My first lovebird's breeder, and the place where I usually board my pair when I'm off on vacation, decided to downsize their flock for good. They decided to ask me if I wanted to house and rehabilitate their parrotlet since I'd interact with him and inquire about him when I was picking up/dropping off Gem and Panda.
He's a bit of a special thing - he was originally owned by someone who had really bad anxiety and could no longer care for him. He came to my breeders place with a really awful clip and either his muscles had severely atrophied or he never properly regrew his flights back so he's currently unable to fly and will drop like a stone.
I was told he was kind of mean and bitey - but I'm not a very handsy person so we'll see what happens once the 'honeymoon' stage is over.
Anywho, I picked him up yesterday morning and he had a little freakout in transport and seems to have twisted a flight feather outwards. It looks uncomfortable and makes his wing droop. I've seen him try to stretch and preen it back into place with minor success, but it seems to have returned to its jutting position. Will this drop off sometime soon or should I look into getting it removed and seeing if that makes him feel better?
Also - he's got this weird habit of trying to preen food into his feathers. He'll take a mouthful then proceed to crunch it while brushing through his wings. Is this a parrotlet thing? Or is he just simulating the act of removing feather sheathes that aren't there?
I'm also going to be looking into a wider yet short cage with horizontal bars for him once he's a bit more settled, if anyone has any suggestions.
Sorry - long post. Here's a fluff potato
He's a bit of a special thing - he was originally owned by someone who had really bad anxiety and could no longer care for him. He came to my breeders place with a really awful clip and either his muscles had severely atrophied or he never properly regrew his flights back so he's currently unable to fly and will drop like a stone.
I was told he was kind of mean and bitey - but I'm not a very handsy person so we'll see what happens once the 'honeymoon' stage is over.
Anywho, I picked him up yesterday morning and he had a little freakout in transport and seems to have twisted a flight feather outwards. It looks uncomfortable and makes his wing droop. I've seen him try to stretch and preen it back into place with minor success, but it seems to have returned to its jutting position. Will this drop off sometime soon or should I look into getting it removed and seeing if that makes him feel better?
Also - he's got this weird habit of trying to preen food into his feathers. He'll take a mouthful then proceed to crunch it while brushing through his wings. Is this a parrotlet thing? Or is he just simulating the act of removing feather sheathes that aren't there?
I'm also going to be looking into a wider yet short cage with horizontal bars for him once he's a bit more settled, if anyone has any suggestions.
Sorry - long post. Here's a fluff potato