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Bird Hemp (Hempwell) for Plucking

Birdy05

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Hello fellow bird owners! This is my first ever thread, so I'm not too sure how to navigate everything. I just wanted to run a bit of an experiment/review for everyone wondering about the Bird Hemp oil from the brand Hempwell. There were barely any reviews on it anywhere, but it was recommended to me by my bird place. Here are what it claims to do if your bird ingests it or it is applied topically:
  • Assists with your bird’s joint support.
  • May assist with inflammation from everyday activities.
  • Administers ideal ratio of Omega-3 to Omega-6 fatty acids.
  • Provides senior bird health support.
  • Supports your bird’s immune system.
While nothing is said about plucking/self-mutilation/anxiety, reading the few reviews it had on the website (Bird Hemp Bird Hemp Omegas Hemp Well for Birds) it seemed people used who used it for that found it effective. The brand also has other formulas, which you may want to take a look at. The "Bird Hemp" variation is the cheapest, going for $20, but I bought it on Amazon for a couple of bucks less.

I am providing before pictures of my pet Quaker parrot (her plucking is at it's worse, but thankfully she hasn't gotten to the point of self mutilation) and the bottle with information about the product. I will try and update this weekly to discuss any differences in behaviors/plucking habits.

Currently, she is both kind and cuddly, but aggressive at times. I have had her for almost three years now (since she was 5 months old) and she has always been that way. We'll both be happily siting on the couch when she just vampire bites my neck for absolutely no reason (she has done the same for my ear/lips). She's also a big fan of biting my fingers when she doesn't want to be held. But, despite all that, she loves when I massage her head and she'll cuddle up right on my shoulder. I have made sure to provide many shredding toys (her favorite) to help her let out everything. She also gets veggies daily (peas, corn, sweet potato, carrots) and some carbs (rice and bread). She is quite underweight, but she eats her veggies, seed mix, and Zupreem pellets. I just think it's because she is never in her cage, and always moving, so she burns off a lot of that. Her plucking started a couple of months ago, and I think it is because of her separation anxiety. Since she grew up with me always handling her (again, she only used her cage to eat and sleep) in fear that she would not become tame, she became very connected to me. Anytime I put her in the cage now, I can hear when she plucks her feathers (she make a sound) and when I go to get her in the morning the floor of the cage is just covered in feathers. I thought that this product may help relax her fear of being alone, so when she is she won't pluck.
 

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Mizzely

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That's super expensive for something that is just hemp oil. You can get hemp in 8oz bottles for less than $10. I would caution against using it on the skin as recommended as that can encourage additional preening and plucking.
 

Lady Jane

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Are you a distributor of this product?
 

Birdy05

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Are you a distributor of this product?
Hello Lady Jane, I am not a distributor. I just want to share my experience with the product because there aren't any YouTube videos or many reviews to see its effectiveness.
 

Birdy05

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That's super expensive for something that is just hemp oil. You can get hemp in 8oz bottles for less than $10. I would caution against using it on the skin as recommended as that can encourage additional preening and plucking.
Thank you for your advice, I won't apply it on her skin. :)
 

JLcribber

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There is no magic potion that prevents or cures plucking behaviour. Plucking is a very complicated thing with many causes. All of which should be investigated first.
 

Shezbug

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I do not know much about this stuff at all and it has only just recently become available where I live (with a GP script) for many different illnesses and ailments.

Is there a difference between Hemp oil and CBD oil? It was my understanding that actual hemp seed is great as a healthy food or oil for the body but has no medicinal properties.... I see in one of your other posts that you mention that your bird is on this stuff to help with anxiety? If it is just hemp oil and not CBD oil is it able to assist in any way with anxiety or feelings of stress? I am a bit confused, probably as I am not overly familiar with the differences between the hemp oils and the CBD oils and I am not sure which is used for what ailments etc.
 

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Her plucking started a couple of months ago, and I think it is because of her separation anxiety.
What happened a few months ago? Have you taken her to an avian vet to rule out any physical problems?
 

Birdy05

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There is no magic potion that prevents or cures plucking behaviour. Plucking is a very complicated thing with many causes. All of which should be investigated first.
Thank you for your advice!
 

