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Hello


Candi

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Thank you Brat Birds, Your brats are beautiful btw! I know a little about Echo's' history, we will be his forth set of owners. He was with his first family for about five years, I don't know anything about his time there. He spent the next 15 years with another family where he was cage free and roamed about (and had two toes bit off by a Macaw :( . I believe he started plucking when the children of that family grew up and moved out. Then on to the last owner who had him for about 9 months where he was kept in a cage in a bird room, unfortunately an adolescent male eclectus also shared that room and when he screamed, which I guess was pretty frequently, the family would shut the door to the bird room. So he hasn't been getting much attention for the last few years. He already has some nice white fluff growing back, I'm hoping with a little time and patience he will stop. He also seems to be quite itchy, I read that a 50/50 aloe juice/water mix spritz on their skin is soothing, anyone have any opinions on this?

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Welcome, Candi and Echo! You've landed in a great place and will feel right at home in no time. Echo looks like such a sweetheart. It's always saddening to know that these wonderful creatures get passed along over and over. So happy that you two found one another. My first (long ago) wild caught, older adult CAG had plucked himself bald in every possible nook and cranny that he could reach and was very neglected, abused and ill when he came to live with me. He eventually became fully feathered and while he suffered lifelong health issues, he grew into an affectionate and incredible teacher and companion. All I asked of him was that he simply be a bird. I had no expectations and no desires other than to give him a peaceful home, safety, proper Vet care, proper physical care, and accepting companionship. It sounds to me that you have the same philosophy when it comes to Echo, and that Echo will respond over time and will no doubt flourish. In my Lestat's case, I have no doubt that the source of his plucking was a combination of lack of proper nutrition, being terrorized, neglected, injured, and isolated. Certainly there are other bases for plucking and some remain mysterious, but I wouldn't be surprised to see Echo feather out over time if his body is capable of repairing itself. :)

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Thanks guys! I am so grateful to have found this site...you guys are great! Its inspirational to hear your success stories and gives me great hope for Echos future. I wouldn't love him any less if he was completely featherless...but it breaks my heart to think that he is so unhappy/stressed/bored that he has to resort to mutilating himself. You are exactly right Inara, I expect nothing of him but to be a bird, just hopefully a happy and healthy bird!

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He doesn't like getting misted with a spray bottle, after he is a little more comfy with us I hope to get him taking showers with me. But for now do you think it would be ok to put a little aloe juice in his bath dish?

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Candi, misting definitely is important as you are already aware. Others can speak to the aloe juice question as I haven't ever used it with my birds. I mist Inara with filtered water as well as making sure that her drinking and bathing water are filtered. We have very hard water here as well as chlorinated and it dries the heck out of my own skin so I know it is not good for hers either.

 

Dave00 has an excellent thread in the Health forum on chronic and acute pluckers. If you haven't read it, it is a must read.

 

Your Echo is one fortunate bird to have found you, and you him. I always have such a feeling of warmth and gratitude toward those whose hearts are able to see, appreciate, and find such deep love for their companions' beauty and value even when they arrive in a "less than perfect" state. Hugs to you!

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I would keep trying to mist, at least until he is comfortable enough to shower. You might try different temperatures of the water. I have found that my Grey loves it on the warm side - real warm, just south of hot!! Not all birds like the same temperature. It is funny when I start to mist Peanut he HAS to have a drink first. He even likes his drinking water warm! This really surprised me, but at long as the water isn't hot I think it is better to mist with warm water than none at all. My Sun Conure would rather the water be cool, my Tiel doesn't like any but is better with it on the warm side too.

I have never used the Aloe either, but have heard from many that it really helps.

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Hello Candi and welcome to our family.

Thanks so much for giving Echo a new forever home and with your attitude I think he is going to thrive and flourish in his new environment. They all are beautiful even if they don't have a feather on their body but the important thing is that they are happy and healthy and your home might just be where he gets the love and attention he needs to hopefully put some more feathers on his body. I look forward to hearing and seeing more of Echo as he gets comfortable in his new home.

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