Parrots are clean birds. Birds spend a lot of time cleaning their feathers. It itches and bites its paws, removing feathers, fluff and dead particles of epithelium. Observing the behavior of your pet, you can notice how the parrot constantly scratches its butt. Such a strange action indicates the presence of a disease.
The reasons for this behavior may be:
- Gastrointestinal disorder;
- Cloacite;
- Infection with ticks;
- Helminth damage;
- Behavior during the mating season and the moment of puberty.
Gastrointestinal disorder
Unusual behavior of the bird indicates a disruption of the gastrointestinal tract. The causes of malfunction in the bird’s body include improper maintenance and feeding of the parrot, food poisoning or toxic fumes (cigarette smoke, fumes from paint, varnish, perfume). Gastrointestinal upset causes diarrhea. Liquid droppings cause discomfort and discomfort. Irritation in the cloaca area leads to the parrot scratching its butt on the perch.
Associated symptoms include:
- anxious behavior;
- plucking feathers in the cloaca area;
- liquid droppings with discoloration;
- vomit;
- refusal of food and water.
How can I get my parrot not to sit on its head?
You have several options to keep your parrot from landing on your head.
One option is to clip the parrot's wings so that it cannot fly. A controversial issue, as some believe that cutting flight feathers is cruel because it takes away their instinctive ability to fly. This could be an entire article. Many parrots have their wings clipped for many reasons and this should be discussed with your veterinarian.
Another option is to try to reward them when they sit where you want them to. Try a training session that will improve relationships and understanding for your parrot. This will make it easier for your parrot to get off your head.
Cloacite
The inflamed condition of the cloacal mucosa is called cloacitis. The causes of this disease include, first of all, improper keeping of the pet. A feathered bird, during a free walk, can swallow foreign objects, which lead to blockage of the rectum. This condition causes severe inflammation.
Your pet's diet should be balanced. Excess sand and gravel disrupts the digestion process. The intestines cease to function normally, muscle tone in this area decreases, which leads to inflammation of the cloaca.
Cloacitis can be a consequence of serious diseases, such as a tumor of the liver, kidneys or genital organs. The disease causes serious complications that lead to intestinal paralysis.
This disease can occur in a female bird during the period of laying eggs. During the formation of the egg, the cloaca area becomes clogged, which causes obstruction of waste products. Cloacitis can occur even after the release of an egg, which irritates the mucous membrane of the cloaca during passage. As a result, the inflamed area becomes infected and becomes even more inflamed.
A few things that are normal for a parrot in a new home
Photo: Juggling Mom
- It begins to seem to you that the bird does not drink water at all - in fact, parrots are light drinkers, especially if their diet constantly contains fresh fruits and vegetables. This way they get enough water and there is no need to worry;
- Also, if the bird is in the house for the first few days, then similar suspicions extend to food - the owners think that the baby is not eating. In fact, the bird may not eat at first, and then stealthily approach the feeder when you are not looking.
Try to install the feeder so that the new resident does not have to turn his back to the room, this way he will feel more relaxed without being distracted by looking around;
- does not eat fruits, vegetables, herbs and cereals - perhaps the bird does not know that this is food. It is advisable to train the bird to eat something other than a grain mixture during the taming process; you will have to introduce the bird to different types of food;
- when you try to get closer, the wavy one will either begin to rush around the cage, or will try to move as far away from you as possible. This behavior is quite normal for a “newbie”, so you need to be understanding of his reaction and help the bird adapt as quickly as possible.
After the parrot gets used to it, its character and individual habits will begin to appear, it will be interested in surrounding objects and make contact with you.
Damage by ticks
Strange behavior of a parrot may indicate the presence of parasites in the bird's body. These include helminths and ticks. In advanced forms of knemidocoptic mange, a disease caused by ticks, the parasite settles in areas of the body where there is no feather cover. In addition to the beak and paws, this is the cloaca zone.
The tick attacks the upper part of the skin. Gnawing through numerous small passages and holes. The skin in the affected area becomes porous, causing itching and irritation. In an attempt to get rid of irritation, the bird scratches the affected area of the body very hard.
The parrot scratches its butt with its paw and beak, and tries to use the perch as a scratcher. Scratching can lead to the appearance of red spots, indicating the appearance of blood and loss of feathers.
Actively itching means you are unhealthy
Intense itching, accompanied by other symptoms, indicates illness. Budgerigars are small but hardy birds. However, when kept at home they often suffer from various diseases. All kinds of ticks, fleas, and helminths can poison the lives of birds. In addition, the appearance of scabies is associated with inflammatory processes.
Skin dermatitis
Parrots often have skin inflammation. It occurs under the influence of many factors:
- external (stress, dirt, trauma);
- internal (hormonal imbalances, allergies, decreased immunity).
Dermatitis is not contagious, but it greatly complicates the life of individual individuals. The most vulnerable places on the body are the armpits, base of the tail, neck, fingers. The skin swells, peels, turns red, and wounds appear. The parrot begins to itch, trying to get rid of the discomfort. To eliminate dermatitis, veterinarians recommend special food, as well as a course of homeopathy.
Parasites
Parrots have external and internal parasites. External ones are ticks, bedbugs, fleas. From the inside, the bird is plagued by helminths. One of the symptoms of pest infestation is severe itching. The scabies mite parasitizes the epidermis, while feather eaters live in the cavities of feathers and feed on their particles. At the same time, the parrot itches and scratches frantically. There are tracheal mites that settle in the respiratory organs and significantly undermine the health of birds.
