MacawMama

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

My parrotlet did this too! Turned out it was because of insufficient UV light exposure, especially in Canadian winters. Once I addressed that, everything went back to normal.

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

I actually disagree with this. In my experience with my zebra finch, the opposite was true. But I know every bird is different.

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

Which avian vet do you go to? I'm looking for a good one near Milton.

Update: took everyone's advice and things are improving. Pickle is slowly coming around. This forum is the best.

My advice would be adding foraging opportunities to at least 3 different spots in the cage. Went through the same thing with my sun conure last year.

I remember when my African Grey went through this phase. I was so worried but my vet said it's actually really common.

Already stressing about Canada Day plans. Last year I left booking a bird sitter way too late and had to cancel my trip. If you're traveling for Thanksgiving, book NOW. Any recommendations for bird sitters or boarding in the the Beaches area?

Welcome to the club! My zebra finch trained ME in the first week. They're way smarter than they let on.

Hi all! I just adopted a lovebird 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!

I've been buying organic for my lineolated parakeet but honestly the cost is adding up. Is it actually necessary? I wash everything thoroughly anyway. What do you all do? Is the pesticide risk real or overblown for birds?

I struggled with this too until I started stuffing paper towel rolls with treats for foraging. Now it's like a completely different bird.

Every evening, Oliver flips upside down in my hand, goes completely limp, and closes their eyes. The first time they did this I PANICKED and almost called the emergency vet. Turns out they just... like being held upside down? African Grey are so weird. Does your bird have a weird quirk?

Welcome!! Looking forward to hearing more about your feathered friend. Don't be shy about asking questions!

Welcome to the forum! Great to have another bird lover from the GTA. Your lineolated parakeet sounds adorable — what's their personality like?

What does their diet look like? Sometimes these things are diet-related.

YES! This is exactly what I needed to read today. My blue and gold macaw and I have been going through the same thing!

Welcome to the forum! Great to have another bird lover from the GTA. Your parrotlet sounds adorable — what's their personality like?