Baby lovebird adoption

[Maxie]

Hi everyone,

Haven’t posted much here for a while but always checking in to see what’s up.

Hope everyone is doing well.

Today I went to see a baby lovebird at an animal shelter that is up for adoption. I don’t plan on adopting him/her unless they do the PBFD test. I have him on hold for me and they’re going to let me know in a few days. I’m hoping they’ll agree to having the test done because I can’t take a chance of bringing home a sick bird to Max.

Here’s a link to pics from a post on Max’s Instagram account. .... https://www.instagram.com/p/Bp7zWFUFR8x/

He has some sort of a scar on his beak that I couldn’t really see very well and he also has a weird thing going on with his right toe nail.

If you click on the right side of the pics you can see the close up of his beak, toe and the last two pics are his parents which were also adopted.

I don’t know if he’s male or female either.

Can anyone tell what’s wrong with his beak, toe and wether he’s a he or a she by looking at his parents colouring? He had a sibling which was a yellow lutino.

Thanks,
Jenny

[droppy]

Wow,

The little one is very cute. Do you want a friend for Maxie or just to rescue him/her?

Based on what I've read, if it's PBFD the first signs are on the feathers. Also, maybe that sign on the beak might be from an injury after a fight with another bird. Our lovie Bella misses (since she was a baby) one nail but she was always happy and did not seemed to be bother by that.

[Maxie]

She’s very cute and so vibrant and alert when I was talking to her.

I want to rescue her but it would be great if Max had a little feathered friend. I know it’s a 50/50 chance that they’ll even get along but I’m willing to take that chance.

I’m terrified of PBFD!! I’ve read so many things about it and seen what it can do....horrible disease.

I’ll never add a bird into the family unless I’m 100% sure that it’s free and clear of that virus.

I’ll know soon enough.

Fingers crossed :)

[linda040899]

Cute little one! Mutation is Medium Aqua Turquoise. If he has a Ino sister, his father was split for Ino and each time the gene was passed, the baby was a female. This one should be a male. The picture isn't clear enough for me to see the beak injury but the toe nail was bitten off and it's growing back. It may not get any longer but that's not a problem.

i would ask for the PBFD test even if you have to pay for it. That disease scares the living daylights out of me, too!!!

[Maxie]

Thanks Linda!

I’m so glad that he’s a male! The odds of Max getting along with him are even better now! His sibling was bright yellow ((lutino).

I’m still waiting to hear back from the humane society on the test. I don’t get what the big deal is with the test. I’ll pay for it to get it done. They told me no one has ever asked for the test. So, this is causing a little stir in the adoption process.

The whole family was anondoned by the owner when she moved out of the house and the neighbor went and rescued them from her house and brought them to the humane society. So far they have all been adopted except for this little guy.

I have him on hold for me and can’t wait to get this done and bring him home!

I’ll keep you posted.

Thanks again.

[Maxie]

Cute little one! Mutation is Medium Aqua Turquoise. If he has a Ino sister, his father was split for Ino and each time the gene was passed, the baby was a female. This one should be a male. The picture isn't clear enough for me to see the beak injury but the toe nail was bitten off and it's growing back. It may not get any longer but that's not a problem.

i would ask for the PBFD test even if you have to pay for it. That disease scares the living daylights out of me, too!!!

I’m not sure if you clicked to see all the pics. There’s a tiny arrow on the first picture that you can click to see close ups of the beak and his parents too.

[linda040899]

Interesting on the pics of the parents. Both are blue series (they have cantelope colored brows rather than reddish peach) and cannot produce a Lutino. Lutino (bright lemon yellow with a reddish peach face) is green series. The parents are blue series and cannot carry the gene for green. Chances are the sibling is a Creamino, lighter yellow with a cantelope colored brow.

The Humane Society is strictly for adoption purposes and know really very little about birds, as they deal mostly with dogs, cats and pocket pets. Stick to your guns on this test. No visual signs doesn't mean the lovebird can't be carrying and just hasn't been stressed enough for the disease to become active!

[Maxie]

Interesting on the pics of the parents. Both are blue series (they have cantelope colored brows rather than reddish peach) and cannot produce a Lutino. Lutino (bright lemon yellow with a reddish peach face) is green series. The parents are blue series and cannot carry the gene for green. Chances are the sibling is a Creamino, lighter yellow with a cantelope colored brow.

The Humane Society is strictly for adoption purposes and know really very little about birds, as they deal mostly with dogs, cats and pocket pets. Stick to your guns on this test. No visual signs doesn't mean the lovebird can't be carrying and just hasn't been stressed enough for the disease to become active!

My mistake on the siblings colouring. I didn’t post the picture of it but looking at it more carefully, it wasn’t bright yellow, more creamino as you said. Does this mean that the one I’m hoping to get is a female?

