Barbering birds?

[Atous]

Hello my lovelys,

I have two birdies, a Greek cheek and a sun. Pepe, the sun, is two now and Flit, the green cheek, is about 6 months. My boyfriend and I have noticed that one or maybe both are barbering their feathers (a term I just discovered). Flits got chewed up feathers all over his back and Pepe's got some on his shoulders. Because they're on Pepe's shoulders I'm thinking it's Flits work but Pepe does tend to bite the hair off my head.

How can I find out who's the trouble maker? What can I do to encourage them to stop? And how long until I know we've been successful?

They sleep together in a big cage because Flit would be restless all night until we let him sleep with Pepe. They're fed Harrison's, so I don't think nutrition is a problem. Maybe bordom? I've slacked off alot with training and I'm finding it difficult to work with them because Pepe wants to steal all the snacks and do all the tricks. Flit also seems very content to sit on their tree and chew shoe laces, where as Pepe has to be the center of attention. Pepe can fly but Flit really hasn't molted any old clipped flight feathers so he flutters short distances and runs around the couch. I'm sure this is alot of unnecessary detail but maybe it'll help, maybe I'm missing something or doing something I shouldn't that another perspective could spot.

 

[aooratrix]

I think we probably need a bit more info, and I'm not experienced with this topic. I know you'll probably have to rule out a health concern, though. When were they checked last? @Macawnutz ?

As for the training, enrichment can't hurt. If Pepe interferes with Flit, can your SO take him in another room and train while you work with Flit, or vice versa? I think if you confine Pepe, he'll probably scream indignantly, being a sun. Are they both boys?

 

[Macawnutz]

Pictures of both birds can usually identify the culprit. Remember, feathers chewers can not chew their own heads.

While any feather destructive behavior could be medical, most often barbering is behavioral. Can you upload some pictures to confirm barbering? Have you seen a vet for this yet?

 

[LaSelva]

I'd say that first you have to determine what's actually happening to the best of your ability, as well as how. Lots of times people show up on these forums wondering if what they're seeing is some type of feather destructive behavior so in this case posting a picture would definitely help.

For instance, there are many things that can cause the disheveled appearance of feathers. Old feathers can snap in half at the shaft, feathers can break along the stress bar if there are any, and back feathers can sometimes have a disheveled or rough appearance due to your bird rubbing up against, or sleeping against, a cloth toy for example. Parrots with really long tails such as macaws may have worn looking tails simply from climbing around the cage - where the long tail is protruding through, and rubbing up against, the cage bars to the point that the barbs rub off. Some of the above can have the appearance of barbering.

Diagnosing the direct cause of feather destructive behavior is often difficult because many causes can be interrelated. Consider the known impact of stress on the immune system (how it robs the body of biological resources) and the onset of disease. In parrots a pathogen may have been present all along but did not affect the bird until stress kicked in and became prolonged. We hear about this in birds taken from the wild who become sick and die during the trapping and shipping process. In the wild stressful experiences are brief because the bird can escape them (if it doesn't die that is) and the body returns to normal functioning. In other words, the resources that were diverted and that went into fighting that stress can go back to fuelling the body's cells. The point is that stress can be, and often is, an initiating factor for a medical condition that should not be thought of as arising in a vacuum. By the same token many times people falsely correte a medical condition that happens to be present with the feather destructive behavior. You want to be careful to avoid either attributing or treating a condition while ignoring the true cause of the barbering.

Because of the importance of well-groomed feathers preening is a survival instinct. Baby birds of all species can be very adept at preening and grooming before they have even learned to forage properly. According to Dr. Lafeber any type of feather destructive behavior should be taken as a sign that something is wrong in that birds life, enough to disrupt this instinct. Sometimes positive results can be achieved through simple changes. Some parrots naturally nibble more than others and I've heard of Galah's who's feather destructive behavior had been turned around simply by offering seeds in their diet on a regular basis. Considering that parrot's beaks evolved to shell seeds it makes sense. It also makes sense in light of studies that show that food is not entirely about nutrition but that the manner in which an animal obtains food also contributes to its well-being.

In keeping with the above, thwarted instinctive drives and behavioral desires can also stress out a bird and when birds are stressed they sometimes revert to what has been called "displacement behaviors." Overpreening has been linked to these displacement behaviors. During training sessions Dr. Pepperberg's Alex often got bored and no longer wished to continue. He would stop participating and suddenly begin preening himself. She called this his "urgent preening" but it is a typical example of displacement behavior. It's origin is a frustration. If there is a standstill during a heated border dispute male Robbins will stop displaying and suddenly begin preening themselves.

Anyway these are just some thoughts, and by no means complete, for you to consider.

 

[Atous]

@aooratrix Pepe has recently been to the vet and we discovered he's got a heart arrithmia. And Pepe will scream if I'm not with him lol, maybe it'll be a good exercise in being with out me. He's a Velcro bird I think they call it. And they are both boys.

@Macawnutz I'm glad you mentioned the head thing! Seems to be my little pepers is the butt hole chewing up feathers! I'll try to upload some pics for you guys

@LaSelva thank you for all those points to consider. They're going to help me make some decisions in this. Ive been scolded by my vet for giving him so many sun flower seeds maybe he misses the activity of cracking shells!


Either way, clearly the main suggestion is a trip to the vet to rule out any possible medical problems. I think I'll be buying one of those weird netty chew things for them at the store and putting it on the floor of their play stand. Maybe they'll help them forage a bit. I was also thinking one of those fluffy preening toys.

Thank you guys again, I always appreciate the advice and thoughts. I'll work on the pictures it won't let me on my phone.

 

[Atous]

 

[Monica]

Considering age, it may be a little hard to say if those are actually barbered feathers or if it's just normal wear and tear of a young bird....


A healthy diet and a molt would help. Do they eat anything other than Harrison's?

 

[Atous]

I give them a little pice of coconut for a bed time treat Pepe enjoys a little bit of cheese if I'm making a sandwich. They both have some orange slices and apple sauce sometimes and Ian will give them a pice of cracker some times. I train them with seasmy seeds.

I try giving them veggies but they never seem interested unless it's sauced. I'll buy those packets of baby food. And give them a squish of that sometimes as a snack

 

[Monica]

Cheese isn't good unless it's hard cheese. Even then, cheese isn't always safe to feed as it can cause a crop impaction.


You should renew your efforts in getting them eating healthier!


Converting Parrots to a Healthier Diet - Tips | Avian Avenue Parrot Forum

 

[aooratrix]

How do you bathe your conures, with what (water?), and how often? Bathing helps feather quality and is a necessity for New World psittacines.