Humidity, Ditto hates it!

[Z28Taxman]

Ditto really hates humidity. Saturday the dew point was in the mid 50's and he was his normal happy self. Throughout the day it rose to the low 60's and he was still fine. On sunday morning it was still in the low to mid 60's (the dewpoint that is) and he ate like crazy.

Well by bed time it was up to 70. When I got up it felt more like Miami than PA and Ditto didn't like it one bit. He barely ate anything all day, and only nibbled all evening when I got home. Total for the whole day was at best 3 grams. He just wanted to lounge around and look miserable. Just before bed he was eating a bit and didn't want to go to bed right away when his light went out.

This morning when I came downstairs I heard him click his beak at me and when I peeked under the covers he was sitting in his happy hut with his head sticking out looking at me. :rofl:

When I took the food dish out it was 2 grams lighter than it was when he went to bed so he must have been up early for some breakfast and went back in the hut right before I came down.

[linda040899]

Ditto isn't the only one who hates humidity!!! I do, too, and I live in Florida!!! I've been here since 1990 and I still haven't adapted to it! Let my AC go on the blink in the summer and I'm one VERY unhappy camper! Where I am, we've had major rain/flooding and it's like a sauna. The only place I want to be is inside where there's AC!

[Z28Taxman]

Yeah, I'd rather have cold and snow than this humidity. When I woke up this morning it was 74 degrees and foggy. That's never a good sign.

I swear he knew this was coming though. He was out of bed and eating when I came downstairs at 8am. He ate like mad sunday morning and woke up early from his afternoon nap and ate from 4pm until bed time at 10:45. He weighed almost 47 grams before he went to bed.

Yesterday he ate only a few grams and was back down to just under 43.

This morning he did come out of the hut, make rounds of the cage, regurgitate toward a toy and while I was taking a shower crawled back into the hut. Which is what I would have done if I didn't have to be here at work today.

He did poop well all evening and when I uncovered him there was at least one fresh poop under the perch in front of the hut.

Hopefully he eats better today. I left the temperature on the AC lower today so it runs more to remove the humidity. The last time the humidity changed this quickly and got so high, he was "off" for two days before eating like crazy again.

[linda040899]

Not so much the heat that gets me. It's the moisture. I like the house at around 77F, which isn't cold, and the AC takes out the humidity. We've had bad rain storms every day for almost a week now and there's flooding in at least one county north of me. Sure glad I live further inland and that my house is on an incline. Some of the houses on one of the streets around the corner from me are not so lucky and their sewer lines backed up several weeks ago. Not so easy to keep water out!

[Z28Taxman]

Not so much the heat that gets me. It's the moisture. I like the house at around 77F, which isn't cold, and the AC takes out the humidity. We've had bad rain storms every day for almost a week now and there's flooding in at least one county north of me. Sure glad I live further inland and that my house is on an incline. Some of the houses on one of the streets around the corner from me are not so lucky and their sewer lines backed up several weeks ago. Not so easy to keep water out!

77 is too hot. 74 is nicer and 68 for sleeping. Ditto doesn't like the heat when it gets much warmer than 76. I left it set at 76 today so hopefully he's happier and eats more.

[Z28Taxman]

I swear he's going to drive me nuts. I came home today and he was napping as usual. He did perk up for skritches when I came over to the cage and chirped at me.

Looked at the food dish and I could tell he touched it, there was a hole dug in the middle and there was a feather in it ( he's still moulting). Weighed it and he only ate one gram. >:

He went back to napping while I changed clothes and brushed my teeth. Once I started filling the pan to heat water for tea, his head popped up and once I started cleaning the veggie bowl he perked up, rang his bell, ran over and danced on the food dish. There's my happy little fella.

Opened the cage and zoom... Right on my shoulder. He watched me get his veggies ready, fill the water dish and examine the nutriberry dish. A few crumbs at the bottom but I didn't have to add anything.

