The Good, the Bad and the Ugly About Nanday Conures

[Irishj9]

She screeches because I walked across the room with a screwdriver.

What were you THINKING? lol

 

[NandayLover]

Saphira is almost just like Rowdy! She has no feathers on her chest from a food allergy (Zupreem Pellets)

 

[stephanie69wvu]

I switched sheila over to zupreem and have noticed a few spots on her where she's bald. Its nothing like saphira has but I have been worried. I am wondering if she too may have an allergy to the zupreem pellets. She has a patch on the back of her head and neck that I have noticed. She doesn't have mites and I use a bird bath spray on her that has preen oil and aloe in it. It is from Dr foster and smith. I am thinking maybe a change in her food again. Any advice on what else is a good pellet to feed her? She eats the fruit blend from zupreem what is the one that is causing allergies to everyone else? Sheila has been trying to constantly scratch herself in the spots she's missing her feathers. She's not pulling them just always itching it seems. I have sprayed her with spring water and the aloe preen oil bird bath to try to help her stop but nothing has helped. She tried to hang on my fingers and scratch herself. She loves for me to rub her head or scratch for her (easily of course) but I have only been running it since I noticed this spot

 

[rockybird]

@stephanie69wvu It sounds like it could be an allergy. It could be an allergy to the aloe vera/preen oil soln. or pellets. I might stop the spray first and see if it gets better. Maybe just use water and see if it goes away after a couple weeks. The other thing could just be a bad molt.

 

[stephanie69wvu]

I just started using the spray after she started the itching. I am willing to try anything so I will try using spring water to spray her and see if that helps. I worry so much about her she is my baby. Everyone says I treat her like a kid and spoil her rotten but I don't care my kids are grown up so I'm allowed lol. If it doesn't clear up guess it will be time for a vet visit.

 

[stephanie69wvu]

Saphira is almost just like Rowdy! She has no feathers on her chest from a food allergy (Zupreem Pellets)

What kind of zupreem is she allergic to and how did you find out for sure that's what is causing her feather loss? I am worried we may have an allergy to zupreem also but want to find out for sure. She likes it but i don't want to feed her something if it is causing her issues.

 

[Chihuahua]

If she is allergic to Zupreem I'd try Higgins InTune and see how that goes. It's similar but all natural.

 

[rockybird]

@stephanie69wvu Maybe it's not from the spray but it's worth trying! Scout is losing some feathers on the top of her head. They are coming back though. I have no idea what it's from other than a bad molt. I never see her scratch her head or rub it. The vet looked at it last week and initially thought another bird had done it until I told him she is never in contact with the other birds. He didnt seem concerned though, as the feathers are growing in. She eats zumpreem (mixed with seed) so if it gets worse, maybe I'll switch up the zupreem. Do you feed seeds also?





My cutie:



I know exactly what you mean! These birds are like our kids! They are completely dependent on us. And there is no one else who can care for them and love them like we do. And between you and me, I cant help but think there is something special about nandays. Scout is just so sweet and affectionate. I am so glad I broke down and bought her on CL. Your Sheila sounds very similar!

 

[NandayLover]

What kind of zupreem is she allergic to and how did you find out for sure that's what is causing her feather loss? I am worried we may have an allergy to zupreem also but want to find out for sure. She likes it but i don't want to feed her something if it is causing her issues.

I don't remember what type of zupreem, it happened 8 years ago. I know for sure it was the food because
1. There was nothing else that it could've been. It was the same every day and there was no change except food
2. Feather loss stopped (maybe that was all the places she would lose her feathers or may have worsened) about 3-4 days after I changed her food

 

[stephanie69wvu]

