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davidraminov
Just hatched
Joined: 12 Feb 2006
Posts: 47
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| Congo African Grey question |
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1-Thank you very much for finding the time to read m[y mail. I wish to ask
whether or not the Amazon parrots tend to pluck their feathers like the
african grey ones.
Another thing is : I got a new Congo African Grey. She sneezes but does this
indicate anything that has to do with she having a bird flu virus? She is
calm and I consider her somehow fat(is this possible ??) That is why I
think when she sits on the perch her belly feathers are touching the perch.
I got her yesterday. She gets out of cage alone but she is very afraid of me
and she bites. She does not whistle that much and she is not noisy. I sawher
flying yesterday when she got scared. She sneezes a lot now. She sits with
somehow ruffled feathers. She goes into the cage to eat then she comes out
again. Is this attitude normal? because I have to judge by all the
appearance factors as I have no Vet her nearby...
Can anyone help me with this please..???!!
2- My Congo African Grey has bare parts under the wings, not noticeable
unless you remove the wing and out apart the feathers some also are through
the neck only obvious when the bird is twisting his neck for preening. As if
the small cotton like feathers that cover the inside of the body under the
feathers are not there. I dont think it is plucking, may it be molting or
what do you think. |
Sunday February 12, 2006 7:29 pm |
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Michellev123
Flutterer
Joined: 21 Jan 2005
Posts: 171
Location: Uk |
Hi my birds are both molting at the moments so that probably explains the "holes"
As for the sneezing, some sneezing is normal. I'm sorry i can't do anything else o help, but thats all i know.
How old is your baby? was he hand reared??
Hope this helps a little at least 
Good luck with your baby!!
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Monday February 13, 2006 1:11 pm |
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davidraminov
Just hatched
Joined: 12 Feb 2006
Posts: 47
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She is one month less than 5 years now...CAG.. and I am very scared of feather plucking as I have seen lots of bad pics on the net so I am thinking of getting an amazon. |
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Monday February 13, 2006 1:59 pm |
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davidraminov
Just hatched
Joined: 12 Feb 2006
Posts: 47
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quote:
Originally posted by davidraminov
She is one month less than 5 years now...CAG.. and I am very scared of feather plucking as I have seen lots of bad pics on the net so I am thinking of getting an amazon instead. What is the meaning oh hand rearing??
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Monday February 13, 2006 2:07 pm |
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Cheeta
Moderator
Joined: 06 Apr 2005
Posts: 7967
Location: Australia |
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I'm just wondering, are you wanting to get rid of the CAG and then get an Amazon? Or are you planning on keeping the CAG and also getting the Amazon?? Just wondering as I'm not really understanding that part.
It doesn't sound like your CAG is plucking, in fact it doesn't even sounds like it's molting. There are natural bald spots on birds. One is for ventilatiion so that they don't overheat with too much feathers on them... Two, they are flyers, so if they are completely coveredin feathers, it would be a lot harder for them to fly as they would be heavier.
I'm not sure aobut the sneezing. How often does she do it? Birds do sneeze, especially say a little fluff or husk has gotten into the nares and that's the way the bird gets it out.. by sneezing. If it's sneezing a lot and alot... and make sure that the sneeze isn't a imitation of a human sneezing... this could mean some sort of infection within their sinus. Keep an eye on it and see if he's giving out any sort of liquid from the nares.
Oh, I wouldn't say that he/she is overweight. when bird sits on the perch, their feathers can easily touch the perch. It's just natural. However, if you feel the breast bone, and you can feel it because it has been 'swallowed' by the muscle sitting next to it, then yes it is getting a little obese, but if you can just feel the bone and also feel that the muscle around it is nice and firm, then it's a good sign that it isn't fat at all.
Cheers
Bih |
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Monday February 13, 2006 3:09 pm |
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shirin
Moderator
Joined: 27 Apr 2005
Posts: 7401
Location: Canada, Toronto |
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The sneezing could be a result of something stuck in the nares or it could be that she's immitating human sneezing like Cheeta has mentioned. But if it's excessive and it doesn't sound like she's mimmicking human sneezing then I'd suggest you take her to an avian vet. I experienced the same thing with one of my birds and it turned out that he had e coli. Have you noticed anything else different in her? Does she sit with her feathers ruffled for long periods of time, and is less active? Is there any mucous around her nose or eyes? Have you noticed any difference in her poop?
