unhealthy feathers?

[razza45]

recently i have noticed roxy's tail and back feathers are not as shiny as they used to be..they have developed

these white specks on them..

 

 

(ignore the one flight feather that was not clipped)

 

could this be a vitamin deficiency or dryness?

[judygram]

You have a TAG don't you, I can tell by the tail feathers.

 

The picture is a little out of focus, if you could post another one that is clearer we would have a better idea of what you are talking about. Thanks.

[razza45]

i do! i know...they are all a little out of focus..she hates when i go behind her back..this was a half hour afair for me to coax her into letting me take some pics lol

a couple more..

 

 

[razza45]

its only on the lower part...her upper back looks fine

[danmcq]

Hi Razza45,

 

Is your TAG eating, playing and acting as it normally would?

 

If not, you should take your TAG to a Veterinarian.

 

Tail Feather and Flight feather discoloration and deformities can indicate illness.

[Dave007]

That's dryness. First, bathe the bird frequently making sure that those feathers get as wet as possible. It'll be difficult because those of a grey's feathers are waterproof. Then get some ALOE VERA JUICE ( not gel) and spray on feathers 2x a week. Comes in 1 gal containers. Can be purchased at Walmart or other large drug stores or health food stores. When you get a chance, buy some RED PALM OIl--1/2 teaspoon 2 x a week --mix into food, or bread or oatmeal or into pellets. Pellets absorb the oil. It's one of the best items for a bird's feathers. Health food stores sell it or you can purchase it online.

Your TAG is one of those who's tail feathers will get to a lighter marroon color. Some go in the opposite direction. Also,it's molting season and they could be close to falling out. They won't fall out at the same time though. Most feathers look drab, blotchy and dull when molting season is around the corner.<br><br>Post edited by: MrSpock, at: 2007/09/01 00:00

[lovemyGreys]

Some good advice MrSpock

I agree it looks like dryness to me, my rescue grey came to me 8 weeks ago with very similiar looking feathers,i was informed she had never had a water mist & she was going through her first molt.A good misting everyother day & an improved diet has done it for mine.

[razza45]

danmcq, i have been paying close attention to the way she has been acting..seems fine..active, talkitive and droppings look normal.

 

i wanted to be on the safe side tho and get a second opinion

 

mr. spock thank you thank you. i had a feeling that was the case..i will start treatment asap.

she normally takes showers with me anyway but i will make sure her back side is taken care of

the aloe juice i can get anywhere like a cvs/drug store? or is it more for avian care?

 

thank you all for immediate responses

cant tell you how much i appreciate it.

[nevjoe]

Hey Girl!

 

You have the heavy weights to help you. These guys should be listen to.

 

Good luck,

 

Joe

[Talon]

Red Palm oil is great for helping feathers to be healthy and shiny. You only need a 1/4 of tsp. in her food daily. You'll notice a big improvement in a couple of weeks.

[danmcq]

What a great wealth of knowledge we have on this Forum!

 

Thank You MrSpock for the very informative post. :-)

 

Razza45, it's good to hear you are so attentive to your Grey. :cheer: Also, I am very happy to hear all is normal.

[judygram]

I give Josey that red palm oil every day and her feathers look very nice, now I know why.

 

We do have a good bunch of knowledgeable people here on this forum, and Dan especially is becoming the "go to" man for his wealth of information.

[Dave007]

""""""""""the aloe juice I can get anywhere like a cvs/drug store?""""""""""

ALOE VERA JUICE can be purchased in any of the drug stores you mentioned plus Walgreens, Rite Aid etc or in health food stores. Walmart has the best price $8.75 per gal.

The juice is used by people internally and externally for birds( usually by misting) If swallowed, it can't hurt the bird. If accidently sprayed in eyes, it can't hurt the bird. I've used it for years on my birds and not because they have any problems. It makes the dry skin of a grey very supple and relieves itchiness.

RED PALM OIL is used by people who have intestional problems. For birds it supplies many different vitamins that many birds don't normally get. It also is good internally for bird's feathers. You're doing your bird a big favor by using both products. It really doesn't matter what species of parrot you own

 

Item is on the left

 

 

Post edited by: MrSpock, at: 2007/09/01 00:45<br><br>Post edited by: MrSpock, at: 2007/09/01 00:50

[fourtrap]

Thanks for that information MrSpock, the next time I'm in Michigan I'll grab some, have not seen the product in Canada. Have a great week.B)

[judygram]

I guess I will be making a trip to Walmart for aloe vera juice, thanks Dave.

[Toni]

Since its juice it wont be sticky ? This is juice you drink right? I just dont want a sticky bird. {Feel-bad-00020066}

[dblhelix]

The feathers look to me like water spots as well. D be sure the backside also gets washed when showering/misting! I have red palm oil that I mix in Kips food a few times/week. Like Mr Spock indicated, get the oil on something they like to eat that will absorb it. Pellets work good, Kip also like to eat toast in the mornings with me. I will put some palm oil on the toast instead of butter and we BOTH eat it happily. Palm oil is great for their feathers and as many of you know they eat the palm fruits in the wild Congo/Africa. B) We can eat it too! Get some!

 

http://www.safarimkt.com/red%20palm%20oil.html

[Dave007]

"""""Since its juice it wont be sticky ? This is juice you drink right? I just dont want a sticky bird. """""

 

There's absolutely no stickiness or greasiness on a parrot's body. The juice is as light as water. The body of the bird that doesn't have water proof feathers will quickly absorb the juice. It also promotes proper preening ( no unnatural plucking or chewing). The longer it remains on the skin and feathers, the better it will be for your parrot. As with water, hair dryers shouldn't be used to dry a bird after bathing--this is the way it works--the bird gets soaked. He then sits on a perch and doesn't do anything. He's quiet. After about an hour, he starts to preen him/herself. The preening is productive. Biting at the skin and chewing on the feathers no longer happens. I've done this for at least 15 yrs. A friend told me about it a long time ago. he's a breeder of TOOs which have a worse dander and plucking and chewing problem.

