# Parrot help



## SpringerHusky (Nov 6, 2008)

My friend has just got a Senegal parrot a few hours ago is concerned, here's what she posted;

My parrot who we just picked up is acting oddly. She's sitting at one end of the perch, putting one foot on the cage usually. She keeps ruffling/puffing her feathers, and appears to be shaking. Her wings/chest when she breathes can be seen shaking/quivering. Can anybody help?


I don't know anything about birds (i'm allergic) but thought i'd try here 

edit; 

Another message;
Mum got her out again. Flew around, couldn't land anywhere, paniced and hit her head somewhere. She landed on the floor and just stood there still and now she's got a patch where her feathers have come off.


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## M.R Drake (Sep 1, 2010)

The parrot is suffering from fright (scared)... I think it's usual, but it also seems like the parrot is very stressed.

How long have your friend been having the Parrot??

If the bird is new, as in few days I would really suggest not letting the parrot out of the cage and make sure that the parrot's cage is kept in a place where most people are around such as the living room, so that it gets familiar with the family members, and don't keep on changing the cage's location since it would be quit stressful for the bird, keep the cage somewhere you won't mind having it there for a long period Of time...

Never let a bird out of its cage in a unfamiliar sorroundings, the bird is lucky to hit her head and still be unharmed, wait for MONTHS or even more to get your bird used to his new surroundings then let fly out of the cage... Make sure windows are covered by curtains and such and close all the doors when its is out.


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## AlexArt (Apr 25, 2010)

Agree with the above - sounds like a very very stressed bird - holding one foot up and fluffing it's feathers up etc is a sign of stress or even illness so keeping a close eye on new birds is a must!! New birds should be left in their cage until they are comfortable with you and keep their routine as close to what the previous owners did, it may take a week or 2 for a well handled bird, for a very nervous bird that has not had much handling it may take months. Keep her food the same and try not to fuss over the poor thing too much - hard I know with a new pet as it's all very exciting - but birds are prone to getting ill when they get stressed and can even die, so tell them to go slow with the little bird they do come out of their shell eventually. Where did they get the bird from and how old is it? - did the previous people not give them advise on its care?


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## SpringerHusky (Nov 6, 2008)

Will pass on.

The bird came from a petstore, she was regularly handled by the staff and had become a staff favourite, my friend reserved her before going on holiday so the staff kept her in the staff room where she was got out daily by various staff members.


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## Kloofcat (Jun 14, 2012)

Rita is a 17(ish) week old, hand reared senegal parrot that we bought just yesterday. In the store you could put your finger in the cage and she'd put her head down for you to scratch it, or put it to one side for you to scratch her neck. She'd jump on my finger through the cage and everything. They kept her in the staff room for the past 3 weeks while we were on holiday, and they often let her out and stuff. When we bought her home she acted exactly like this, but then slowly got strange. We've had her out a bit - with windows covered and everything - and when she's in her cage she wants to come out all the time. Any and all help/advise is appreciated, I have a friend who knows birds well, and I'm getting help from her, but I'd rather we knew all we can.


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## AlexArt (Apr 25, 2010)

Join this forum as there are loads of very knowledgable folk on there who have senegals as well as breeders who hand rear, they maybe able to give you more specific info - parrot-link.co.uk - Parrot Forum Message Board - Index
At 17 weeks this little bird is still a baby and has now moved from breeder to pet shop to new owner which is an awful lot! I've only rescued 2 birds - 1 is a 24yr old goffins cockatoo, who was a biter and a screamer and had been kept in a garage for years, and the other a neglected orange wing amazon that was kept in a budgie cage and is supposedly a 1yr old but who knows!, and has taken months to settle in just a little bit - they are all very different so a specific parrot forum with more knowledgable folk might not be a bad idea!!


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## Bullymastiff (May 6, 2010)

After changing a birds environment it really shouldnt be handled or let out at all for a few days, best thing is to pretty much ignore the bird apart from feeding and watering for a few days. 

My parrot was tame when i bought it, but i still didnt touch him for a while after bringing home just fed and watered and nothing else at all. 

If you are concerned that the bird is sick you should contact the shop you bought it from and avian vet asap. 

How long has the bird actually been with you?


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## Kloofcat (Jun 14, 2012)

Thanks for the advice on the parrot forums - I'll certainly check that out!

And we've literally had Rita now for only 3 days ... we picked her up on wednesday. She seems absolutely fine now, it was only that first day she seemed funny. I had my friend over yesterday who's pretty smart when it comes to parrots - she owns an amazon and fosters an african grey until she gets adopted, and she said Rita seems fine and happy. Thanks for all of the advice everyone!


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## huaihanmao1983 (Jun 28, 2012)

so that it gets familiar with the family members, and don't keep on changing the cage's location since it would be quit stressful for the bird, keep the cage somewhere you won't mind having it there for a long period Of time...


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