Nala is chewing on her feathers

[mrjayd]

Nala is only 6 months old now and she is mutilating her wing feathers on the top of her back. She is not plucking them out but just chewing and shredding them real bad. I can't figure out what is wrong. I have plenty of chew type toys in there all the time and she plays and chews on them all the time but she just hangs from her cage and reaches around with her head and chews her feathers.

I give her daily baths and she eats all kinds of foods. She fly's around the house every day so she doesn't seem bored.

Any suggestions?

[Luvparrots]

Oh I am so sorry that such a young sweetie is in distress. If Nala is getting ample attention and quality time, I would call your avian vet and see if she has a slight skin infection or some kind of owie if she seems to be unstressed or otherwise happy.

[Azzie]

Here's some links that may contain some info for you:

 

http://www.avianweb.com/featherplucking.html

 

http://www.birdsnways.com/wisdom/ww4eii.htm

 

Do take your baby to the vet though, like Luv suggested, as there may be a physical reason for this behaviour. Good luck!

[Jayd]

Hi, welcome back the two of you, you were missed.. Cut down on the baths to 2 times a week, Get a Aloe plant or 100 percent Aloe Gel and wipe on the area, Increase sun and/ or Full Spectrum UVB/UVA time... He's over preening, could be a nutritional or lack of vitamin [D3, sun/UVA/UVB] With out knowing more, that's all I can say.....Jayd

[Azzie]

Jayd...

 

Which species of Aloe plant do you recommend? I know there's a few different types out there, but unsure of which one(s) are beneficial to a parrot. Also, if I am reading this correct, do you wipe the gel/juice on the feathers, or try to get it into/ onto the skin?

[Jayd]

Jayd...

Which species of Aloe plant do you recommend? I know there's a few different types out there, but unsure of which one(s) are beneficial to a parrot. Also, if I am reading this correct, do you wipe the gel/juice on the feathers, or try to get it into/ onto the skin?

 

Aloe barbadensis [Curacao aloe]..... In this case, use a soft towel or paper napkin and apply it thick to the ruffled area....[maximum saturation] [No Juice]....Good for bird if he gets any in his beaker....lol

 

Thanks Jayd

[mrjayd]

Aloe barbadensis [Curacao aloe]..... In this case, use a soft towel or paper napkin and apply it thick to the ruffled area....[maximum saturation] [No Juice]....Good for bird if he gets any in his beaker....lol

 

Thanks Jayd

 

Thanks Jayd, I feel so sorry for her. She looks terrible. Like I said she is not pulling any feathers out, she is just chewing and shredding them. Now I see her starting on her tail feathers. Where can I buy some aloe juice and what kind of light should I get for her? This is the only bird I have had that I kept full flighted so I can't take her out in the sun. I might want to get her clipped once just so I can take her out in the sun for a while and see if she mends.

[judygram]

I might want to get her clipped once just so I can take her out in the sun for a while and see if she mends.

 

Please don't clip her wings just so you can take her outside, if she is flighted she should remain that way or you may face other problems but clipping does not guarantee she won't be able to fly away for with the right breeze going she could be gone in a flash.

Do you have any type of travel cage, if so you could take her out into the sunshine in that but a UV light would provide her with the benefits she would get from the sun, you need a full spectrum light.

[Jayd]

Thanks...You can get this at "Petsmart" or any major pet supplier.. If you can't get "Avian Sun 5.0" you can get this, it's the same thing..No need to clip. Health food store for 100 percent aloe, Walmart for Aloe Vera Juice, and a nursery for the plant...Here's some threads on lighting....

Thank you for contacting us. The Reptisun 5.0 is actually exactly the same as the Avian Sun 5.0 bulb. You can use the Reptisun 5.0 in place of the Avian Sun 5.0 as long as you follow the instructions that come with the Avian Sun bulb. For your convenience, I have included a pdf copy of these instructions as an attachment. Please let me know if you have any further questions.

Kind regards,

Ashley Rademacher

Customer Service

Zoo Med Labs, Inc.

3650 Sacramento Dr.

San Luis Obispo CA 93401

Toll Free 888-496-6633

Fax 805-542-9295

 

 

http://www.greyforums.net/forums/showthread.php?188081-Calcium-Food-or-Sun

[danmcq]

The others have given good advice and links. A vet visit is probably in order. I would ask for a blood work up to see what it reveals.

 

Shredding of feathers as you describe can be over preening, if it is not due to an underlying cause such as a deficiency, allergy or illness .

[Azzie]

Jay please correct me if I am wrong, but I believe I have read somewhere that the reptile bulbs are stronger than the avian ones, and can cause serious burns to a bird's eyes?

[Jayd]

Jay please correct me if I am wrong, but I believe I have read somewhere that the reptile bulbs are stronger than the avian ones, and can cause serious burns to a bird's eyes?

Any UVB bulb has to be above and to the side of the bird...Thanks Jayd

Here's the link..

http://zoomed.com/Library//ProductDBFiles/aviansun.pdf

Thank you for contacting us. The Reptisun 5.0 is actually exactly the same as the Avian Sun 5.0 bulb. You can use the Reptisun 5.0 in place of the Avian Sun 5.0 as long as you follow the instructions that come with the Avian Sun bulb. For your convenience, I have included a pdf copy of these instructions as an attachment. Please let me know if you have any further questions.

Kind regards,

Ashley Rademacher

Customer Service

Zoo Med Labs, Inc.

3650 Sacramento Dr.

San Luis Obispo CA 93401

Toll Free 888-496-6633

Fax 805-542-9295

[Jayd]

Here ya go......

http://www.greyforums.net/forums/showthread.php?47809-lighting

http://www.greyforums.net/forums/showthread.php?188081-Calcium-Food-or-Sun

http://www.greyforums.net/forums/showthread.php?189219-Full-Spectrum-lighting-Again

[Dave007]

Jayd...

