Lilly-Bean’s story, as told by her guardian, Kim Hannah:
Lilly was bought and weaned from a breeder way too young (probably less than 6 months of age) and then fed mac and cheese and mashed potatoes as the staple part of her diet from the couple who bought her. They were just uneducated, as so many parrot owners are. Then the couple got pregnant and had no time for her. I adopted her from them soon after and it took me YEARS to get her on a good diet.
Although she picked (not plucked) her feathers when I adopted her, her behavior got worse before it got better. The wounds you see in this picture actually happened while in my care, and I was devastated. It took her a very short time to do this to herself. I used Avian HEALx Cream, cleaned the wound everyday, and bought a vest for her and she healed. She now has to wear the vest most of the time. I do take the vest off once a week and let her preen after her shower, and leave it off a few hours, but if I leave it off any longer, within a few days she has made another place on her chest. It happens very quickly. Learned that the hard way.
I have had her almost nine years now and she has done this mutilation twice. It seems to be more prevalent during hormone season. She is now on an excellent diet, is fully flighted, gets outside aviary time, has frequent showers, and lots of toys. She and my other female U2, Annabelle, are bonded and they love and preen each other.
Despite all this, sometimes even though you do everything you possibly can to make their life the best it can be, you just can’t replicate what their life would be like in the wild and they suffer this way because of it…
More HEALx Cream information:
Download the poster here
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