Crimson-bellied conure question

suttoni

New member
Apr 6, 2019
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Hello, I just found this forum and have a question.


First a bit of history: I'm older and have had birds since age 8, only parakeets. Then I got a GCC in 1993 named "Big" and he lived for 22 years. Very sad, had to put him down for cancer. Now I have a 3-year-old crimson-bellied male named "Rudy" who is fairly docile but of course will nip in certain situations. Eg. before his first of the day "expulsion" which is huge. Same as my GCC - maybe this is consistent across breeds. I have a routine for this, he steps out of the cage onto a 1/2" dowel over newspaper to perform his big event including the violent tail-wagging. Less mess in the cage this way.

In his first year he chewed through all his wooden perches. So I bought some 1/2" aluminum dowels at Home Depot and after careful measuring, had a machine shop turn them into perfectly fitting perches. He has 6 of them and can't eat them. And they're easy to clean.

He knows which food cup is which. When I bring fresh water, he says "Is that your water?" When I bring chopped apple, he says "Is that your apple?" No idea how he knows the difference. He has about 10 other things he says constantly, especially his name.



Now the question. His brilliant red chest feathers are turning white. He doesn't pick at them, chew them or pull them out and they are not falling out. His behavior doesn't change and his weight is constant. I shine an avian bulb light on him every day for 5 hours at a distance of 3½ feet. Could this be what's changing his color? No different than being outside in the sun I think. I am stumped.


Thanks for viewing.
-Sutt :red1:
 

noodles123

Well-known member
Jul 11, 2018
8,145
472
Parrots
Umbrella Cockatoo- 15? years old..I think?
I don't know a ton about conures, but have you had his blood tested (a CBC, vitamin analysis and and tests for PDD and PBFD?)
 

chris-md

Well-known member
Feb 6, 2010
4,349
2,119
Maryland - USA
Parrots
Parker - male Eclectus

Aphrodite - red throated conure (RIP)
Are you able to post photos? What is his diet like?
 
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suttoni

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Apr 6, 2019
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He's on Harrison's Adult Fine with occasional fresh fruit.
 
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suttoni

New member
Apr 6, 2019
3
0
  • Thread Starter
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  • #5
I don't know a ton about conures, but have you had his blood tested (a CBC, vitamin analysis and and tests for PDD and PBFD?)


Yes in October, had a vitamin D issue and the vet recommended taking him outside every day. This isn't logistically possible so I went with the avian lamp. Going for a re-check in a month.
 

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