When it was time to step on the scale, I saw what I expected, 41 grams then it dropped to 40. That's down 2 from yesterday but I expected it because he didn't eat much. Of course it took 2 attempts to weigh him. He stepped on the scale but before it could get a reading he flew back to the cage and looked where the food dish would go, then looked at me and flew back to the food dish on the scale! :rotfl

Once I got a weight we started back to the cage and as soon as he was sure the dish was going in, he flew off my shoulder and met the dish as it swung into the cage and so far has been eating for about 15 minutes. I hope I'm not speaking too soon but he really seems to be going at the food dish pretty vigorously.

He did manage to get some regurgitated gunk on his bib but he does that once in awhile. Especially if he regurgitates right after drinking water. that makes a mess.

Even though I know he gets like this every time the weather changes drastically like it did the last 2 days I still worry about him.

The good news is that even though the temperature is 92 the dewpoint has dropped 10 degrees to 65.

[Z28Taxman]

Well he spent most of the evening with his face buried in the food dish and when he was done, 5 grams were gone.:happy:

When he came out to watch tv with me at 9 he was begging for skritches. When he made me skritch under his beak I could feel his crop was full. :happy::happy::happy:

[Z28Taxman]

He was grumpy this morning. I uncovered the cage and he just gave me the stink eye from the happy hut because he didn't want to get up at 5:30. Then again I didn't want to be up either but somebody has to make the money to buy all that food for him.>:

I came home today and peeked in the window to see where he was, didn't see him. Uh, oh. When I opened the door I could see the top of his head at the food dish. I walked in the room and it looked like his food dish exploded. Half of it was on the grate and he was standing in the bowl eating what he didn't toss out (there wasn't much left in there). He had quite a party today.

I put all of the food back in the bowl and weighed it and he ate almost 6 grams. :omg:

Once I opened the cage to get his veggies ready and refill the dish he was on me like a little blur. He didn't even bother to flap his wings. Just jumped the 2 feet from the cage to me.

Once I filled the food dish it was time for him to step on the scale for the daily weigh in. Id hoped after eating almost 6 grams he'd gain a bit but nope, down another 2 to 38. well that's what the scale said for the 5 seconds he stood there. He took off and didn't just fly to the cage balcony and look at me like normal. No he went all the way in to where the food dish is supposed to be and stared at me. :evil::evil: When he realized I wasn't coming in he came back, took a bite of the food and went back to the cage.

After another trip to the kitchen he decided to just eat it there. Yep, still 38. I wish he'd tell me his secret, eat 10percent of your body weight in one day and still lose weight.

He's been in the cage eating like I've been starving him.

This happened back in mid may when the temperature when from 60 degrees and dry one day to 95 and florida humid the next. He didn't eat for 2 days, the day after he started eating his weight bottomed out at around 38 grams and then went back up.

He's still got enough energy to do his little song and dance routine when he wants out of the cage at 9pm.

[Z28Taxman]

Well his hunger strike is officially over. He ate for almost 3 hours solid. Total eaten: 5 grams! Better yet he ate himself back up to 40 grams! :happy::happy::happy:

[michael]

Well his hunger strike is officially over. He ate for almost 3 hours solid. Total eaten: 5 grams! Better yet he ate himself back up to 40 grams! :happy::happy::happy:

He's not a lovebird, he's a barometer!

[Z28Taxman]

He's not a lovebird, he's a barometer!

He's more accurate than the weather channel!

Hopefully he doesn't backtrack today. It's not as warm but even more humid than ever. If the air conditioner didn't run long enough it's going to be humid in the house again.

[Z28Taxman]

Well I came home early today to try and sneak up on him. I know that's impossible because he knows what my cars sound like.

I peeked in the window to see if I could see him and nope. Once I opened the door I found out why. He had again thrown half his food out of the dish and was eating from the bottom of the bowl. Nothing was visible but tail feathers sticking up! :rofl: He ate at around 6 grams today! :happy::happy::happy:

His weight didn't go up, still 38 but at least he didn't lose any that's a good start. He lost 1 gram Monday, 2 on Tuesday and 2 again yesterday.

