SassyRose Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 Sassy's tail feathers have been coming loose and then she bites the loose ones off. so far only two or three have been lost, but I'm worried there is something wrong. Is it normal for CAG's to loose their tail feathers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danmcq Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 It sounds like a Molt. How old is sassy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SassyRose Posted December 5, 2007 Author Share Posted December 5, 2007 She's about 8 months old now.. I thought she had landed wrong or something and maybe broken the feathers, but it seems different.what do you think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danmcq Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 It's is around the age of 8 Months and older that they begin molting. Dayo is 7 1/2 Months old and has lost all of his white baby feathers and 1 Tail Feather so far. Just keep an Eye on him, but it sounds like to timing is right. Others will chime in when they wake up. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dblhelix Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 Tail feathers certainly do drop out during the molt. Are other feathers dropping as well besides tail feathers? The age you mention is in the expected range for a molt to happen. I would keep my eye out for pin feathers coming in around the tail as replacements. If you see that soon then its almost certain to be a natural molt process. During her most recent big molt, Kip would be preening and then come up with a full feather (tail, flight etc). She would proudly hold it in her foot and sometimes gnaw on the end or just play with them like a prize for a minute. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kibibi Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 I agree with everyone else that it sounds like a normal molt. During a normal molt, ALL of the tail feathers won't fall out at the same time. It's also "normal" for a Grey to chew on feathers when they do molt. So don't panic if you walk in the room and Sassy's chewing on a feather I've heard that you can tell a plucked feather from a normal molt by looking at the tip of the feather. If it is a normal molt then there won't be any blood on the tip. However, if there is blood on the tip then it was likely a plucked feather. Has anyone else ever heard this or does anyone else have experience with plucking that confirm or deny this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest briansmum Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 hmm.. i have to honestly say i'm not sure. yes she's in the right age range to start a molt, but they dont usually start by removing tail feathers. usually it starts with downy feathers and less important outer feathers. can anyone else say their greys first molt started with them pulling out tail feathers? if so then i hold up my hands to being wrong. but in this case i would be open to the possibility that it might be something more than a molt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ziggy Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 Hello, This could be 1 of 2 things. 1) This is the age where a molt should start to take place, but like Beccy said they normally start with the down feathers and then move on to the smaller head feathers and nape feathers and ending with the wing and tail feathers. The pins will start to form and then they will break throught the tube and a new feather is born. 2) This could be something differant, a plucker. (hope not). Indeed if he is a plucker the feathers will have a little blood on the tips. You would not feel pins in this case. Greys are the 2nd most plucker species behind the cockatoos. Is this likely? mabee but I would watch closely to make sure that this is a isolated insident and not a plucker. With the age level he is at I would have to say he is molting and not plucking. But again the plucking is possiable. Besides the holidays coming has there been any drastic changes in the home? Have you spent enough time with him? Has he acted skittish? Has a new bird arrived? Does he seem more nervous? Does he seem stressed out? These are some of the things that could trigger a plucker to start to pluck. With his age I would say he is going through a faze or a molt. But keep a good eye on him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SassyRose Posted December 6, 2007 Author Share Posted December 6, 2007 Thanx for all the advice guys!! The weird thing about the feathers shes lost, is that she breaks them off, and doesn't pull them out, so there is no tip. I haven't seen any blood, but I think I've seen new 'pins' coming through. Sassy doesn't appreciate me fiddling with her rear-end in an effort to check wats going on. :laugh: I know she isn't plucking them out, becuz its only the loose ones she breaks off. And there haven't been any drastic changes in her life. One more question: Can I rule out the possibility of her landing wrong or something, and accidentally breaking the feathers causing them to fall out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fireball Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 This may be "self mutilation" my cag started this about 4 weeks ago, and broke about 12 primary / flight and secondary feathers in about 3 days. you should get him to the avian vet, my was put on valium as it was caused by the fireworks going off, but yours could be caused by any stress or change in the enviroment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMustee Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 