Your Grey shouldn't be fat unless you feed her a seed diet or a lot of junk food. What is her main diet? Grey's aren't particularly prone to obesity. Amazons are though.
How long have you had this Grey for? If you've only just gotten her, then it's normal for her to be affraid of you, and she just needs time to settle in and get used to her new environment and owner.
I don't know how big the bare parts are that you're talking about, so I can't tell if it's normal. But my Grey has no visible bare parts under her wings or around her neck.
To answer you question about the amazons, yes any bird can pluck their feathers if not properly cared for, and some can even develope this behaviour if they are properly cared for. There's no way of predicting whether a bird is going to pluck or not. But as a responsible bird owner you should be willing to accept and love your bird even if does start to pluck. The last thing we need is more poor birds ending up in shelters because their owners didn't want them anymore because they weren't pretty enough. I would recommend that you do more research and learn more about parrots and parrot behaviour, and get a hang of taking care of the bird that you already have before you take on the reponsibility of another bird. Also, where do you live that there are no vets around? If you aren't able to take your birds to the vet and give them the proper care they need should they ever get sick or need emergency medical attention, then you definitely shouldn't get another bird, just my opinion. |
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Monday February 13, 2006 3:40 pm |
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Chaquita's Mom
Experienced flier
Joined: 29 Jun 2005
Posts: 1028
Location: Pennsylvania, USA |
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David, how did you aquire your grey? Are you thinking of possibly returning him because you're not sure if a grey is right for you or possibly because the person you got the grey from gave you an unhealthy bird? I can totally understand this if you intended to get a healthy bird from a breeder or a pet store and end up with an unhealthy one. No one wants to pay good money for a sick bird. Unless you are willing to take on the responsibility to make the bird well as well as the cost it could take. You've only had the bird one day, so returning wouldn't be a bad idea if you're not ready to take on.
As far as personality, greys are probably more likely to pluck than an amazon even with good care BUT not ruled out. Only because greys are the most intelligent of parrots and NEED to be stimulated and interracted with and have many things to keep from getting bored. Not saying that amazons don't need human interraction and stimulation either by all means. To put all the nuts in a shell, when you adopt a parrot, you adopted a child. Think of what a small toddler needs and that is what a parrot needs. Lots of human interraction, toys, love, attention, baths, good diet, Dr.s check-ups and emergencies. The list goes on  |
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Monday February 13, 2006 8:28 pm |
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bird 2 fancy 4 me
Egg
Joined: 12 Feb 2006
Posts: 5
Location: zeigler |
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quote:
Originally posted by Chaquita's Mom
David, how did you aquire your grey? Are you thinking of possibly returning him because you're not sure if a grey is right for you or possibly because the person you got the grey from gave you an unhealthy bird? I can totally understand this if you intended to get a healthy bird from a breeder or a pet store and end up with an unhealthy one. No one wants to pay good money for a sick bird. Unless you are willing to take on the responsibility to make the bird well as well as the cost it could take. You've only had the bird one day, so returning wouldn't be a bad idea if you're not ready to take on.
As far as personality, greys are probably more likely to pluck than an amazon even with good care BUT not ruled out. Only because greys are the most intelligent of parrots and NEED to be stimulated and interracted with and have many things to keep from getting bored. Not saying that amazons don't need human interraction and stimulation either by all means. To put all the nuts in a shell, when you adopt a parrot, you adopted a child. Think of what a small toddler needs and that is what a parrot needs. Lots of human interraction, toys, love, attention, baths, good diet, Dr.s check-ups and emergencies. The list goes on
quote:
I agree with what you say , i have two sons and my parrots behave the same as a young child , and need everything !!! i love my grey dearly , in fact am gettiong another , we play all kinds of games , but think his favorite is tug of war with a towel and growling like a dog anyway , just wanted to say , YOU SAId A MOUTH FULL
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Wednesday February 15, 2006 4:28 pm |
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