Feather damaging behaviour

[Sj25]

All of a sudden my 2,5-3 y.o. caique started cutting off all his white feathers again. He has done this before in the beginning of the year, and I thought it was because my parents took him for 7 days while I was on vacation. Took him to a vet to be sure, took him to another bird vet for blood work and turned out he had polyoma. Sucks but that had nothing to do with the feathers the vet said. He stopped a week and a half and never touched his new feathers again.

Now however, I didn't change a thing and yesterday I saw a bald patch near foot. Today I came home from work and he is bald on his chest. I don't know why this is happening... Last time Fred snipped off feathers I changed some things so I knew for sure that his life was optimal: Put him in his cage before 21:00 and turn off the lights at 21:30 (I do have to get up at 07:00 weekdays). Clean the cage twice a week. I make sure he has different toys every week. Got some water cup things for on the heater so the air would be to dry. Put more variation in his diet with even more fruit and veggies and the chalk-thingys. Hid his food somewhere in his cage. Made sure he was out of his cage for atleast 1,5-2 hours every day with undevided attention. Got a bird carrier bag which he loves. He already has a cockatiel friend but not in the same cage. (Cannot buy a second caique because of the contagious polyoma.) I do have to work 8 hours everyday but that has been the same for the whole f 2018. No change there. I have even been home more with free hours i needed to use before the end of the year.

I am confused why Fred started again. I really don't think it is boredom because Fred stops playing with my fingers to mutulate feathers. I also don't think it is stress because I see him beak grinding - half sleeping - in his cage and one moment later he is mutulating. No change in behavior either.

Does anyone have any advice?

 

[Sj25]

I am so worried Fred is not happy here Or that I am doing something wrong.
Money really is no object but I dont know what else to change...

 

[WendyN]

Wish I had advice for you.
Hang in there. Someone will come along who might have some advice.

 

[WendyN]

Could the feather plucking be a result of the Polyomavirus infection?
Did the vet give you advice on providing supportive care?

 

[MauiWendy]

I am so worried Fred is not happy here Or that I am doing something wrong.
Money really is no object but I dont know what else to change...

How old is he? How long have you had him? Could it be something that you are feeding him? Any foods with dyes that he could be sensitive to?

 

[Sj25]

Could the feather plucking be a result of the Polyomavirus infection?
Did the vet give you advice on providing supportive care?

The bird vet said: since Fred is not a "really young" bird. At this point he will will not die from polyoma. He will still however have it the rest of his life, and will pass it on to other birds or his own chicks. (like some sort of AIDS). The feather mutulation has nothing to do with the polyoma.
There isnt much research on polyoma on older birds that I can do myself online so that is what I have to go on.

 

[Sj25]

How old is he? How long have you had him? Could it be something that you are feeding him? Any foods with dyes that he could be sensitive to?

I got Fred in jan of 2017. He was about 3 to 4 months then. I didnt change his diet. I wash all the fruits and cook the veggies... I am not sure of there would be another way that he would get dyes in his body, do you?

I hate seeing him snip off feathers in his cage now I know I cant say or do anything and have to ignore the behavior but it sucks

 

[MauiWendy]

I got Fred in jan of 2017. He was about 3 to 4 months then. I didnt change his diet. I wash all the fruits and cook the veggies... I am not sure of there would be another way that he would get dyes in his body, do you?

I hate seeing him snip off feathers in his cage now I know I cant say or do anything and have to ignore the behavior but it sucks

I can totally understand why you would be worried. I would be super worried too. Lots of people cook the veggies. I feed veggies raw because that how they would eat them in the wild, but that's just me. What else is he getting besides fruit and cooked veggies? There are some dyes in some pellets that cant be tolerated by some birds, even within the same species. So I was just curious that he gets.

 

[Sj25]

I can totally understand why you would be worried. I would be super worried too. Lots of people cook the veggies. I feed veggies raw because that how they would eat them in the wild, but that's just me. What else is he getting besides fruit and cooked veggies? There are some dyes in some pellets that cant be tolerated by some birds, even within the same species. So I was just curious that he gets.

