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Parrotlet behavior change

Th3Grub

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Hi, new here at posting but been reading for a while ! :)

My 1 year old Parrotlet (Tiki) has been the sweetest thing since we got her 10 months ago.
She was hand feed, my wife and I take her out of her cage at least 2h a day, we pet her, we play with her, she spends time on our shoulders while we do the dishes etc...
I taught her to step up, shake hand, give a kiss on the cheek and multiple other tricks !
Like I said, sweetest little bird.

I just had to open the cage, slightly put my hand in, and she used to jump on and join us.
But all of a sudden, she is very very hesitant to come out, and as soon as she comes out, she starts flying, screaming !
She does not want to interact, seems very scared and stays in her corner.
Does not even want a treat or anything.
Like she is scarred of everything !

Nothing happened, no accident, nothing...

She seems to be losing lots of feathers in the last week....
She still interacts with us, still kind of scarred, from inside her cage...

Don't know what to do...

Do I still try and take her out ?
Do I wait until I feel she is better ?

Thanks for your help :)
 

budgieluv3

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Could it possibly be reaching maturity or molting? @Zara
 

finchly

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Oh she’s molting. They get very uncomfortable, you can help by having her bathe. If sh won’t bathe you can spritz her with a water bottle.

I’d go ahead and do things as normal.

Molt can be hard on them. One of my 6 parrotlets seems to have pinnies (pin feathers) all the time. She insists that we help by gently rubbing them — then nips because it hurts!
 

Th3Grub

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Thanks for the replies !

Thing is I can't really get her out now, she won't come out, or barely, and when she does, she flies away screaming hitting walls, windows and does not want us to take her :(
So I still try ? or I let her in her cage until I feel she's getting better ?

I love that bird and the joy she brings us !
I just want to make sure I do the right thing so she's back to normal sooner than later ! ;)

IMG_20201025_153959.jpg
 

Shezbug

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Can you put a dish with water in the cage for her to bathe in or maybe a hanging wet kale or lettuce leaf if she’s not keen on being spritzed. The water really does help ease the molting discomfort.
 

Th3Grub

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She already has a dish with water to bathe and I have seen her "take a bath" on a wet lettuce leaf I hang by the side of her cage lol, that's too funny !
I do spritz her once a week, well I did, and the took a full bath 3 or 4 days ago....
Today I took her out once and regreted it :(
 

Th3Grub

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Thanks everyone for your help.

Do you think I should still try to get her out of her cage ? or I let her in her cage until I feel she's getting better ?
 

Tiel Feathers

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Any new nail polish or change in your appearance or new furniture, etc? Anything new outside? Can you let her come out on her own? Maybe she will step on a perch? Just don’t force her to go back in.
 

Th3Grub

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Nothing new in the house or in my appearance.
It's so weird... Like 2 days ago, she stepped out of her cage onto my hand, spent like 10 minutes on my shoulder without any problem.
I put her back onto a perch in the kitchen like I always do without any issues.

She stayed there and I called her 2 minutes later to give her some millet... She was super excited and started flying towards me as usual.

In the middle of her flight, she started screaming and changed direction and flew into a wall, fell on the counter.
Stayed there without moving for like 15 minutes, my wife and I were talking to her, but she looked very scared.

Since then, she is even more scared and does not want to come out at all
 

Tiel Feathers

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How sad and frustrating for you! Do you think she could be in pain? Try treating her like a new bird. Sit and read to her and give her treats. Is she eating okay and acting normal in her cage? I really hope you can figure it out.
:sadhug2:
 

Th3Grub

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Thanks for the help and support ! ;)

I have sat down next to the cage multiple time today. She was running away from me at first, but by end of day she would come and play and taking treats from me again.
Did not want to come out at all though. I can still put my hands in the cage and she lets me scratch her head, so assuming it's a good sign.

Will keep you posted :)
 

Th3Grub

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Hi all,

Quick update..
She still interacts very well when inside her cage. We can tickle her on the head, give her treats etc...
With lots and lots of patience and some bribe (millet) we are able to have her get out of her cage, but she is still very nervous as soon as she gets out.
once out, after a little while, she gets a bit more comfortable, fly from me to my wife and vice versa.
She will stay on our sholders, we can play with her on the floor or on the table and she is very playful and joyful

She does get verrrrryyy nervous when I ask her to step up onto my hands (Never was nervous before)

And also verrryy nervous when we put her back in her cage, like she wants to go and jumps in, but runs to the back of her cage like something will attack her or something

here is a pic of her out of her cage today
IMG_20210129_123801.jpg
 

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finchly

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She’s so cute! :heart:

Sounds like you’re getting somewhere - and pretty quickly, really. Be sure that youre as relaxed as possible; she’ll pick up on it if you are nervous.
 

Th3Grub

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Hello all, super happy now ! Tiki is, I would say, 90% back to normal.
Only thing left is getting out and getting back in to her cage is a bit different than before.
She only gets out if I leave the door open, step back, let her climb down and stand at the door. Only then can I approach and she will climb on to me ;)
Like the "I am big now, I can do it myself" attitude ;)

Once she's out, she is as playful as she has ever been !

Here she is just chilling.

Thank you for all the helpful tips in here ! Love this forum !

1613973344729.png
 
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