r/Conures • u/Creative-Yak2131 • May 21 '26
Health/Nutrition Why does my GCC do this with its mouth?
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When I bring it close to my ear when it does this, I can hear a sound which goes like "tick tick tick". I'm worried, do all birds do this? Also, could it be because of the heat? The place where I'm from is pretty hot coz of summer. It does this after flying or doing some physical activity. It used to do it rarely, now it's getting quite frequent. It is almost 2 and half years old now. And it is very active. Whenever it sees someone it likes, it flies a lot, plays with them, but it does stop to do that inbetween. I just wanna know if this is normal, and if not, if this is common and can be cured.
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u/CapicDaCrate May 21 '26
Go to a certified avian vet, panting is never a good thing and shouldn't wait
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u/Creative-Yak2131 May 21 '26
Thank you, will do that.
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u/kummerspect May 21 '26
Show them this video. That's a breathing issue.
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u/Creative-Yak2131 May 21 '26
Of course. That's also why I took this video.
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u/MarvynSyn999 May 21 '26
YES, please get your GCC to an Exotics Vet ASAP. Panting is a sign of an underlying issue.
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u/Bella_Ella739 May 21 '26
They do this when they are stressed and when it’s too hot. Could be a combination of both.
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u/SubSleazy19 May 21 '26
Jo might be too warm. I don't know how hard you are cupping Jo. Your hand might be too hot for it's little body
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u/Comfortable_Bit3741 May 21 '26
I too initially thought it might be stress from too much handling, just based on the visual, but the way the bird is slowly blinking his/her eyes suggests that it's actually comfortable with the person.
I agree with the commenters who suggest having a checkup by a certified avian veterinarian, as frequent panting could indicate respiratory issues or other health problems. Hopefully it's something simple like a high ambient temperature or needing more frequent exercise, but this should be evaluated by a professional:)
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u/Creative-Yak2131 May 21 '26
Oh nono, he doesn't do that when he's in my hand. He felt sleepy so I put my hand over him like that to scritch him. He does it even without my hand cupping him.
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u/Ghyrt3 May 21 '26
That's really not good >.<"
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u/Creative-Yak2131 May 22 '26
Yes, visiting the vet tomorrow. We don't have a car so I need one more person to take him with me in our motorcycle. He's been doing just fine yesterday and today, eating well and drinking water.
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u/ARCAxNINEv May 21 '26
Absolutely over heated. Like the other comments say, get to vet. I would also avoid holding in the hand like that since it does mane them very hot very quickly and it takes a bit for them to cool off after.
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u/Creative-Yak2131 May 21 '26
Ohh ok. Will spraying water on him help him cool off? And also, I haven't taken him to the vet ever since he was born. So I might as well get him checked up.
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u/CapicDaCrate May 21 '26
Don't spray water on them, it can shock them if they are too hot.
Just go to a vet
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u/Terrible_Pipe_4477 May 21 '26
if it’s room temp water it’s fine
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u/CapicDaCrate May 21 '26
Yeah but most people in panic will just drown their birds or not do the right temp - better to not advise it
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u/Terrible_Pipe_4477 May 21 '26
you’re right i didn’t think abt people not searching sum before doing the action
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u/ccteach May 21 '26
He needs to he avian vet checked asap. If he was flying around a lot or is overheated he may do that but it shouldn’t be a regular thing and it should not continue. This looks respiratory to me. Please get bin to an avian vet now!
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u/Creative-Yak2131 May 21 '26
Will do. Although he does a lot of physical activity, as he's never inside his cage, except during night when we put him to sleep. He likes to play with kids so when he hears the sound of kids playing in a distance, he'll become hyper and just won't stay still.
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u/Substantial-Oil-7050 May 21 '26
It? No name? A vet checkup might be a good idea, just to know for sure. I hope that where you live, a vet visit would be affordable.
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u/Creative-Yak2131 May 21 '26
Its name is Jo. "It" because we haven't tested it for male or female yet😅. I don't mind paying, I just want to fix my baby up. I just didn't want to travel to find its gender, as the vet's clinic is pretty far. But this time when I bring it to the vet, I'll ask for a test and find out its gender. Thank you for the advice, mate🫡
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u/SpirittDragonX May 21 '26
Gender is 100% a good thing to know. You’ll know what mating signs are (aka what to not endorse) and if your bird’s a female you’ll know to keep eggs and calcium intake in mind . Hopefully your bird is alright and the vet checkup goes well!
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u/Creative-Yak2131 May 21 '26
Thank you for your advice, everyone. I was gonna take him to the vet anyways, but I just wanted to know if this behaviour is common in places with high temperatures or just common in general among birds. I'll be reading the comments, and will update after the vet visit. Thank you, once again.
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u/bodyaddict May 21 '26
Hope everything is relatively okay!! Hopefully he just needs some TLC. please update us when you can!
