Feather loss

Staggsmalexis

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Aug 10, 2014
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Indiana
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Blue crowned conure
I have put pictures of Polly's feather loss in my album. Please check it out and message me what you think is causing it. Thank you!
 

JamesC

Active member
Sep 3, 2011
591
41
Knoxville, TN
Parrots
Blue Crown Conures: Tootsie and Rosco.
Senegal Parrot: Sidney.

Feathers of the past:
Budgies: Sunshine, Digit, Kiwi, and Yahto.
Senegal Parrot: Kelly.
"Fly free, little ones. Love and miss you."
Hard to tell and I'm no expert in feather loss.

Some birds can pluck their own feathers when stressed. Keep him under observation and see if he does do some pulling out of his feathers. The wing feathers look in decent shape from what I can see. I don't have a lot of experience with pluckers but the spots that have loss seem to be in common with photos of pluckers that I have seen. Just being out of a stressful situation might help with that.

It could very well be diet related too. It may just be the photos but he looks a little thin to me. What were the previous owners feeding him?

And I would not rule out some kind of parasite. Try giving him a shallow container of water to take a bath in. I use a baking dish with 1 to 1.5 inch of water. Blue crowns LOVE to bathe.

And just as a note if you haven't looked at getting some already, natural wooden and rope perches are great for birdie feet. The round wooden dowels that are in the photos can lead to problems. Arthritis, sores and such.
 

weco

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Nov 24, 2010
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Like I replied to your other post, about you new blue crown, you really need to have him looked at/evaluated by an avian veterinarian as soon as possibly. While the members here have a lot of experience and can usually offer tips & help, an avian veterinarian is the best person to get your initial information from.....
 

SilverSage

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Sep 14, 2013
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Columbus, GA
Parrots
Eclectus, CAG, BH Pionus, Maximilian’s Pionus, Quakers, Indian Ringnecks, Green Cheeked Conures, Black Capped Conures, Cockatiels, Lovebirds, Budgies, Canaries, Diamond Doves, Zebra Finches, Society F
Bathing is important. If it doesn't frighten him, mist him with a mister (I do NOT MEAN SPRAY HIM WITH A BOTTLE! Get a mister that feels almost just like cool air on your own skin). Also, routinely offer him a shallow pan of water in his cage. Sometimes a bird is most comfortable bathing in his own water dish, so offer the biggest water dish you can for him to drink out of, and make sure to wash it and refill it after he bathes.

You also need to look at his diet. I havent had time to read everything you have posted, but make sure he is not on seeds only. If he is, begin sprouting your seeds, which will HUGELY increase the amount of nutrition and decrease the amount of fat in his diet, and usually even the most hard-core seed junkies will eat sprouts.

But you REALLY need to take him to an Avian vet. Use google to find one in your area, or ask a local breeder or rescue who they recommend. Sometimes plucking can become a habits that a bird doesn't break, but USUALLY it starts out with something else, so HURRY HURRY to the vet to prevent this from becoming a permanent part of his life! And that is assuming he is plucking - if his feathers are just falling out there is even more reason to rush to the vet!
 
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Staggsmalexis

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Blue crowned conure
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I've noticed he rarely goes to the lower section of his cage which is where his previous owners had his food and water so i moved them both to the top section and he is eating and drinking. His previous owner also gave us the food they fed him and it is premium parrot food from walmart and the other one said harts bird diet balanced nutrition which Is the one I just opened. They also fed him roasted non salted peanuts. He really likes them. I went to walmart and bought him a wild harvest mineral treat and he has pecked at it. I also bought him forti diet honey treat but i don't think he's touched it. I bought him wild harvest multi-drops too. I also bought millet spray but I don't think he wants to try to eat it yet. I noticed when we first got him his feathers looked dry so we put vet X on him and they look better and he has a new feather growing in! We don't have an avian vet around here or a pet store. I live in a small town but will continue to search. Thanks so much!
 
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Staggsmalexis

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Blue crowned conure
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I also haven't saw him pluck his own feathers out but have found some in his cage. One was a tail feather.
 

weco

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Ask around or look up the local veterinarians, call them & see if the see avian patients. There are a lot of veterinarians who see birds and are very good with them, but may not have taken the additional schooling for the avian classification.....that classification requires a few more years of schooling and usually means higher vet fees, to cover the extra education & title.....

You can also choose a local vet & talk with them about how they handle avian emergencies, many network with specialists, I know my vet trained at the University Of TN Vet School & sets up conference calls with specialists at the school if he runs into something new.....I know everybody tells us to only take our birds to an "Avian Vet" but like in your town, there really are only a few avian veterinarians to go around & most are close to big cities or where their clients live in more expensive homes.....

Sorry, but I've never heard of "vet x," what is it & w3ho makes it? Like I mentioned earlier, just because something is sold for use on or to feed to birds does not mean that it does what it claims or is good for a bird.....I think I might slow down on these salves, creams, bird protectors, etc., until I did some research or asked about them here in the forums.....
 