I’m definitely going to stick to my guns on having the test done. I’ve read enough about PBFD to never bring a bird home unless it has been tested.

I still haven’t heard back from them and I’ve sent them three emails. I feel so sorry for the poor bird sitting there waiting for them to go through the proper channels. I hate waiting.

If I knew someone that could keep him in their house, I would take him to get the test done myself.

Frustrating.

[Maxie]

So, I finally heard back from the humane society.

Listen to this incompetence.

They said the vet was going to take a sample on Friday but they don’t know how long it will take to get the results.

I told them that the bird will have to be quarantined and separated from any other bird as soon as the sample is taken. If he’s exposed to other birds while we’re waiting for the results, he could get the virus from a new bird that’s placed in the same bird room.

I would think their vet would have told them that but it doesn’t look like they know what they’re doing.

What is the test for PBFD? Is it a blood test?

I don’t know what to do now. If this disease wasn’t so contagious, I would take him home and get him to a vet myself to get the test done.

[linda040899]

Yes. The test can be done with blood sample. Should not take more than 5 days or so. They don't know the ins and outs of PBFD because they don't deal with birds that often, especially lovebirds. The test may very well be negative but a positive test would be disasterous should you take the bird home! PBFD is very hard to kill once it's in an environment. Definitely not worth the risk!!! I had a woman wanting to buy a couple of female lovebirds from me. She had gotten them from Craig's List and I told her I would do it if she tested her 2, as I was not going to put healthy birds in a situation that would threaten their lives. Come to find out the test was positive and she had to go through a LOT to make her home acceptable for any more birds.

[droppy]

We weren't aware about PBFD till we've got Wilma, we were really lucky in the past I guess. As for Wilma, new photos will be posted soon, we still do not know if it's PBFD or not.

Crossing the fingers for the little one to be ok.

[Maxie]

So, I’m still talking with the adoption manager at the humane society.

I’m asking for a simple request to keep the bird out of the common bird area once the sample is taken for the test so that if any other birds are surrendered, he won’t be exposed to other new birds. It would make the test useless if he was put back in the same cage with the other birds and new birds.

They just don’t get it. I’ve explained to him that this is something their vet should have explained to them. It should actually be a mandatory test they do for all new birds coming in.

I feel so sorry for that bird sitting there. If they had half a brain, everything could have been done properly by now and the bird could have been home with me and Max.

Just ridiculous.

[Maxie]

We weren't aware about PBFD till we've got Wilma, we were really lucky in the past I guess. As for Wilma, new photos will be posted soon, we still do not know if it's PBFD or not.

Crossing the fingers for the little one to be ok.

I hope all goes well and she’s clear of that horrible disease

[linda040899]

Unfortunately, the Human Society is more interested in placing animals in new homes rather than making sure they are healthy before they leave. Birds are not their specialty. I adopted a dog from them about 3 yrs ago and Dela came home with a cough. I thought it was Kennel Cough but they assured me they had treated her for that. Still, the cough persisted so I took her to my own vet. My vet diagnosed the problem as doggy COPD, damaged lungs, and Dela will be on prednisone for the rest of her life. When I let the Humane Society know they blew the diagnosis, they told me I was the right person to adopt Dela.......

Hope this issue is resolved soon!

[Maxie]

I can’t beleive they did that with the poor dog.

Well, I have good news! They finally did the test on Saturday and they’re keeping him in an office with the adoption manager until the test results come back.

It took a while but we’re on the right track. I’m going to try to drop by one day this week to make sure they’re telling me the truth.

I’ll let you know what the results are.

I decided to name him Gabriel after the archangel. You mentioned that he’s probably a male that’s why I named him that, plus he has such big wings.

A friend just suggested I get him tested for parrot fever (chlamydia). Should I be worried about that too?

[linda040899]

Glad to hear that things are going well with the adoption process for this little lovie! Hopefully, the test will be negative and he will be able to go home with you. With Chlamydia, there are visual symptoms. It's not hidden. Chlamydia is one of the few illnesses that can be passed from human to parrot and parrot to human.

[Maxie]

I’m excited and hoping all goes well. I still plan keeping him quarantined for a month before introducing him to Max.

I really hope Max likes him. Any tips on the introduction are welcome 😊

[linda040899]

30 day quarantine is mandatory when bringing in any new bird! 60 days is better, 90 days is best. I usually do between 30 - 60 but, occasionally I've done 90. Side by side cages is the best way to introduce lovebirds to each other. Initially, you may see Max sitting in his cage, screaming at the top of his birdie lungs, when he sees a new lovie! This is typical and it will subside as Max accepts the newcomer. After that, all you can do is watch and see how they interact. Most lovebirds enjoy company of their own kind but I have a few who are singletons and like it that way!

[Maxie]

Thanks for the tips!

