Trained Parrot BlogParrot Wizard Online Parrot Toy StoreThe Parrot Forum

itchy senegal...

Talk about bird illnesses and other bird health related issues. Seeds, pellets, fruits, vegetables and more. Discuss what to feed your birds and in what quantity. Share your recipe ideas.

Re: itchy senegal...

Postby Pajarita » Sun Jan 20, 2019 10:39 am

Does he scratch when he has a bath? If not, why don't you try spraying him with cold water (do NOT make it warm or even room temperature!) with the tiniest splash of organic aloe vera juice from the inner filet (not the gel and not from the whole leaf).
Pajarita
Norwegian Blue
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 18701
Location: NW Pa
Number of Birds Owned: 30
Types of Birds Owned: RoseBreasted too, CAG, DoubleYellowHead Amazon, BlueFront Amazon, YellowNape Amazon, Senegal, African Redbelly, Quaker, Sun Conure, Nanday, BlackCap Caique, WhiteBelly Caique, PeachFace lovebird, budgies,
Flight: Yes

Re: itchy senegal...

Postby stevesjk » Sun Jan 20, 2019 11:14 am

Thanks pajarita, yes i do that every day. Do you have an opinion on what the problem could be?
stevesjk
Conure
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is male
Posts: 220
Number of Birds Owned: 2
Types of Birds Owned: Senegal parrot budgie
Flight: Yes

Re: itchy senegal...

Postby stevesjk » Sun Feb 03, 2019 5:31 am

So anyway, bloods came back fine, pbfd test negative.

The vet recommended rainforest mist and a uv lamp.

Also on gabapentin and zolcal.

Bit wary on the uv lighting, will a vitamin d3 supplement in his water suffice?
stevesjk
Conure
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is male
Posts: 220
Number of Birds Owned: 2
Types of Birds Owned: Senegal parrot budgie
Flight: Yes

Re: itchy senegal...

Postby Pajarita » Sun Feb 03, 2019 11:44 am

UV light is not bad, it's only when it's just a UV lamp that there is danger to their eyes. I would go with a full spectrum of CRI 93+ and a 5000 Ktemp.

I would also not use the gabapentin... I don't agree with doping birds. The zolcal already has vit D3
but wasn't he already getting calcium and vit D3 in any form? Because, if he wasn't, he can definitely use it but he is not scratching because of a lack of calcium...

And I don't really know anything about the Rain Forest Mist. King Cages does not list the ingredients on their site but it says to use only externally and to keep away from children and pets - and a review I read says that it stings the bird's eyes so, personally, I would not use it.

Have you tried the humidifier running all the time?
Pajarita
Norwegian Blue
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 18701
Location: NW Pa
Number of Birds Owned: 30
Types of Birds Owned: RoseBreasted too, CAG, DoubleYellowHead Amazon, BlueFront Amazon, YellowNape Amazon, Senegal, African Redbelly, Quaker, Sun Conure, Nanday, BlackCap Caique, WhiteBelly Caique, PeachFace lovebird, budgies,
Flight: Yes

Re: itchy senegal...

Postby stevesjk » Sun Feb 03, 2019 2:06 pm

I took it upon myself to ignore his suggestion of rainforrest mist to be honest. The reviews are horrible.

Ive read some horror stories on uv lamps too so i am just using d3/calcium supplements in his water instead. My bird wouldnt benefit from a lamp hanging over his cage anyway as he's hardly in it. Im right on top of his supplements now.

As for humidity, he's sprayed every day and i spray his newspaper too. Im in social housing so the council arent too thrilled about humidifiers as they can blacken walls.

Would an allergy have been picked up in his bloods? With the mouth opening and constant itching im starting to think thats what it is.

The vet thinks its a habbit but i can tell its not.....well im about 90% sure its not, 10% im not sure because after a full day of intense scratching he is now on his roosting perch grinding with contentment. Lol birds are weird
stevesjk
Conure
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is male
Posts: 220
Number of Birds Owned: 2
Types of Birds Owned: Senegal parrot budgie
Flight: Yes

Re: itchy senegal...

