Strange Normal Behaviours They Do..?!

Archibald's Slave

Archibald's Slave

Regular Member
Following on slightly from my previous thread and thought processes about Chelo's health and my learning experience/paranoia..

All parrots are individuals and thus have their own personal learnt mannerisms and behaviours displayed on top of the 'standard' parrot/species behaviours (crest use in cockatoos, neck wiggle in parrotlets, sleep on one leg, squawk when happy/angry, etc.).
As the vet and I try to diagnose whether Chelo even has an ailment, it is clear to me that I also do not actually know Chelo very well (together 3 months and she is 4yrs old..) and what I see as problems or symptoms could well just be her personal behaviours that she has learnt from a time and life before me and so always performed (previous owner has been little help with this..).

I am pretty sure Chelo has had plenty of time to herself during the day in her last home, as she is hyper in the evenings and very sedate in the day.. during the day is when I notice the 'symptoms' (yawnings, some tail-bobbing, falling sleeping like a sick birdy-pic below).. Never in the evenings! So could it just be behaviours she has picked up that I am over analysing?! Is she hiding symptoms in the eve cos she knows she hangs with the 'flock' then? Am I seeing them now we are together more often?

Have any of you slaves out there discovered any strange ticks or behaviours that your birds do, which would cause alarm to a stranger, but you know to be just normal for your feathered weirdo?
Any experiences or info welcomed!

This is how Chelo will sometimes drift off in the day (or similarly), usually following a yawning session..
Fotor_147265954860627.jpg
... to me, if I saw a pigeon do this I would think it was quite unwell so you can understand my worries!
She is not exactly asleep, but looks like she can't stay awake yet doesn't want to 'tuck in' for a snooze.. still not quite comfortable in house perhaps?!
Aaarrrggghh! So many questions! :)

(This is ongoing and she is seeing vet again on Monday.. but with no diagnosis so far)
 
Rosie barely ever tucks her head when she snoozes, I think I've seen her do it about 3 times in 3 years. Like Chelo she's snoozy in the day time (because she comes out in the evening) and basically snuggles and leans back onto a piece of fur which hangs from her boing. If she's out of her cage snoozing she does it one legged on her perch or lying on her back in your hand. At night she sleeps on her belly in her cozy hut. She does occasional sneezes with no discharge, but she doesn't yawn very often. As I've never had other birds I wouldn't know if this was completely bizarre or not! Not sure if that information is of any use!
 
I think it's really good to observe your bird and know what is "normal" for them, and you are playing catch up with Chelo with her in only having been with you a short time, and not having had her from a youngster.

As @Roz has Kobe I'm going to tag her in for thoughts on your photo....
and blood test results form the vet should pinpoint any issues...

I think if I was in your shoes I would have some concerns too....I know that if birdie routine does mean they are left during the day, then they will have some quiet spells as well as playing to amuse themselves...but it's the puffed-up ness of the feathers that seems a bit odd.... And could just be that, that's what she does.
We always thought Tom our red-Lored Amazon was a bit odd, as he would sometimes sit with his head tipped back, we called it his star gazing pose....but when we first took him to the vets they were really concerned about it as it can be indicative of some neurological problems apparently.....we never did get to the bottom of that.

I hope vet advice and supporting evidence from test results can get to the bottom of whether there is an issue or not, and if so get you on the right treatment path. Will be thinking of you especially on Monday.
 
Exactly this JessieRosie! Just would like to hear what peoples experiences are. Thank you :)
I am very analytical (and cynical) of everything so when I see these behaviours I panic.. seeing them regularly has the effect of more worry, but also curiosity that it is normal for her.. and thus I should not worry! Cant win! I too have only seen her tuck her head on a couple of occasions and so she could well be grabbing 40 winks during day.

'Catch up' is just the description I feel Jude! Have tried to convey that I would like information on her personality from the previous owner, but I feel that he thinks it is best I learn myself.. Kinda patronising and kinda not helpful at all. So I have stopped contacting him for now..
The above photo was a particularly bad moment for her, but used it to demonstrate some of what I have been seeing (my mind probably makes it worse too!)
Here is how she generally ends up when 'drifting off'.. but still worries me!
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Please keep your experiences with your feathered freaks coming!
 
Does she go to bed late... and therefore catches up with sleep during the day? Looks like she's perching with two feet rather than one (which can be an indication of illness)... but could be because of what she is perching on. Is this after a meal... birds usually get sleepy after a meal. Does she have a good appetite? Do you know how much she weighs? Did the vet say she's a good weight? It's encouraging that she is active in the evenings. Dunno... doesn't look that well to me too. Can't compare to Kobe as he is and always has been very active. Yes, sometimes he will just sit there with his eyes shut... I'm going to watch him closely and see if he does anything like this tomorrow. Chico sits like that after a meal and for a while during the day but he is very old.

