Janfromboone Posted December 3, 2008 Share Posted December 3, 2008 O.K. so Tobie isn't the picture of perfection I thought he was. He is now chewing his feathers. He started his first molt a couple of months ago and then stopped and then three weeks ago he started molting again - pretty heavy, I think. Last week he was on his perch in our den watching TV with us and preening. He kept going under a wing where two of his new flight feathers that had broken (or so I thought)a week or so ago. All of a sudden I hear - crunching. He just proceeded to completely sever the feather off at the base. That got my attention and then I started noticing when he would preen his chest I would hear a little "snap". A feather would come away and before he could chew it I grabbed it and sure enough it was bitten off. I read Dave007's very good post about spraying with Aloe juice mixed 50% with water. My question is -- Do I need to worry about getting the spray in Tobie's eyes. Also should I just spray the tops of the feathers or raise his wings to spray under them. I've been bathing daily and spray under the wings too since this has been happening. I hate to ask this, but Dave said sexual frustration could contribute and don't touch the lower back under the wings or the chest. I touch Tobie all of these places except in the hollow below the rib cage(I read this is a sexual spot for birds). We play alot of kissing games. If he's on the back of the couch away from me I'll lean my head back and say come over here and give mommy a kiss. If he's feeling playful he'll kind of come hopping and gamboling over corkskrewing his neck and give me a upsidedown kiss with a big smack when I kiss his beak. I kiss him on his little barrel ribcage under his wing too. Is this all sexual to a bird? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave007 Posted December 4, 2008 Share Posted December 4, 2008 No need to worry about the eyes. You should be more afraid of spraying the bird's face with anything simply because they don't like being sprayed in that area and continuing that will cause the bird to give you less cooperation. You should try to get as close to the bird as possible. You should spray under the wings so that the fluid also hits the inner skin. That's done by making the mister shoot out a stream of fluid instead of a mist. You should spray the whole breast area all the way down to the base of the tail including the vent. You should also spray the tops of all the feathers. In your situation, you should no water mixed in with the juice. """"I hate to ask this, but Dave said sexual frustration could contribute and don't touch the lower back under the wings or the chest. I touch Tobie all of these places except in the hollow below the rib cage""" Well you'll just have to take my word for it. Parrots SHOULD NOT be petted on the lower breast area, the vent area, inside the wings and on the lower area of the back. So basiclly, that leaves the head, neck and face area which is all that's needed. If you continue those things, the day will come when the bird will get excited enough even though you won't see that extra excitement and you'll decide to stop touch the bird in those places one night and the bird will bite you simply because you're not following through. The bird doesn't have to be an adult for all of this to happen. Ever see a young boy skip happily away with a big smile after making out with his girlfriend and all odf a sudden she decides that it's time to quit messing around? I have serious opinions about kissing birds on their beaks but I'm sure that something will happen in the future that will make you decide to stop that stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nims Posted December 4, 2008 Share Posted December 4, 2008 Ice gets very excited even when I give him head scratches I only every touch him on the head/face/neck area. Though there are times where I have to touch his back and wings but i try and avoid it if i can. If he does get excited i ignore the behaviour and put him back in his cage to distract him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janfromboone Posted December 4, 2008 Author Share Posted December 4, 2008 Point taken about petting the bird in these places. I always thought that was just a part of socialization. He is such a sweet loving bird I never thought about it. Thanks for the info and education. Jan There was a typo. Just to be sure I understand, Did you say don't mix water in with the juice? I saw the juice at walmart today. When I saw that it was in the laxative section, I didn't buy it. I just wasn't sure I wanted to spray Tobie with laxative juice. Have you done this and know it's ok?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave007 Posted December 4, 2008 Share Posted December 4, 2008 Right--in your situation, don't use water mixed in. Walmart is the place that charges the least for it--It should be in a 1 gal container. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janfromboone Posted December 4, 2008 Author Share Posted December 4, 2008 Thanks for the info Dave. Jan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janfromboone Posted December 9, 2008 Author Share Posted December 9, 2008 Tobie is going to the vet tomorrow. I've been bathing him daily and tried the aloe juice today before I went to work. I worried all day. What if he liked the taste of the juice and ate all his feathers off. Ha, Ha! When I got home to my releif he was fine and still has feathers. Actually he seems to have stopped the snapping off of feathers. He isn't molting as heavily either. The last time I saw him snapping feathers on his chest was about 5 days ago. Two days ago he chewed off another large feather (I think a coverlet-is that the right word)from the same wing. It seemed to be split up the stem and I wonder if it wasn't already a damaged feather that he was just removing because it was rough on his skin. For the past few days there haven't been more than six or so feathers in or around the cage and play area,probebly molted. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that may be it was a flash in the pan or that the baths are at least helping. He has a downy place on his left back and chest, but overall doesn't look too bad -- until you spread his wings. Here is a video of Tobie taken a month or so before he started to remove his flight feathers- doesn't seem like a nervous ninny bird to me. Sorry I left the air purifier running and there is alot of noise. edited by: Janfromboone, at: 2008/12/09 04:23 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pearllyn Posted December 9, 2008 Share Posted December 9, 2008 Hi Jan, Hope you get on ok at the vets. I shouldn't think you need to worry about Tobie likin gthe taste of the Aloe Juice - have you tasted it? Vile!!! Keep us posted. Lyn and Alf. xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danmcq Posted December 9, 2008 Share Posted December 9, 2008 That's a great report Jan. It sounds like the feather chewing has stopped and you can both be more comfortable and less apprehensive. ;-) Cool video, the background noise wasn't bad at all. I also watch several of the other videos you had posted there. Tobie is a real character. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janfromboone Posted December 10, 2008 Author Share Posted December 10, 2008 Thanks for looking at Tobie's videos. I just adore the little guy. The vet gave him a clean bill of health. He said this is a classic pattern. Bird gets to be a little over a year and starts to chew or pluck feathers. Like Dave, he said not to touch him below the neck. Guess kissing and snuggling are out too. Geeez!! How's the bird going to know he is loved?? Oh well. For now he is not doing any more damage and when the vet had him upside down and his wing spread I saw several new flight feathers coming in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pearllyn Posted December 10, 2008 Share Posted December 10, 2008 Hi Jan, Glad to hear Tobie has been given a clean bill of health - that must be a huge relief for you! Keep posting the videos! Lyn and Alf xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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