1 year old CAG May be chewing feathers.

[Hayley23]

Hello I have a 1 year old CAG and recently her feathers on her wings look really messy. A lot of the feathers are only "half". Her back feathers look fine and healthy it's just the feathers on both wings.

 

Also I think she is chewing her flight feathers underneath her wings. I know this is not a good thing, but what can I do to prevent her from doing this?

 

I work primarily all day and do not return until late at night. I spend as much time with her as I can which is usually 2-3 hours. On my days off it is more. Could she just be an aggressive preener? Bored? Should I take her to the vet?

 

Also I should mention her diet isn't very good, she only eats seeds. I have tried to give her about every fruit, and vegetable there is but she just plays with it and makes a mess.

 

Anyway I would appreciate any advice given, thank you.

[Dave007]

More than likely, she's bored, doesn't like being in her cage all day and has a lot of time to focus on chewing or plucking feathers. Diet, although it isn't the best really doesn't cause chewing or plucking.

Yes, it's a good idea to take your bird to a vet to check for infections or rashes that may have occured.

Aggressive preener? I doubt it. Some greys are very high wire and over preen from nervousness.

Bathing?--greys are well known for their extremely dry skin and not bathing often will inhance that dry skin and cause a grey to over preen or chew or pluck feathers.

What you should do----right now, go to walmart or duifferent pharmacies and purchase 100% ALOE VERA JUICE . Use it as a spray. Use it full strength and try to soak as much of the skin as possible. Do it daily.

Toys---change a few new toys. Different wood toys are a good idea.

Try out some of these things and see if you see a difference.

BTW--put ssome music or cartoons on the TV when you're gone for the day.

[Hayley23]

Thank you for the information. I am on my way to get the aloe Vera juice right now. Hopefully your helpful tips work out for the best, as I am pretty concerned.

[Malikah]

I agree a vet visit to rule out any infections too. Good luck and keep us posted!

[Fratyr]

Hey Hayley,

 

Any news so far?

I've got my almost 1 year CAG doing the same. Though I see that I have a few things better in terms of - diet is okay, she's not sitting all the time in the cage, my wife gets back from work for 3 hours every lunch and she's out the cage for that time.

Anyway, I would like to know if the tips helped you so far?

 

Thanks

[kins2321@yahoo.com]

Wish I could help. Nancy and Sophie

[Hayley23]

Hey Hayley,

 

Any news so far?

I've got my almost 1 year CAG doing the same. Though I see that I have a few things better in terms of - diet is okay, she's not sitting all the time in the cage, my wife gets back from work for 3 hours every lunch and she's out the cage for that time.

Anyway, I would like to know if the tips helped you so far?

 

Thanks

 

 

Sorry about the super late reply, but it's been about a year and everything is going good. Hayley now has beautiful looking feathers and is in good health. The Aloe Vera Juice did wonders. I would just lightly mist her a few times a day and within a couple of months things started to get better.

[TWIX]

That's great, i am learning new things everyday I am happy Hayley is doing well

[chezron]

Aloe vera masks the problem. I mean they don't spray each other with Aloe vera in the wild, do they? Try the toys, but get her calcium levels checked. My guy had started to shred feathers about the same age. It turns out he needed time in the sun, 15 minutes most days, to help him with those levels. Plus, he gets a cooked chicken drumstick bone once a week for the calcium-rich marrow. It worked for Brutus, he has never inappropriately plucked or barbered his feathers again. I got this advice from an avian vet, and he was right.

[Jayd]

Aloe vera masks the problem. I mean they don't spray each other with Aloe vera in the wild, do they? Try the toys, but get her calcium levels checked. My guy had started to shred feathers about the same age. It turns out he needed time in the sun, 15 minutes most days, to help him with those levels. Plus, he gets a cooked chicken drumstick bone once a week for the calcium-rich marrow. It worked for Brutus, he has never inappropriately plucked or barbered his feathers again. I got this advice from an avian vet, and he was right.

 

I'm sorry chezron, Dave is correct, Aloe should always be sprayed on feather plucker's, and once a week as part of their bath routine, winter and summer,example: water, 2 days later Aloe, 2days later water again, year round..... In the wild, their natural habitat, Greys don't pluck, that's something we taught them to do.....

[chezron]

That is your opinion. It is not mine.

[Jayd]

That is your opinion. It is not mine.

 

Thank you and yes, I understand that, I respect your opinion. That's what's so "greyt" about this wonderful forum. We're allowed to voice our own opinions. In this case, if you research the subject of Aloe Vera you'll find that most agree that the medicine drug Aloe is used for all types of parrot skin irritations. The next topical treatment as Dave has mentioned many times over the years is colloidal oatmeal. Dave has a product that he likes. Maybe Dave will again enlighten us with its name.

