Sigh. Plucking and chewing feathers

[Girltron]

It's apparent to me now that Francis has been biting off the feathers underneath his wing joints, and also plucking some of the soft feathers on his chest and back in a couple of patches. I can only see those areas when I bathe him and his feathers get all wet and flat, but the wings are more noticeable.

 

Evidently he always bit his flight feathers off, but the plucking isn't something he was doing at my friend's house. The thing is, we're going into Francis's 4th week with us. I would say he's only started doing this in the past week or so. He has a past history of plucking at his original owner's home, but for the past ten years or so he has only chewed his feathers and not plucked.

 

He also bit me on Saturday when I reached in to bring him out for his playtime. I didn't look at his eyes first so it's my fault I was bitten, but I don't know why he was angry. He'd been happy enough that morning. I have a couple of theories: he gets his egg on Saturday mornings, and if he's having some decreased kidney function (his bloodwork did show that as a possibility) the extra protein might be making him feel bad. I don't think I"m going to give him any more. Also, I'd been cleaning a lot that day and had moved one chair from across the room to the area in front of his cage.

 

Because he bit me-not a nip, but a big chunk of skin off, blood everywhere, yuk-we didn't move him to his sleep cage that night, but just covered up his big cage. We did the same last night even though he seems to be in a better mood. Neither of us particularly wants to offer a finger at the moment. But he's probably had less sleep than he should because of that; and on Sunday was when he did the majority of the feather damage that I see.

 

He's had big changes in his life: new cage, new schedule, new foods, vet visit...but he seems so cheerful and talkative most of the time! I know we're two of his favorite people, but maybe the stress of moving would cause this even if he loves being here?

 

Do some parrots take a few weeks to start visibly showing their stress through plucking? Can I assume that this might be just a phase that he'll get past?

 

He's prone to sexual displays around both me and my husband, but more with my husband. I'm aware that frustration can cause plucking so we do what we can to avoid the situation: when it's his playtime, we'll mostly stay back and let him wander: he stays within sight of his cage mostly, and doesn't really try climbing any furniture, so he tends to stay in the kitchen examining the floor and sometimes throwing a toy or two. Otherwise if he can, he'll try to follow us around and start regurgitating/drooping his wings/squeaking.

[Greywings]

First I would let him come out to step up rather than sticking your hand into the cage. He may be starting to feel at home and that cage is his territory. Yes lack of good undisturbed sleep can make them grumpy just like us. Greys do like things to stay as they are it can take some time to even introduce new toys some times. Give him some space and more things to do, things to shred, puzzle toys or try playing some games with him like Peek a boo with a piece of cloth or toss the ball. More spray baths would give some relief to the plucking. The Timneh that is suck a bad plucker he came to me a few months back with only head feathers is now growing our most of his body and tail feathers with three or more spray baths a day. It really does help them.

Edited June 7, 2010 by Greywings
additional comment

[Girltron]

I never thought of bathing him more than once in a day. He definitely doesn't nibble on his feathers while they're wet though, so if I see that he's been at it I'm going to take your advice. This morning he's being utterly perfect, talking, dancing, happy...no feathers in the bottom of the cage...

 

I'm starting to think he just doesn't like weekends!

[Greywings]

Change of routines on the weekends and these guys like things to roll along as expected, he will get used to the weekend routines as well. Maybe there is some body language or activity going on he is not happy with?

[Girltron]

Well...no conflict in the house. But cleaning might be upsetting to him. Also Frank worked half a day on Saturday, so maybe he was annoyed that his favorite person wasn't there.

[chezron]

Hi Ladytron,

I would like to share my experience with my bird. He, too, was showing some sexual signs, and I figured he was frustrated which caused the chewing, but I was wrong. This worked for me-

After a visit to the vet we found out Brutus' calcium was low. It turns out they need sunlight to turn Vitamin D3 into D which helps with taking in calcium. Plus this process is closely tied to hormone regulation which could explain his recent nervous feather shredding. Well since the vet visit we have done two things 1) He gets put into a small cage and brought into the shower every Sunday (the vet says no more than once a week for a shower.) Brutus HATES showers and this is the only way I can get him wet. 2) Brutus comes outside with me into the sun for about an hour (or less) every day. The vet says at least 15 minutes a day. We set up a dog crate outside and we put his small cage in it, so there is a good foot above and around him. Even though I sit right there with him I still worry about hawks. The good news is he is totally back to his old self- goofy and fun-loving. He has not hurt his feathers since we started taking him out, and I feel the sunlight (especially) changed his physiology! I cannot tell how happy I am for him. I am so glad he is obviously feeling better and is happier. Try the sun and shower thing and see if it works for Francis! Please let us know how he is doing.

