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Post by sunfl0wer5 on Jan 25, 2015 14:03:49 GMT -5
I have had Ashton since 8 weeks old. Bought him at a Pet Store with all papers and had him DNA'd myself. Is vocabulary is quite extraordinary and he is a very good bird with myself personally. Other people however have to be aware and careful when approaching but I know that very well with any parrot owned by someone. He is a rather happy little bird but unfortunately only eats seeds and was never interested in eating or trying any people food. I supply him with a bowl of hemp seed mixed with brown flax seed. Another bowl with roudybush crumble maintenance mixed with pro-mix safflower base staple food. I also provide Nekton R-S vitamin in his water. He has always been quite satisfied with this diet. He is kept in a large cage with playtop and his door is open 24/7. However I clip his wings. Last year I started to purchase some canaries and he started to fly to their cage even with his wings clipped so I researched in you tube and saw that you can clip upto 20 of his wings at a time. I had only clipped the first 4-5 at all times. Since then he has been plucking and plucking badly all of his neckline and abdomen area. As the feathers grow in he plucks again I guess because they become itchy I don't know or maybe now its a nervous condition. I took him to an avian vet and she had a look at Ashton and said he wasn't too bad things should grow back when the under wing feathers grow back in. They have now but unfortunately he is still plucking away. I have researched on you tube and a site about making a sock which I have been doing with new socks that I purchase. They are not washed with any chemicals I use them brand new. Yesterday morning I noticed that he had plucked way down again so I decided I would put some polysporin on his abdomen and cover him up properly with a sock and bandaid so he cannot pull the sock over his neck. He still can eat and drink but rather would prefer to hide in his toys. I play with him a lot and carry him around with me. This morning I removed the sock and disinfected his neck and abdomen with peroxide and then warm water. Afterwards I placed him in his cage for a couple of hours without a sock and soaked him down and let him eat and drink. Will this ever stop and has anyone else had this problem. I do not intend on breeding him or getting him a mate. Any infor to this matter would be greatly appreciated. Thank you
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Post by easttex on Jan 25, 2015 14:50:31 GMT -5
Hi again Sunfl0wer! By 20 feathers I assume you mean ten on each side. Still considered a pretty severe clip. The goal is to allow them to glide, and taking all the primary flights was probably a little shocking for Ashton. Some birds are extremely sensitive to that. Have you tried spraying him with something soothing, like an aloe/water blend? I've seen anywhere from 25 to 50% aloe. It's not good to do it every day, as it can build up on the feathers. Maybe an aloe blend every other day, along with plain water mists several times a day would help. I use a commercial product called Rain Bath on my grey, who used to pluck her breast/legs. They say it can be used every day, but I only use it every other.
If that doesn't help, and it isn't really a habit yet and he just needs to let the new feathers come in, you might have luck with a collar. He'll be miserable for a while. I'd at least talk it over with your vet. |
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Post by sunfl0wer5 on Jan 26, 2015 8:29:57 GMT -5
Thank you so much for your quick reply. I will try the rain bath solution. Ashton is alert and happy this morning. I have just removed the sock and gave him a really good soaking. I will reapply to sock in another hour for the day so that he doesn't pluck what is growing back in now. I know that he is very healthy. His stools are normal. His eyes very alert and no fluids coming out and his beek normal as well. I am out and about today and will go buy this rain bath that you recommended. He is very close to me and I love this bird very much. He is worth all the careful attention and care that I can give him. Thank you once again
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Post by sunfl0wer5 on Jan 26, 2015 8:32:50 GMT -5
Sorry I forgot to mention that yes it was 10 feathers on each side that I had clipped. Yes the vet had told me that this was extreme clipping. No bleeding had accured during the clipping so I had assumed that it was okay at the time but I now know that this much of stressed him very much. I will never do that again. He is in a safe environment with chemicals etc.... and I don't need to clip him here where I have moved. Keeping you posted with updates on Ashton. Thank you
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Post by easttex on Jan 26, 2015 13:47:56 GMT -5
Probably most of us have done things with our birds that we wish we hadn't, once we learned more. I know I have. It's good that you're jumping on it now, because it can be harder to address it if it becomes an ingrained habit. Hopefully Ashton will stop once he gets his full complement of feathers back. Please do keep us updated.
If you have trouble finding Rain Bath, some vets stock it, or you can order it online. |
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Post by sunfl0wer5 on Jan 27, 2015 9:33:59 GMT -5
Thank you very much for your reply. Yes I feel very badly that the severe clipping has affected Ashton in this way. He is wearing the sock very well and I am putting cotton around the neck area so that he doesn't irritate it with the sock. The feathers are growing but this time I will keep the sock on for at least two months before I take it off completely. I have taken it off for weeks at a time and that is when he gets back to the massive plucking. I take the sock off every morning and give him a good soaking and let him preen his back feathers and take off his dander. He is eating and drinking very well. I have researched the rain bath but I have also called my local health food store and they sell aloe vera juice. I will try either. Like I mentioned Ashton lets me do whatever I want with him and is a very good bird so I don't want to lose him to this problem. Thank you once again. Have yourself a wonderful day.
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Post by easttex on Jan 27, 2015 10:33:44 GMT -5
I wish you the best with Ashton. If you use the aloe, I would probably mix it on the lighter side, and concentrate on the bare areas. A build-up might cause him to over-groom.
Some birds do wind up habitual pluckers, in spite of our best efforts. We just don't understand it well enough. If that is the case with Ashton after you and your vet have tried everything, and assuming he doesn't self-mutilate, my advice is to try to relax and just love him as-is. Let him know he's beautiful and don't let him see your distress. They really feed off of our emotions.
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