Avicalm and Featheriffic

[poochbabe]

Hello all...it has been some time since I have been able to be on the forum. I am still struggling with Ganesha's plucking problems and she has recently lost all the feathers around her neck but has a ton of pin feathers right underneath coming in. I wondered if is might be a molt rather than a pluck situation. She is scratching at them with her foot a lot but the large feathers came out whole with no shredding and the pins were right behind it. Any advice on that?

 

I recently was on a bird forum where several people SWEAR by AviCalm and Featheriffic as good suppliments for their Greys and other birds with feather issues. Ganesha has spent over a year on Paxil with very little long lasting results and I would like to get her off the meds and on to something that is a bit more natural. Anyone know or had any experiences with these products.

[judygram]

Welcome back and it does sound like she is going thru a heavy molt, thats good news that there are new pins coming in and fingers crossed she doesn't pluck them out.

I have never used those products you mentioned but maybe some of the other members will comment on them whether they have used them or know of anyone who had good results using them.

Is your avatar picture a recent one, I must say that is the sweetest looking grey, Ganesha of course.

[poochbabe]

That avatar was from a few weeks after I rescued her, 1 1/2 yrs ago. I will attach a recent photo with her new neck issues for comparison. She is a sweetheart, so loving and too smart! Before she even starts to pluck she says "I'll spray you" to tekk me she is going to so I will pay attention. My new task is to try to ignore her when she plucks or walk away to not reinforce this nasty habit.

 

She was sold at 7 mos old and they wanted her clipped. When she got to a strange new home with new parents away from the only mommy she knew, the breeder and all the other Greys at the shop she freaked out and ripped all her butt and wings off to the skin. Needless to say, they returned her to the breeder who could no longer sell her so she was on the way to sanctuary at 10 mos old when I took her after having lost my beloved Grey to an oven liner poisoning. I have been working with her every since and my vet is great but she has now suggested a feather biopsy and I think it would be so intrusive. I just know it is emotional and maybe hormonal, since she did feather in almost completely when she first went on the Paxil, then did a big backslide.

 

Thanks for you kind words...she is a doll and I adore her but I would love to see her body healed and her fly around a room just once in her life.

Recent photo with neck feather issues

 

Earlier photos before neck "molt"

After a month or so on the Paxil, almost fully feathered (Ruben's memorial in the background)

[Jayd]

This explains the test: http://www.birdchannel.com/bird-behavior-and-training/bird-behavior-issues/bird-behavior-issues-feather-picking/feather-damaging-behavior.aspx

You have to decide, is a positive answer worth it? Colloidal oatmeal is far superior.....http://babyparenting.about.com/cs/healthissues/a/oatmealbath.htm

[JaredJay]

First off cliping its wings would solve the flying part and could help in training. (dont worry they grow back in about a month or two.) Second i would advise you to put the cage beneath you. This shows that you are in power and they should know your in charge. Third, wear gloves and perch it somewhere outside of the cage. (try this a few times a day) and put your finger below its tummy and push up. Sooner or later they will sit on your finger with no fear and understand your not there to hurt it.

[Dave007]

It would appreciated if you don't give out dangerous info here concerning the handling of birds by tools that can cause extreme fright, possible injury, any relationships between a bird and it's owner especially if you don't know what you're talking about.

Using gloves for any reason is a terrible thing to do. A person can expect their bird to never go near them again.

Clipping off wings doesn't solve any flying problems. Birds will still fly after clipping and hurt themselves.

Most importantly, read posts carefully. This person doesn't have any of the problems you mentioned. She's looking forward to her bird flying. The bird has a medical situation which needs to be handled correctly and this isn't the time to give out crazy advice to someone who already has problems.

[poochbabe]

Thank you Dave. I thought I was losing my mind when I got the response. I had to go back and read my post to make sure I wasn't crazy. Clipping is what started this whole thing to begin with. Ganesha would NEVER need a glove. She is a snuggler and she steps up just fine. She is looking AMAZING in less than one week on the Avicalm and Featheriffic, btw. I don't know if it is coincidence but she is getting in pin feather at hyperspeed and her back and a good part of her tail is coming in as well. She has been flapping away trying to fly and singing, playing with toys, etc. This is best mood I have seen her in in a long time, although she is much more active and a bit hyper right now. Maybe it is the coming of Fall that is making her more comfortable or a hormone cycle but she started to improve right away with the two products. I put a mound on top of her Harrisons and almond/walnuts in the morning as well as put some in her spring water/Goji berry juice that she gets as a washdown in a syringe after her am and pm dose of Paxil. She has gotten a double dose for a week now and is looking so good I am afraid to jinx it.