Day 2 New Quaker: constantly fluffing up & scratching all over w/ beak and feet f s

[Demeter]

I just got her two days ago, she's my first bird, 9 months old, I was told her previous owner had neglected her somewhat? She's very sweet, doesn't bite, doesn't want to leave cage but when out she's good on hand and at stepping up.
Sadly my experience is limited. She was 2.1 oz but quaker average is 3-5 oz, though she's 9 months old?
Could she have mites? I put white paper under her in the cage but didn't notice anything shining a light inside at it.
Is this allergies?
Could she be molting?
I plan to take her to the vet but not sure if I need to take her to the emergency vet today. Unfortunately the emergency that is not an avian specialist. Though i may be able to find one.
Appreciate any feedback, I'm just so new to birds, I've been a lot of studying and research but apparently that only goes so far and I'm not sure where my blind spots are.

 

[Mizzely]

Poor tail feather looks to be mainly due to the cage size and perch placement. They have long tails and if they are catching on cage bars they will look ratty. Also babies are just clumsy! Make sure she gets more than dowels; they can cause arthritis and bumblefoot.

In the wild they would be doing a lot of things - flying, playing, looking for food, preening, socializing.

If she's already eaten, can't fly, has no playmates, and perhaps no toys, preening is the only thing left. Does she have toys?

Weigh in grams not ounces

60 grams is smaller for a Quaker, but remember that averages are just that - an average. There are always outliers. Mutations tend to be smaller than wild types. Your vet will be able to tell you if she is underweight. I don't think she's in an emergency situation.

 

[Demeter]

She's only spent 2 days in that cage so far - I got it to double as a stand be because it has a play top area and was the same price and can be used as a sleeping cage.
Thanks for converting she was weighed in grams but everything j saw online said 3-5 ounces. They said she is "Pallid blue", are they prone to recessive gene problems ? I would not have chosen a pallid blue but this quaker was so sweet and came from a similar home as mine so I thought she might adjust well.
I saw teeny tiny dark spots among the other colored tiny seed piece droppings on the white paper but they didn't seem to be moving? Her droppings appear normal and solid. I made it a bit warmer by adding heated buckwheat hulls in a plastic bag inside a pillowcase hanging next to her cage so she can move over next to it on her perch if she's cold, it's about 70-73 degrees, colder from overnight, usually 72-75

 

[Mizzely]

The dark spots are probably just keratin sheaths from preening. I don't know about recessive gene issues, just that they tend to be a little smaller. My blue Quaker (doesn't live with me anymore) is about 80-90g which is also lower than most averages.

It's 65 in my house at night, so I wouldn't worry too much about 70-73 depending on what she is used to.

 

[Pixiebeak]

Hello! Welcome to you and new one!
I very much doubt any mites. Birds preen and mess with feathers all day as a normal behavior.
Her wings feathers have been clipped to short. Nothing to be fine about that will molt in new ones 6 months to a year or so.
Tails get messed up.. especially in non flighted and young ones.
She shouldn't really have health issues linked with being paid blue ...I now people who have and my quakers breeder mom was a healthy palid blue.

Weight....depends on age sbd size..I'd expect more than 60 grams tho.. you can weigh on digital kitchen scale.

It's very hard to determine if this is normal fluff or extra fluff. Mine can look like this when relaxed and taking a nap. If you see eyes always closing and spending most time nsos then I would be concerned. But depending on this one's true age, if less than 6 months about 4 naps a day individual thi. My adults definitely take 2 naps a day .

 

[Demeter]

It just seemed like the puffing up and the itching are so constant.. It's the frequency that worries me, like more than half the time I'm in her room she's itching her itches or fluffed up..
like even though she is nervous when I do something in her cage (like freshen her water) she still takes time to scratch everywhere and fluff.

Every time I enter her room* it looks like she is puffed up. Is she trying to look bigger to intimidate the giant strange human? I hope that's it.

1. Could she be allergic to her food, like maybe the lady who had her gave her something else? I gave her the Zupreem natural pellets because they were giving her that at the store the few days she was there.
2. Could it be an environmental allergy? Her room is fairly empty and was vacuumed and has a good air purifier in it on low-medium.

Because of her history (living with single woman, at least one other bird, possibly neglected re: physical interaction... then a few days at bird place... then my home for 2 days) she could have something wrong that no one klnows of.
*I was told to minimize our interactions to two 15 minute sessions a day until she's used to the new place. If I had time I would have put a camera in there so I can see how she looks when I'm not there and make sure she's ok when I'm at work (2.5 days in person work, the rest remote).

Ack, back to work, thanks so much for the responses!

 

[Mizzely]

It could be. Could be dry air. Could be molting. Could be a learned behavior. They have thousands of feathers, so taking care of them is a full time job!

Allergies are not super common so would not be by first guess

 

[Pixiebeak]

Definitely an avian veterinarian exam is always a good idea and especially for a bird you just brought home.

If you can video this behavior of itching we would have better idea.

When quakers are nervous, they can do some if this ....
I doubt mites , like mizzely, I doubt allergies.

But being fluffed all the time would concern me .

 

[Pixiebeak]

Your bird need some visual Viber to retreat behind sbd feel secure. Sb example of visual Viber is hanging s toy over or be t to perch. Do they can duck behind it on the perch.

Also cover just the back of the cage with a white pillow case . Always announce your self as you come towards the bird sbd csfe . Always vine from the front. So hello birdie when you are give feet away sbd coming to cage, as you walk over tell them hey just want to check in you, it I'm here to change food sbd water .. they get used to routines and helps lower stress

 

[Demeter]

Hey, just wanted to revisit to wrap this up. She has been doing very well. I think she was just calming herself. She had spent a week in a raucous strange place after being taken from her previous home (I don't know what went on there good or bad) and losing everything. So much change plus i was being extra anxious due to only having chicken experience. I got her into her big cage and she finished molting and has lovely tail feathers. (When I tell her this she will display them like the star that she is!).

Thanks again for the advice!. I had done a lot of research but some of the later research it is inevitably spotty without actual experience.

 

[Pixiebeak]

Let's see a picture!

 

[Demeter]

 

[Demeter]

It's really hard to find a delete button. searching forums. What if I accidentally posted a naked person holding open their passport and showing their social security card next to a murder victim and a recipe for building a nuke out of watch face scrapings?
There must be a way, right?
If this is real, is it only in this part of the forum? Only with new posters? Only unpaid? It can't be right
. I'm going to find it now then delete this

 

[Zara]

What if I accidentally posted a naked person holding open their passport and showing their social security card next to a murder victim and a recipe for building a nuke out of watch face scrapings?
There must be a way, right?

Yes.
At first there are delete and edit buttons for a small time frame.
If you miss that then you would click the "report" button or PM a Mod that is online and ask it be removed.
It happens sometimes (not as extreme as your example), but folks post their full names, addresses other personal info by mistake and we remove it.


I'm glad to see your bird is ok. Her feathers have grown back beautifully!

 

[Pixiebeak]

Beautiful quaker!!!
Mine will do a lot of preening when excited or a little nervous, and of course when happy and hanging out with me .

When I was trying to get calendar pictures, the extra focus git them all preening do much it was hard to get a pic!