Rockybird I also found sheila on cl and yes there is something about Nandays lol. Sheila loves to cuddle with me she even hugs me with her wing. She also throws her tantrums like any kid when she doesn't get her way. I have been misting her with spring water instead of the bird bath spray. It looks like she has some of her feathers coming back. It might be bad molt year for them. I also think it might have something to do with dry air in the house because we have just started using the heat lately. I am thinking about buying a humidifier to try and see of that helps. Plus she laid eggs not long ago and she won't let me take them out of her cage. She had them for a month and a half and we thought she was done with them (they are dummy eggs) so we took them out she wasn't sitting on them anymore but after a few days she went and laid another egg. So back went the dummy eggs. She still doesn't sit on them but I'm.not allowed to touch them either. Guess she plans on keeping them forever lol. I have been looking at humidifiers and also read that a sun lamp may help but her vet says she doesn't need one that she should get enough light through the windows. I just want the best for my baby and want her to be comfortable and have anything she needs just like any other kid

 

[Clide`s mamma]

I love your stories of your nandays. I have had Clide 1month now. He was my moms and when I went to visit she would joke she didnt know if I came for her or him lol. In the 2years she had him she didnt take him out. He scared her. She has always had birds. There hasnt been a day of my life that hasnt had feathers. My moms a good bird owner. Clide was a friends of hers for a year but she didnt have time for him and my mom thought how different could he be from a cockatiel. Needless to say very. I guess you could say he chose me. Your stories have pieces that sound just like him. Even my kids say its like we were missing him before we knew him. Hes part of the family. I dont know a lot about nandays. Are they all insanely loyal? He loves my kids. Even my son. Most birds I have had could care less about my son and visa versa but Clide loves his shoulder and its not just cuz hes the tallest lol. My daughter is constantly trying to tempt him to her when hes with me but no treat has worked yet. Hell only go to either if I hand him over or nudge him gently with my cheek lol. I laughed so hard about freckles not being removable. Today he let me rub his head he usually rubs on me but I cant touch back. Today he let me rub his beek which he has always let me do and let me move up slowly to the top and back of his head. Baby steps he is slow to open up, is that a nanday trait?

 

[stephanie69wvu]

Sheila has become very attached to me and even attacks my pittbull when he comes near me. Its kind of funny he runs from her now. She's not the least bit afraid of his teeth or his size. Sheila is so little but she definitely runs the house. I feel sorry for the dog he tries to lay by me and she will climb down and bite his nose or ear or leg and he squeels and runs off. It's s good thing he's not The least bit mean or she would have been eaten by now. Sheila is such a comic she has a bell she loves and she drags it all over the place holding it in her foot. She reminds me of Linus from charlie brown with his blanket. I never thought a Nanday could be such a lovable little friend but she is my best little buddy and always wants to know where I am and what I am doing. It has been over a year since we adopted her and we have made huge gains in trust. She let's me rub her and trim her nails (with gloves on or I get bit a few times) but she knows we would never hurt her. She has also learned to talk really well. We can understand most of what she wants if not she tries her best to get it through to us exactly what she wants or doesn't want. She hates the remote control it must die she thinks. She shoves it off the couch or attacks it. But I would never trade her for anything.

 

[stephanie69wvu]

Congratulations with clide it will take baby steps with him. It has been little steps with sheila but the more you work with him and the more everyone is involved the better. Sheila loves my son too. She likes to listen to music with him and she screams get up everyday until everyone in the house is up. She will also argue with us if she doesn't want to do something nandays are like flying 2 year olds and always into something. They love to be entertained and to entertain you. Just make sure clide knows what he isn't allowed to do and stick with it. They will try to get away with everything or at least sheila does. We keep her on a routine usually and now she tells me night night when she's ready for bed. It just takes a lot of patience with them and be ready for some loud screaming. Nandays are loud when they want to be. We sing with sheila and get loud with her a couple times a day and that helps she loves it. She also loves car rides. They are very smart birds

 

[rockybird]

@Clide`s mamma I'm sorry your mother didnt take CLide out of his cage for two years. THis could be part of the reason he is slow to warm up to others, but I will say that my nanday is not a friend of new people. She will scream repetitively if a new person comes in the house. If she is out with me, she will quiet down, though.