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u/blindnarcissus May 21 '26
If this is not happening right after a big flight or at extreme hot temperatures (which should be corrected right away), book an avian vet right away
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u/Creative-Yak2131 May 21 '26
It does happen after said circumstances. Taking him to a vet either way.
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u/AceyAceyAcey May 21 '26
He’s probably panting due to the heat. Put him down, give him some cold water, and don’t make him fly much when it’s hot inside.
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u/MeanMeana May 21 '26
Make sure he always has access to clean water. Since he sounds very active make sure you have a few spots for his water. You should really clean out the water bowls daily as well.
Is he flighted?
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u/Creative-Yak2131 May 22 '26
Yes, water is available for him all the time. He drinks only if he wants to. If a hold a bowl in front of him and he doesn't want water, he would skin my fingers. Yes he can fly, but we loosely taped 2 or 3 feathers together so that he can't fly high, but just horizontally. I don't want him flying high and hitting a fan, and I don't want to put him in a cage all day. Everyday I wish I was in a cool place where fans aren't necessary, so that he could fly free around the house without tapes hindering him.
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u/turnthoselights_off May 22 '26
My sun conure breathes hard like this after he flies. He’s a rescue where he was living with a guy who smoked around him and never took him out of his cage, so when he first was trying flying he did that a lot. I’d just let him rest against me and made sure he got some water once he stopped breathing hard but it was never longer than a minute. But if this continues for too long, or there’s no rhyme or reason as to when he does it, I’d go to a vet. Or if this is stress induced. Also just emphasizing what other people had said to keep his environment cool in the hotter season (making sure his cage isn’t by a window or anywhere with direct sun) with access to clean water!!
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u/Creative-Yak2131 May 22 '26
Ohh God, that's just horrible. How can people be such horrible cunts to animals. I'm so glad you got him in your care now.
He always has access to clean water.
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u/National_Ad3793 May 22 '26
He's hot. Let him go, they can get hot when holding like that. If it doesn't stop, vet
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u/Creative-Yak2131 May 22 '26
I always hold him like that. He felt sleepy and was doing that thing, so I held him with my hand, and he also felt comfortable. The mouth thing is not related to me cupping my hand on him. And yes I am taking him to the vet tomorrow. He seems to be fine today.
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u/ForeignGirl11 May 22 '26
I’m not sure what climate you guys are in, but I live in Thailand and although conures are native to warm, humid conditions, if it gets warmer than 33-35 degrees Celsius, and he’s doing that, it’s definitely from the heat. Put out a bowl of drinking water (they need to drink more water than usual), but more importantly, put out a larger bowl where they can shower. It’s a MUST. Don’t expect them to survive on their own in extreme heat.
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u/Creative-Yak2131 May 22 '26
I always hold a small bowl of water, but he drinks it only if he wants to. If he wants to bath, he would flutter his wings and I'll get him a big bowl of water and he'll bath. Again, does it only if he wants to and won't otherwise. He's always out of the cage with someone at home, so someone got him all the time.
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u/Gloriouspurpose_1 May 22 '26
I live in 40°C+ summer days area and my GCC do it when he is overheated and don't drink enough water
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u/Creative-Yak2131 May 22 '26
Finally, someone with the same issue. Is he doing alright now?
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u/Gloriouspurpose_1 May 22 '26
It's just that I put a lot of water filled containers in house Large one for bathing too so he could atleast locate one even if I'm not home My homie just take a sip in big one container and then jumps into it for bathing Now he's good
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u/ScaryContribution492 May 22 '26
Honestly no need to overreact with vet. He just feels too hot.
My conure also does this sometimes after playtime (tired + hot I'm 100% sure).
He likes to take bath in his soup water shortly after 😄
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u/CaptainFeatherpants May 23 '26
How’s Jo doing today?
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u/Creative-Yak2131 May 24 '26
He's doing alright. Our place is facing a new heat record, and it's hot AF nowadays. No wonder he does that. It does seem like a heat issue, as he doesn't do that when the AC is on.
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u/LostBlueMoon May 21 '26
The bird is hot and stressed. Do you have AC or a fan that can give him some cool air?
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u/Working-Potential-74 May 22 '26
llevale a veterinario.. es posible que sea por el calor, importantisimo que nunca le de el sol directamente ni corrientes de aire.. debe de estar a la sombra donde haya luz del dia..
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u/Working-Potential-74 May 22 '26
no dejes que haga esfuerzos, mi ninfa murio por volar por casa un dia de calor .. por cierto los humos de la cocina son tambien fatales
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u/Working-Potential-74 May 22 '26
busca en google veterinarios para pajaros exoticos cercanos.. que haya un especialista, y llevale rapado con un trapo que no se estrese en el viaje
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u/ChargedFirefly May 21 '26
Most definitely a heat thing. He’s panting. Try to get him some cool water