Her feathers look healthy... looks like she hasn't been touched too much which turns the edges of the feathers black. Length of beak looks ok for a Pi.

Which vet do you go to? CJ Hall in London?
 
I try to give them a 12/12 day, sometimes they stay/wake up a little later and sometimes earlier.. but I do sleep in same room so no doubt disturb her for an hour later in the eve. She wakes before me but stays fairly quiet until I stir.. so she prob not getting the full 12 hrs... I know she lived in a living room previously. She could be snoozing and wary? Not comfortable enough yet to fully drift off? She does make the odd noise when like this, but is lazy or mumbled... as if half awake..?

The first pic she is on one foot, second on both and she does either/or when like this and does not stay like so for long.. when I am present, but it is fairly regular with periods of eating, preening and toy chewing between or if she wants interaction, she makes it cLear. Like i said, the first pic is a particularly bad moment, but still worrying.
For example, earlier this eve she was behaving this way (looking more like second pic) after having a snack and chew on a bog roll a top her downstairs cage- no amount of cheerful calls or whistles could 'snap her out of it', so left her to it. After 5 mins 'sleeping' and occasionally slowly looking around or shake of the head she shook it off, quick preen of a wing and was signaling to fly to me for tickles, chat away, etc.. and didn't display it again this eve.

Vet (yep, CJ Hall) said condition was very good and weight was good - 222g first week, 224g second week. She eats a fair amount of seed, but is very picky with fresh.. loves her blueberries and pomagranite, some grapes and occasionally chick peas, sprouts, maybe mange tout.. I am still trying to understand what she likes and when, in the fresh department.. not got much history there either :|
 
Sounds like she gets plenty of sleep. Can't believe her last carer is not interested in telling you everything he knows about her. :( CJ Hall were my vets too before I moved.

Looking at the list of foods she will eat, I'm wondering if she's deficient in Vit A. Russ Shade says that:

"Vitamin A deficiencies are fairly common in pet Pionus parrots as these parrots seem to require high levels of the vitamin. Insufficient amounts of dietary Vitamin A can result in clear nasal discharges, white plaque-like lesions in the parrot's mouth (in chronic cases abscesses will form in the mouth). Vitamin A deficiency may also contribute to digestive disorders, respiratory problems and also diseases of the eyes."

In fact a vet once told me most captive parrots he has seen in his career have been Vit A deficient. Vit A deficiency affects the mucus membranes and weakens the immune system... not good for defending against Aspergillus spores. All my parrots have been Vit A deficient, even Kobe who I got as a baby.

Did the vet physically check for Vit A deficiency... ie look at the choanal papillae at the back of the mouth and throat? If they are stunted or blunted the bird has been Vit A deficient at some point in their life (they don't grow back) and it might still be affecting them now. You can see Kobe's stunted, rounded papillae here - they are the dark blobs. These papillae should be longer, sharp and pointy:



Even if bloods say Vit A is ok, I would still try to get some beta carotene rich foods into her every day - that's what I aim to do with my birds. Things like sweet potato (raw or cooked), carrot (raw or cooked), pumpkin/squash, red chilli peppers, broccoli, cantaloupe melon, mango, papaya, Sharon fruit, dandelion leaves, spinach, kale. You may have to cut them up in all different ways to get her to try them... sliced long ways, chopped in squares, grated etc. Try steaming sweet potato and very roughly mashing it up and sticking peas into the top... that's how I got Kobe eating it as he likes peas.

Another vitamin Pi's are often deficient in is Vit D. Vit D helps with the absorption of calcium. 11 - 30 minutes of strong sunlight on their feet daily, or the use of an avian lamp. Egg yolks also contain Vit D, but I would limit eggs to once a week... hard boiled or scrambled. Kobe adores scrambled egg. I cook it with a little finely chopped, lightly cooked broccoli and a few frozen peas.

If she does have Aspergillosis, stress levels can play a part as it lowers the immune system. I'm thinking she moved recently - that is stressful for any being - bird or human. She's lost her old flock and is in a new place. This is why I avoid vet visits for Ollie (who has Asper) unless urgent as he gets so stressed he literally froths from the eyes. So maybe illness is showing up now because of the stress of the move? Only grasping at straws here.
 
Excellent post from Roz....saves me a lot of typing about Vitamin A! :)

Chiko has a preference for all the sweeter tasting things in the fresh food bowl, he will home in on apple and grape, so I only give a very small amount, he loves pomegranate and peas and sweet corn. He gets sweet potato, butternut squash and carrot everyday, but will often leave them......but I make a point of feeding them to him by hand in the evening, if He hasn't bothered selecting them himself that day, just so that I know he has had some! He does like cantaloupe melon, which is also good vit a wise.
 
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