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Staggsmalexis

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Aug 10, 2014
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Indiana
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Blue crowned conure
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Ask around or look up the local veterinarians, call them & see if the see avian patients. There are a lot of veterinarians who see birds and are very good with them, but may not have taken the additional schooling for the avian classification.....that classification requires a few more years of schooling and usually means higher vet fees, to cover the extra education & title.....

You can also choose a local vet & talk with them about how they handle avian emergencies, many network with specialists, I know my vet trained at the University Of TN Vet School & sets up conference calls with specialists at the school if he runs into something new.....I know everybody tells us to only take our birds to an "Avian Vet" but like in your town, there really are only a few avian veterinarians to go around & most are close to big cities or where their clients live in more expensive homes.....

Sorry, but I've never heard of "vet x," what is it & w3ho makes it? Like I mentioned earlier, just because something is sold for use on or to feed to birds does not mean that it does what it claims or is good for a bird.....I think I might slow down on these salves, creams, bird protectors, etc., until I did some research or asked about them here in the forums.....

I have used vet x on my chickens, ducks, pigeons etc. it helps prevent colds, mites, and helps the bird. His feathers look less dry and he has more spunk. The bird protector was in the cage when he was with his previous owner. They told me it helped him and cleared his skin up. I never saw the bumps they were talking about but they said it had been going on a couple of months but never happened before. His skin isn't bumpy or red now and he has new feather growth.
 
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Staggsmalexis

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Aug 10, 2014
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Blue crowned conure
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Hard to tell and I'm no expert in feather loss.

Some birds can pluck their own feathers when stressed. Keep him under observation and see if he does do some pulling out of his feathers. The wing feathers look in decent shape from what I can see. I don't have a lot of experience with pluckers but the spots that have loss seem to be in common with photos of pluckers that I have seen. Just being out of a stressful situation might help with that.

It could very well be diet related too. It may just be the photos but he looks a little thin to me. What were the previous owners feeding him?

And I would not rule out some kind of parasite. Try giving him a shallow container of water to take a bath in. I use a baking dish with 1 to 1.5 inch of water. Blue crowns LOVE to bathe.

And just as a note if you haven't looked at getting some already, natural wooden and rope perches are great for birdie feet. The round wooden dowels that are in the photos can lead to problems. Arthritis, sores and such.

His previous owners said they had only saw him bathe once and that was the day I took him home. I do agree he is thin. Do you think Polly is a seed junky? I posted what he eats. If so, any ideas? Also, he has a large water bowl that I clean every night. I have never witnessed him pluck but have found only a tale feather since I've had him. Also, how do you feel about the stuff I bought for him? Is it safe to give him? You are a huge help by the way! Thank you so much!! :)
 

JamesC

Active member
Sep 3, 2011
591
41
Knoxville, TN
Parrots
Blue Crown Conures: Tootsie and Rosco.
Senegal Parrot: Sidney.

Feathers of the past:
Budgies: Sunshine, Digit, Kiwi, and Yahto.
Senegal Parrot: Kelly.
"Fly free, little ones. Love and miss you."
I would work on trying to convert him over to a pellet diet. An all seed diet is not very good for a conure. My Tootsie was like that for half of her life and it took me 7 years after I adopted her to get her completely converted over. As a result of having seed for the first 20 or so years of her life, her health is not as good as it could have been by this age. And supplement with a lot of fresh fruits and veggies. But be careful what you give him. There are some foods to avoid like avocado. My brother's girlfriend lost her companion african grey of 20 years after she was given avocado.

Most green vegetables are good. Peas, broccoli, carrots, some leafy veggies. Mango is a great fruit. You can give sugary fruits in moderation. Banana, apples, grapes. Healthy low fat raw nuts though avoid peanuts for a variety of reasons. Occasional millets. I did a quick Google search for "healthy conure food" and came up with this site. Bird Nutrition: Feeding Pet Birds, Parrot Diets, and Nutrition Recommendations Looks to be a decent general guide. And there are many sites out there with good information.

If converting to pellets, carefully watch his weight. I would strongly recommend getting a gram scale with a perch so that you can record it over time once you can get him to step up. Opinions can differ but I believe a healthy blue crown can weigh around 170 grams plus or minus 10. Tootsie has permanent fatty deposits and weighs in the upper 190 range. She is certainly my fat old girl. And Rosco is noticeably large for a blue crown when compared to Tootsie. He came to me weighing in the low 200 gram range and has maintained his weight there no matter what I've tried. I think he is just a big boy and that is what is normal for him even though I cringe every time I put him on the scale.

