My G2 and a question for too owners

[lava]

Can you tell me more about food allergies in birds, particularly relating to plucking?

I also just took in (Craigslist) Goffin who is a moderately severe plucker (I'm told he was mostly bald when his last owner got him, so I guess he's improved). His diet is currently only seed (he's afraid of most vegetables) and he's been through 3 rehomings in less than 3 years (he's an import and I'm guessing 8-10-ish). I've dealt with plucking and screaming and all that...but food allergies (though I'm familiar with them in dogs, cats, and children) in birds is a new area to me.
Thank you

 

[suncoast]

Hi Lava,

Can you please post and introduce yourself in Welcome Lane so we can all greet you properly?

Also if you start a new thread about your goffin, you will receive a lot more responses.

My experience is with a Lovie, but I cut out all corn and peanut based products around January after noticing that a supplement I used which I though would help the plucking actually increased it. I looked at the ingredient and saw that the main one was corn, so I had Kathie from MySafeBirdStore make me up a batch of food from her blends that was corn and peanut free, and (not to jinx it), my little Chotu seems to be way less itchy and is almost completely feathered for the first time since coming to live with us over a year ago.

Ginger

 

[shf]

here is my goffins i just love her to death. she has no history of plucking; she loves sprouted sunflower seeds, and dandelion weeds (careful no pesticides or recent fertilizer or chemicals)the leafy parts these 2 foods are like medicine for goffins.
they may not accept new foods at first but you have to offer it daily because they don't know how to eat it and eventually will try it so be persistent with the health foods.
I pick dandelion weeds in my backyard and wash very well in water and do a fine shred she loves this it is like medicine for cockatoos and makes their plumage very soft and brilliant. she also gets her 2xweekly baths come into the shower with me, full spectrum lighting or full sun is essential so is 50% humidity.
also i take sunflower seeds soak them for 24 hours in a bowl of water then i place them in a pie dish with a thick layer of paper towels and keep the paper towels damp constantly cannot let it dry out it takes 2 or 3 days to sprout and then another3 days to grow. so about 5 days.
then i just pull them out when they get large enough and leave the small ones grow until ready to harvest and wash them in a bowl of water and keep the seed on don't bother removing the seed shell; just make shure the sprouts are washed well in water

 

[suncoast]

She is soooo beautiful. I have never thought to sprout sunflower seeds, what a great idea to take a high fat treat and make it into something way healthier.

Ginger

 

[jasminlana]

Lava, can't wait to meet and see pics of your goffin.

Shf,what a beauty. I'm going to try sprouting the sunflower seeds. I didn't know bird could have dandelions. I pick them all the time from the yard for the rabbits. they devour them like candy.

 

[shf]

mine was a rehome also and in the first year i couldn't even touch her she would bite me and draw blood. the cockatoo bite is the worst of all the parrots because they have a deep needle like beak; if known what i went through with my goffin's giving up on her would have been the easier option; but it just takes a lot of time i'm talking in terms of years not days or months years; and the relationship i have with my goffins now i would not trade for a million dollars because it is priceless to have a bundle of joy love you and give the love and caring that you have given to her; given back to you. it scared me at first when i got her because days i would think what have i gotten my self into a big deep mess and my bird hates me but to use the cliche looks can be deceiveing i realized that i would have to accept my cockatoo with all of her bad traits, the screaming and constant demand for attention was the most intimidating part not the biting or other requirements cage cleaning feeding bathing. it is the same as have a 2 year old child only difference is that you can put them back into their cage.
she was on a poor diet, was being fed meat and cheese, junk food; was not fed regularly days went by without food; neglected, infrequently bathed and her owners didn't really treat her as part of the family she was treated like a bother, like an ornament; and kept in her cage with very little interaction. she was neglected; she was non responsive to me and would scream constantly so i do know about the rehome process and the trust building required.
it took years mine now lets me do anything with her can hold her upside; she dances in my hand; rubs her beak on my neck and face; cuddles like a little baby on my shoulder; and interacts with me is almost to the point of being a little person; but this is after 10 years its a long road; so be patient; and it just gets better and better after you have found the light at the end of the tunnel with your rehome.
it just takes a lot of time. mine would not play with toys for the first year it took almost 2 years to get mine to play with toys and interact with me; for cockatoos to be truly happy they have to interact with you and feel your love, that you care, they have to feel that you will always be there for them that they will not be abandoned; left alone in their cage for not even one day; that is why cockatoo ownership is very demanding they become extremeley bonded to their keepers so much that they will scream; and the screaming for attention does not go away so if you cannot tolerate this do not get a too; it is like have a 2 year old in constant need of love, attention, and needs that must be met feeding, cleaning, and bathing which can become monotounous but must be done; and the effort that is required to in terms of time spent to feed, bathe, interact.
just be patient, loving, accepting, caring, gentle, non judgemental with your too; and don't expect anything right away; one day you will be shocked out of the blue and rewarded with love.