[Girltron]

Thanks. Francis's calcium is a bit low. I've got an avian bulb near his cage, which I hope will help solve that problem.

[chezron]

Hi Girltron,

 

Brutus also had a borderline low reading and had a light near his cage. I guess the light was not enough in his case.

[Girltron]

The light is new. My friend who had him never took him outside and didn't have a light. I hope fixing the calcium problem will also fix the feather chewing! I'm sure it'll take some time. His poor right wing is all stubby after Sunday's stress. I don't know what came over him! He's only done this a time or two since we brought him home, but it was so bad that day.

[Girltron]

Hey Greywings, your bathing idea does the trick! Worked like a charm both last night, when he was nibbling a bit on a place he'd no doubt irritated earlier in the day, and today, when I gave him a lunchtime bath to prevent his afternoon issues. He doesn't pluck or chew on damp feathers for many hours! Hooray!

 

To update on the causes behind it, we've gotten that figured out I think. It's definitely hormonal, related to his stress about my husband not responding to his sexual advances. I'm sure he'll get over it and become "good friends" to both of us, but in the meantime my husband has to be very limited in his direct contact with Francis, and I need to be ultra careful of my fingers during high tension times, like Saturday afternoons after my husband's just come home from work.

 

Francis is asking me to handle him again, whistling to me from his playtop and shuffling up to my feet to try climbing my leg. I still haven't actually offered any digits for consumption yet, we're letting Francis come and go more or less as he wishes until I'm sure he's cooling off about Frank. I bought Hubbard's The New Parrot Training Handbook and Blanchard's Companion Parrot Handbook, and figure I'll find plenty of basic trust-building exercises and games in those, which we'll start playing as Francis noticeably calms down.

 

On a side note, for bite sufferers, those Band Aid advanced healing gel strips seem to be pretty awesome. They don't absorb much, so stop most of the bleeding before you apply it, and wash carefully, because you can't use antibiotic creams with them. But I haven't had any pain from my bite and it's in a very mobile part of my finger, and I credit that gel stuff that's keeping it moist while it heals. The package says it stays on until the wound heals, but that's pretty much garbage-I've had to replace mine daily. It starts to come up while I do dishes. Still, very good stuff.

[Jayd]

The Timneh that is suck a bad plucker he came to me a few months back with only head feathers is now growing our most of his body and tail feathers with three or more spray baths a day. It really does help them.

:(Greywings, I'm sorry, I have to disagree with you.. :)A normal Grey needs no more than one bath a week! Our pluckers no more then one every other day, I distilled water, next one Aloe-Vera juice, next water!!! To much bathing isn't good for them. Here is a product Dave007 recommended, I use it on all my Bare birds! It works. The whole trick with bathing is "Soak-em".:rolleyes:

Thanks Jayd

[Greywings]

I only do this with a heavy plucker not with a normal healthy Grey, Pookie for instance says it never rains in Africa so Greys should never get wet. Gunner the Timneh who cam to us with only head feathers is now sporting feather growth over his body-even has a tail developing enough to see he will be a Maroon tailed Tiimmi rather than a charcoal tailed. This progress did not happen until I began the three times a day or more spray misting. I use the Aloe strait one day out of the week then plain water the rest. I will try and post some progress photos for you. Haaving worked with several pluckers good nutrition, sunshine and plenty of baths make a huge difference for them. Yes this is just my experience and it is working right now. before the multiple baths he would begin to grow feathers then shred them after a short time of growth. Hope it continues to work but this is the most progress so far.

[Jayd]

Haaving worked with several pluckers good nutrition, sunshine and plenty of baths make a huge difference for them.

 

My Friend, I have no doubt of your success with feather plucker's or any bird you care for. My concern with over bathing is the drying effect of to much water on the skin, which could cause skin irritation. It would seem to me that doing the opposite, using more Aloe Vera Juice,[which has water in it] and less water,would lessen the drying effect. I believe your statement: " good nutrition, sunshine"

plays a far more important role then frequent bathing! Other things to consider in your case is, humidity, food, temperature etc.

;)Thank you for all the help you give to these feathered friends!!!!

Jayd

 

Midwest Bird and Exotic Animal Hospital :Another thing to consider is bathing. How often does he get baths? Try leaving a bowl of water on top of his cage for him to bathe himself with about once a week if you don't already. Sometimes they pluck because they feel dirty and their skin is irritated.

