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Bald spot, black lines, and white feathers?

Jellybeans3369

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IMG_1685.JPG IMG_1684.JPG IMG_1476.JPG Hello, I rescued a lovebird from outside I believe now two months ago. He ate metal and I just got him off medicine for curing him. Anyways. I noticed his black lines are more intense now and he has white feathers coming in (some on the floor) and a bald spot. I've looked and looked and I see no colored feathers anywhere in the house!! (Trying go see if he's plucked them out) here are some pictures. If anyone has any idea what it could be. Please let me know. Thank you.
 

Jellybeans3369

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That makes me feel better. White feathers could mean molting. Right?
 

CrazyBirdChick

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Did the black lines just show up all of a sudden, or was it when he had the metal poisoning ? I am not very experienced but they look like stress bars. I hope everything is okay. I think you should ask your vet to be sure.
 

Jellybeans3369

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He started getting them when he was sick. I was thinking of calling the vet again to be sure
 

CrazyBirdChick

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He started getting them when he was sick. I was thinking of calling the vet again to be sure
Ahh, that would make sense then that it happened when he got sick. They will go away after his next molt probably.

I think the white feathers are down feathers from a molt. The bald spot though, I'm not sure. Hopefully it's nothing but it's always best to ask a vet when in doubt.
 

Birdbabe

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Looks like stress bars, possible protein deficiency. When he's completed moutling he'll look better. Thanks for helping him. Try to feed him a little scramble eggs for more protein, they need it anyway when losing feathers.
 

Mizzely

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Is the bald patch only evident when wet? If so, it would seem like normal feathering to me.

The black lines are called stress lines and appear when the feather is growing in and the body is undergoing a stress - sickness would definitely do that. Kinda like how we can tell if there was a drought by looking at the rings in a tree trunk.

White feathers would be down. They are under the colored feathers.

What kind of diet is he on? The stress lines should go away when the feathers molt out and are replaced as long as he is on a good diet.
 

Jellybeans3369

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Yes. Only evident when he is wet. I give him a mix of seeds and pellets. I also have some aloe stuff the vet gave me to put in his water and some goo to put in his food called red dye something.
But he's so picky. He only eats a specific kind of seed in the mix from what I can tell. He doesn't eat the eggs when I give him some or fruit. He's super picky I don't know what to do.
He might eat more that one specific seed but I can def tell which one his favorite is.
 

nu2birds

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Glad he found his way into your care.........I'm sure in time there will be more trust and he might be willing to sample some new and healthy foods. I love his coloring, what a sweetie!
 

CrazyBirdChick

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Feeding a picky bird new food can be difficult. I would try sprouted seeds to start. They are more likely to give them a try and there's better nutrition in them than regular seeds.
 

Hankmacaw

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Jellybeans3369

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Thank you so much! And yes it is red palm oil! He sometimes doesn't eat it. Should I just mix it in with his food???
I'll message them about it when I can!
 

Hankmacaw

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Just mix the Red Palm Oil right in his food
 

Monica

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Since Jellybean was found outside, was any effort put into finding out where Jellybean came from?


Here's a couple of links for diet help.
Converting Parrots to a Healthier Diet - Tips | Avian Avenue Parrot Forum
Bird Safe Fresh Foods & Toxic Food Lists & More | Avian Avenue Parrot Forum


Think of trying to convert your bird's diet as if someone were trying to feed you crickets, scorpions, tarantulas and balut. For some cultures, these foods are common in their diet. For much of the rest of the world, we would not be putting any of that in our mouths! It's not something that we recognize as food. Now, if someone made a chocolate bar with "cricket meal" in it, and we weren't aware of that ingredient, then we might be more willing to try it.

Similar battle is going on with your lovie. (I want to say she?) She doesn't recognize what you are offering her is edible food, so you need to be creative in how you offer her the food. It might even help to remove all food at night and offer fresh food first thing in the morning, maybe with a little bit of familiar food mixed in or sprinkled on top? Leave the new foods in the cage for an our or two, then replace with her regular food.
 

metalstitcher

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You could also try nutri berries as a way to help transition him to pellets I did that with my fids and it worked out very well. They both are now on a pellet diet. They still don't like fresh foods as hard as I try unless it's something I am eating and even then I get yelled at :shrug:
 
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