lovebird problems

Question
QUESTION: I am extremely worried about my 2 yr old male lovebird.  He is the sweetest bird but he doesn't get so much attention since my son was born so he pulls out all the feathers from his entire body.  He's got a bump on his rear that seems to be gradually growing and the other day he started walking in circles and he keeps his neck crooked most of the time.  I live in a small town without an avian vet so if you can tell me whether I should take him out of town or if I can help him at home.  He doesn't look happy anymore and I want to help him.  Thank you so much for your time.
Leann

ANSWER: Hi there,

I strongly suggest to take him out of town to an avian vet as soon as you can. Get the vet to look at his lump and other behavior. If his feathers are due to pulling and not something else, I will advice the best way to stop that once you have seen him. I am concerned that the walking about funny is neurological and may not be treatable, but the vet will know when you see him. Once you get this fixed, it is certainly a strong idea to keep 2 birds instead of one as love birds, and most others in fact, are better of in pairs. It helps stop things such as feather pulling.

Let me know how you get on at the vet, but don't consider buying another bird until one is sorted.

Charlotte

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you for getting back to me.  I took Sonny to the vet today and he didn't make it home with me.  She thinks that he had a brain tumor and possibly liver problems as well.  He's not suffering anymore which I'm grateful for.

Answer
Hi Leann,

Sorry to hear the sad news. However, now your bird is flying free and not in pain any more.

May I suggest something for future birds that you may decide to have? To help prevent fatty live, consider a complete pellet for of food such as Harrisons.

Birds, unfortunately, are not built for eating a seed diet, but owners commonly are mislead by pet shop adds and value for money.

A fatty liver is a very common thing with caged birds, so a balanced diet is always good to understand before taking on a new pet.

http://www.harrisonsbirdfoods.com/

Try this website to get a little better understanding, and have a chat to the people who sell it.

All the best,

Charlotte