I would never recommend something I wasn't sure of. I've stopped using water when misting. The only time I use water is when I take each grey to a sink that's filled with 4 inches of water where I soak each bird as they stand in it. Don't do that if you're afraid of getting bitten. Some will bite. When spraying with water /juice make sure that you get under the wings and soak the white feathers on the body. Do this on the breast area too. Also do it under the vent feathers.

[kiwibarb12]

My TAG , Beckett, I don't think was ever washed or showered with, and when I tried to take her into the shower , she freaked! I didn't want to upset her too much, but thought she needed to get wet.

After reading about misting I bought a spray bottle, and tried it out on Beckett. She didn't object horribly, and , I think, may have even enjoyed it a little. I waited for a couple of days and tried it again, with the same result. She preens and seems quite happy with the result. Thanks to all the people who post with good advice!!!!

[Guest Monique]

Poor feather quality can be a sign of parasites. I would take your bird in for a check to the veterinarian to rule that out.

[itzazu2u]

I can not begin to tell you how big of a fan I am of Red Palm Oil! That stuff is WONDERFUL. I spread a thin layer on whole wheat toast for my guys and they love it, gobble it down. When I scramble their eggs, a dab of RPO goes in to the egg as well. Another thing that is good for the feathers is tuna fish, canned in water. I can't even eat a tuna fish sandwich in the same room as the birds. Also, be sure to feed the darker leafy greens for the calcium. Around this house the favored green is Kale.

 

I can't say anything about using Aloe, but I have heard of others using it as well. Personally, I would avoid Aloe juice that isn't organic. I don't care for all the preservatives and such in foods.

[Talon]

Those are great ideas about the palm oil. It does have a strong flavor that the don't seem to like, I'll try it on toast this am and see it that works better.

[marydone]

can any one please give me any advice on an african gray he is plucking his feather but not chewing them desperate for some information.

[Dave007]

Hi Mary

 

There's a few reasons that plucking can happen. One is the age of the bird. Most pluckers start at an early age. One is whether it's molting season. One is the condition of the skin. One is how long the bird is in the cage everyday. One is the activity of the bird and whether it's alone all day. One is whether it's a medical condition.

 

As has been already discussed here, one very important

Thing that should be done first is very thorough bathing until all of the skin (not just feathers)is soaked. This should be done very frequently. The best is every day but that might put a strain on a person so lets say 2 to 3 times a week.

 

Bathing/Spraying------many greys don't like bathing or spraying but they do need to get it done, especially if they sometimes pluck and have dander(white dust that they always throw off) which causesdryness of the skin and causes extreme itchiness. Here is a suggestion....First, when bathing/misting use cold water. They like that colder temperature better than tepid water. Second, when you're spraying him, try to get as close as possible with the sprayer, and don't spray his face. Many parrots don't like getting misted from a distance. It's much more annoying to them than when the sprayer is closer. Third, when you do get closer only use 1/2 squirts. The shock of the water isn't as great as it is from a distance. Fourth, your grey won't open his wings when you're spray him so when you're using the sprayer, turn the knob so that the water comes out it would from a water pistol. With him facing you,squirt the water between the wing and his body. The water works it's way in and he will spread it around. Fifth, a grey's feathers are waterproof and it sometimes looks like the water is just rolling off which it is. You should keep spraying the outer wings because the dander is laying on them. Enough wetness will soak the dander and when he shakes off the water, the dander will get soaked and fall down to bottom of the cage. Sixth, never towel dry or hair dry hiom after a bath or spray. The longer he stays wet, the more he benefits from the bath/spray. Sixth, the best way to get a grey used to spraying is constant repitition combined with 1/2 squirts. Do it once a day if you can. Expect squawks, growls and screeching but whether you know it or not, a grey likes the feeling it gets after getting a bath/spray. After your grey is soaked, let him stay soaked until nature tells him to start preening. Also, as has been discussed, it would be very wise to get 100% PURE ALOE VERA JUICE. In this thread, there's a picture and information concerning it. It should be used as often as possible through a mister. The most important thing about bathing is that the actual skin gets soaked, not just the feathers. greys and other parrots have water proof feathers and water just rolls off without any penetration.

If he is in a cage for long periods of time, let him out and put him on any playstand you might own. If you don't have one, simple ones can be made ( example-T stand). Take him away from the cage. Add a couple of cheap toys ( preferably smal pieces of wood.) They enjoy chewing and destroying wood. That's common with all greys. It also relieves pent up tension.

If you dont have one, you should consider getting a heavy duty cow bell. They can be purchased in most pet stores. They cost about $3.00. Greys love to attack these bells, making them bang against the cage and actually getting hit by the bell. It might scare you cause when the bird is being very aggressive with the bell, he is usually growling and yelling and squawking at the bell. It's all play though. That too relieves extreme amounts of tension.

If it's molting that's going on, you should expect your grey to be pulling on many old feathers in order to have new ones grow back in. At this time of the year, many greys are agitated and nippy because they feel discomfort.

Medical attention---If none of these things work, you might consider a vet visit. He can see if there's a problem and can advise you about what to do. Good luck---Dave<br><br>Post edited by: MrSpock, at: 2007/09/04 22:26

[danmcq]

That is a ton of very good detailed information MrSpock!! Thank you for taking the time to articulate this so well.

 

You also indicated a large Cow Bell is Big Fun for them, but perhaps alarming to us unsuspecting owners when they "Attack" them..... I can't wait to get one into Dayo's Cage!!! :woohoo: