SURVEY for all with AGs who damage feathers

[domyoburk]

If your AG damages his or her own feathers (or has in the past), please fill out this survey! Thanks SO much for your time, I will try to tabulate results.

 

Your bird's name :

Congo or Timneh:

Your bird's gender:

Your bird's current age:

Age of weaning (end of hand-feeding):

Wing clipping history (age first clipped, before or after fledging, currently clipped or not, etc.):

What other birds are present in home (in any):

Has his/her own cage or lives with another bird?

Diet (percentage pellets, seeds, veggies, etc.):

Brands of food and/or supplements:

Dimensions of cage (height, width, depth):

Number of toys in cage:

Average hours a day spent outside cage:

Longest periods left alone on any regular basis:

How often left alone for this length of time:

Frequency of showering/thorough misting:

Age at which feather damage began:

Periods of feather damaging behavior (if not continuous):

Patterns of periodicity (monthly, yearly, etc.):

Conditions in which damage occurs (bird is alone or with people or other birds, when primary persons leave town, change in routine, etc.):

Where bird is when damage occurs (in cage or out, playstand, etc.):

Times damage occurs (morning, midday, evening, night):

Description of damage (plucking entire feather out, gradual damage of attached feathers by chewing, snipping feathers off at the base, etc.):

What feathers bird damages (chest, back, wing, leg, tail):

Rate of feather destruction when damage is occuring (three a day, one a day, one a month, etc.):

Unsuccessful treatments/adjustments tried (more frequent showering, diet change, different schedule, sprays, hormonal treatments etc.):

Successful treatments/adjustments tried (if your bird's feather destructive behavior has decreased, why do you think it did):

 

Other comments?

[domyoburk]

If your AG damages his or her own feathers (or has in the past), please fill out this survey! Thanks SO much for your time, I will try to tabulate results.

 

Your bird's name : Ursula

Congo or Timneh: Congo

Your bird's gender: Female

Your bird's current age: 9 months

Age of weaning (end of hand-feeding): 4.5 months

Wing clipping history (age first clipped, before or after fledging, currently clipped or not, etc.): Clipped before fledging, still clipped

What other birds are present in home (in any): none

Has his/her own cage or lives with another bird? own cage

Diet (percentage pellets, seeds, veggies, etc.): 70% pellets, 30% beans, veggies, fruit

Brands of food and/or supplements: Lake's pellets

Dimensions of cage (height, width, depth): 4' high, 3' wide, 2.5' deep

Number of toys in cage: 8

Average hours a day spent outside cage: 5 or more

Longest periods left alone on any regular basis: 8 hours

How often left alone for this length of time: 2 times a week

Frequency of showering/thorough misting: every other day for a while, now once a week, no difference in terms of feather damage

Age at which feather damage began: 6 months

Periods of feather damaging behavior (if not continuous): til present

Patterns of periodicity (monthly, yearly, etc.): approx. every 5 weeks a week-long flare-up, occasional in between

Conditions in which damage occurs (bird is alone or with people or other birds, when primary persons leave town, change in routine, etc.): sometimes alone, most often when we are in the same room

Where bird is when damage occurs (in cage or out, playstand, etc.): all kinds of places - sleep cage, day cage, playstand

Times damage occurs (morning, midday, evening, night): any time

Description of damage (plucking entire feather out, gradual damage of attached feathers by chewing, snipping feathers off at the base, etc.): snips feathers off at the base, leaves short stubby shaft in skin

What feathers bird damages (chest, back, wing, leg, tail): back

Rate of feather destruction when damage is occuring (three a day, one a day, one a month, etc.): one a day

Unsuccessful treatments/adjustments tried (more frequent showering, diet change, different schedule, sprays, hormonal treatments etc.): frequent and less frequent showers, chlorine filter on shower, diet change, no seeds, different schedules, beak trim

Successful treatments/adjustments tried (if your bird's feather destructive behavior has decreased, why do you think it did): nothing yet

 

Other comments? We're mystified, as is our avian vet. Next? Maybe hormonal treatments? (Lupo) Maybe rice-based pellet?