Hello all! I'm new here...joined because something strange is going on with my 16-year-old green-cheeked Conure, Cody. Cody has always been an extremely healthy bird, and very attached to me -- I carry her around when I'm home, and so I interact with her every day.
However, I just noticed that her last few flight feathers on both wings have suddenly started curling inwards. I mean suddenly -- it's like I just noticed it one day and it hadn't been that way the day before. The shafts at the base (where there's still blood) seem straight, it's just they come out looking curly! She also seems to be a little sensitive in her wings -- usually I can do whatever I want to them and she doesn't care, but now she gripes at me a bit if I try to extend her wings and feel the feathers.
None of her other feathers show any problems. No bare patches, no loss of feathers, no scaliness, no swelling in her belly, no loss of appetite, normal droppings, normal activity. Her beak is fine. She eats a diet of Lafeber's pellets and couscous mixed with cinnamon and red pepper flakes, plus fruits and veggies. She is in a huge aviary-style cage that she shares with two older cockatiels, who are also normal and don't show any odd symptoms.
Any clue what could be going on here? I can't imagine anything that's changed that would bring about this weirdness! She doesn't interact with strange birds (I bird-sat for a few cockatiels for a couple days several months ago, but they were kept on the other end of the house and never had any interaction with my birds), and she's never been sick.
Could it just be an old-age thing, or should I be worried about PBFD??? =( I'm terrified that that's what it could be! I've had her since she was weaned and I don't want anything to happen to her.
Sorry for the long post...and thanks to anyone who can help!
Edit: I should also note, I've always kept her wings clipped, but I haven't done so in a while because she never tries to fly anyway. Could that possibly explain it? I gave her a warm bath and the feathers seemed straighter when she finished. I clipped them down and will keep an eye on how they grow (but I kept the curled part so if I need to take her to the vet I'll have it to show them.)
However, I just noticed that her last few flight feathers on both wings have suddenly started curling inwards. I mean suddenly -- it's like I just noticed it one day and it hadn't been that way the day before. The shafts at the base (where there's still blood) seem straight, it's just they come out looking curly! She also seems to be a little sensitive in her wings -- usually I can do whatever I want to them and she doesn't care, but now she gripes at me a bit if I try to extend her wings and feel the feathers.
None of her other feathers show any problems. No bare patches, no loss of feathers, no scaliness, no swelling in her belly, no loss of appetite, normal droppings, normal activity. Her beak is fine. She eats a diet of Lafeber's pellets and couscous mixed with cinnamon and red pepper flakes, plus fruits and veggies. She is in a huge aviary-style cage that she shares with two older cockatiels, who are also normal and don't show any odd symptoms.
Any clue what could be going on here? I can't imagine anything that's changed that would bring about this weirdness! She doesn't interact with strange birds (I bird-sat for a few cockatiels for a couple days several months ago, but they were kept on the other end of the house and never had any interaction with my birds), and she's never been sick.
Could it just be an old-age thing, or should I be worried about PBFD??? =( I'm terrified that that's what it could be! I've had her since she was weaned and I don't want anything to happen to her.
Sorry for the long post...and thanks to anyone who can help!
Edit: I should also note, I've always kept her wings clipped, but I haven't done so in a while because she never tries to fly anyway. Could that possibly explain it? I gave her a warm bath and the feathers seemed straighter when she finished. I clipped them down and will keep an eye on how they grow (but I kept the curled part so if I need to take her to the vet I'll have it to show them.)
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