Thanks, Jayd

[chezron]

Hypocalcemia or Calcium Deficiency - I quote

"It might be hard to imagine, but the simple act of introducing your African Grey parrot, or any other bird for that matter, to natural sunlight or a full spectrum light system can increase the bird’s calcium intake.

 

When birds preen their feathers they spread oil over them from their Uropygial gland situated at the base of their tail. This oil undergoes a chemical reaction when it is met with the UVA and UVB rays of sunlight. The reaction changes the oil into vitamin D3. When the bird preens again, they ingest the vitamin D3 from their feathers. Vitamin D3 is necessary for animals, and humans, to be able to extract calcium from their diet through their digestive tract.

 

Many people place their African Grey parrots in a cage by the window. This is ineffective in creating the vitamin D3 because home windows filter out the UVA and UVB rays that are required to synthesize the vitamin D3 from the Uropygial gland oil.

 

Feather Plucking

Avian veterinarians recommend that African Grey parrots be given access to plenty of fresh air and sunlight in order to keep their internal clocks, or circadian rhythm, operating properly. It is believed that disrupting the circadian rhythm can lead to depression and, consequently, to feather plucking in African Grey parrots.

 

However, for many people, cold winter weather makes it hard to open windows for their bird. This problem is further exacerbated by the fact that, in much of the country, winter weather causes a lack of natural sunlight during the ever shortening days.

 

African Grey parrots originate from Central Africa, which is close to the Equator. Their species thrives in an environment that allows them between five and seven hours of sunlight per day. These hours of sunlight can be easily replicated and controlled by placing a full spectrum light near their cage and setting with a timer to allow the appropriate amount of light.

 

Getting the Right Light

Because most full spectrum light bulbs are manufactured to fit in to a normal light fixture, there is an almost endless supply of fixtures that can be used as a full spectrum parrot light. There are, however, several things to consider when choosing a light.

 

For instance, you want to choose a light that can be affixed to the top of your parrot’s cage or no more than two feet above it. Because the light fixture needs to be so close to an African Grey parrot’s cage, you need to be sure that there is no way for the bird to dismantle the fixture or to bite the electrical cord of the fixture.

 

When buying new bulbs for your lighting fixture, make sure that the bulbs are truly full spectrum. Many grocery store brands boast full spectrum lighting, but what they really offer is full spectrum color lighting. These brands do not produce the UVA and UVB rays that your bird needs to produce the D3 vitamin.

 

We may never fully understand the benefits that a bird like the African Grey parrot receives from full spectrum light, but what we do know is that it is an important part of a happy and healthy life."

 

African Greys (most birds) have a Uropygial gland that has all the oil necessary for healthy skin and feathers. I live in basically a desert area in the USA and do not need to supplement my bird with any sprays, or tonics, or magic elixirs. i just need to keep his food healthy, get him in the sun, and give him a weekly shower.

Edited May 12, 2012 by chezron

[Dave007]

Thank you and yes, I understand that, I respect your opinion. That's what's so "greyt" about this wonderful forum. We're allowed to voice our own opinions. In this case, if you research the subject of Aloe Vera you'll find that most agree that the medicine drug Aloe is used for all types of parrot skin irritations. The next topical treatment as Dave has mentioned many times over the years is colloidal oatmeal. Dave has a product that he likes. Maybe Dave will again enlighten us with its name.

Thanks, Jayd

 

Maybe you're thinking about someone else as far as suggesting colloidal oatmeal. If I'm not mistaken, colloidal oatmeal is some type of topical. I've never used it . I know people use it on themselves. The only oatmeal I've ever talked about was the type that people could feed their birds.

[Dave007]

Aloe vera masks the problem. I mean they don't spray each other with Aloe vera in the wild, do they? Try the toys, but get her calcium levels checked. My guy had started to shred feathers about the same age. It turns out he needed time in the sun, 15 minutes most days, to help him with those levels. Plus, he gets a cooked chicken drumstick bone once a week for the calcium-rich marrow. It worked for Brutus, he has never inappropriately plucked or barbered his feathers again. I got this advice from an avian vet, and he was right.

 

If used properly, aloe juice doesn't mask anything. If used properly, water doesn't mask anything. Instructions and reasons to use it have been spoken about concerning the aloe product. There's a sticky about it. It's worked wonders for people who have birds that have specific problems concerning feathers and skin. But I'll give a quick short version. Aloe juice is used on the skin of a bird that has very dry, itchy and flaky skin. The bird picks at the dried skin and also pulls out the feathers. The aloe is supposed to saturate the skin making the skin soft and pliable and less itchy which lessens the bird's desire to pick/pluck the feathers from that treated skin. It also promotes correct preening. All birds need time in the sun. That's difficult for some opeople so that's where full spectrum lighting comes into the picture.

