Shaking Head

[Kare]

My gorgeous girl has been shaking her head from side to side (as you would shake your head side to side saying no) randomly, very often, and quite quick. I've been reading a bit and apparently it can be infection, neurological problems, etc. She hasn't always done this, I'd say she started doing this after she went through her "sexual maturing." For a while she had a problem of laying eggs, but now she's stopped (thankfully). She's a peach-faced love bird, and she's about 18 months old.

I'm probably booking her an appointment for the vet on Monday, as much as I don't like having to take her because I'm scared she'll be upset with me after. I didn't think of it as anything before, thinking she might stop, but it's obvious now that she's not going to and it's even more obvious it's not normal. :( She still eats fine, drinks fine, poops as always, talks nonstop. It's just this blasted head shaking.

Has anyone else had a bird doing this or how you can differentiate it from neurological and infection?
Probably only a Vet can tell the difference :/

Oh, in addition (I'm not sure if it's necessarily bad in her case), I guess she does hang out in the bottom of her cage quite a bit. I've never paid attention to it before, because she's been known to get on the floor of her cage and pace back and forth when she wanted out. Now though, if I'm not looking at her (or she doesn't notice me looking at her) she'll just sit in the corner messing around. I'm not sure if this could have anything to do with the head shaking, I imagine it could. She's sitting in the bottom talking to my budgie right now.

Thanks in advance.

I'll see if I can get a video of it. She seems to stop when I try to video it.

Video is uploading, it'll be live here when it's done
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0K43zgCR8s&feature=youtu.be
She only does it twice in the video. She usually does it a lot more.

[michael]

Looks to me like she's alert, and responding quite well to her guardian. And if you say she's eating well, all are good signs. .. The head shaking, on the other hand, is difficult to say. Could be neurological, an infection, or her simply shaking off skin or keritan from preening. .. All in all though, I think you'd be so much ahead to take her in. If anything to rule out any suspects, would be to have peace of mind knowing she's healthy. .. Your "well bird exam" is a wise idea. ..........:)

[peteandtilly]

cute cute cute

[Kare]

I guess the Vet is my only sure way to peace. Too bad they're not open on weekends, I'll post whatever the outcome is. Hoping it's not neurological.

[Pips mom]

Well.....she sure looks like a healthy lovie in your video......I sure hope that you can get to the bottom of the head shaking thing and that it's nothing serious. Please let us know how the vet visit goes.

[Kare]

$100 later she's got a clean bill of health:happy:. Our Vet found nothing in her ears or nose. Vitamins are good, weight's good.

The Vet thinks that it could just be a behavioural thing she does, even if it seems really weird. I forgot to bring my camera with a video of it so I have to e-mail them a video of her doing it.

[linda040899]

She looks good to me but sometimes you never know. Even though the bill was $100.00, peace of mind is worth it! Is it possible that the pitch of a sound she's hearing bothers her ears? My Tiels will do that if you talk to them with a certain voice tone.

[Kare]

Yeah you can't put a price on peace at mind. It's can't be the pitch of sounds, because in my room (where her cage is), there's never any sound, at all, aside from talking. So I have no clue.

[linda040899]

Sometimes the tone of my own voice will cause my Tiels to shake their heads.

[Pips mom]

Yeah you can't put a price on peace at mind. It's can't be the pitch of sounds, because in my room (where her cage is), there's never any sound, at all, aside from talking. So I have no clue.

Birds have very good hearing! It could be something you think is quiet, like a fan running that might have a slight sound or squeek. I know with animals that sometimes there are sounds that are very high pitched that we can't hear well, but they can. I've noticed my birds shake their heads like this before too, but it's never anything that they keep doing all the time, and usually itching at their head goes along with it.
So glad that she's fine!