Suncheek - Cant tell if she has egg or is sick...

[birdlady87]

Hi all!!!
I need some advice!
Currently, my conjure is behaving strangely. Not totally off but enough to concern me. I have a full flight house and everyday, I let them.out to hang with me while I am around. This morning I put them up for a little and then let them once I did what wasn't safe to do around them ( cooking. Don't worry, I use Teflon free everything and it was the stove). So my GCC came out alright but I had to go check my suncherck and coax her out. They tend to hang out under my bed... She was fluffy but it could be, she was napping. Usually when I put them up for the day( while I go to work) they nap. Last two nights she wanted to sleep under the bed too nd when I put her in her sleep cage, she slept at the bottom near a blankie. Not her usual spot but two nights before that she slept in their playhouse. So I figured she got used to that... During one of the days when I was bringing her out, her wings where a little droopy but she perked up in a minute. There are no runny nose or glazed eyes, her poops look like her regular poop and she is eating normal and preening as well. Everything is normal otherWise. I tried to look at her underbelly and far away, it looks a little heavy but she won't let me near that area. Is she in nesting mood or pregnant? I am worried sick Any advice?

 

[Peachfaced]

Can you get a picture? How old is your Conure?

 

[birdlady87]

She will turn one this year.

 

[Peachfaced]

One of the easiest ways to tell if she's got an egg is to continually weigh her (grams) you need a small kitchen or postal scale. When she's got an egg, she will put on a bit of weight. Can you get a picture of the underside of her tail? From the side if you can.

If she's not got an egg, usually a drop in activity or weight gain or loss means it's time to see the doctor. Birds are very good at hiding illness.

 

[iamwhoiam]

Hard to tell if she is going to lay an egg from the photos you posted.
She does look bright and alert, though.
Were you able to check the vent area? If you do think something is off best to take her to vet.

 

[SandraK]

Stupid question maybe, but why are you calling her a suncheek?

 

[JosienBB]

Stupid question maybe, but why are you calling her a suncheek?

Suncheek is a GCC mutation.

 

[SandraK]

I thought it would be but that bird looks like a gcc through and through unless the size and weight aren't really showing in the photo. The colouring is all gcc as far as I can see too unless there's green or a lot of red somewhere that can't be seen.

 

[JosienBB]

I thought it would be but that bird looks like a gcc through and through unless the size and weight aren't really showing in the photo. The colouring is all gcc as far as I can see too unless there's green or a lot of red somewhere that can't be seen.

Suncheek is a pure GCC mutation? Not a hybrid if that's what you're thinking.

 

[JosienBB]

Suncheek mutation next to a wild type GCC:

 

[SandraK]

Suncheek is a pure GCC mutation? Not a hybrid if that's what you're thinking.

Suncheek mutation next to a wild type GCC:

Aha! So it's strictly a name based on the colour not a hybrid. I think I saw some gccs that looked like this at the bird fair this Saturday. Beautiful bright colouring.

 

[Monica]

There's a reason I don't like the name "suncheek".... there's also a "mooncheek"!


With how bright suncheeks are, many people just automatically assume they are sun x green cheek hybrids... but actual sun x green cheek hybrids are kind of "dull green" hyrids. They aren't bright and colorful like a sun, nor do they have defined colors like green cheeks.




It does sound like nesting behavior and she might be getting ready to lay an egg. Keeping an eye on her weight would be ideal and not allowing her access to any place she could deem as a nest.

 

[birdlady87]

@Monica @JosienBB @iamwhoiam- Thank you all! I came home yesterday to her and an egg She is protective of it so I will let her be and see what happens.

 

[Peachfaced]

Be prepared... you may need to replace her real eggs with fakes: DummyEggs.com, Dummy Eggs Help Stop Egg Laying in Pet Birds! Fake Eggs, Solid Plastic Eggs in all sizes.

 

[birdlady87]

@Peachfaced- THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!! I was trying to find these!