Extreme Feather Plucking!!

[dawnell30]

I have been reading others experiences with their Greys plucking out their feathers. My husband and I moved to a new state almost 2 years ago. About three-6 months after the move was completed, our grey, Shatze, started plucking out her feathers. On closer inspection, what she is actually doing is biting off the feathers about 1/4 to 1/2 from where they come out of her skin. Over the last two months, she has started doing it more frequently. When not in her cage, We have a big perch in our family room that she sits on thoughout the day. In just a matter of minutes, the bottom of it is covered in feather pieces. And to top it all off, in the last 3-4 days, she has totally destroyed her tail!! All you see are shredded red stubs! And her tail was one of the few beautiful things left on her. Has anyone else had this extreme of a problem and what did you do? Any suggestions would be wonderful!!! A vet work up was done 1 to 1 1/2 years ago. Healthy bird other than the feather issues! We are trying to avoid an expensive visit to the animal behaviorist! Help!!!!!

[judygram]

Ok you moved to another state almost 2 years ago but the plucking did not start until 3-6 months after, did anything change in the household at about that time? That is the most likely cause is something besides just the move.

 

I would still recommend you take her in for a vet visit and get a complete workup since it has been a year or more since she has last been. You need to rule out any physical reasons for the plucking before you tackle behavioral ones.

 

When you get the chance introduce yourself in the welcome room and tell us a little about you and Shatze, that is a lovely sounding name.

[greenwinged]

Yeah, were having the same problem! We the plucking vest and spray( not he bitter stuff) so, now were takling him to the vet to see what they say!

[TinyTimneh]

wow... geez, that's pretty extreme. umm.. hmm well i guess as long as she is only snapping the feathers and not ripping the entire thing out it keeps her safe from skin infections. humidity and bathing, check her diet and try to think of something that has changed besides the move. like judy said, a complete workup at the vet as well. because the grey only started plucking months after the move i do not think the move in itself caused this or else she would've began plucking soon after you moved. the fact that she does this so aggresively even surrounded by people she loves when she's on a nice open perch and such would make me think there is a medical problem more than a behavioural one. good luck

[mas]

We are having a similar problem with Zahzu - she bites off the end of the feather, however she did have a 3-week period of plucking.

A breeder told me that it is an amino-acid deficiency that may cause this, so increase protein in your bird's diet... legumes, chicken and chicken bones, and the occasional bit of egg too

I don't know if it works, but that is what we are trying with Zahzu.

-Sameera

[Tycos_mom]

Touch wood I must be one of the lucky ones I only have one bird that chews a little and the onlyy feathers she chews are the ends of her primary flights its almost like she clips her own wings strange ah she's a Fiery shouldered Conure and if is very hard to find allot of imformation about them but I love her and I've had her forever she's 10 yrs old now