 

Which species of Aloe plant do you recommend? I know there's a few different types out there, but unsure of which one(s) are beneficial to a parrot. Also, if I am reading this correct, do you wipe the gel/juice on the feathers, or try to get it into/ onto the skin?

 

If you don't have experience using aloe vera gel, it would be best to simply buy a small bottle of 100% aloe vera gel at the pharmacy. Using an aloe plant is messy. It's interior is a thick yellow gel substance which doesn't sink into the skin as fast as store bought gel. Using too much of the plant gel will be like putting vaseline on the bird.

The gel and juice are 2 different things--one is sprayed all over the bird and should be aimed at areas that aren't waterproof. The gel is put on the same way as a first aid cream is used.

If you really wanna buy an aloe plant, there's no special scientific name that you need to look up. The common aloe vera gel plant when in season which is the warm months of the year can be purchased at supermarkets, department stores that have a small plant section, garden stores, flower shops. As with almost every other plant that's sold, it comes with a clear plastic wrapping on it you'll see the words *medicine plant*. It's the cheapest, most common aloe plant that's sold. It's a succulent which is also in the catagory of the cacti family. Basically, it grows like a weed. It's hard to kill the plant. If grown outdoors, it goes dormant and looks dead when the cold months arrive. It'll come alive again in the early summer. All aloe plants follow this pattern. If you wanna see more about the aloe vera plant, simply type in ALOE VERA PLANT in your browzer and hundreds of sites will open up telling you all about it. No matter where you see the info on Aloe vera Plant, you'll also see the words *medicine or medicinal*. All aloe plants have that gel in it. It's simply because of the price of the other types which stops people from using it. I raise hybrid exotic aloes and I can tell you that a simple aloe vera plant is very messy, gooey and difficult for the non experienced person.

You asked about whether it should be put on the feathers---no gel, no matter what type should be put on feathers. It serves no purpose at all as far as chewing feathers and it can clog open shafts. As I said in another post, aloe gel should only be used for skin areas, cuts, serious irritations and bald plucked out skin, dry skin, scaly areas. Feathers can't absorb the gel. Feather shafts can't absorb the gel and the only time the gel works is when it's used on areas that absorb the gel.

The person here is only talking about his bird chewing the feathers, not plucking them. Plucking and chewing are too different things. Many baby to very young adolescent greys chew feathers especially the upper parts of the back and also the tail and many times, it's a phase that they go through especially when the bird in every other way is acting normal, given exercise and a decent diet.

Jay should know about the cacti/succulent plants because it's the condition of the soil and climate of Arizona where 80% of those types of plants are grown and then are purchased by whosalers in most of the US.

 

A photo of the common 'medicinal' aloe vera plant that can be purchased and used all over the place

 

Edited September 27, 2010 by Dave007

[Jayd]

As a side note: Aloe Barbadensis is the one that has the greatest nutritional and therapeutic properties. A little messy yes, But the vets and I felt it would benefit Spock the most. When we bathes Spock, any residue is removed. We only apply it to the area of the heaviest chewing, and never to a open wound... This is just our opinion.....

Thanks all.

Jayd

[mrjayd]

Many baby to very young adolescent greys chew feathers especially the upper parts of the back and also the tail and many times, it's a phase that they go through especially when the bird in every other way is acting normal, given exercise and a decent diet.

 

This is exactly what she is doing now. Mainly the upper back wing feathers and now just starting on her tail but none of her body feathers are being touched. So Aloe gel will be of no use then to just the feathers?

Edited September 27, 2010 by mrjayd

[mrjayd]

I had a smaller cage that I put out on the patio today to get her some sun and she seemed to like it. She was playing in her water dishes splashing around and taking somewhat of a bath. But she still was chewing throughout the day. If it is the lack of sun why she is doing this, how long will it take for her tio stop chewing? Will she stop all at once?

[Dave007]

"""So Aloe gel will be of no use then to just the feathers?"""

 

***aloe gel should only be used for skin areas, cuts, serious irritations and bald plucked out skin, dry skin, scaly areas. Feathers can't absorb the gel. Feather shafts can't absorb the gel and the only time the gel works is when it's used on areas that absorb the gel.***

 

Putting gel on feathers is like putting gel on a hard surface such as a finger nail. It may make the finger nail shiny but the nail doesn't take it in.

From what you describe, your bird may be going therought that adolescent stage. Those are the areas I spoke about. I've had birds that did that when they were also very young.

 

If I'm not mistaken, you also asked about how to use aloe juice. Everything about aloe juice and instructions can be see here----

 

http://www.greyforums.net/forums/showthread.php?189967-100-natural-aloe-vera-juice

 

The aloe juice can be used anywhere on the bird but it does it's best work on skin and inner feathers that aren't waterproof such as breast feathers. Spraying on those feathers won't stop the aloe from going into the skin.

Edited September 27, 2010 by Dave007

[Jayd]

I'm sorry guys, my purpose for using aloe in this instances is not for abrasions or dry skins, it is being used on the feathers to help eradicate any fungus or a virus that might have attached itself to the feathers.....The Aloe needs not to be absorb into the feathers to work. New uses are being found daily for this plant. We no longer us "Aloe Vera Juice" but make our own, [1 part Aloe gel "fresh" to 4 parts distilled water] due to the fact that the citric acid in it has and caused irritation on some birds. Some store bought "Aloe Gel's" have "thickeners", so read the label please.... There is so much yet for us to learn, each days a new day....

Jayd