 

[mrstweet]

Wow, thank you for sharing. I keep trying to sprout the sunflowers but they keep molding.

 

[shf]

if they are molding you are adding too much water or the humidity is too high where they are keep in a dryer place and add less water to the paper towels.
cockatoos are extremely sensitive birds probably the most sensitive of the parrots; and have feelings just like people they know when they are being scolded they whine, they show happiness, sadness cockatoos are very emotional birds keep that in mind they do get their feeling hurt believe it or not and know when you are not happy or can sense anger. they are emotional just like us cockatoos that were abused were not even given the opportunity to develop an emotional relationship with their owners.
there are abused cockatoos suffering silently their whole lives because they can't communicatie and never to have found love locked away in a cage alone their whole lives this is torture to a cockatoo because they are thrive on love and attention. the screaming is just their way of saying love me and it can become overbearing especially goffins because they are one of the most extremely needy and emotionally attached cockatoos.
most people are not able to handle the cockatoo demands thats why they are branded as not suitable as pets but this is a misconception cockatooos make excellent pets if you love extrreme affection, bonding, emotional attachment and the big care demands as cockatoos are one of the highest maintenance pets that you could get.

 

[shf]

do you know anything about your goffins (baby) history?
mine now loves hands on physical contact; i stated looks can be deceiving;
what appears on the outside; the behaviors, etc are not what is really on the inside the mind of cockatoos they all are very open to love but are not like dogs or cats they don't warm up in a second to anyone especially the ones that have been neglected; or the ones that have never had a loving relationship with their owners.
cockatoos are very deep emotionally that it takes years to build a totally trusting relationship with a cockatoo that has endured an abusive, neglectful; life.
the previous post about food allergies in goffins the cannot eat processed foods that contain preservatives, additives, salt, sugar, dairy, etc dairy is not recomended cockatoos are lactose intolerant, and no caffeine, no avocado, no rhubarb, no chocolate these can poison your cockatoo.
best diet is whole grains, fresh corn, whole wheat etc, fresh fruits and vegetables especially raw leafy greens kale, collard green, romaine lettuce and fresh fruits pineapple, apple, orange, bananas, and other nutritious fruits.
and good protein for cockatoos once a week would be scrambled egg fried without the milk. some will eat boiled chicken but my goffins will not eat chicken but my lesser sulfur crested and galah will eat chicken.
because cockatoos are vitamin a deficient they arent receiving enough vitamin a which is found in green plants, carrots, sweet potatoe, apples i pick dandelion weeds and wash well when feeding also sprouted sunflower seeds is really good.

 

[mrstweet]

do you know anything about your goffins (baby) history?

Most of what I know about Cupcake or Baby (we changed her name after this post) is this:

S/he is almost 13, purchased from a pet store in 98. Hatched on tax day. The previous owner went in to see her every day until she was weaned and could go home. Before she left the pet store her tail feathers were ripped out on accident by a small child visiting the pet store so she is supposedly afraid of kids. I was also told she doesn't like men and I haven't observed this exclusively.

