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Picking Ringneck Dove

musiclover2000

Checking out the neighborhood
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5/14/16
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Real Name
Brad
I've owned my dove Hope for 10 years. Last year I discovered a serious wound on her from picking it was infected at the time. I took her to a very good avian vet and he gave me antibotics for the infection. The cause of the picking was a fat tumor the name is to hard to pronounce. Basically he said the tumor is very uncomfortable like itching so they pick at it. The tumor was surgically removed last year. He put her on a only pellet diet because he said the seeds are to fatty for her body to metabolize and thats how he feels the tumor happened. She is also on thyroid tablets for the rest of her life so the tumor doesen't come back.

The problem is she has developed a bad habit of picking in the spot her tumor was so I have to keep a e collor on her all the time. Sometimes after a few months the collor must be removed because she gets it to far up her head and gets frustrated and can't move very well so it has to come off to at least give her a break from it, but after a few days or week the picking starts right up again and the collor goes back on before it gets to bad. The vet feels at this point she will never stop picking and I agree with him.

She is alot happier with the collor off she loves flying aroung the house sitting on my head things like that.

Does anyone know of any alternatives other then the e-collar? I've seen parrots wear things like sweaters before but never a dove.
 

expressmailtome

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Birdbabe

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Have you tried Pluck No More? I had a dove here once that picked all the feathers from her lower back, tried that and it helped. You must spray it on and give it orally. Good luck, I hope you find something to help her.
 

musiclover2000

Checking out the neighborhood
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Brad
Thanks I will check that out. I may just try making a collar out of fleece some how and use velcro to close it
 

AzaleaMist

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Someone in the cockatiel forum on Facebook makes them, and she gets rave reviews about how helpful they have been. I cannot recall who but she could probably customize it for a dove! There is also Ella the goffin that wears ponchos.
 
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