Follow the pellet conversion instructions. Most pellets have a basic conversion schedule on the package. Weight checks and observation of his eating are essential. And share foods with him beforehand so he can feel he is eating with you as a flock. When converting, you can eat (or pretend to eat) some pellets and pretend they are the greatest thing in the world. If he sees you are enjoying something he might be keen to try it himself. But don't be surprised if he squints his eyes, sticks his tongue out and shakes his head looking just like a little kid eating veggies he hates. Pellets are not as tasty as seed and most birds will go to the seed if given a choice. It can be a long process to convert and you may have to try several different brands to find one that he will eat. Tootsie will only eat Zupreem because it has a higher sugar content. But occasionally I will catch her eating the Kaytee in Rosco's cage even though she has a 50/50 mix in her's. Harrisons and Roudybush were completely ignored or tossed out of the bowl by both of them.

If his weight is low, you may not need to try to get him on pellets right away because you don't want his weight to drop. Get him eating the fruits and veggies and nuts to build up his weight and reserves. The conversion process could cause a weight drop because you will be giving him less and less seed and getting him to try the less tasty option to satisfy his hunger. Some birds might flat out refuse and could starve themselves to a dangerous weight loss even though there is good food sitting right next to them.

I would be cautious about using products like Vet-X on conures. They are a lot different of a creature and there is a possibility that it could be toxic. There are some products that pet stores sell that are formulated for conures and parrots. But before using anything I would get a vet check. My two blue crowns do quite well with just bathing in water occasionally and their own natural preen oils. Most of the time I do not think a supplemental spray product would be warranted or beneficial.

Anyway, I got very wordy tonight. I should have been asleep an hour ago. Hope you don't think I got too long winded.
 
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weco

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Nov 24, 2010
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Being a curious type, I went looking for your feather balm & found it...it's Vetrx, rather than "Vet x." I looked around & couldn't find it advertised by any veterinarians, even though the manufacturer advertises it as a veterinary remedy, so I sent them an E-mail, requesting a copy of their Material Safety Data Sheet on the product.

I searched the forums, thinking someone might have posted some information about the product at some point in the past, but couldn't find it in the forums either.

It was a little difficult, but I found a list of the ingredients of the Vetrx for poultry & found it contains both alcohol and camphor, both of which are dangerous to birds, along with cats & dogs, which the manufacturer suggests using it on, even pouring it in drinking water.

I'm going to do some more research on this stuff...it's peaked my interest.....
 

ACE209

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Jul 28, 2014
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Ceres, CA
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Sherlock - Blue crowned conure 10yr,
Sunny - yellow sided GCC 3yr,
Echo - yellow sided GCC 2yr,
Kiwi - Blue fronted amazon 15yr
RIP Nate - the best cockatiel
Another possibility is malnutrition... Unfortunately all we can do on this forum is speculate. Like a say to my friends who call me all the time for vet advise... If you are worried take him to the vet. I understand living in a small town with no avain specialist I have to drive 45 mins both ways to see my avian vet... because I don't trust the ones I work for lol, they only work on cats/dogs/horses. So they know about birds but don't now as much as a vet that sees them day in and day out. I strongly urge you to find a DVM who will at least look at polly, it might be as simple as a change in diet, you'll never know until you have him checked out. Good luck and like I said in the other post I'm rooting for you guys.
 

ACE209

New member
Jul 28, 2014
99
0
Ceres, CA
Parrots
Sherlock - Blue crowned conure 10yr,
Sunny - yellow sided GCC 3yr,
Echo - yellow sided GCC 2yr,
Kiwi - Blue fronted amazon 15yr
RIP Nate - the best cockatiel
And careful using OTC medications they can cause more problems than they fix, especially in birds.
 

weco

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Nov 24, 2010
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Nanday, suns, parrotlet, Patagonian
I got a copy of the Vetrx MSDS, but it doesn't say anything, which only means that there is nothing in their formula that rises to the toxicity/danger level required for issuance of an MSDS...and...I have yet to find any documentation of a veterinarian recommending this stuff ! ! !
 

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Staggsmalexis

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Aug 10, 2014
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Indiana
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Blue crowned conure
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Thank you all for the support. I am goin to call my local vet and ask if he works with birds or knows of anyone who does. I have noticed that Polly scratches and bites at the places where he doesn't have feather a lot...
 

weco

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Nov 24, 2010
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Nanday, suns, parrotlet, Patagonian
Do you get an allowance of any kind? If you find a veterinarian who might see your bird, you could always ask if (s)he might be willing to work with you on a payment plan.....you could possibly save maybe half of the money to pay up front & make payments on the rest.....

I know it's hard when we're young and don't really have our own money.....good luck!
 
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Staggsmalexis

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Blue crowned conure
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Do you get an allowance of any kind? If you find a veterinarian who might see your bird, you could always ask if (s)he might be willing to work with you on a payment plan.....you could possibly save maybe half of the money to pay up front & make payments on the rest.....

I know it's hard when we're young and don't really have our own money.....good luck!

No I don't get allowance.
 

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