IndianRingNeck.com

Hi my name is Karen. I'm new to this site and I'm seeing a few of the birds we look up to...Archemedies, and Anakin may also be members. We purchased our Ringneck and named him Achillies after viewing them on You-tube. We've had Achillies approx. 5 years. The past two days he's been acting a little different, he seems like he's a little shaky...head bobbing...think Catherine Hepburn? When I go to talk to him....his head is a little bobby or jerky and he gets all puffy with the feathers around his head. This only started yesterday and I've been keeping a good eye on him. He's eating and drinking fine...feathers look great...still active and talking. He was a little agressive when I played touch with him...I say touch he says it back ...he touchs his beak to my finger. He's not hand friendly and does not step up....never has. He was a rescue bird...we got him when he was 8 mons old. The woman who had him before us hand raised him...but he was the last of the brood...the only attention he got from her was when she reached in his cage with a towel to pull him out to clean his cage. He is free in my living room area, has a large cage he puts himself in and out of. Mainly he roosts on curtain rods or on top of a french door in the room....(sills of course lined with paper towels ...door blanketed so he doesn't soil everything when he's out. Hes a fantastic talker, he'll roost on us...take food from our fingers...just does not step up or let us scritch him. He eats fruits and veggies each morn ...and also seeds. Little treats of human food now and then and I am knowledgable about what NOT to feed him. This funny head bobbing or shakiness I just noticed yesterday....as I said...think catherine hepburn? Not really an all out bob...more like he's shaky or unstable? Balance seems ok...but he was sitting on the doortop earlier not as much of a perch...but both feet atop with his bodyline along the top of the door. Other times during the day he seems perfectly normal. Not sure if I should be worried or not...it's def. something different. I appreciate any advice anyone has to offer me, he's of course very dear to us and I want to put feelers out if this is something I should be worried about or nothing.

Thanks for any imput in advance~
Karen~

Hi Karen,

I'm very new to bird-keeping, so not an expert by any means, but I think if you have noticed this sudden change in Achillies, I would be inclined to take him to the vets for a check-up, (an avian vet if you have one nearby would be better).
Perhaps some of the more experienced guys/girls can shed more light on this new behaviour, but trust your instincts...if you're worried, get him looked at as soon as possible. It might be nothing, but better to be safe than sorry. Good luck

Thanks Deb, so far he's been acting pretty normal today......the past two he did the shaky thing. A few days before he did get a hold of a nub of apple with the seeds in it still and he did eat a few before I got it away from him....I know they contain some arsenic....another reason I was watching him a more closely. I no longer cut up the apples in front of him where he can get a hold of the cores. Still keeping a good eye on him. I'm currently unemp. so right now the cost is an issue as far as vet, of course I will take him if this continues. His behavior seems to have improved since yesterday when he did the shaky thing again. Still up for any input anyone can offer me~
Thanks all
Karen~