 

a good soaking down to the skin once a week will prove beneficial. http://www.birdsnways.com/wisdom/ww21e.htm

[Luvparrots]

I am an advocate of spraying your birds who are pluckers. Everyone knows my re-homed ekkie, Sully, who was such a bad plucker his name use to be Butch at the pet store. His feathers where mutilated and his back and stomach were bare. I soak him by spraying him with Aloe Vera Juice (love you Dr. Flock for this great advice) and water and alternate with Feather-In (Thanks again Dr. Flock). Sully is now letting his feathers grow in and I am totally delighted with the great progress he is making. I am hoping that by the anniversary of his 2 year time of living with me he will be fully feathered again, at least as much as possible. So I totally believe that spraying has helped him. There is also a cockatoo, Tango, that I have met that is also being sprayed daily by his owner and his feathers are growing back in beautifully!!

Edited June 11, 2010 by luvparrots

[Jayd]

Janet is right on!!! water and alternate with Feather-In Thanks to dave, this is great stuff,

I PMed girltron this info a few days ago, and recommending it here a few posts back, letting her know it was dave who started me on it:ohttp://www.avitec.com/Feather-In-AntiPick-Treatment-p/fi.htm Jayd

[Girltron]

yeah I notice that's just colloidal oatmeal! I can make that myself. I'll try it this weekend. Cheers!

 

So I understand about frequent bathing not being good, normally. But it does work for Francis. So his first bath of the day starts with water and then finished with aloe, and his second bath is just a light aloe misting. We'll cut back when we see nice feather growth, and by then I'm sure he'll be over his little obsession!

[Jayd]

;)I wish you the best...

Jayd

[chezron]

Check out this post http://www.greyforums.net/forums/showthread.php?189970-Jacques-Feather-Update&p=199181#post199181

 

to see an improvement for Jacques.

[Girltron]

I know this isn't really helpful or anything, and I just need to learn to be patient...but I am SO unhappy about Francis's feather picking. He was grouchy-bird yesterday and tried to bite feathers both yesterday and today. I sprayed him with aloe at the places he was biting each time, and it stopped the activity. I hope in the long run that pays off, because I can actually see some bare wing on his right side and it's all nibbled back to such an extent that we've nicknamed him Halfwing.

 

It's definitely hormonal and centered around my husband. We were out of the house all day until dinner: Francis didn't chew his feathers all day until after we got home. Frank's been having far less contact with Francis lately but I don't know how long I might need to wait to see some improvement. Even with me, Francis is prone to regurgitating and bobbing his head when I talk to him through the cage bars. I'm pretty sure that's mating behavior too. But it's hard to even interact with him without seeing some of that. We try not to get close to him when he's out of the cage, so he stays distracted by toys or chewing pieces of my kitchen to shreds.

[chezron]

Girltron,

 

As an experiment you could try taking him out in the sunshine for at least 15 minutes a day for a few days, and see if it makes a difference...

[Girltron]

I'm sure that would be great for him. But I'm mostly not home during sunshine hours! Also we did get him a full spectrum light bulb so as far as vitamin D is concerned I would hope that would take care of it. I've started increasing his sleep time. We're up to 11 hours a night. I read somewhere that that can trigger an end to a hormonal period.

[Girltron]

OK Chezron, I went back and read your first post on this thread and I think I'm going to try your advice. I started thinking that spraying him when I see him biting his feathers might constitute a "drama reward" and it's true that daily bathing isn't supposed to be a great idea. I don't want his skin to get more irritated because of that!

 

I made some colloidal oatmeal and I'll probably mist his belly and under his wings every third day with a mixture of aloe and oatmeal. I found that the oatmeal mixed into the aloe or water didn't spray very well but the trick is to put a teaspoon of finely ground oatmeal into a cup of aloe and let it sit in the fridge for a day, then strain the mix before putting it into the spray bottle. I'll try putting his sleep cage into the shower once a week for a nice deep soak like you recommended: it's one easy way to clean that cage, too!

 

Finally, I can bring his sleep cage outside for 20 minutes or so while I clean his big cage, make his breakfast, and so on in the morning. I can be right there watching him if he's on the front porch, and still get those chores done at the same time. As you said, the bulb wasn't enough for you so it might not be enough for Francis either.

 

Meanwhile I just have to get into the habit of ignoring him when he bites his feathers. It's so hard to do. We stayed home yesterday for our anniversary and just like on the weekend, Francis was talky and playful and happy but still picked certain times to bite his feathers.

[Guest jamalbirdbiz]

Try not cleaning for abouts a month and see if his plucking stops.