I got good news today...he’s PBFD negative. They also did the test for chlamydia (negative) and a DNA test. You were right, it’s a male! You truly are a genius !

I have him upstairs now in the spare bedroom with the door closed. He’s so quiet. Max chirped and he started chirping but Max could care less...lol. They took a blood sample and a swab for the tests.

I’m going to take your advice and keep him quarantined longer than 30 days. It’ll give me the opportunity to build some trust too.

I’m really excited!

[linda040899]

Congratulations on the negative test results!!!!! When you said he has an Ino sister, that means there's sex linked genes involved. Since neither parent is visually yellow, that means that dad is carrying the ino gene. Since it takes an ino gene from both parents to produce a visual ino, each time dad passes the gene, there's none from the female so the baby is a female. When dad doesn't pass the ino gene, the baby is a male. Sex linked can be complicated and you almost have to live the experience to understand it!! :lol

I'm very glad that this lovie will have a good home! Since he's alone, take the opportunity to let him get to know you and build a trust relationship with him. Right now, he's scared because he's in a new environment. It will take time for him to realize you mean him no harm. We'd love to see some pics of him when you feel he's comfortable with being photographed!

[Maxie]

Thanks Linda!

Gabriel is settling in well. He’s very fearful. A lot more than when I saw him the first time at the humane society. I think he was traumatized when they drew blood for the tests.

I’m spending time with him today at a comfortable distance. They told me he was eating Zupreem pellets but he wasn’t touching them at all. I put in some Harrison’s pellets and Higgins seed and he was eating like he had never eaten before!

One thing I also noticed that he didn’t have before is a little mark on the right side of his neck area. I’m thinking it’s from the blood test. It also looks like he may have started plucking on the left side of his shoulder area. He tried preening it but I would stop him. He’s been sitting quietly and all relaxed now for a while.

I gave him a small mist bath today too.

When I can get closer, I’ll post pics.

Thanks for your advice

[linda040899]

Glad to hear that Gabriel is settling in well! He's fearful because he's in a new environment, away from all that is familiar. It will get better when he learns, by experience, that you mean him no harm. Just keep working with him. He will come around.

As for food, lovebirds are native to Africa and they need a diet that is higher in fat than parrots that live in other parts of our world. I use seed, including sunflower seed, and maybe 10% pellets. Pellets are actually too much nutrition and can eventually cause kidney failure. I use a lot of fresh veggies. Lovebirds are not known fruit eaters but mine will devour fresh shredded carrots, kale, broccoli, collard greens, sugar snap peas and even string beans. I use very little spinach because it's high in oxalic acid that will bind useable calcium. I also use Nutriberries and Avi-cakes.

Would love to see pics when you can. No rush.

[Maxie]

Well, Gabriel is settling in well. He’s eating like crazy. I have a feeling he wasn’t eating much at the humane society with the pellet diet they put him on.

The first couple of days I noticed him preening/picking at two spots where it looks like there are some feathers missing. It’s not very visible..almost looks like “holes” in his feather...just underneath the front top of his left wing more. I noticed about five or six little feathers on the bottom of his cage the first two days but none this morning and none today. I’ve been giving him spray baths everyday and he seems to like them. Do you think this plucking is something he’ll get over or do you think it’s something I should see a vet about?

I’m doing exactly what I did with Max and I hope he’ll trust me as much as Max does one day. He’s very skittish...even when he eats, he won’t turn his back...eats so fast.

I don’t want to let him out of his cage yet because he’s still afraid of my hands and I won’t be able to get him back in the cage. I hate that he’s in the little cage but hopefully within the next couple of days I’ll be able to let him out on his first flight. Thankfully his wings are not clipped.


Here’s a video and a few photos of his beak...the right side looks scarred. Do you know what it could be? Press the arrow to play the video and click on the right side of the pics to see the pictures of his beak.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bq-RtmdlJO3/

Here’s a little video recording of him...press the arrow on the picture to play.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bq224yiFBdH/

Here’s a video of Max peeking in at him for the first time.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bq46p5ClpYP/

And here’s a good picture of him I was able to take..
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bq51clmFd_Z/

[linda040899]

The damage to his beak is the result of an injury. It may grow out or it may be there for life. Injured beaks heal slowly. The injury grows down the beak until it finally grows off the tip.

I would keep an eye on the spots with the sparse feathering. Parrots like chewing and some will pluck feathers even if there are enough toys around the cage to keep those beaks busy!! I'm constantly adding toys and shreddable items to my cages! Ginger, my female CAG, LOVES small blocks of wood to chew up. Ken buys a piece of 2 x 2 soft wood and cuts it up into 2" blocks. Keeps those beaks busy for hours on end!!

It will take time for Gabriel to learn to trust and I think he will. All live creatures will respond to love, patience and kindness. He's beautiful AquaTurquoise Creamino! AquaTurquoise = Seagreen = split for whiteface.