Well, if she had her wings clipped too short then yes she could have broken her tail feathers. I had a Sun Conure that had his wings clipped too short and every one of his tail feathers got broken. If there are not any tips coming out then it is not a molt...you should be finding the "stumps" of the broken feahters on the bottom of the cage. You should know if the feathers were broken because you would have seen the crash landing on the floor and seen the tail feathers bent when it happened. This could be like what fireball said and your grey could be starting a self-mutilation habbit. So, if you find stumps it's a molt...no stumps you might have a problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SassyRose Posted December 6, 2007 Author Share Posted December 6, 2007 But the feathers come loose FIRST and stick out in odd directions... then she breaks them off? Maybe I should take her for a check up.. :dry: now i'm worried! She took another loose one off today. its 4 tail feathers now and no others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMustee Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 When you say loose...are they loose at the base/body or is there a break in the shaft? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fireball Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 Sassy, thats what my cag done he breaks the shaft and they stick out all ways then he chewed them till they come out........ dont worry just get a vets visit sorted out and try not to show too much attention when he starts bending and breaking them TRY and distract him, trust me is hard work but it seems to work........... dd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fireball Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 Sassy, hopefully the photo will show you some of the feahers mine "self mutilated" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fireball Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 Sassy, the photo seems to have "dropped" in to the photo album.... hope you can see it ok Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SassyRose Posted December 10, 2007 Author Share Posted December 10, 2007 They are loose at the base, she doesn't sit around chewing on her feathers at all. They just become loose like a loose tooth, then when they start standing in different directions she breaks them off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SassyRose Posted December 10, 2007 Author Share Posted December 10, 2007 He is a SHE, "Sassy- LADY". and no i can't see your photo.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMustee Posted December 10, 2007 Share Posted December 10, 2007 Keep in mind we are trying to help you...using the wrong sexual term for your bird should be the least of your concerns. There are lots of typos on this forum and many of us are too busy to sweat the details of he and she. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SassyRose Posted December 10, 2007 Author Share Posted December 10, 2007 Sorry.. I wasn't serious, just being sarcy about the sex thing. just also getting frustrated that no one really knows whats up. non of these discriptions seems to fit my situation. A real worried mom!! thanks for the help people. Maybe I should try get an appointment with the vet. It's just my vet doesn't seem to be too much of a bird fundy.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted December 10, 2007 Share Posted December 10, 2007 I think taking Sassy to see an avian vet is the best thing you can do right now, he/she would have the best idea of what is going on and maybe be able to come up with the solution. Do you have any avian vets anywhere around you, you really need someone who is very knowledgeable about birds or they won't be of much help. Do this and let us know what you find out.:ohmy: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loviechick Posted December 10, 2007 Share Posted December 10, 2007 It really sounds to me like a molt, the timing is right. And if she's eating right, playing and vocalizing like normal, I would say that everything is fine. And you can always call a vet and get advice over the phone whether or not the situation warrants a visit to the vets office! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMustee Posted December 11, 2007 Share Posted December 11, 2007 Yeah, a cat & dog vet should not be your birds vet. It's hard for us to say what is going on with your bird because we can't see it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SassyRose Posted January 24, 2008 Author Share Posted January 24, 2008 Good news everybody! I took Sassy to the vet today, because she only has 4 tail feathers left. Thankfully its not self-mutilation! She is a happy healthy grey! He said that her cage must be too high, so when she flies off it she breaks her tail feathers. She's such a scaredie bird she flies off all the time. So the problem is solved! Thanx for all the concern shown. Rosie :lol: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovemyGreys Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 Pleased to hear that Sassy is in good health . Is Sassy clipped ? Is she bumpimg/crashing into things when she lands ? A good tip if there is two humans in the house & you have the room ( as long as the wings arent clipped ! )is to get Sassy to fly from one person to the other to give her a little fly time & get rid of a little energy. Have a favourite treat handy to encourage her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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