Birdy05

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What happened a few months ago? Have you taken her to an avian vet to rule out any physical problems?
Nothing really happened to her a few months ago. She was molting as usual but then I noticed that the molting didn't end. Then I caught her pulling out her feathers, and I saw it was plucking. I haven't taken her to an avian vet because my parents don't really think it is "necessary." I would like to go, because as you said, it could rule out any physical problems. I have already given her a couple of drops and she seems to enjoy it, although it's too early for any potential results. Thank you to everyone who has been leaving comments and suggestions, I really appreciate it!
 

Mizzely

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I don't trust this product. CBD and Hemp oil are two different things and their chart makes it seem like it isn't. Hemp SEED is what oil is made from and has trace amounts of CBD in it. The PLANT has CBD in it and is used for CBD oil.

 

Birdy05

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I don't trust this product. CBD and Hemp oil are two different things and their chart makes it seem like it isn't. Hemp SEED is what oil is made from and has trace amounts of CBD in it. The PLANT has CBD in it and is used for CBD oil.

Oh okay, thank you.
 

Leih

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I don't trust this product. CBD and Hemp oil are two different things and their chart makes it seem like it isn't. Hemp SEED is what oil is made from and has trace amounts of CBD in it. The PLANT has CBD in it and is used for CBD oil.

Have you read anything about the efficacy of CBD for anxiety in birds? I'm suspicious of CBD overall, but I admit that I have not done any research.
 

Mizzely

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Have you read anything about the efficacy of CBD for anxiety in birds? I'm suspicious of CBD overall, but I admit that I have not done any research.
Not much honestly. I have used CBD myself for anxiety with good results (not while pregnant or nursing as there is a lack of information regarding it in those circumstances and what I can find is largely conflicting). However, even CBD for people is all over the place as far as quality due to little to no regulations, and only a few I would trust in my own body. I'm not sure there are any intended for pets that have been independently reviewed, or even what a safe dosage would be for a bird. It also reacts differently for everyone, so it would be even more difficult.
 

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I don't trust this product. CBD and Hemp oil are two different things and their chart makes it seem like it isn't. Hemp SEED is what oil is made from and has trace amounts of CBD in it. The PLANT has CBD in it and is used for CBD oil.

That’s why I asked about it....... but I don’t believe the OP answered me like they did everyone else. Lol.
I personally wouldn’t give this product to my dog and I’d let my dog have much more access to fairy potions and unknown unproven treatments than my bird any day, yes I love my dog but she’s much more likely to survive and regain her health after being treated by guess work and unproven treatments for undiagnosed ailments.
 

Birdy05

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That’s why I asked about it....... but I don’t believe the OP answered me like they did everyone else. Lol.
I personally wouldn’t give this product to my dog and I’d let my dog have much more access to fairy potions and unknown unproven treatments than my bird any day, yes I love my dog but she’s much more likely to survive and regain her health after being treated by guess work and unproven treatments for undiagnosed ailments.
If you don't mind me asking, what does OP mean? Also, thank you for your feedback. I have noticed a change in my bird, surprisingly. She's bitten me less often and is calmer when I take her out of her cage, but she still plucks. Now that I have been thinking about it I think what made her get worse in her plucking is this whole quarantine. Since I am around all the time, she thinks its okay for me to be playing with her 24/7; so anytime I'm not paying attention to her she plucks.
 

Mizzely

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OP means original poster. Aka thread starter
 

Travis726

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Its kinda hard to say what you actually have. I have bought 100% pure cbd isolate off of amazon and they had it labeled as "hemp isolate" (which makes no sense) because amazon had banned anything with cbd in the title. This could very well be the same thing. If they are saying it is for anxiety I would hope it is made from a high cbd plant. but who knows...

cbd does have medicinal uses. That I have zero doubt...as far as I know its damn safe.... but I know little about birds anatomy etc so personally I would do a lot of research before giving anything to my bird (coming from someone that is about as pro cannabis as you can get)
 

Fuzzy

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I think this is just pure hemp seed oil (without the CBD). I was going to suggest flaxseed oil a better oil to use because of the higher Omega 3 (anti-inflammatory) but interestingly after Googling, it is said the hemp seed oil also has "omega-3 SDA, which is a more potent form of the fatty acid" whereas flax oil doesn't:

 
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