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Post by carlsandclan on Jan 4, 2010 13:39:00 GMT 10
AJ has the devils at the moment! Just being a bit spaz when I let her (?) out and seems to be a bit Jeckyl/Hyde. Still has her sweet, cuddly times.
Has a lot of new feathers coming in, so I shower her almost every day which settles her down. Is starting to develop a deeper pink colour now, too - so perhaps she is moulting? She is around 6 months old now. I've noticed quite a few smaller feathers around the house. I'm home a lot with her atm because the kids are on school holidays, so I've been watching her, and she isn't plucking. Preening, yes - especially after her shower! Which she adores!
She is eating well, a varied diet of pellet (vetafarm), seed (minimal sunflower and safflower), fresh fruit and veg (particularly veg), grasses, lilly pilly (fresh branches in the morning, with flowers and fruits on them), bottle brush, eucalypt flowers (when I can reach them! lol)....
Poor thing seems so cranky! Loves a bit of a scratch on the back of the neck and shoulders, where I have seen the pin feathers.
Does this sound like a moult? Anything else I should feed her to get her through?
Yes....I'm a worry wart! LOL
Cheers!
Carls
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davewa
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Post by davewa on Jan 5, 2010 17:55:48 GMT 10
Hi there
Bob is my Galah and he has been the same for the past 3 weeks, it took a long time to get him use to his out door home which he now loves but has started biting me again when he has to go inside after 8 - 9 hours outside. I have spent a good part of an hour each time waiting for him to go into his other home and eventually have to pick him up and put him in. Even while in his big house I can't get him to step up even for a cuddle which was no problem a month ago!
Maybe it is just seasonal as you said and as with children these things pass in time?
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Post by carlsandclan on Jan 5, 2010 19:54:12 GMT 10
I do hope this passes! LOL Galahs have no trouble telling you when they aren't happy, don't they? AJ is biting more than usual, too. I don't mind her being cheeky - that is the fun of a galah - but not sure if I could cope with these crazies ALL the time! She will become an aviary bird if this is going to be all year! (not that I have any problem with that! I love her regardless  ) Could be that she's testing my patience and limits, just like my human kids!  Good luck with Bob! Glad to know that I'm not the only one with a galah who rules the roost! Carls |
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Post by vankarhi on Jan 5, 2010 20:17:55 GMT 10
Sounds like a moult to me and showering her is a good thing. At 6 months I would imagine it too young for her to be hormonal as they don't mature for a couple a years. But most juvenille birds do go through a "testing the boundaries" stage. I have 3 handraised eclectus chicks at the moment who are testing my boundaries.....2 in particular are biting me when I try to handle them. I accidently today found that when I ask them to step up they start to step up then go for the "chomp" lol  so instead of me pulling my hand away and saying no........I twisted my hand and realised I was unbalancing them and they stopped biting me. I did this a few times and the 2 babies in question stopped biting........until tomorrow I guess. lol |
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davewa
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Post by davewa on Jan 5, 2010 21:16:02 GMT 10
I vote for molting, sounds good, Bob is 6 or 7 now and does change his moods at different times of the year so it is either that or he is a bit territorial at the moment, we have been doing so well over the past 6 months too, never mind skin grows back and it is part of being a parrot owner! |
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Post by vankarhi on Jan 6, 2010 8:15:42 GMT 10
oh yes I know about biting and scratching being part of the territory of owning parrots. lol ;D
Your Bob might be hormonal at this time of the year. They tend to breed towards the end of the year. We can see hear the galahs feeding their young at the moment.
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davewa
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Post by davewa on Jan 6, 2010 15:54:13 GMT 10
Thats handy to note, the ones in my area are not as active and more spread out as at other times of the year so I don't know how they act this time of year.
Note to self write down January, Bob will be grumpy next year don't touch!!!!!!!
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Post by carlsandclan on Jan 6, 2010 16:27:28 GMT 10
I think I'll make that note, too! LOL Also that AJ is a little piggy at this time! WOW. She is eating SO much right now. I try to give her plenty of sprouted seed (tiny tails) and lots of dark green vegies. She certainly isn't losing any weight, or feather condition, so I guess I'm doing ok! Not to mention the showers every day. A neighbour of mine has a heap of birds (mainly cockatoos) and they are all moulting right now, too. She puts the sprinkler on for her Gang Gangs - they love it as much as AJ! And her sulfer appreciates his shower. Carls |
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Post by vankarhi on Jan 6, 2010 18:06:34 GMT 10
Breeding season for Galahs can start around Oct/Nov and end early in the year.
My alex's all look ugly at the moment and there are so many feathers in the aviary. My adult ekkies are moulting too but it doesn't seem as bad as the alex's but then I only have 2 adult ekkies and 5 adult alex's.
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Post by carlsandclan on Jan 7, 2010 21:29:30 GMT 10
Took AJ into the vet for a wing clip today - and she did REALLY well, considering it's her first one. Because we are getting a neighbour to take care of her the week after next, I thought it would be a good idea to have her clipped for safety. Besides, she's moulting, so she'll fly again in no time! LOL Can I tell you, though, AJ is like a different bird!!!! SO SNUGGLY! Especially with hubby....tart! lol And a lot quieter. I may keep her clipped for a while so I can do some more intensive training - want to train her to lay on her back and have her happily haver her wings stretched out, and I am going to harness train her (got my aviator harness the other day).....may just have 4 primaries clipped next time, though. We will see how we go! She had 5 primary flight feathers clipped on each wing, so she can still flap her way to the floor if she tries to fly off a chair or something. Not the prettiest clip - the vet said he normally does it a lot neater, but AJ was getting a little antsy. I don't really mind - both wings are even, and it is doing what it needs to do. I have to say, though, that it's so strange to see her with her wings out, because they look so much smaller! I LOVE a galahs wing span - they look so gorgeous in full flight. Anyhow...... The vet was really impressed with AJ's condition. And her temperament! Said AJ is one of the best natured galahs he has ever seen. Which made me feel really good! Was really happy with her diet, too. So a huge thankyou for all the advice and tips I've gotten from here! Carls |
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Post by vankarhi on Jan 8, 2010 11:25:46 GMT 10
That sounds great especially when the vet says she is doing well.
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)
so instead of me pulling my hand away and saying no........I twisted my hand and realised I was unbalancing them and they stopped biting me. I did this a few times and the 2 babies in question stopped biting........until tomorrow I guess. lol