Scout bonded to me right away after I found her on craigslist in a tiny cage. She is just the sweetest little thing. I am so fond of her. While my other two parrots are stubborn and insist I do things their way, Scout is always happy to go in her cage when I ask her, step up when I ask her, etc. She is also so incredibly affectionate. She loves balsa wood toys and chewing on soft things. She also loves her rope perches and boings. As the previous owners kept her in a very tiny cage, I made sure to buy her the biggest I could - 4 ft. x 2.5 feet. My feelings are that birds are meant to fly free in the wild and keeping them confined to small enclosures is not right. Be sure to include your guy in everything you do. Scout insists on this, so she has a perch in the bathroom, a night cage for sleeping, her large day cage, a perch in the kitchen and a cage to eat dinner on. These nanday conures are such endearing little animals!

@stephanie69wvu I'm so glad Sheila is doing so well!!! Just watch out with the pitbull as I know 3 different people whose dogs killed their birds. Sheila sounds like such a happy bird!

Scout in her day cage


On her dinner cage:


On her bathroom perch

Sucking on her foot:


Scout's kitchen "perch":

 

[rockybird]

Anyone else notice similar things about their nanday conures?

- Scout is not near as loud as I had feared. Her screams are predictable. They occur when I come home from work and she wants out NOW, when it is close to dinnertime and she is tired of waiting for me to get her, when she wants a napkin to chew on or she dropped her napkin (when out on her dinner cage (she loves napkins)), and if there is someone new in the house or something scares her. Otherwise, I will not hear a peep from her for hours.

- Scout LOVES to chew on soft things. She is in love with my shirts. She absolutely must have them. She does not damage them. I tuck a piece of shirt into her cage before I leave for work. She gets so excited you would think I just gave her the lotto winning numbers! She also loves napkins.

- Scout is extremely sweet and affectionate. She is constantly nuzzling me, giving me "kisses," etc. She is much sweeter than my maroon belly conure and caique.

-Scout makes the funniest cutest noises. She has a whole repertoire of sounds, completely different than my other two birds.

- Scout moves much slower than my other birds. She moves more deliberately. I dont know if this is because she was kept in a small cage before I got her or because it is how her species are.

When I first got Scout almost two years ago, I was surprised at how different she is than my other birds.

 

[stephanie69wvu]

Rockbird yes I know many Pitts do turn but mine is mixed with a boxer and has been raised with a baby deer and kittens and even a duck. He loves every animal except another male dog. He is almost 10 yrs old now and we have had him since a puppy and he has never tried to bite any animals we have had. He is such a sweet boy. Sheila on the other hand is just rotten lol she picks on him all The time he just runs from her now. He knows he is not to even try to bite. He is very well trained now of I could teach her that I am allowed to pet the dog without her snapping his poor ear or the top of his head it would be great. Sheila has decided the couch is her place to play and no one is allowed near it. She also screams when someone new comes into the house. She won't stop either she makes sure to tell them they are not wanted here. When one of us walks out Tue door or even gets our coat she tells us bye bye. She will go in her cage when I want her to as long as I give her something she likes or her favorite toy to play with. I'm glad I got her from the horrible people who kept her locked up for years in a cage. It took a long time to earn her trust but it was worth it. She rolls on her back on my lap and plays with me she flips over and slides across me and chews my fingers and wants to plays. She reminds me of a little green dog sometimes lol. She has bonded so well with me and my family that I could never imagine life without her now

 

[rockybird]

That's good to know! I am sure it is fine as long as you are out with her whenever the dog is around. I am so glad you got her out of that house!

Scout also loves to wrestle! I was completely surprised! She rolls on her side and plays with my fingers, never pushing too hard. These nandays are something else!!!

 

[Sylvi_]

I just adore Nandays.
They're for sure the next parrot I add to the family. (Which is quite a ways away.)

 

[stephanie69wvu]

Rockbird I'm glad you got scout out of that house too. They both seem like they have found their forever homes now. Nandays aren't a bird I would recommend for just anyone. They are a handful and can be quite demanding at times but they are also so lovable when they chose to be. Sheila will put her wing over my face and hug me kiss me. She's my baby

 

[rockybird]

@stephanie69wvu, she just sounds adorable! Our nandays do sound very similar.

I agree, but mostly because of the potential noise. Although Scout is quiet the majority of time, when she wants something, she can be loud! Of all three of my parrots, Scout is the most easy going. My caique, though, is a real handful - very stubborn and difficult bird (but I love him anyway).