Some Help Please

[berta]

I have a feather picker.... He is pretty bad... I had my vet put a collar on him... but it did not help in fact I think it made it worse. He is just a nervous guy. Anything strange he will pluck. So he is prteey naked.

 

He talks like crazy, we still hand feed him and I am trying to get him onto a forging tree, but I am currently at my wits end... any one have any suggestions.. I try it all to see what works with him and what does not.

[kllorio]

Are you giving him regular showers? Does he get sprayed with Aloe, or rubbed with the Palm Oil? I know from others these 3 can make a huge difference.

Another thought, what about giving him something else to pick at besides his feathers. Maybe some fun pull-apart toys, or a Millet spray? Sorry never had a plucker myself, but I hope you can help him stop! Good luck and keep us posted.:unsure:

[Tari]

What kind of test has the avain vet ran for you? Have you tried red palm oil I have heard great things about that. Just got some myself for my plucked quaker. It also suppose to make feathers look better too.

Unfortantly if he has been doing it to long it may never completely stop.

[berta]

He does get shower.... but he hates them. we also use aAloe, but he hates this too and seems to upset him. He has lots of pull apart toys, pinata's, ropes, cardboard toys. none of these seem to stop the feather issue. He happily pays and yells at all his toys.. but still he pulls out all his feathers.

[lovemyGreys]

There is always a reason behind the plucking & it can be so frustrating for owners because you have to find out what is causing it, before you can start to fix the problem.Has there been anything that has changed in your greys life recently which may have started him to pluck ?The list is endless but a few possibilities are;

Frustration from long periods in his cage

Lack of mental & physical stimulation

Change of family circumstances/ environment

Incorrect periods of light/darkness

A poor diet, high in fatty foods

Attention seeking

[berta]

We go to Night Owl... strictly avian, and considered to be one of the best in the city. But in the long run, they said that some birds pluck. I have to believe we can solve this we just need to find the right things to do that with.

 

He gets good quality food, lots of fruit and veggies, he eats well and is much happier now that I have moved him to a bigger cage ( vet suggested small cage ) and again has tails feathers , which he has not had in a year.

 

But as any bird owner will tell you it would be nice to have a bird with feathers.

[berta]

I so appreciate all this info. This seemed to start when I started to allow him out of his cage more. My husband lost his job, so I suggested, with him home more he could allow the birds out more. The rule had always been people home cages open. But as we allowed more freedom,the plucking began.

 

Our vet then suggested smaller cage and keep it covered on the top to allow him to stay calmer. But this just made him more afraid of strange noises or people in our home, so on the suggestion of another grey owner I moved him to a large cage, covered on one top corner, and he seems happier now... and as I said we now have tail feathers... I just want to do everything I can for him

[Tari]

Ok but did they run any blood work? There are many things other then habit that make a bird pluck.

 

My plucker plucks cause he is stressed all the time and had five home before I got him. And now is not right in the head. Not tring to be funny but the vet even suggested birdy Prozac.

 

Anyway he well always pluck. But I did over 400 dollars in blood work first to rule out anything else that might cause the plucking.

 

For the most part I can keep him from plucking with a special toy that I can not remove from the cage. Took a few toys to find one that would work. However he still plucks every spring.

 

His feathers well never grow back and he always plucks a new spot that has feathers but at least he no longer takes out chunks of skin.

[berta]

I appreciate this... yes they ran all kinds of blood work and we have spent over 800.00 on vet bills to try to solve this.

 

I am still working on trying to find a special toy, and I have accepted the fact he will never be a beautiful grey.. I just want him to be healthy. Please keep sending me idea's.... even if I have tried them, it lets me know I have been doing all the right things.

 

If anyone comes up with something, no matter how simple please send it to me!!

 

My next move is to get a forging tree in his cage to keep him busy durring the day.

[Tari]

Ok for my plucker the toy I use something a lot like this http://www.parrotsupercenter.com/products/Bird_Toys/Photo/Tornado-Image.htm the first one had nothing but rope and the second one had rope and bead and cost me 32 bucks the one he has now has nothing but soft cloth. It don't seem to matter as long as something like that is in his cage he don't have big holes in his skin. He still plucks but it has slown way down.