I tried raw veggies first, but those end up on the bottom of the cage haha. The caique likes mushy food. even mushy pellets that he soaked in water.
I get the pellets from the same pet shop as always. I didnt notice any changes, but they could have changed suppliers
I also feed him some beans and nuts (half an almond a day). Sometimes the sprouted seed stuff

 

[MauiWendy]

I tried raw veggies first, but those end up on the bottom of the cage haha. The caique likes mushy food. even mushy pellets that he soaked in water.
I get the pellets from the same pet shop as always. I didnt notice any changes, but they could have changed suppliers
I also feed him some beans and nuts (half an almond a day). Sometimes the sprouted seed stuff

Hmm wonder whats in the pellets? I have always fed Harrison's - starting on high potency then switch to lifetime maintenance and Goldenfeast for the appropriate species, along with Nutriberries and fresh fruits and veggies, beans etc. Feeding raw I think is always better over cooked, but that's my opinion. I make a chop and then layer with goldenfeast and some pellets, but Keoki is young, 4 months old, so I get away with a lot. With Gary my parakeet, he was on a seed only diet, so I have to mix the harrisons and goldenfeast in to his seed in hopes that he will eat it.

 

[WendyN]

Joey will chew on veggies is they are on a skewer.

 

[MNR]

Please do not think Fred is unhappy at your place. You clearly love him, and love is the best thing for him. There are so many different possibilities why he is plucking, and it may take a while to figure it out. One of my WBCs is a plucker. I am sure that her plucking is based on hormonal issues and anxiety. Here is her story: Pictures - Almost Ex-plucker’s story | Avian Avenue Parrot Forum

 

[Sj25]

I really wonder if it has something to do with this time of the year. It is almost a year ago that Fred was also snipping away. Makes me wonder if it is the lack of sun/daylight, or the heater/air maybe hormones that kick in in the winter? The temperature?

 

[JLcribber]

What you need to realize is that once a bird has developed a plucking problem it rarely goes away completely no matter what we do. Time of year and hormones will play a roll.

I can tell you what will make a huge difference and hopefully improve (not cure) the situation. Take that cage out of his life (except for sleeping) and provide an "environment".

A solitary bird is a lonely bird no matter how much we try to fulfill that role of flockmate because we are human and totally inadequate. You would be surprised what a bird friend (of any species) would do to fulfill Fred's world.

Preening is a natural and hard wired instinct. Plucking is an exaggeration of that behavior and if not dealt with quickly becomes a habit much like chewing your fingernails. As a result of nervousness. The feather picking is a stress coping mechanism. There is an endorphin rush from pulling the feather and relieving the irritation which is a reward. Much like scratching an itch. The pain itself might even be reinforcing.

 

[Sj25]

What you need to realize is that once a bird has developed a plucking problem it rarely goes away completely no matter what we do. Time of year and hormones will play a roll.

I can tell you what will make a huge difference and hopefully improve (not cure) the situation. Take that cage out of his life (except for sleeping) and provide an "environment".

A solitary bird is a lonely bird no matter how much we try to fulfill that role of flockmate because we are human and totally inadequate. You would be surprised what a bird friend (of any species) would do to fulfill Fred's world.

Preening is a natural and hard wired instinct. Plucking is an exaggeration of that behavior and if not dealt with quickly becomes a habit much like chewing your fingernails. As a result of nervousness. The feather picking is a stress coping mechanism. There is an endorphin rush from pulling the feather and relieving the irritation which is a reward. Much like scratching an itch. The pain itself might even be reinforcing.

Thank you for your reply and advice.
I am just going to be honest like you always are: this is cannot be executed in my appartment and life. Also: i cannot get a bird friend for Fred because it would get infected with Polyoma. That wouldnt be fair to the other bird.

 

[MauiWendy]

Thank you for your reply and advice.
I am just going to be honest like you always are: this is cannot be executed in my appartment and life. Also: i cannot get a bird friend for Fred because it would get infected with Polyoma. That wouldnt be fair to the other bird.

I have the same situation, I live in an apartment. Keoki is rarely in or on his cage when I am home. He has a play station. He only goes in his cage to sleep and eat, but when we are not home, they are both in their cages. Keoki does have a companion, Gary. He is a rescue parakeet, but the only interaction is from across the room. They do talk to each other, keep each other company, and mimic each others behavior. Gary mimic Keoki all the time, so it’s like I have two RB’s.

I feel bad for your situation. I don’t know what polyoma is, Im going to educate myself.

 

[Sj25]

AAAH I hate that he is snipping on his wings right now and I have to just sit here and ignore it