These horrormones…god help us all

[chris-md]

Hey all!!

Been a minute, and I need big time vent. how are y’all’s hormones this fall, for the northern hemisphere folks?

I tell you I’m at my wits end for the first time in ten years. Parker is having the biggest hormonal bout he’s ever had. As an Ekkie owner I’m always on my hormonal control game. I’ve always had a relatively solid grip on them, even as they naturally wax and wane, but wow has my reach has exceeded my grasp this autumn. It’s been years since I’ve come here complaining about hormones…but here we are.

The screaming, the growling, the reactivity to nothing, the unrepentant energy (he’s usually a perch potato…), dark place seeking…I thank god he’s not a hormonal biter. But I’m newly diagnosed this year autistic and adhd, and with meds now on board, the autistic hearing sensitivity I never knew I had is making the frequent screaming situation more combustible than it’s ever been. Nerves are shot throughout the house for sure. And my partner likely has adhd himself, which comes with similar sensitivity.

Doing everything right: good diet, he’s on 14 hr sleep schedule, mostly…the only thing I can do is ride it out at this point, but the end can’t come soon enough. And i think this has been going on for two months already.

SEND HELP!…

Or booze. Lots of booze.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Our birds are budgies so the noise is vrry tolerable but I had a cockatoo many years ago and her screams were pretty epic. It's times like this you almost wish you were hard of hearing. My husband hears very little without his hearing aids. How about some good earplugs? You are lucky he's not a hormonal biter.

If it's truly hormonal have you considered a hormone suppressing treatment like Lupron or Deslorelin? I have a female budgie Joey that's constantly so hormonal that I need to keep her alone in a separate room from other budgies or she will relentlessly chase the males and entice them to mate. She laid her first clutch of 4 infertle eggs at only 6 months old and had only had "been with" any males separated by cage bars but that was enough to start the egg factory. She has two sisters that mate with each other and lay infertile eggs! They're a crazy hormonal family of budgies. I plan to get Joey the Deslorelin hormone implant after the first of the year.

 

[wrench13]

Salty just started seeking out hiding spots, but other then that, so far, not much.

 

[saxguy64]

Hey Chris, great to see you back, though I'm sorry it's for such a challenging reason.

This fall and last were the worst hormonal seasons I've ever experienced with my little flock. Mostly Baxter being hit hard with it. Like Parker, none of mine are hormonal biters, but poor Baxter went through MONTHS of rubbing herself on the bars (her tail/ assorted other feathers were absolutely destroyed from it) and relentless shredding/nesting behavior. Tucker... That scream is the most ear piercing sound on the planet. Mostly attention seeking, but I don't get why. I NEVER reward him with any kind of attention when he screams. Maybe one day he'll get the hint?

We're finally back to somewhat normal around the house, and boy, I hope next time isn't as bad as this and last year!

 

[wrench13]

Chris, you asked about this season, right? I don't mention last seasons hormones, gives me douche chills to think about it. Bad. Real bad.

 

[rheashard2]

I'm worried about this year to. Last year was the worst in nearly two decades. So far Nameliss is seeking out dark spots. Check with your avian vet if possible for evaluation and options.

 

[Thechoplady]

believe it or not, i found my girl to get more hormonal with 14 hours of sleep, i switched her to 11 hours and am getting better results. I read somewhere that it worked better for another female ekkie owner so i tried it and ive seen a positive difference.
Ive also cut down on her fat, pine nuts only for training, some sunflower seeds in foraging toys but thats it as far as fat goes, and that seems to help.

 

[wrench13]

Oh the list of stuff we tried last year is really long. SOme have become permanent, like zero or very very little fruit, pretty strict 12 hr sleep, putting a white noise generator on at nite, covering up any hidey holes, plus the usual hormone time precautions. Really hope we dont have to play whack a mole again this season.