[Guest Skuffy]

Evening ppl Mark and Max here {Nature-00020095}

 

 

When you say sprayed with Aloe...? what kind...don't forget am new,,,The stuff we use or do i get it from Pet shop..?:unsure:

[berta]

my vet recommended 100% pure aloe juice from pet store which I mixed 50/50 with water in a pray bottle.

 

anyone else???

[Guest Skuffy]

So you have to get it from Pet shop..Pet shop only..?

[casper]

Hiya Skuffy, I get mine from Holland and barrat, most health food stores sell this. Make sure you get the juice as they also do a gel. There are threads about spraying with aloe. Have a good read through them and you will find out the benefits of using. Caroline

[lovemyGreys]

Thanks Casper <br><br>Post edited by: lovemyGreys, at: 2008/04/06 23:27

[Guest Skuffy]

Cheer...I'll check there out...well my Mrs will..:woohoo:

[Dave007]

Not for nothing but I wouldn't put palm oil onthe bird's skin or feathers. Greasy skin and feathers can cause a bird to pull at the feathers and skin because the skin can't breathe. Palm oil is something that's taken internally.

Go to the pharmacy and purchase 100% Aloe Vera Gel. If one of you can hold the bird, rub the gel into the skin. The skin will immediately absorb the gel. The gel relieves itching. It also moistens and softens the skin. Don't put it on the feathers because it's not the feathers that's bothering him, it's the area where the feathers come out of. Do it everyday. Use the gel liberally. It's not toxic so the bird won't be harmed if it's ingested.

[nevjoe]

<br><br>Post edited by: nevjoe, at: 2008/04/09 18:59

[berta]

okay!! I appreciate it... however handling kobe is very difficult.. he will sit on your hand and he will take food from you without biting, but unlike my other birds he does not like to be touched. This has added to the difficulty. I will try with the gel... and we can see how it goes... I will keep you all advised.. thanks for the info and please send me anything else you think of

[Tari]

No you feed them the red palm oil you don't put it on them. Sorry didn't realize that would not be a given.

[Dave007]

Well, sometimes, you have to do tough things that might not make you feel good and will anger your bird but you've got a serious problem here in that the skin has to be touched to be treated. Probably, you'll even get bitten. That goes hand in hand with parrot keeping

 

Here's one way to try...

1--wrap a towel around him and have a person hold him.

2-- Leave some raw irritated area exposed.

3---Put the gel on that area

4---Unwrap the towel and give him a nut or something he likes

5-- rewrap the towel again leaving another exposed area and put the gel on etc etc.. Do it as many times as you can. Give a nut each time you unwrap him. Do it the next day and the next day and the next day. Expect the bird to be angry for a while each day. That's normal. Nothing can stop a bird from being angry but they don't hold grudges. Expect the bird to scream and squawk. They all do. It'll be scary for you but at least you're being told what will happen...no surprises

 

As far as having a pretty bird, that's premature to say because if a serious plucker eventually stops there's a very good chance that the bird will look pretty much normal within 1 to 1 1/2 yrs.<br><br>Post edited by: Dave007, at: 2008/04/07 01:34

[berta]

well Dave... I am going to trust you and I am going to get some gel and do this.... There are lots of things Kobe does not like so this can just be another one.

 

I will keep you informed on my progress and Thank you so much!!!!!

 

I really appreciate it.

[nevjoe]

<br><br>Post edited by: nevjoe, at: 2008/04/09 19:00

[Tari]

Ok you could just use the 100 percent juice and spray him everyday.

[bettyboop]

Hi Berta ,

I am new also , so I am just going on the experience with my last grey who passed away a year ago who was a plucker when we first brought him home . First we ignored the plucking , when he plucked we said nothing , when he didnt pluck we praised the heck out of him . We spent a lot of time sitting by his cage in a chair reading childrens stories in a calm voice to him .In other words we made sure he was getting all the attention he needed and the good stimulation to keep his mind off of his feathers . We also gave extra attention to his diet , making sure he was getting nothing but good , healthy organic food . We rotated his toys daily and kept everything out of site that scared him. We showered him with a mister bottle with lukewarm water sometimes twice daily , not soaking just enough the second time to add moisture to his feathers . Within 6 months everything was growing back and he was beautiful .

Good luck