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2401 Questions

My bird has a little wound on the very top of her head. How can I keep her from scratching it and making it worse?

Poor Peach! You can try to make a makeshift e-collar out of a paper plate to fashion around and prevent her from scratching at the wound if she is making it worse. or trim her toenails down some to make them less likely to worsen the wound. Treating the wound by keeping it cleaned with a washcloth and keeping the area dry can also help it heal. If it's very bothersome and she is scratching a lot, it is worsening, or it appears infected, bring her to a vet to have it treated is best so that it can heal more quickly.

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My cockatiel has recently started to pluck some feathers from her chest I don’t know if she’s molting or she’s plucking I am very concerned for her health

This is usually due either to a skin infestation (very commonly mites are involved) or a skin allergy. A check up is required to confirm or rule out these clinical suspicions and treat appropriately. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

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My dog ate 4 dove dark chocolates. We called the vet and they said based in his weight he should be fine and may have some GI upset but will still be fine. They said we did nlo have to induce vomiting. We just wanted a 2nd opinion as to whether we ahould be concerned about this? He is around 15lbs.

It is unlikely that 4 dove dark chocolates are enough to cause toxicity in your dog and I would concur with your veterinarian and not induce vomiting. If you like you can monitor your dog for signs of toxicity which should occur about 6 to 12 hours after ingestion, if at all, these being, hyperactivity and agittion, to at worst tremors and seizures. At the amount your dog ate I would not expect any signs, ar at the most, hyperactivity, which should pass after a while. If your dog gets very agitated then do see a veterinarian or take him to a pet ER.

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My Quaker parrot has been sleeping with his leg and foot behind his head. I can't find this behavior listed on any of the bird sites. Should I be concerned?

A healthy happy and secure bird will usually sleep with one foot tucked up to his abdomen and his head turned around and tucked into his back feathers. I am not really able to imagine a bird with his leg and foot behind his head. It would be very helpful if you could upload a photo of your bird sleeping like this. If your bird is otherwise eating, drinking, has normal droppings and is preening himself properly, there should be no reason to worry.

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What happens if my cockatiel plugged 2 big tail feathers

Thanks for reaching out about Rio. Not sure what you mean by "plugged tail feathers". Are these fractured feathers at the base, or obstructed feather follicles call feather cysts. Feather cysts need to be seen by a veterinarian. Broken feathers should be left alone, and most of the times, the bird will work them out, as long as they are not bleeding. Good luck.

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My cockatiel has some black stuff around her left nostril. It's been there for less than a week, and I'm not sure what it is. Do you think it's a sign of illness?

Sometimes, respiratory illness or fungal infections can cause growths or blocked nasal passageways in birds. If you can keep the area clear with a clean washcloth, that's best, however if there area is bothersome, can't be flushed out easily, or is changing in appearance, it would be best to have Luna looked at by a vet. They can safely flush out any debris in the nose and get her started on medication to treat any bacterial or fungal infection present.

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What is the best way to tell the gender of a Quaker Parrot?

Visually, male and female Quaker parrots appear to be identical. Unless you buy a parrot with papers that state the bird's sex, you will have to use the services of a vet or DNA-testing laboratory to determine the gender of your parrot.

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I have a male and female conure. They started mating and we didn’t expect them to get any eggs. We have a nesting box and they started acting protective of that box. So we started suspecting that they were to lay an egg. When we got home, we found out that she laid it on the bottom of the cage. We were frantic to find out what to do so we read online (yah not the best) and it said to put it in the box. The female is inside and the male is not letting anyone near the box. what should I do?

It may be that the egg was actually pushed out of the box as it is not viable. If they will not let you in the box (where there may be other eggs), or the egg is not viable, you can simply remove it. Otherwise, waiting until night when both birds are calmer and quiet may give you a chance to place the egg into the nest.

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My bird is on it perch flapping its wing and chirping loudly

Thanks for reaching out about Snow. This could be a sign of stress or agitation. Monitor diet for food intakeIf this behavior continues, there is a chance she is sick, egg bound or another condition. A veterinary visit is recommended. Good luck.

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