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About my African Grey

Q: NEW: 06/22/06 My African Grey is about 7 months old. I have never seen her pluck a feather. For the past few days when she flaps her wings down feathers fly all over the place. They are also on the bottom of ther cage. (but only down, she's never pulled out or lost any other type of feathers). Is this normal? I've checked her over real well, and she has no bald or irritated spots

A: It is most likely that what you are seeing is normal feather turn over. Watch for excessive preening and bare areas.

Mark G. Romain, DVM

My Parrot

Q: NEW: 06/22/06 My male grey parrot’s right eye is swelling too much. He is sneezing as well. It seems that his nose have blocked. His throat is also not looking normal. Please advice me as soon as possible.

A: You need to have your grey examined by an avian veterinarian. The most common condition treated in pet birds is upper respiratory infections and sinusitis. Some times these can be difficult to cure and other times quite easy, but it requires medication and treatment to resolve.

Mark G. Romain, DVM

About my Cockatoo

Q: NEW: 06/22/06 I have a moluccan cockatoo that I adopted. His current diet consists of fresh fruits and veggies, some pellet diet (he doesn't seem to like it), and small amount of a seed mixture 3 times a week. His poop is a pea green to dark green. Is this normal? FYI his liver enzymes we slightly elevated on his first physical, and slightly low on his folow up.

A: The color of the stools, as you might expect, depends on the color of the food he is eating, how much bile pigment his passing in the stools, and if he is absorbing the nutrients in his food. It is very important for you to feed a “formulated” diet. If he doesn’t care for the pellets you are currently feeding, try some other pellets that is a different shape, size, or color. No one company has the corner on the market for what a Moluccan Cockatoo needs in their diet. Use seeds for rewards only. If you are worried about the color, collect several stools and wrap in a bag to show someone who has seen many stools and give you an idea if it is normal or abnormal.

Mark G. Romain, DVM

Taking a Bath!!

Q: I have seen wild birds "take a bath" in dirt. Is this something we can or need to imitate for caged birds?

A: Normally, it is not recommended to provide dust for companion birds to bathe in. It is felt that in wild birds it may help fight off parasites. Most hook billed birds just need regular water baths to keep the skin and feathers healthy. Various individual birds like water in different forms. Some like the shower, or the sink, or the bowl, etc. Bathing is especially important in the dry winter months.

Mark G. Romain, DVM

First-time buyer!!!

Q: What is the best advice you can give to a first-time bird buyer, before they buy a bird, What should they look for in the bird?
What kind of health things should they look for?

A: When looking for a new bird, be sure to check references from people who
have purchased birds from the source you are considering. The store or breeder should have a clean facility without odor. All birds should be bright and alert. Look for discharges in the nostrils or eyes. Feathering should be iridescent and not mottled. Research what it takes to provide a quality diet and look for sources that feed properly. Ask about vaccinations and testing. Ask for written copies of any procedures done. Make sure that the contract or guarantee is in writing so that you will know how to comply and what your options are. Please consider buying birds that have been weaned. Take time to visit more than once looking for personality in your new pet. Each is an individual and will be completely different than the others..

Mark G. Romain, DVM

Teach an old bird new tricks!!!

Q: I was given a cockatiel and find her very, very affectionate and talkative ON HER TERMS, she enjoys sitting in my hair and watching me work, follows me from room to room and even showers with me. BUT she has a nasty habit of biting...this seems to occur most when she is in her cage and you even attempt to touch her cage. How can I get her to stop biting my hands? Can an "old bird" learn new tricks, or is this a bad habit I have to live with? Thanks for ANY help.

A: Cockatiels are very territorial about their immediate area. They fend off anyone or anything that approaches their "sphere" without permission. Don't allow the bird to bluff you. Keep going with your hand into the legs so that the bird actually stumbles on to your hand and doesn't have time to think about biting. When on your hand and biting, drop your hand quickly so that the bird has to catch its balance each time it tries to bite. Use more than one cage. Use one for sleeping where it is dark and quiet with no toys and less room. Use a bigger cage with toys and activities in a busy area of the house for during the day. Birds learn quickly to make the transition between cages and are less likely to bite when removed. Be insistent, but gentle.

Mark G. Romain, DVM

 About African Grey

Q: For the African Grey; What is the amount daily for almonds? My bird is going through a stage of wanting almonds only. Is there any harm in that? She's on pellets also.

A: A couple almonds a day would be okay. When the almonds become a significant percent of the diet, then you are changing the formulation set up in the pellets. Nuts are usually high in fat and are harmful over the long run. My suggestion is to use them like treats for tricks, training, or good behavior, not as part of their regular diet.

Mark G. Romain, DVM

Bird eating its waste:

Q: Why does my cockatiel always eat the poop off of her cage floor? Won't it make her ill?

A: We assume that it is associated with boredom and a lack of things to do. Oh, I know, you probably have many toys for her to play with, but birds might prefer things scattered on the cage floor. Try replacing the poops with grated veggies. You can use a grid in the bottom of the cage, but don't use soldered wire mesh. I do not know of any medical problems of birds eating their stools..

Mark G. Romain, DVM

Head Bobbing:

Q: My Conure will occasionally start bobbing his head up and down wildly like he wants to face feed. He does this to the air, NOT to any mirror, person, or another bird. What do you think he's doing... and what does it mean?

A: Really would need more information, and probably observe this behavior to be able to give you an answer. Some of these kinds of motions can be posturing for dominance, sexual displays, or just to occupy their time when cooped up. Sometimes I have clients videotape what they are seeing so that I can watch. Nine times out of ten the bird won't do it when they are brought to our hospital.