Spraying aloe or water on top of a grey's outer feathers does nothing except get the dander off the outer feathers. As far as chicken bones, that's been spoken about numerous times but there's many birds that don't like chicken bones or any other type of bones.

[danmcq]

Aloe does indeed work wonders on greys with dry itchy skin. I have seen it stop several greys from plucking and barbering feathers.

 

When plucking is first identified, there are steps in order to properly treat it:

 

1. Has the bird recently had an avian vet exam that includes blood tests, if not it should be done to determine if there is an underlying health issue causing it. This could be low calcium, but it could also be caused by other health issues as well such as allergies to nuts, wheat. an underlying illness etc.

 

a. Calcium deficiency can be caused by not enough foods with calcium in them or lack of D3 for proper absorption.

b. D3 deficiency is caused by not enough sunlight or interior avian lighting (especially in winter) to ensure the D3 levels are maintained.

 

2. Is there something stressing the bird that could be causing the plucking behavior? This is sometimes hard to determine through trial and error.

 

3. Is the birds skin is simply itchy and flaky due to dryness? If so, then Aloe is the solution a long with ensuring there is also red palm oil in the diet.

 

4. The grey may be a chronic plucker that has a long history of this behavior and it may never be resolved.

 

I know some people that have greys and have spent thousands of dollars in vet visits trying to resolve plucking unsuccessfully. Avian vets many times scratch their heads as well. I truly wish there was a cure all for it, but it defies science many times. But, as said above, if you get on the issue right away and explore all the paths to quell it, you will will be successful most times and your grey will be very thankful as well.

[Jayd]

Thanks everybody, I love it whwn a thread comes together. I've been working on a up-dat to UV light, I'll let you know when I post it..Thanks Jayd

[Jayd]

Maybe you're thinking about someone else as far as suggesting colloidal oatmeal. If I'm not mistaken, colloidal oatmeal is some type of topical. I've never used it . I know people use it on themselves. The only oatmeal I've ever talked about was the type that people could feed their birds.

 

Thanks Dave, Yes my memory is gone, and no, the only oatmeal you ever talked about is the kind i eat...Sorry Sir..

[Doug]

I thought that it was interesting to read the following:

 

Blood samples were analysed from wild grey parrots recently caught in Guyana for the export pet trade. Serum ionised calcium concentrations were significantly lower in the wild birds than the captive main study group independent of the husbandry conditions employed.

 

Source: http://www.harrisonsbirdfoods.com/stanford-fellowship.pdf

[chezron]

Interesting. I do know some birds that cannot stop plucking because it has become an ingrained habit, even when deficiencies have been addressed they continue.

 

We also supplement with Red Palm Oil as the bulk of a Grey's diet in the wild is made of palm fruits.

[Kimijean]

Where can I get Red Palm Oil? If I can get is locally great, if not I'll order some online. How do you give it to your bird(s)?

 

Kim

[Luvparrots]

Hemp seed is also good to help stop plucking. There are some older threads here about it. I know it has helped my neighbor's ekkie who has been a plucker for at least 10 years. Check hemp seed on line.

[Doug]

Hello I have a 1 year old CAG and recently her feathers on her wings look really messy. A lot of the feathers are only "half". Her back feathers look fine and healthy it's just the feathers on both wings.

 

Also I think she is chewing her flight feathers underneath her wings. I know this is not a good thing, but what can I do to prevent her from doing this?

 

Everyone has gone straight to plucking solutions, but is that what is happening?

 

Could it be that her wing feathers are just a bit battered and are ready for a molt? (I don't have the experience that y'all have, but that was my first thought.)

 

If Hayley is flapping her wings in the cage, they could be getting a bit rough on the ends.

[Doug]

Where can I get Red Palm Oil? If I can get is locally great, if not I'll order some online. How do you give it to your bird(s)?

 

Kim

 

Check with your vet for a local source.

[chezron]

I get palm oil online. It is also great for higher temperature cooking. http://www.amazon.com/OKONATUR-100-Organic-Extra-Virgin/dp/B0012XKO00

 

Mix about 1/4 tsp in with soft food. I usually make a mix of grains, veggies, legumes, and beans, and add chia, flax and hemp seed, about a quarter cup total, then I mix in the 1/4 tsp. oil. The oil is pretty solid at room temperature, so you almost need to cut it in or smear it in.