Last Updated on February 16, 2023 by Mitch Rezman

Barbara G. has a concern

Tootsie is a forty-two-year-old green-cheek conure who has lived with me for forty-one years.

The top of her head is completely bald, with front red feathers remaining.

She sleeps a lot but is otherwise active.

She enjoys her regular food along with a handout from her person.

She does not pluck her feathers, loves annoying me, and is a first-class cuddler.

Could this be age-related?

She is never caged and has the run of a large bedroom with ample perches and reacts with her eyes and tail when I speak to her.

 

She gets the very occasional taste of vanilla ice cream and enjoys an infrequent pizza crust.

 

How worried should I be?

 

Hi Barbara,

 

I must say you’ve done a fantastic job for the bird to have lived as long as it has

.

I wouldn’t be too concerned at the risk of sounding flippant she is living on borrowed time.

 

I don’t think you should be worried.

 

Her head may be itchy and she is rubbing it when you’re not watching.

 

Try a bath or gentle misting on a regular basis.

 

 

A few drops of coconut oil that had been melted in the microwave for about five seconds then added to tootsies food can help her skin condition.

 

Try those two courses of action and see what happens in the next 30 days.

 

Also, watch a little more closely to see if you discover rubbing her head in a favorite place around your home.

 

Stay safe

Best

MitchR

 

Update:

 

Thank you so much for getting back to me about Tootsie’s bald head.

 

She seemed to be failing the past couple of weeks and died on Saturday, November 28.

 

Fortunately, I was able to be with her around the clock, spending time stroking her head, massaging her toes (her favorite), and telling her what a wonderful bird she was.

 

She had a spell of very labored breathing and passed away a few minutes after that.

 

With help of a neighbor, she will be buried tomorrow; right now she is doing a Monty Python and residing in my freezer.

 

Thank you for mentioning that she was on borrowed time because I’ve had an industrial-size case of the guilts, thinking I had done something very wrong that led to her demise.

 

I am grateful for all the years she lived with me and terribly sad that I will never hear her screaming or doing a lot of laundry because it always seemed like a good idea to poop on me.

 

Thanks again.

 

My house is so terribly quiet.

 

With best regards, Barbara

 

We are so very sorry for your loss Barbara

Tootsie lived a charmed life

MitchR & Catherine