The way he's been eating he'll go back up now!

[Z28Taxman]

Well he's still eating enough for a bird 3 times his size and after cleaning out the tray this morning, It's obvious he's eating a lot. Tons of poop! They all looked normal. That's a good thing. No seeds. He hasn't pooped seeds since his last string incident.

He hasn't gained weight, still hovering around 38 grams before eating but he's not lost any in 3 days.

He's also decided to go to round 4 of his moult. This is his biggest summer moult in quite a while. He started it at the end of may! That would explain the slow weight gain.

Yesterday he flew around for a bit until one of his flight feathers fell out. When one of those is loose and he's in the cage, he grabs a perch and flaps until it falls out. If he's out of the cage he just flies around.

I can tell he's got pins under his wings too. When he settles down he'll flutter his wings until he can get comfortable. Poor little guy.

[michael]

I'd say that's a pretty lengthy moult. Fortunately his little bod chose the perfect time of year for it.

[Z28Taxman]

Yeah, every so often he does a really big one. Occasionally he won't finish until the end of August. Haven't seen one this big in awhile. The big ones almost always happen in the summer. His January moult isn't as bad.

[Maxie]

Maxs moult is long this summer too. Not sure why. He's all pins now and loves it when I break them for him....lol

[Z28Taxman]

Ditto looks like a cactus!

Good news though. He ate 8 grams for breakfast and afternoon snacks and his weight has started going up.:happy:

[Maxie]

Ditto looks like a cactus!

Good news though. He ate 8 grams for breakfast and afternoon snacks and his weight has started going up.:happy:

LOL! Awww!

That great! Isn't it a great feeling when your lovie has a good appetite!?

[linda040899]

How do you put 8 grams of food in a 3 gram adult size crop??????????????

[Z28Taxman]

How do you put 8 grams of food in a 3 gram adult size crop??????????????

Well his breakfast lasted most of the day with the snacks he ate all afternoon. I think his head is hollow.

Judging by all the pooping he did that day he definately ate alot.

[Z28Taxman]

Today he ate a more realistic 5 grams and he's up to 41 grams! :happy:

[Z28Taxman]

Well today started out good, he came out for breakfast before I uncovered him. He was eating when I left for work.

Today when I came home he had managed to get regurgitation on himself again. He had been feeding his toys again last night so ok he's back in that mode.


He didn't eat much but it wasn't so warm outside today so the airconditioner didn't run in all day and it is a bit warm. There was a fresh poop under the food dish so he was there right before I came home.

His weight is down to 39/40 but he's chowing down now. All week after eating his weight was up to 44-45 grams. 41-43 when I got home except for today.

His moult still isn't over, he's started on flight feathers now. that usually happens last to hopefully he's about done.

[Z28Taxman]

He's really trying to drive me nuts. Since my last post everything was going great. His weight rebounded back up to 43 grams at 5pm and 45 after eating all evening. He ate 3-6 grams during the day and then would eat all evening.

The weather got nasty again on Thursday. Temperatures outside didn't hit 80 until 4pm and it was cloudy, rainy and horribly humid all day. As expected he didn't eat more than a few nibbles all day, that's normal on a day like that. He did come out of bed before I uncovered him but it wasn't humid in here yet. After I gave him his dinner he ate from the time I put it in (and he followed it) until bed time (5pm until 10:45pm).

He did have some regurgitated food on his head again, his toy feeding activity picked up big time.

What I don't like is what happened Friday and Saturday. The weather returned to beautiful. Low humidity and temperatures in the low 80's. I uncovered him and he poked his head out of the hut to look at me but then went back to sleep. Usually he'll come out and eat when I leave to go to the grocery store so ok not worried yet.

When I came home from the store I didn't see him through the window. when I came in he was on the perch in front of the happy hut and he dove inside when he saw me. :evil: He hadn't eaten anything but there were poops in a few places around the cage so I know he'd been out for awhile.