Mark G. Romain, DVM

Flowers good???

Q: What if any Nutritional Value is there in flowers, such as Marigolds, Petals, Calendula Flowers, Culinary herbs (Basil, Lavender, etc) and other edible flowers? My birds love to eat them up, probably eating some good and bad within reason.

A: I am at a disadvantage to properly answer your question in regard to eating flowers. We know that flowers are fed to some herbivorous reptiles and I would think that they would have some nutritional value to birds, although I am not familiar with the nutritional aspects of various flowers. I see no reason why culinary herbs would be harmful to birds. Certainly medicinal herbs should not be fed without a thorough understanding of their effects. In general, we don't talk much about feeding flowers due to the difficulty in controlling the type and amounts, and our lack of knowledge. It is easier to provide proper nutrition by feeding formulated diets and veggies high in vitamin A..

Mark G. Romain, DVM

New Cars:

Q: I've been considering buying a new car. But, since I know birds tend to be very sensitive to odors, I am concerned that the "new car" smell may be dangerous to my bird. What do you think?

A: I wouldn't think that the odor in a new car would be an issue. If the car was really new, I would be worried about any fumes from glues that are used on the interior. Normally that has subsided by the time one is delivered. If you are worried about transporting a bird in a new car, open all the doors two hours prior to departure and keep the bird in the car under two hours. That should be plenty safe and prevent any problems..

Mark G. Romain, DVM

Re: Cockatiel:

Q: Our 3 year old Lutino Cockatiel is in her second clutch of eggs this year. She is single. How do I get her to stop? She has been sitting on this batch only coming away to eat, drink, bathe and be cuddled. Thanks.

A: Human Chronic Gonadotropin (HCG) is the current choice for egg laying hens. HCG has no known side effects compared to depro-provara. You should try eliminating mirrors, birdlike toys, and other surrogate mates, along with maintaining constant daylight hours first. One injection will usually stop ovulation in a hen that is acting broody before the start of the egg laying, but once egg laying has started, usually three injections will be necessary.

Mark G. Romain, DVM

Re: Cockatiel Beak:

Q: Why does the color of a cockatiel's beak change color? I have seen some with a light shade of gray up to almost black.

A: Pigmentation of the beak can vary dramatically from bird to bird, especially with species that have been color mutated. Pigment is added often as the bird ages or reaches sexual maturity. This assumes the color is not from trauma or disease..

Mark G. Romain, DVM

My parrot's beak flakes

Q: Should I be concerned if my parrot's beak flakes in the corner like a flaky nail? What causes this? Should I do anything for it?

A: Flaking beak margins are generally normal. When excessive, it is usually from poor diets leading to poor beak quality. Sometimes beak quality is affected by liver disease or scaly leg mites. See your avian vet if you are not sure. Some of the flaky parts can be cleaned up with a dermal stone..

Mark G. Romain, DVM

Cockatiel Colors:

Q: Why are some Lutino cockatiels white with yellow crests and others are yellow top to bottom?

A: The color mutations of cockatiels are all a matter of genetics. There are many shades and variations now. What they show in color is just a matter of how they were bred....................

Mark G. Romain, DVM

Yawning or NOT?

Q: What is my bird doing when I scratch him behind his ears... it looks like he's yawning?

A: Gaping open the mouth or "yawning" is common posturing in many birds. I assume it may show contentment. Wish they could tell me......

Mark G. Romain, DVM

Sneezing Bird:

Q: Can birds have allergies? What from? My cockatiel seems to be scratching his ear and sneezing a lot...

A: Yes, birds can have allergies. They have not been studied as much as they have in mammals. But most experts agree that birds can have allergic reactions. One example might be the reaction cockatiels have to giardia organisms in their GI tract that can cause them to itch and mutilate themselves. The things that birds may be allergic to have never been determined, but one could assume they can have allergic reactions to similar proteins that cause allergies in mammals. A sneezing and scratching bird should be looked at for an upper respiratory infection first, as that would be the most likely cause....

Mark G. Romain, DVM

Re: African Greys

Q: My African Grey Parrot, Kelly, is 1 and 1/2 years old. Recently, I've begun to find numerous small gray and down feathers all over the cage floor and I've caught her pulling out her tail feathers and playing with them. My husband is afraid she's begun feather picking but I think she's just molting. How do we determine the difference? I don't want to come home and find a naked bird. She is in a macaw size cage with toys. Her diet consists of pellets and seeds with fresh foods 3 times a week. I play with her whenever she requests it.

A: Sounds as if you might be watching for additional feather picking. Equatorial parrots do not "molt" at one time, but rather they lose their feathers gradually throughout the year. Greys are very prone to picking. When diseases and diet are ruled out first, then behavior can be considered. Assuming that it is not a disease, and given that the diet sounds good, you should be bathing your bird daily. Contrary to what I used to think, bird behaviorists are now saying that ten or eleven small toys spaced along the back of the cage are not too much. These birds are very intelligent and need to be challenged daily. One cannot, in this day and age, give them enough personal attention. One can do it at the owner's schedule and not necessarily the birds, so as not to spoil. Other activities can be invented. Toys and foods that require some ingenuity are useful. They should have as much time away from the cage as possible. Sitting on a perch on top of the cage is not enough. Give as much stuff that can be torn apart and dismantled as possible...

Mark G. Romain, DVM