Hello there!
I just joined this forum today because I am desperately seeking advice on taking care of a lovebird with a bubble collar on and would really appreciate to hear the experiences of anyone who also has had a similar experience with their birdie pal. Please don't mind my long post, I just want to be as detailed as possible but I bolded my main concern.
A little background info on my birdie: I do not know the exact gender/sex of my bird but I refer to him as a boy. His name is Pako and he is a hybrid lovebird (mixed peach faced & Fischer's, I believe). He is 5 years old (turning 6 this June). Unfortunately, he has severe feather plucking issues, in which he has plucked all his feathers on his body, all that is left is on his wings and head. This issue has been going on in 2020 and unfortunately at a time when I was not able to afford seeing a vet. Briefly in 2022, he was getting better. However, it has gotten really bad so now that I have saved up money, I started going to a vet in January.
Medical info: Since going to the vet, I got a blood/DNA test done on him. It revealed that he tested negative on the following tests: Avian Polyomavirus DNA, Avian Beak & Feather Dz and Chlamydophila psittaci (avian chlamydia). He also got prescribed antibiotics that I was instructed to give one a day by mixing it in his water bowl.
Very recently, last weekend, I noticed that Pako seemed to be struggling to open his right eye and I quickly booked an appointment with the vet at the earliest time, which was yesterday. Fortunately, his right eye got better and the doctor concluded that he had no infection and must've just got something in his eye. She then recommended that I get a bubble collar to prevent him from further feather plucking behaviours as she believes that based on the blood/DNA result, that the feather plucking must be due to behavioural/neurological issues. I let her put the collar on him and she gave me an anti-inflammatory/pain medication to administer every 12 hours via a syringe.
Now my bird has been sitting at the bottom of the cage since I brought him in after his visit yesterday so I put a cardboard at the bottom of the cage and lowered all the perches, toys and food and water so he can reach it easily. He has been mostly sitting at the bottom, nipping at cardboard and eating fine but I don't know if he is drinking his water properly (I was able to get him to drink water in front of me by dunking some treats in). But I am finding it concerning how much he has been napping since the collar and I don't know but the material of the collar is plastic (please see attached photo) and this morning I saw that it was a little red around his wings (second photo). I called the vet right away and asked if I can take him to them and get a softer collar. I took him in but the doctor told me that he is fine and that she doesn't want to take the collar off because he seems to be 'acclimatizing' in it and seems to be getting adjusted to it. She'll be seeing him again next week and if he doesn't like it, she'll give him a softer one.
I am just so concerned about my bird, it just looks so painful and uncomfortable and it is breaking my heart every time I see him. I have been crying and praying all day and feel so hopeless on what I should do for my little pal
So if anyone has any advice on what I can do to make things easier for him or what should I do about the collar, whether to take it off or not., please let me know. Anything is appreciated. Thank you so much for taking the time read this.
I just joined this forum today because I am desperately seeking advice on taking care of a lovebird with a bubble collar on and would really appreciate to hear the experiences of anyone who also has had a similar experience with their birdie pal. Please don't mind my long post, I just want to be as detailed as possible but I bolded my main concern.
A little background info on my birdie: I do not know the exact gender/sex of my bird but I refer to him as a boy. His name is Pako and he is a hybrid lovebird (mixed peach faced & Fischer's, I believe). He is 5 years old (turning 6 this June). Unfortunately, he has severe feather plucking issues, in which he has plucked all his feathers on his body, all that is left is on his wings and head. This issue has been going on in 2020 and unfortunately at a time when I was not able to afford seeing a vet. Briefly in 2022, he was getting better. However, it has gotten really bad so now that I have saved up money, I started going to a vet in January.
Medical info: Since going to the vet, I got a blood/DNA test done on him. It revealed that he tested negative on the following tests: Avian Polyomavirus DNA, Avian Beak & Feather Dz and Chlamydophila psittaci (avian chlamydia). He also got prescribed antibiotics that I was instructed to give one a day by mixing it in his water bowl.
Very recently, last weekend, I noticed that Pako seemed to be struggling to open his right eye and I quickly booked an appointment with the vet at the earliest time, which was yesterday. Fortunately, his right eye got better and the doctor concluded that he had no infection and must've just got something in his eye. She then recommended that I get a bubble collar to prevent him from further feather plucking behaviours as she believes that based on the blood/DNA result, that the feather plucking must be due to behavioural/neurological issues. I let her put the collar on him and she gave me an anti-inflammatory/pain medication to administer every 12 hours via a syringe.
Now my bird has been sitting at the bottom of the cage since I brought him in after his visit yesterday so I put a cardboard at the bottom of the cage and lowered all the perches, toys and food and water so he can reach it easily. He has been mostly sitting at the bottom, nipping at cardboard and eating fine but I don't know if he is drinking his water properly (I was able to get him to drink water in front of me by dunking some treats in). But I am finding it concerning how much he has been napping since the collar and I don't know but the material of the collar is plastic (please see attached photo) and this morning I saw that it was a little red around his wings (second photo). I called the vet right away and asked if I can take him to them and get a softer collar. I took him in but the doctor told me that he is fine and that she doesn't want to take the collar off because he seems to be 'acclimatizing' in it and seems to be getting adjusted to it. She'll be seeing him again next week and if he doesn't like it, she'll give him a softer one.
I am just so concerned about my bird, it just looks so painful and uncomfortable and it is breaking my heart every time I see him. I have been crying and praying all day and feel so hopeless on what I should do for my little pal
So if anyone has any advice on what I can do to make things easier for him or what should I do about the collar, whether to take it off or not., please let me know. Anything is appreciated. Thank you so much for taking the time read this. 