I put my groceries away and went to my parents house. When I came home at 10:15 he was still in the hut, food untouched. I decided to leave him alone and see what would happen. Shortly after 11 he came out and ate a bit, then when through the feeding the toy motion. He then settled in for a nap. He napped until 3pm with a few rounds of feeding toys mixed in. At 3 he started eating and pretty much ate all evening again. His weight was down to 39/40 at 5pm but back to 41/42 at 10.

Yesterday was a different story altogether. I Did the normal routine, uncover him, refill food and water dishes and say good morning. He looked at me, and went back to sleep. I went to visit my parents again for a few hours and got home after 10. He was still in bed. I opened the cage poked his head out at me but didn't come out until I walked away, then, zoom, to my shoulder. He hung out with me while I ate breakfast and tried to feed me. >:
Then he went in to his food dish, took a few bites, fed his toys and went to lounge in his favorite spot back in the corner. After half an hour he went around fed toys, and went into the happy hut. He stayed in there until 3 when he came out, regurgitated a bit then started eating. His weight at that time was down to 38. By 5pm he was 40 and I gave him dinner and he ate until 9pm when we went to watch tv. He was back up to 41 grams by then.

He also didn't sleep all night Thursday and Friday. Around midnight Thursday he came out and I heard him climb around for awhile. Friday night he did the same thing.


Last night he slept all night and came out to eat while I was at the store for coffee. He was eating again when I came home from my parents house. then he took a half hour snooze and went back to eating so he seems to be normal today.

The only thing that changed was the weather on Thursday so it seems that when it gets that nasty it throws him off for a few days, and he'll only eat in the evening and spend all day either sleeping or preening and feeding his toys.

[Z28Taxman]

I swear he reads this board. He knows he got to me so today, he's back to normal. Eat all morning, nap in the afternoon and now eating again. :evil:

[Z28Taxman]

Well he never stopped eating. He ate right up until 8:50pm. He only stopped then because he knew it was time to come out and hang out with me on the couch. Then he was literally bouncing off the cage walls, doing his happy dance and chirping up a storm.

When I opened the cage he was a little yellow blur, right to my shoulder. He hopped on the scale while I refilled the food dish... 40 grams!

He spent the entire hour on the couch eating so I decided to get him to step on the scale again... 41 grams. :happy::happy::happy:

Today when I came home his food dish was empty and it looked like his food dish exploded in there. :omg:

Judging from what was in the tray under the grate after he tossed half the food to the bottom, ate what was left in the bowl, he went down and ate what he tossed out.

He weighs 40 grams tonight and is currently practically standing on his head in the food dish (he likes to eat from the bottom of the bowl for some reason).

[Z28Taxman]

Well he definitely approves of this weather. Today is beautiful. 76 degrees, dewpoint all the way down to 48 degrees, and He's wound up, dancing and chirping up a storm. He ate well today, poops were scattered all around the cage and he barely flung any food out of the dish.

And he gained another gram since yesterday. :happy::happy:

[Maxie]

Happy to hear :)

[Z28Taxman]

I think he wants to move to Alaska!

[Maxie]

I think he wants to move to Alaska!

Lol...Toronto is colder!!

[linda040899]

Ditto would definitely NOT be a happy camper here in FL, unless it's during the winter! This summer has been a bear and even I'm tired of the heat/humidity! Not tired enough to move North but getting anxious for the seasonal change. :)

[Z28Taxman]

Ditto would definitely NOT be a happy camper here in FL, unless it's during the winter! This summer has been a bear and even I'm tired of the heat/humidity! Not tired enough to move North but getting anxious for the seasonal change. :)

He would hate Florida (I wouldn't be crazy about it either, i hate humidity as much as he does).

He ate great again last night. Much less flinging food out of the dish and he was up to 43 grams before bedtime (been gaining a gram a day since sunday when the humidity went down). :happy: And for the second day in a row he was wound up and playing much more rather than looking miserable.

[Z28Taxman]

And tonight he's still wound up and up to 42 grams before dinner! :happy: