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Amazon not taking care of his feathers?
I have a male Blue Front Amazon parrot. He's about 10 years old or so. He's always been very healthy. But lately, I've noticed he hasn't been taking care of his feathers. They've been getting ratty and nasty. He's misted with water at least every few days. His diet is a mix of seeds, peanuts, and bird fruit kibble, along with fresh fruits (especially apples) and veggies every other day.
Would taking him into the shower or misting him more often help him to clean himself?
What kind of food should he have in his diet to make sure his feathers are healthy?
Our water has a relatively high iron content. Could this cause the problem?
He's otherwise healthy. He shows no other signs of illness or stress.
First, DUMP the peanuts! Peanuts, even roasted carry a bacteria that is harmful to birds, stick to tree nuts as a treat for your bird.
Next is diet, You defiantly have room for improvement. Parrots can not subsist on a seed diet, there is not enough vitamins in them, birds need fresh fruit and veggies every day along with grains, pellet, beans, and pasta (a favorite) to live a healthy life, from the diet you described, he may be suffering from a vitamin A deficiency.
Try switching from the bird fruit kibble to Roudybush Natural or Harrisons. Both contains no food coloring, brands such as Kaytee have food coloring and a delicious smell added. The long term affects of food coloring has on birds is still unknown, and since birds do not have a developed sense of smell, the pleasant oder of the kibble is entirely for your satisfaction. As tasty as apples are to us and birds, they are lacking in vitamins. Try offering cantaloupe, papaya, kiwi, oranges, mango, and assorted berries along with his meals. There are great cook and serve mixes available, such as Pretty Bird Cook-n-Serve, Beak Appetit, and bean mixes. Most birds that are seed-aholics are stubborn about changing their diet. Seed should consist of no more than 10% of his diet, altering his eating habits will take months, start off with a 73/30 mix, with 70% being his regular food and the other 30% being a cooked diet. Mix it up in the same dish so that to get to his seeds he will have to touch the new food. He will discover the cooked food tastes good, slowly over a period of time alter the mix so it becomes heavier in the new diet and less seed.
Log onto: http://www.drsfostersmith.com
Here you will find a variety of the cook-n-serve foods I described.
Misting him is good, I've never met an Amazon who didn't like to take a bath, but his skin may be itchy and dry, perhaps you should add a humidifier to his living space, this will help to make him more comfortable. As far as the water is concerned, I don't know what the long term affects of high Iron content could cause. I suggest buying bottled water for him, or adding a filter to your faucet. Brita is top of the line, relatively inexpensive and widely available.
Parrots will hide illness, usually until it is to late, this is a survival instinct. If he hasn't been preening himself, he most likely doesn't feel well. I strongly advise you have him evaluated by a Board Certified Avian Specialist. The vet will be in a much better position to determine why he is ignoring his feathers.
Best of Luck!
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Swearing Parrot Sparky where's ma Iron Bru
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