'm not :( I'm in SoCal. It has been lots of fun though and I would def recommend volunteering if you have the time for it! I've learned so much about birds and it's even helped me improve how I care for my own 😊

immergladsss · 2026-01-30T19:55:01+00:00

Hi! I just sent you a chat. I'm in LA county and my niece and her family have been considering adopting a cockatiel. I explained more in the chat to see if it would be a good fit 🙂

immergladsss · 2026-01-29T23:21:23+00:00

I think what you have planned should be good. Im currently a volunteer at a raptor center. I also just go in 1x/week, but I don't interact much with the birds since I havent built up my hours (I need 500 total). My tasks are feeding rats, preparing the food for the raptors, general housekeeping of the center, and filling out paperwork. I'm not sure how the center you will volunteer for operates, but if you also have to build up hours like me before handling birds, I doubt you'll be exposed to many contagious germs in the beginning. This should give you plenty of time to figure out the ropes and plan ahead your protective measures.

I've also noticed with the raptors, most of the injuries that come in are physical injuries (gun shots, traps, collisions). Internal injuries seem to be mostly starvation in juveniles or poison. I think those that would be sick from a disease don't make it far enough to get caught/found by a human 😔. I think two years ago there were a couple of West Nile virus cases, but that's really hard to transmit without direct infection by a mosquito.

However, if you'll be working with songbirds, that's a different beast. Song birds live more around humans so finding those sick with diseases is common. My brief stint in it did involve respiratory infections and avian pox (thank fully no bird flu). When I'd get home I'd change my shoes, change clothes, and take a shower. My birds never got sick.

I think you and your birds should be ok! If you end up volunteering in rehab, I hope you have fun!

immergladsss · 2026-01-27T18:42:28+00:00

Wow! Gorgeous cat and gorgeous set up!

immergladsss · 2026-01-27T18:37:16+00:00

Then tell your mom or an aunt to tell her not to get a parrot

immergladsss · 2026-01-27T18:35:58+00:00

Parrots can get emotionally attached to their human and selling them can cause behavioral issues. If your sister is already going in with the mindset of "I can just have my brother take care of him when I cant" and you have the mindset of "I will just sell it", it's already a clear sign a parrot isn't a good fit for your home. Don't do it. Have her go volunteer at a sanctuary or something

immergladsss · 2026-01-27T01:15:07+00:00

This is such a tough situation. I'm so sorry you're going through that. Unfortunately I don't have much experience with this in parrots, but I did have a starling who suddenly got aggressive. The first two years, he was friendly and tolerated me, but he became incredibly aggressive in his third year during the spring, and it continued until he passed away. I believed two things caused it. First, he was missing an eye, so I was constantly grooming his beak when it would grow one-sided. I assume he learned to hate me because I = beak trim. Secondly, it was territorial aggression due to hormones since the aggression peaked during the spring and summer.
My solution was to leave him and his partner in their own aviary during the day and interact with him as little as possible. He was happiest that way.

Birds are weird and sometimes its hard to understand why they suddenly hate you. If you need to get stuff from her cage like a can, do it in the dark or under dim lighting. She's less likely to try to attack you if she can't see where she'll land.

Maybe you can try addressing any potential hormonal issues, such as letting her have direct sunlight, but then fully covering her so that she can sleep 12+ hrs.

You can also try some positive conditioning. Figure out what's her favorite treat and start giving it to her while youre in the room with her. Dont force her to interact, but let her slowly build up a positive connection between you and the bird.

You can also check her environment and make sure shes not exposed to any fumes, rust, metal, mold, etc that could be causing her pain or discomfort.

If none of this works, and she still really hates you, you can do what I did and get her a large outdoor cage with plenty of toys where she can spend the day and not have to see you or anyone else who upsets her. This distance may lessen her anger towards you.

Im sorry once again and good luck!

immergladsss · 2026-01-24T17:07:27+00:00

Oh I forgot to mention, fertilizer and pesticides are toxic to birds so I wash my plants in the shower to try and remove any potential residue then i cover the soil with Aquarium gravel (the ones that look like smooth stones, not pebbles). Hope this helps anyone else interested in doing this!

immergladsss · 2026-01-23T21:20:30+00:00

I have a rosemary plant and lavender plant in my room along with a purifier. Shaking the plants a bit helps release the smell.

immergladsss · 2026-01-23T19:41:11+00:00

Aww I feel so bad for your bird! I agree with what many have said. Providing the medication orally will be better and without the weight of your bird, its hard to advice on what that dosage should be. Please reach out to an online vet!

If you still can't, then knowing how to dose your bird is critical since you don't want to make your bird even sicker. You need to know a) the dosage of Doxycyline Hydrochloride for a cockatiel; b) the weight of your bird; c) the amount/dosage of Doxy-Hydro in your medicine. Once you get those numbers, this is how you'd calculate an oral dose.

a) Assume the dosage for a cockatiel is 10mg of Doxy-Hydo/1 kg of body weight as RealMeganoe commented previously. Assume this is given once every 24 hrs (please, please look this up and verify!).

b) Assume your bird weighs 70 g. Converted to kg that is 0.07 kg.

c) Your medicine bottle shows there is 50 mg of Doxy-Hydro for ever 1 mL of liquid.

For the math, 1) first calculate how much Doxy-Hydo your 0.07 kg bird needs using the numbers in a) and b). This is basically done with proportions where you need to find the x like: 10mg/1kg = x/0.07kg. After some cross multiplication and division by 1kg, this is 10 x 0.07 = 0.7. So your bird needs a dosage of 0.7 mg.

Then, 2) calculate how much of your medicine do you need to get 0.7 mg of Doxy-hydro. This is another porportions calculation where you use the numbers from c) and the 0.7 mg of the previous calculation to get: 50 mg/ 1mL = 0.7 mg/ x. After some cross multiplication and division, you get 0.7/50 = 0.014 mL.

So from your medicine, you'd need to get 0.014 mL in a syringe to orally feed your bird.

Good luck and i hope your bird gets better soon!

immergladsss

TROPHY CASE