Zilla & Wing Twitching???

[Amanda_Bennett]

I just noticed yesterday afternoon that Zilla is "twitching" or readjusting her wings a LOT. Almost like her feathers aren't cooperating and laying how she wants so she is kind of twitching them a bit, but often. This is new and just started yesterday.

Is this wing flipping???

From what I have heard about wing flipping it's usually a diet issue. She eats a varied diet every day. Hardly ever the same "mix" more than maybe 2 or 3 times in 4 or 5 days. The only things she gets every day in some form are brown rice, wheat pasta, and a variety of beans, all the veggies and fruits are varied daily. Treats are varied daily, but she does get several almonds everyday because she loves them!

She still dives head first into her food as often as possible she is playing as much as is normal for her, not sleeping more than a short nap a couple times a day, our daily routine hasn't changed, hasn't had any meds since the 4th. Showers every other day and is allowing misting between showers.

What could this be? Do I need to take her back to the vet? Her next appointment isn't until Feb. 12th...

 

[Birdman666]

No, with amazons it means something different...

It means she's molting in/out feathers and is uncomfortable. Increased bathing really, really helps with this. Sally just about drives me nuts when she has new tail feathers coming in... with all her twitching and honking.

Eckies have a peculiar dietary neurological thing that can happen with wing flipping and toe tapping. This isn't "I'm uncomfortable." This is I cannot stop doing it due to neurological problems related to my diet...

Amazons don't get that one. They get fat, and fatty liver disease, from poor diets.

 

[Amanda_Bennett]

She has lost several wing/flight feathers lately. I guess more misting and showering.

Thanks Mark!

 

[Dopey]

I just noticed yesterday afternoon that Zilla is "twitching" or readjusting her wings a LOT. Almost like her feathers aren't cooperating and laying how she wants so she is kind of twitching them a bit, but often. This is new and just started yesterday.

Is this wing flipping???

Patches has been wing flipping a lot and he needs a major molt. I will try to soak/mist him more often to help. He has little white fluffy down feathers all over his cage and the floor and has lost a few feathers. Thanks for starting this thread because I was going to ask about it.

 

[Birdman666]

When Sally's butt feathers were coming in I was bathing her twice a day!

After two or three days of being miserable, she was back to her old sweet self.

 

[Dopey]

Mark - how late in the day can you mist the birds? I get home after 6 so it would be closer to 6:30 before I could mist Patches again.

 

[Birdman666]

As long as it's reasonably warm in the house I wouldn't worry about time of day. When Sally acted twitchy, I just picked her up, walked her over to the kitchen sink, and put her tail under running lukewarm water for a few minutes.

Doesn't matter if it's two in the afternoon, or 8:00 at night to me.

It really does seem to help. The pinfeather sheathes open in half the time.

 

[labell]

Brady is getting back many of the wing feathers that were so horribly chopped when I first got her and she does the wing flipping a lot right now I give her a bath every other day which does seem to help.

I am sure Zilla is anxious to let go of all those unhealthy feathers from her old sad life and reward you with all new glowing healthy ones!

 

[Kiwibird]

I agree with Mark about it likely being new feathers being bothersome.

Another thought, they can sometimes get a feather out of place and twitch their wing because it's uncomfortable. Sometimes the need a human to 'help' remind them flapping their wings will put the feather back where it belongs

 

[henpecked]

Could also be hen zon behavior. They flip their wings during mating to stimulate the male. Just another pov.

 

[Amanda_Bennett]

Could also be hen zon behavior. They flip their wings during mating to stimulate the male. Just another pov.

I'm pretty sure she is a she and not a he, but I did just order a DNA kit. I guess I'm one of those people who NEED to know for sure for sure! So far she is doing all the female "nesty" stuff and not the male stuff, but since I am so new to Zons it can't hurt to have unequivocal proof!