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Hi i have just purchased a pure red lovebird-could someone tell me what kind it is -it is pure red-orange(like a canary) with a blue butt and yellow & brown on the tail-it is not a canary-ive been into birds fo r20yrs and i am totally confused



HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is usually known as "red suffusion" and can be an indicator of liver or kidney disease, an improper diet, or other unknown causes. It shows up in both young birds who are feathering out as well as adults.

I would suggest a vet visit to do a blood panel to check the organs, then an appropriate med (flax seed oil, or milk thistle are usually recommended, or a combination of those and other herbal remedies, such as dandelion) with a supplement of aloe vera juice in the water

Do you have any photos of this bird that you can share with us? Red suffusion is usually seen in older birds rather than young ones and most red suffused lovebirds don't turn completely red.

Here's her pictures. What do you think?

My thoughts remain the same.... get a vet check with blood panel, and make sure that this lovebird is on a healthy diet that includes organic pellets (if possible... such as TOP, Foundation Formula original blend, or Roudybush/Harrisons), a good seed blend (NO dyes in seed or pellets), sprouts, and plenty of healthy fresh foods.

Can't say it's the first "all red" lovebird I've seen.... but a good diet with aloe vera, and meds if needed, should help.

Linda, what's your thoughts?

Here's a list of foods that can be fed.... although it's not complete.... its from the Healthy Bird Cookbook which I recommend ANYONE to get!



Grains, Breads, and Muffins
Corn bread
Graham crackers
Mandel bread, soaked
Matzoh
Matzoh balls
Mini bagels
Oatmeal
Pastas
Rice
Rice cakes
Rice Chex
Rice Krispies
Sweetened corn cereals
Sweetened oat cereals
Toasted bread
Unsalted crackers
Unsalted, unbuttered popcorn
Wheat cereals
Whole-wheat or multigrained bread
Zweibach toast, soaked
Other grains

Vegetables
Beans
Beets
Broccoli
Carrots
Corn
Green beans
Jalapeno peppers
Lima beans
Mixed vegetables
Okra
Peas
Potatoes
Summer squash
Sweet Potatoes
Winter squash
Yams

Fruit
Apples
Bananas
Berries (all kind)
Grapes
Kiwis
Mangos
Melons
Oranges
Papaya
Pears
Star Fruit
Winter Squash
Yams

Other Foods
Hulled seeds
Millet spray
Monkey biscuits
Peanut butter sandwiches rolled in millet
Pellets
Scrambled eggs
Hard-boiled eggs
Sprouted seeds


Foods to avoid
Chocolate
Avocados
Sugar (too much is a bad thing... best kind is natural sugars)
Old Seeds
Mayonnaise products
Unwashed Fruits or Vegetables
Rhubarb (contains oxalic acid, as does spinach - feed only in small amounts)
Fruit Pits
Nuts (brazil nuts, almonds, imported nuts that have been polished/dyed)
Dairy Products (birds are lactose intolerent-feed small amounts-cleaned/cooked eggs and yogurt fine)
Mold
Caffeine
Salt
Alcohol
Food Dyes
Sulfites (found in dried fruits and veggies to help preserve them-only from health food store)

Your lovebird is definitely a red suffused Green Peachface. ALBS offers possible liver/health problems as the cause but that's never been proven beyond question. When you have liver problems, you usually have an overgrown beak as an indicator and the beak of this bird looks good to me. Another interesting observation is that I've never seen or heard of suffusion in blue series lovebirds, just green.

I agree that an appointment with your avian vet is in order and you need to check the blood values, if nothing else than for a starting point reference so you know where you are now. I still suspect that this is an older bird so that information could be important in the future.

An improved diet is always an asset but be careful about feeding too many pellets. Per my avian vet, the diet of small parrots should not contain more than 40% pellets. The other 60% needs to be a good quality seed mixture and fresh foods. I don't feed human cereal or bread, as both are usually enriched with iron and birds don't need/can't use the extra iron. When I make homemade cornbread, I try to use flour that is unbleached and not enriched. Same with the cornmeal. Lovebirds are not usually big fruit eaters but most love their veggies!

Hey Guys,

Its been a while since I visit. I agree with the red suffusion not being a true mutation and most likely a liver issue. I've recently aquired a male thats actually 11 years old so it would be a miracle for him to breed but never the less, he is gorgeous. He was a normal pied that started turning red after 4 years old. I was told that he did produce a few babies but they were all sold. One of the buyers years later told the guy that I got him from that the bird became gorgeous, he turned out also red. So maybe if its a liver issue, it can be inherited. My birds looks just like the one pictures but I can't post the pics. Email me and I will send out my pics if you want.

Its a shame that so far it does not appear to be a true mutation.

Danny
www.petxotic.com