Metoe
New member
This is Phoenix, my 1yr old GCC, he's a lovely little boy and for the most part social and friendly.. getting to be more so even now with this problem oddly enough.. dec 13 I took him for a wing and nail trim before the holidays.. and my avian expert (non vet) noticed that the back of his neck had strange bumps.. at first she mentioned ingrown feathers, or cysts.. but I don't believe it's either of those.. (not that I have any knowledge or experience.. just from what I've since been reading and what's occurred since then)
I have a follow up booked with her in January, but in the meantime, I went out and got red palm oil, to rub on the spot, to help soothe the itching, and dryness, as suggested by avian expert. I also wised up and learned that I had been giving him way too much fruit (daily apples and orange slices) and not enough green leafy vegetables..! so I went out dec 24 and got vitamins to mix in with his water, and leafy vegetables, and have been giving him that daily ever since.. which he gobbles up.
But dec 13, he still had feathers on the back of his neck... by the 24 he had bald patches.. and I'm watching him closely.. I haven't witnessed any plucking.. a lot of scratching and rubbing definitely. He's letting me scratch it too, which up until this situation he rarely did.. he wasn't that much of a cuddler before this, now he is.. almost like he isn't feeling good, and wants mama to snuggle with and make it better... only I have no idea what to do!!
My own research has come up with possibilities being
1. a vitamin deficiency - which would be obvious since I was so bad at being a bird momma and not reading up properly...
or
2. a fungal infection.. (maybe a yeast?)but I keep his cage clean, he loves to give himself a bath, and gets showers once in a while too. he doesn't have any of the symptoms of listlessness or loss of appetite.., only symptom is his neck.. and it's just the back of his neck. it's now patchy bald, and rough.. I can feel sharp feathers..(pin feathers? maybe?) it's hard to tell if the area is warm to the touch or not.
I've added photos and what I can below, I really hope someone here has experienced something similar and can suggest a course of treatment?
the very last image, is from a video I took the day I first noticed him scratching Dec 13, he was using his leg to scratch behind his neck and ears. I have the video too, but couldn't attach it..
tomorrow I will take updated photos of what his feathers and neck look like presently..
I have a follow up booked with her in January, but in the meantime, I went out and got red palm oil, to rub on the spot, to help soothe the itching, and dryness, as suggested by avian expert. I also wised up and learned that I had been giving him way too much fruit (daily apples and orange slices) and not enough green leafy vegetables..! so I went out dec 24 and got vitamins to mix in with his water, and leafy vegetables, and have been giving him that daily ever since.. which he gobbles up.
But dec 13, he still had feathers on the back of his neck... by the 24 he had bald patches.. and I'm watching him closely.. I haven't witnessed any plucking.. a lot of scratching and rubbing definitely. He's letting me scratch it too, which up until this situation he rarely did.. he wasn't that much of a cuddler before this, now he is.. almost like he isn't feeling good, and wants mama to snuggle with and make it better... only I have no idea what to do!!
My own research has come up with possibilities being
1. a vitamin deficiency - which would be obvious since I was so bad at being a bird momma and not reading up properly...
or
2. a fungal infection.. (maybe a yeast?)but I keep his cage clean, he loves to give himself a bath, and gets showers once in a while too. he doesn't have any of the symptoms of listlessness or loss of appetite.., only symptom is his neck.. and it's just the back of his neck. it's now patchy bald, and rough.. I can feel sharp feathers..(pin feathers? maybe?) it's hard to tell if the area is warm to the touch or not.
I've added photos and what I can below, I really hope someone here has experienced something similar and can suggest a course of treatment?
the very last image, is from a video I took the day I first noticed him scratching Dec 13, he was using his leg to scratch behind his neck and ears. I have the video too, but couldn't attach it..
tomorrow I will take updated photos of what his feathers and neck look like presently..