Max sounds excited to hear/see another lovebird! It might work out just perfectly!

[Maxie]

He’s such a good little bird. Just hangs out observing everything. His colouring is really unique too. His little rump is turquoise.

I wonder how his beak got injured. It looks like it’s flaking. His beak is so much bigger than Max’s. I’m hoping he starts using cuttle bone because I really don’t want to start with beak trims.

I’m definitely watching the preening he does. This morning I didn’t find any feathers on the bottom of the cage.

I have a feeling Max and Gabe are going to be good friends ❤️

[linda040899]

His little rump is turquoise.
Do you think he would let you get a pic of his rump feathering? If it's blue, it will change his mutation.

[Maxie]

I’ll try but he’s still camera shy.

It’s a very faint greenish blue that can be seen with good lighting.

As soon as I get a pic I’ll attach it.

[Z28Taxman]

He looks like Ditto except the rump feathers. Dittos rump was cobalt blue and he had some green on his back.

[Maxie]

Awwww, Ditto. I miss the stories you used to tell us about him.

I’m worried about my Gabriel’s beak injury now. Is there anything I can do to help him heal quicker? Like softer foods so he doesn’t use his beak much?

[linda040899]

Chances are that the beak injury is healed and the evidence of the injury is slowly moving down the beak. If he's eating well (cracking seed), there's no pain. Keritan is similar to human finger nails, although birdie beaks have a blood supply.

If the coloring on the rump is more like a wash of blue/green, that's normal for a Creamino. The rump feathers are pearly white and can have just a slight hint of color.

[Maxie]

Yes, he’s eatimg normally. Cracking even safflower seeds. Today I’m going to introduce him to peas and broccoli.

His rump is more pearly white with a hint of turquoise. I’ll try a pic today.

[Maxie]

Update on baby Gabriel!

Well, it’s been a week and a half now that I’ve had Gabriel and things are going really well.

I’m taking it slow and letting him lead. He loves broccoli and carrots and eats like it’s going out of style. Today he tried avicakes for the first time and he loved it!

He takes food from my fingers through the cage bars now and he gently touches my fingers when I put them up to the bars. He’s still scared to come to my hand when I put my hand in the cage but I have a feeling he’ll be ok with it tomorrow.

Hes a lot more trusting than Max was at this point which is surprising. I’ve been observing him very closely this past week and a half and he shows no signs of illness. One thing I have noticed is that when he gets excited when he hears Max and wants to get out of his cage, he picks on that spot where he’s lost some feathers. When he’s calm, he never touches it. He hasn’t pulled out a single feather since the first two days here which is promising.

I let Max get closer to him without any physical contact today. Here’s a video clip of what happened ...

https://www.instagram.com/p/BrI4F05F8I3/

Here’s a fun video of Max...

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bqpyly1lpSN/

Here’s another one of Max...

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bp63REKlXvo/


I’m hoping they become good friends but I’m very nervous that Max might be a little jealous. I can tell today by his personality and the way he acted when I had Gabriel’s cage beside me. He wouldn’t leave me at all.

We’ll see how it goes. I have to be extremely careful with him when that time comes.

[linda040899]

Gabriel is absolutely adorable and he likes Max! On the flip side, Max likes Gabriel. The body language between them was so cute to watch. I don't think you will have any problems at all with introductions. In fact, it's good for lovebirds to have companions!

It's amazing how smart lovies are! Max knows how to open the door so he can see his girlfriend and it's good to see that you have trained him to come on command. That could be useful should any kind of emergency arise! I'm so glad that it worked out so that Gabriel could go home with you!

[Maxie]

I’m very happy that Gabriel came home with us too. He’s such a sweet lovie.

Yes, lovebirds are sooo smart. Scary sometimes to see how smart they are. Max is a real character. I didn’t train him to come to me, he just did it one day and since then, he always comes to me when I call him. I can’t even describe the love I have for Max and now Gabriel. They are a handful but they bring so much joy to life.

Well, today I decided to keep Gabriel upstairs in his room for some one on one time with me. Max kept coming upstairs and sitting on the banister chirping for me to open the door and let him in. So, of course, whatever Max wants, Max gets. Gabriel is always soooo happy to see him.

This is what is happening now...when I’m holiding Max in one hand and stick my finger through the cage bars to touch Gabriel with my other hand, Max will stretch over, try to bite Gabriel through the bars and then push my finger away ...then he’ll reach over and kiss me. Is this a sign of jealousy and not wanting to share me with Gabriel? He also does the same if I’m feeding Gabriel through the bars with one hand while Max is eating the exact same thing in the other hand.

I’m really afraid that Max might hurt him when they’re face to face one day.

Any tips on how to deal with this?