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Video What do these movements mean?

Itsaduck

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Hello. I adopted a 16 year old Quaker parrot about three weeks ago and immediately noticed she was repeatedly making the movements in the video I attached (head banging, twisting inward with mouth open, beak clicking, swallowing) as well as neck stretching/yawning. This is my first parrot aside from a budgie so I only know what I've read about body language, and nothing I found fit the pattern except gapeworms, so I panicked and took her to the vet. She was x rayed and diagnosed with pneumonia that had developed before I got her, and stayed there for two weeks of antibiotic treatment. She came home all clear yesterday but was still making these motions, which is when I filmed the video. Is this normal behaviour for a Quaker, or could it be left over reflex from the pneumonia? Could gapeworms still be a possibility? She's otherwise healthy looking and is chatty, active, preens, and eats. But I did also emailed the vet just in case.

 

Lady Jane

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I am happy that your bird is well now. I am tagging a Quaker person for you @CrazyBirdChick
 

jmfleish

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Chances of her having any kind of worms is rather low. I would think that she is still having issues with the pneumonia and would take her back to the vet as soon as you can.
 

Itsaduck

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I've been feeding her apple slices quite a bit. Is it possible she's been eating bits of the peel and is having trouble swallowing it?
 

That_Bird_Girl

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I don't have a Quaker, so I wouldn't know for sure, but I know that isn't normal. Gapeworms don't occur often, so it's probably not that, but you should get that checked out. Somethings not right.
 

Peachfaced

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I've been feeding her apple slices quite a bit. Is it possible she's been eating bits of the peel and is having trouble swallowing it?
I doubt that would be an issue, but too much fruit can cause an infection.
 

Itsaduck

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Well I'm at a loss. Took her to the vet for 24h observance that day and she didn't do any of the motions there and didn't even need the oxygen tank they'd prepped for her. They seem to think she's perfectly healthy and breathing just fine. But she started immediately once she got home and settled into her cage, so I've been ruling out potential environmental causes specific to home and nothing seems to be doing it. All I can think now is that it's somehow territorial since this morning it also included tail fanning, and she only does it when in one of her favourite spots. I'll ask a quaker specific forum but so far the only thing left the vet can do is draw some blood and test for a high white blood cell count to see if there's an infection, but that would be dangerous for her so a last resort if things get worse. Thanks for trying to help.
 

webchirp

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does her crop smell sour when she does it? Was she on antifungals when on antibiotics?

@SandraK
 

Itsaduck

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She gets defensive and nippy if I get too close to her so I haven't got a very clear whiff but I did notice she doesn't smell the nicest, kind of a musty barn animal smell, not sure if that's normal for parrots though. And no, she wasn't treated with anything anti-fungal to my knowledge. Are you thinking a crop infection? The radiologist who analyzed her x-ray said the pneumonia could have been fungal, not sure if it would have cleared up like it did with antibiotics alone if that's the case but I wouldn't be surprised if there's something going on in her throat either. It looks like she's trying to get something out but she's not actually regurgitating anything. I'll be in touch with the vet tomorrow so if there's anything you think I should ask them I'd appreciate it.
 
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Shezbug

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Has the vet actually seen the footage you took? It does look rather odd, like she is trying to move something or is not comfortable.
 

Itsaduck

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There are a few vets there who have been working with her but yeah I did send it to them and they watched it and asked me to bring her in for observation. They said she's never done it when there, not even for the first two weeks of treatment. My home is quite clean though and I don't use anything chemical or scented so I don't know what's making it happen here and not there, unless she's just more willing to drop her guard in her own cage. Spores from rabbit hay maybe?
 

Shezbug

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I really do not know. I am glad you showed them the footage as it sometimes helps them get a good idea of what is going on, I was hoping maybe they may have gotten some ideas of things to rule out.
I am now wondering if you have new carpet or furniture that could be letting off any feint fumes (that you can not notice) that may be irritating your bird. I think you may have to try to eliminate things one at a time unless one of the members here with Quakers has seen this movement and has some ideas.
Did you post in the quaker thread? That may get more people who are familiar with quakers to chime in and offer some suggestions.
To me it looks like your bird has something irritating her crop or throat or something. I am not sure though as I am no expert on bird health and behavior, for all I know that is a normal thing for Quakers to do.
 
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Itsaduck

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Nothing but the cage is newer than two years old. I think I've ruled out everything I can take away. No teflon unless computer fans have it. There's a really old electric convection baseboard heater next to her cage but anything on it would have burned off years ago, the paint on the wall is also two years old. The day she came home somebody used a non stick frying pan to cover smoke on a stove burner but it was for a second and wasn't actively heated. I've asked this forum but not the quaker thread here. She does have an old badly healed broken wing on the side she's twisting towards, but that wouldn't explain the open mouth. I haven't seen her do it towards the other side but as if everything else isn't enough she's also lost her eye on that one. I've got no idea what's gone on in her life or what quirks she might have picked up along the way. It's really nerve wracking.
 

CrazyBirdChick

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It almost looks like she's regurgitating to her foot and then chewing on a spit ball of regurg. Is that possible guys?
 

Shezbug

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It possibly could be regurgitation but I would have thought the vet would have picked that up if that is what it is and it does not look like other birds I have seen regurgitate. It just looks really strange to me the way the bird is moving. It very well could be nothing but regurgitation or a weird habit, I really do not know.
 

CrazyBirdChick

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It possibly could be regurgitation but I would have thought the vet would have picked that up if that is what it is and it does not look like other birds I have seen regurgitate. It just looks really strange to me the way the bird is moving. It very well could be nothing but regurgitation or a weird habit, I really do not know.
I agree. It does look strange. Hoping it's just an odd quirk and you get some answers
 

Itsaduck

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Turns out all it took to find it was a look in her mouth and a higher definition x-ray of the area. She's got a tumor on her tongue, so she'll have to see a specialist. I just hope they'll be able to help and it doesn't get worse before then. But mystery solved.
 

Shezbug

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I am so glad you figured it out and I hope the vet is able to help her with this tumor she has.
 

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I hope they can get rid of the tumor if needed and she’ll be okay!
 
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