After 20 years she is now feather picking...please help

[Annarundel]

I have had Moe my African Grey for over 20 years. I received her at 2 weeks of age and finished hand feeding her. For years I have been so careful that she has toys nothing disturbs her and is kept active so this would not happen. I have been pretty much an "overprotective" mom.

 

Within the past week or so she has started picking out her wing feathers and around the shoulder of her wings. This start right after her molting. I have racked my mind trying to think if anything has happened that is different and can come up with no answers. She eats good, poops fine and behaves like her usual self. She gets her baths and when she is done she is soaked to the skin.

 

Moe has never been to the vet and is pretty content to stay around her cage so I am worried if I try to take her to the Vet that the stress of that would just add insult to injury plus I am not sure how I would get her in a pet carrier without one of us getting hurt.

 

We are in an area that there are only a couple of avian vets. I was just wonder if anyone can give me any suggestions as to how to correct this, should I try to find a vet and take her? I am just lost as to what to do and so upset just seeing the pictures of all your beautiful birds and seeing how Moe has destroyed her beautiful feathers just tears me apart.

 

Any help you can give me would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks,

 

Annarundel and Moe

[oblivion]

I keep refreshing this thread hoping someone chimes in with some advice. So I guess this reply is a bit of a thread bump for you along with some mildly-educated guessing.

 

My suggestion is to get her to a vet if you can without major crisis. If nothing changed environmentally that you can think of, I'd say it's time to bring in the big guns. Perhaps there's a dietary/uptake deficiency or some other underlying problem causing irritation.

 

I would at least CALL one or more of the 'local' vets, explain your concerns about getting her there, and see what they say. It's not entirely out of the question that one might make a house call for a special case.

 

Good luck.

[Dave007]

The first thing you must do is to make an appointment with an Avian Certified Veterinarian for a complete check-up. Several medical conditions can cause a bird to feather mutilate. Bacterial infections, improper wing clipping, and dry skin are a few medical conditions that can cause birds to feather pick. Often birds begin to feather pick because of medical conditions but, the behavior needs to be stopped before it becomes a habit. You seem to be afraid of taking the bird to a vet which is understandable. So the whole process must be done quickly. The bird is grabbed with a towel, not letting him flap and immediately put into a small carrier cage.( 2 people may be needed) My suggestion is the type that's use for small animals such as rabbits, kittens, puppies. There are open cage type carriers but they may frighten the bird. The choice is yours. The vet and his tech will do all the work. Your bird is taken home, recaged and the bird will be angry for a couple of days. That's to be expected. Just leave him alone other than talking. You need to make sure that you give your bird treats even if the treats aren't as good as others. Sweet treats are very good ( nutiberries--honey sticks etc). Also try out his favorite nuts and give plenty.

 

Daily misting will help reduce the itchiness of dry skin. A totally wet bird will not feather pluck, but will preen excessively so allowing access to a daily spray/bath may prove beneficial. In this situation aloe Vera juice should be used as the spray. It's sold in large food markets and pharmacies. Your bird may have irritated or damaged a spot which will cause the bird to pluck some more. If that's the case get aloe Vera gel and use it as an ointment on those spots.

 

During the vet exam it is important to discuss your birds diet with your vet. The constant replacing of feathers may cause nutritional deficiencies, which may require dietary changes or vitimin supplementation. He may recommend an ointment or some type of medication to give for a while.

There's 3 types of plucking.

1--acute

2--chronic

3-- seasonal

#2 is permanent and that's not happening with your bird.

 

Your bird may be having a bout with seasonal plucking. Sometimes it's severe but the feathers do grow back. Many birds do this every year and others hardly do it at all.

 

There's possibly a change that you have no idea about even if you look or decide there isn't.

Don't make a big deal about the problem in front of your bird. Act as if nothing's wrong.

Edited March 15, 2012 by Dave007

[aerial.2000]

great advice

[kins2321@yahoo.com]

I would think for a bird that has never chewed, and now is doing so, there must be a medical reason. Sorry Annarundel for my delay. Thanks oblivion for being on the ball! Nancy