Some bird mites can only be detected under a microscope, while others are visible to the naked eye. If you tap a piece of white paper with a perch, black dots will be visible on it - in this case, the diagnosis is easy to make. Only a veterinarian can carry out a thorough diagnosis.
On a note! Saving your pet from parasites is not so difficult: there are many preparations for external treatment, for example, aversectin ointment or Vaseline oil.
Fungi
Excessive air humidity is the cause of mold and mildew on walls and objects. Constant dampness inside the cage is a favorable environment for the growth of microorganisms, which transfer from the equipment to the bird’s paws. Fungal spores spread throughout the body, affecting the beak and wax, the area around the eyes. The budgerigar itches intensely, becomes weaker, and refuses to feed. An exhausted bird may die without treatment.
To prevent fungal diseases, you need to regularly disinfect the cage and contents. Ventilate the room, adjust ventilation. Feathered newcomers should be quarantined to avoid possible infection.
Behavior during the mating season
From a cheerful, curious bird, a parrot's behavior can turn into an aggressive attitude or excessive intrusiveness. Hormonal changes in the chick's body indicate puberty. The parrot can choose its owner or its favorite toy as its other half.
A parrot's external courtship of its other half may look strange to a new breeder. Having climbed onto a person’s hand, a parrot can begin to stomp around very quickly in one place, with the tail area characteristically rubbing against the hand or a favorite object. At the same time, the bird makes loud, abrupt sounds. With this behavior, the pet shows its special attitude, showing at this time its characteristic manner of courtship.
If a parrot rubs its butt against the cage, then this is a direct sign of puberty in a young individual.
An attentive owner must clearly know which behavior of a bird is considered natural and indicates its physiological needs, and which is a symptom indicating the presence of a disease.
Other causes of itching
Incorrect microclimate parameters are one of the common reasons why a parrot begins to itch and shake itself. In addition to the dry heat in the room, emotional discomfort is reflected in the bird’s condition.
Dry air
Excessive humidity is harmful to parrots, as fungi multiply quickly in a damp environment. Dry air can also cause itching: the bird’s skin flakes and itches, the nutrition of the feathers is disrupted, and they begin to fall off. This phenomenon is usually encountered in winter when heating devices are operating. Due to the proximity to the battery, the parrot's mucous membranes dry out.
The situation can be corrected using a household humidifier. If this is not possible, use proven methods for caring for your parrot:
- Spray water from a spray bottle over the cage every hour;
- put on the bathing suit every day;
- Hang a wet towel near the cage and change it as it dries.
Lighting
A necessary condition for good health of a parrot is the right light. The normal length of daylight in summer is 13–14 hours, in winter – at least 10. To increase illumination, you need to turn on the lamp in the room in the evenings. It should be dark at night. The day and night routine should be strictly observed to protect your pet from a nervous breakdown.
If a bird does not receive enough nutrients, it itches and loses feathers. For feather growth, a parrot requires a sufficient amount of vitamin D, which is synthesized only under ultraviolet rays. In summer, open the window briefly to let your pet bask in the sun. In winter, a special ultraviolet lamp will come in handy.
Consequences of long-term bowel dysfunction in birds
If a parrot's tail is dirty for a long time, the bird will change a lot. She will lose all interest in life:
- More and more often it will begin to descend from the perch to the bottom of the cage.
- She will become tense and shaggy.
- Will close his eyes often.
- May stop responding to external stimuli.
- Vomiting is also possible.
- It will take on a disgusting appearance: the feathers will be smeared with droppings, and the cloaca will swell.
And remember, if you can’t cure your bird of diarrhea in one day, then it’s best to show your pet to a doctor, because it will rapidly lose weight, and this poses a direct threat to life. In addition, due to frequent defecation, the muscles of the cloaca sphinker will weaken in the bird, so it will fall out. In this state, the cloaca will dry out, hurt and itch. The parrot itself and its neighbors in the cage will begin to peck at it and this will lead the bird to inevitable death.
The cloaca is of great importance for the healthy and proper functioning of any bird, including the budgerigar. After all, it is an integral part of the excretory, reproductive and digestive systems.
Diseases
All of the above reasons reduce immunity and can provoke various diseases. If you do not pay attention to the symptoms, the parrot's condition will worsen, which can lead to complications and even death.
- vomit;
- constipation;
- diarrhea;
- drowsiness;
- sloppy appearance;
- discharge;
- the bird wheezes and groans.
The reason that the parrot is trembling may be poisoning, an allergic reaction, a fungal infection, a viral infection, or diseases of the internal organs.
You should not self-medicate. If trembling is accompanied by various symptoms, you should immediately consult a specialist. He will help identify the disease and prescribe treatment.
Why does a parrot open its beak without making a sound and stretch its neck?
A healthy bird, accustomed to a new environment, flies, chirps, preens itself, plays, and sleeps.
A parrot in the house is always interesting.
And although there are many oddities in the behavior of a parrot (especially if you just got yourself a bird), you as the owner may be alarmed by the fact that the bird opens its beak wide, as if it wants to scream or yawn, but no sounds are heard.
What could this behavior mean?
Does it say that the bird is in danger?
