wing flipping in a red lord, help!!!

[hopehaswings]

Sorry I have not written in awhile but I have had so many problems, shortly after we brought 'Ohana, our red lord baby home, my fiancee(the bread winner in our home) lost his job of 12 years and I had my hours cut. We have been living on what little I make and my fiancee's unemployment, and the prospects for getting our finances back to normal dont look good at all. I unfortunatly have not been able to vet 'Ohana. Anyhow, just today I noticed she is doing quite a bit of wing flipping. I had not noticed it before if it started before today. I am in an aweful situation, as I cant aford to take her to a vet right now. I have been looking on the web and cant fing anything on wing flipping in any sort of parrot other then an ekkie. I dont know what is causing it or what measures I might be able to take on my own to stop it. She is my baby doll and I cant stand to see her in any sort of distress. I feel so bad not being able to afford a vet right now. When I got her, my financial situation was secure and had been for many many years but it fell apart within just a couple of weeks after I got her. Please help, I know this cant be good.

[hopehaswings]

Also, if it could be diet, please give your recomendations for a good daily diet for a younf red lord amazon, thanks!

[chapala]

How old is your Red-lored? If she's young, it might be begging for food. You didn't say how long you've had her or her age. If she is begging, hand-feeding her from a spoon any kind of warm, mushy food like plain cooked, mashed sweet potato, or some cooked plain oatmeal (not fortified with vitamins, just old fashioned rolled oats). Let us know more, and we'll see if we can help.

Babies that are weaned sometimes regress to wanting hand-feeding when they get to a new home. For her security needs, you want to help through this time.

I am just making an assumption since I have no idea how old your bird is!

[hopehaswings]

She is near a year old, and I have had her about four months. I have seen food begging and this isnt it. It SEMED to have started all at once, almost like an involuntary nervous tick. Very jerky and spasmatic like, not really involving the whole body but just the wings, but in fact, I believe I have seen less of the behavior today. Yesterday it was CONSTANT!

[chapala]

Does she only do it in her cage? Is she out of the cage several hours a day? What is her diet? Does she still do it if you're holding her on your hand (if she's tame)?

It could be a disease, a neurological problem, heavy metals, lots of things that none of us could possibly diagnose. I know you said you can't afford to take her to a vet, but it sounds to me like she definitely needs to be seen by an avian vet soon.

[hopehaswings]

She was doing it both in and out of the cage, wether or not I was holding her. She is on a mix of pellet and seed, more pellet then seed. She is still doing it today, not near as bad as before, but still doing it. I just dont know what to do. I absolutly cant vet ehr right now or in the forseeable future, we are barley able to pay our bills, and feed our family and pets right now. It is so terrible to know she may be ill and there isnt anything I can do.

[RubyMuse]

Please, if you can not afford a vet considering giving the bird to someone who can. If she takes ill you will have sometimes only hours to save her life and that simply is not fair.

[hopehaswings]

That would be like giving away one of my kids because we are broke. Maybe that would be the logical choice, but she's my baby, I dont want to give her up. Maybe I could try some of that broad spectrum antibiotic for birds they sell in pet stores??? Put her on an all natural diet??? I read a lot about Ekkies doing this when they have a vitamin overload. Just because all the articals I see about it seem to involve ekkies doesnt nessasarily mean it isnt something other parrots get too. I will try to sell something I have on ebay and get her vet money though.

[hopehaswings]

Here is a youtube link of a mini mac(not my bird) doing the same thing as my girl.
YouTube - Hahns Macaw wing flipping ???
I saw a couple of comments on this video of people saying this is a baby action but baby begging is not the same as wing flipping and I do not believe this is begging at all.

[chapala]

Please don't administer antibiotics to your bird without a diagnosis from a vet!