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Post by siobhan on Sept 10, 2015 8:54:27 GMT -5
I have suspected for some time that Clyde was plucking around his neck, but it's a small area and his other feathers mostly hide it. He fights me when I try to examine the area, but as far as I can see, the skin is not irritated or sore, just bare. His eating, pooping and other behavior are all perfectly normal for him. He was doing this before Rocky's advent, so it's not Rocky's presence, which he's only aware of peripherally, anyway. Last night I thought the area was a little bigger than before. He has all the same conditions he's always had as far as number of toys, diet, environment and companions. It's been horribly hot the last couple of weeks, but it's cooler today. He has any number of toys to satisfy the urge to preen, including me, whose eyebrows fascinate him.
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Post by aaron on Sept 10, 2015 9:14:35 GMT -5
Darn it Clyde! I wonder why he is doing this. I have no experience with plucking (and I really hope to keep it that way)... Sorry to hear it at any rate  |
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Post by siobhan on Sept 10, 2015 12:20:15 GMT -5
He might have been doing this a very long time before I noticed, because of where it's located. The scalloped feathers on his chest and the ones on his tummy meet at the spot so it's hidden unless he stretches his neck up to look at something. He won't take baths when I'm around and runs from the mister, though most of the others love being misted. He did let me mist him on Sunday because it was abominably hot.
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Post by julianna on Sept 10, 2015 13:50:44 GMT -5
Feather plucking can be a response to illness and should first be examined by an avian vet. It could be due to old feathers, much of which is related to unsuccessful completion of the molt. To help this you could consider increasing protein and calcium levels temporarily so that the bird can produce better feathers... and be sure to offer oyster shell calcium, grit, mineral blocks and cuttlebone. Keep all salt away.
It can also be a response to human stress or even sexual stress. The doctor even suggests offering a little extra thyroid nutrition and sources of vitamin A.
I hope Clyde doesn't continue this... poor little guy... it is so hard to try and find the right solution.
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Post by siobhan on Sept 10, 2015 14:05:47 GMT -5
I have read in multiple places that grit is bad for parrots. He has access to cuttlebone and mineral blocks and eats pellets as his main diet. His feather condition is normal and he is just now going into his fall molt. His last molt was in the spring.
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Post by aaron on Sept 10, 2015 14:38:05 GMT -5
I don't know if Clyde would let you do it, but as I've mentioned before... I "strongly encourage" Cupcake into a cool shower once a week to give her a full soak. I find that typical baths don't cut it, and she gets irritable if she doesn't get these showers at least every other week. She doesn't hate them, but being held in the water (and I am very careful about it) makes her a little nervous... but I sing to her so she puts up with it  At any rate, in the wild, these birds have rain showers, not just pools of water... so I like to make sure that she gets something that simulates that a bit. I've also read that grit is bad for parrots, for whatever that's worth. |
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Post by Jan and Shah on Sept 11, 2015 3:21:53 GMT -5
When Shah was plucking/mutilating, it was in the area of the crop. The vet picked that up straight away and said that some parrots suffer from reflux. That is why he is now on a special diet. Just keep an eye on it and if you are concerned, pop him to the vet. I just remembered that when we were at the vet last week, the vet said "Come in Shah - and bring your mom with you". I thought it was hysterical.
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At any rate, in the wild, these birds have rain showers, not just pools of water... so I like to make sure that she gets something that simulates that a bit.