FidoAndFeathers

I've had birds for 15 years and I've seen this many times. In my experience it usually comes down to a subtle environmental change you might not even notice.

Do you have other pets in the home? My Quaker parrot started acting differently when we got a cat.

My vet says annual checkups are essential even if the bird seems healthy. But my Senegal parrot HATES traveling and the stress of the visit seems counterproductive for a healthy bird. Do you do annual wellness exams or only go when something's wrong?

Okay but counterpoint — what about birds that are the complete opposite? My cockatiel breaks every rule lol.

I see posts where someone describes concerning symptoms and the first response is always "monitor for a few days." Birds hide illness! A few days of monitoring could mean the difference between a treatable issue and a tragedy. If something seems off, just GO to the vet.

Planning a deep clean of the bird room this weekend. What's your spring cleaning routine? I'm thinking new cage liner, scrubbing all perches, sanitizing toys, washing cage cover. What bird-safe disinfectant do you use? My cockatiel is going to be SO annoyed.

Been thinking about adopting a rescue instead of buying from a breeder. Any experiences with rescue birds in Ontario? What should I expect in terms of behavioral challenges? Which rescue organizations do you recommend?

What kind of cage setup do you have? Sometimes the environment is a factor.

Hi all! I just adopted a blue and gold macaw and I'm already head over heels but also completely overwhelmed. So many questions: what pellets do you recommend? How do I know if they're sick? Is it normal for them to sneeze? How do I get them to trust me? I've been googling non-stop but real owner experiences are worth way more. Thanks in advance for any guidance!

Have you tried using a shower perch so they can bathe with warm mist? That's what solved this issue for us. Game changer honestly.

I feel like my cockatiel either eats like a truck or barely touches their food depending on the day. What's a normal amount? I free-feed pellets and offer fresh food twice a day. Am I doing this right?

My Pionus did this too! Turned out it was because of the cage being in a high-traffic or drafty location. Once I addressed that, everything went back to normal.

What worked for me was getting a kitchen scale and weighing them weekly to track health. Took about a week but my canary responded really well to it.

I've had birds for 15 years and I've seen this many times. In my experience it usually comes down to hormonal season — spring is brutal.

I have a similar story. My Eclectus used to do the exact same thing. I remember being SO frustrated until one day it just clicked. Patience is truly the key with birds.

I used to think the same thing until my Quaker parrot proved me wrong. Now I'm firmly in the other camp.

Hello! Been lurking on this forum for a bit and finally decided to make an account and participate. I've had my Quaker parrot Raja for about 18 months now. Always nice to connect with other bird people in the GTA — most people I know think I'm crazy for having a bird lol. Excited to be here!

Just joined! I have a beautiful parrotlet named Mochi and we live in Oshawa. I spend way too much time talking to my bird and taking photos of them. Looking to learn more about bird care, nutrition, and training from people who actually know what they're talking about. Nice to meet you all!

Hey welcome! You'll love this community. Feel free to ask anything, everyone here is super helpful!

Lol my Indian Ringneck does the exact same thing. I've just accepted that the bird runs the house now. I'm just the food delivery service.