She takes time to warm up to ANYONE and I've found most people are too timid to try. It took her 3 weeks to really warm up to me and she still is testing the waters. My husband makes an effort but was bitten on the ear (lightly) twice when she first came her and ran up his arm. He is since a little shy of her.

The previous owner was, to put it simply - ignorant. She smoked in the house, REEKED of cigarette smoke, "lost" the key to her too-small cage and therefore had her locked in the cage for months. Acquiesced and didn't "make" her eat food that was good for her. She is currently on a sunflower seed diet in the process of converting to pellets (I think I had a breakthrough today YAY!). She does eat rice, veggies, and fruit.

She came to me as being a "seasonal plucker" but I think the drama of being locked in her cage plus her owner not spending time with her caused her to really go downhill; not to mention her diet causing dry skin. She is pretty plucked but does a good job covering it up. I can see it on her back, belly, and chicken legs.

I don't think she had ever been to a vet before I got her. She came to me with a bacterial infection which I attribute to the DISGUSTING water container that took me 2 days of hot water and bleach soaks and scrubs to get clean. She was on antibiotics for 2 weeks and has since gained almost 13 grams. She is 285 right now.

She trusts me and is in the testing phase right now. I'm no longer afraid of the bite because she knows a nibble or beaking will get the same message across. Lately she has gotten a little pushy (in the last week) which may be because she is a) feeling better or b)hormones (it is spring!)

That's the short long version...

 

[shf]

i'm so sorry to hear cupcake was the victim of neglect and abuse she definietly is undernutrioned and probably is immunsuppressed from poor nutrition and probably has vitamin and nutrient deficiencies; vitamin a deficiencies and the bacterial infection was the cause of the feather plucking and also the smoke probably exacerbated her poor condition smoke is an irritant to cockatoos and can kill them; also because she is fed sunflower seeds only for a long period of time her bacterial infection from the dirty water probably could have killed her if she were to continue to live under those conditions bless your heart for rescuing her and taking her in i hope you become her forever home.
it breaks my heart to hear stories of suffering as far as cockatoos because i've rescued one under similiar circumstances but mine was not as severe as yours. the smoke filled room, bacterial infection, long term poor nutrition, lack of human interaction probably would have killed her if you hadn't rescued her bless your heart and i hope you find the love i found from my resuced cockatoo who was on the verge of death also.
i almost cried when i heard that a child pulled cupcakes tail feathers out and now she is uncomfortable around young children. she looks so sweet and adorable.
don't let your feeling be hurt by her beaking she wants to find love with you just be patient it takes a lot of time to reverse the damage to her probably years.
the biting incident with your husband is a mating behavior and she is protecting one of you which she sees as her mate and the other as the intruder i would only take her out in a one on one situation until this behavior goes away if it does.
as far as nursing her back to health, its best to feed a wide variety of foods i feed mine good quality pellet, try samples to see which ones she likes organic is better. i buy a good quality parrot mix that contains a wide variety, also buy the fruit and nut treat can buy at super parrots.com volkmans fruit and nut treat. i then mix this allthogether in equal ratios of parrot mix, pellet, and fruit and nut treat. i also feed once daily fresh fruits and vegetables with variety in mind, i change the types of fruits and vegetables as much as possible to not feed the same thing that i fed the previous day; i try to feed high vitamin a foods whole egg including the yolk, yams and sweet potatoe, dandelion greens, kale, broccoli is really good for nursing her back to health; egg pasta is really good; corn and whole wheat bread; leafy greens kale, dandelion greens collard greens. and whole scrambled egg without the milk once a week.

 

[hotfoot jackson]

If you buy hulled sunflower seeds they sprout faster and cleaner. Just rinse every four hours or more frequently if possible after the initial 12-24 hour water soak.