Postby Pajarita » Mon Feb 04, 2019 10:19 am

Ahhh, good on the Rainforest Mist! Brilliant minds and all that :lol:

Yes, at this point in time, an allergy would have shown the white blood cells that indicate inflammation elevated.

I also cannot have a humidifier running all day long, day after day, month after month in my living room and dining room. My husband loves me to pieces and never says no to me but he likes what he calls 'a normal family home' and he would most definitely balk at having the flooring, paintings and furniture destroyed by constant high humidity so I do the same thing: I spray them thoroughly (actually, some of them thoroughly and the others as best as I can running after them when they fly away from me) and wet the paper at the bottom of the cage - I actually soak it because it's under the grid so the birds don't ever step on it.

I don't believe is a habit, either, but, in all honesty, I am not sure... I guess that it can be taken as a form of feather destructive behavior. Lord knows they are as quirky as people when it comes to things like that so anything it's possible. I had a boss many years ago -an engineer from Texas who was the International Director of an OAS regionalization project for which I was the executive manager- who used to pull his eyebrows off by the roots! The man walked around with big holes in his eyebrows all the time.

Have you tried keeping a bottle of cool water by you and spraying him every time he scratches? I think I would try that.
Pajarita
Norwegian Blue
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 18701
Location: NW Pa
Number of Birds Owned: 30
Types of Birds Owned: RoseBreasted too, CAG, DoubleYellowHead Amazon, BlueFront Amazon, YellowNape Amazon, Senegal, African Redbelly, Quaker, Sun Conure, Nanday, BlackCap Caique, WhiteBelly Caique, PeachFace lovebird, budgies,
Flight: Yes

Re: itchy senegal...

Postby stevesjk » Wed Feb 06, 2019 9:15 am

Thanks for your ever consistent responses pajarita, yes i will try as you said to spray him more often throughout the day.
stevesjk
Conure
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is male
Posts: 220
Number of Birds Owned: 2
Types of Birds Owned: Senegal parrot budgie
Flight: Yes

Re: itchy senegal...

Postby Pajarita » Wed Feb 06, 2019 10:25 am

Mind you, I don't mean this as punishment but as distraction. Baths always make the birds perform 'normal' preening (that's why it's recommended for pluckers and self-mutilators) so, if his scratching like a maniac is nothing but a bad habit, by soaking him every time he does it, it would make him revert to a normal preening which, in time, would break the bad habit and affirm the good one. Or, at least, I hope it will...
Pajarita
Norwegian Blue
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 18701
Location: NW Pa
Number of Birds Owned: 30
Types of Birds Owned: RoseBreasted too, CAG, DoubleYellowHead Amazon, BlueFront Amazon, YellowNape Amazon, Senegal, African Redbelly, Quaker, Sun Conure, Nanday, BlackCap Caique, WhiteBelly Caique, PeachFace lovebird, budgies,
Flight: Yes

Re: itchy senegal...

Postby stevesjk » Wed Feb 06, 2019 3:44 pm

Dont worry i know exactly what you meant. He could never see spraying as punishment, he loves it lol. Thanks.
stevesjk
Conure
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is male
Posts: 220
Number of Birds Owned: 2
Types of Birds Owned: Senegal parrot budgie
Flight: Yes

Re: itchy senegal...

Postby stevesjk » Mon Mar 04, 2019 9:32 am

Ive had a bit of a brainwave, im going to reduce his sugar levels as i read high blood sugar can lead to severe dry and itchy skin. Every day he has had all day access to about 5 slices of apple, 3 or 4 grapes, blueberries and many more, i think that might be too much so im cutting him down to one piece of fruit per day. Currently on day 4 with no change yet.
stevesjk
Conure
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is male
Posts: 220
Number of Birds Owned: 2
Types of Birds Owned: Senegal parrot budgie
Flight: Yes

PreviousNext

Return to Health, Nutrition & Diet

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 9 guests

Parrot ForumArticles IndexTraining Step UpParrot Training BlogPoicephalus Parrot InformationParrot Wizard Store