GreyOwnerMark

Oh man, this brings back memories. When we were dealing with this with Maple, I thought we'd never get through it. Now it's just a funny memory. It gets better, I promise.

Noticed a small red bump on my African Grey's foot. Could this be bumblefoot? I have varied perch sizes but maybe not enough natural wood. What should I do? Is this a vet emergency or can I treat at home?

Great question! So in my experience with sun conure, this usually comes down to a few things. First, spending at minimum 2 hours of supervised out-of-cage time daily. Second, make sure they're getting enough sleep — 12 hours of uninterrupted dark sleep is crucial. And third, pay attention to stress from loud noises like construction because that was a huge factor for my Jade. Hope that helps!

This reminds me of when I first got Mochi. I was so overwhelmed but looking back, those early days were actually really special. The bond building phase is tough but beautiful.

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

How long have you had them? Sometimes it takes a while for birds to settle into a new home.

I know how stressful this can be. Just know you're not alone and most of us have been through something similar.

My Tango went through a phase like this around 6 months. I was terrified but it passed. Birds are weird sometimes lol.

I struggled with this too until I started spending at minimum 2 hours of supervised out-of-cage time daily. Now it's like a completely different bird.

Couldn't agree more. This has been my experience as well.

It took me a while to figure this out with my bird too. Don't be too hard on yourself — you're learning!

So I had this exact problem about a year ago. Let me share what I learned. The key thing is adding a full-spectrum Arcadia UV light near the cage. A lot of people also recommend joining an online support group for Eclectus owners. My avian vet in Mississauga also suggested checking for dry winter air from forced-air heating which can sometimes be an underlying factor. Good luck — feel free to DM me if you have questions!

Quick rundown of toys I've gotten for my caique this year: BEST — palm leaf shredders, lasted weeks and kept Tango busy for hours. WORST — some overpriced plastic thing from PetSmart that my bird was terrified of and I couldn't return. What are your best/worst buys?

I got mine from the pet section at Costco in Hamilton. Great selection and the staff actually knows about birds.

Just wanted to give a shoutout to Bird Sitting Toronto. Left my Hahn's macaw with them for 10 days while we visited family and Clover came home happy and healthy. They sent daily photo updates. Honestly the best experience. Highly recommend for anyone in Vaughan!

Can we start a support group for this? Because SAME.

Couldn't agree more. This has been my experience as well.

My vet in Guelph suggested rearranging the cage every couple weeks to prevent boredom and I noticed a change within the first week. Highly recommend.

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?

My Skittles went through a phase like this around 5 years. I was terrified but it passed. Birds are weird sometimes lol.