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Harper is plucking again.

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allison

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So in my "gradual plucking" thread I realized that she had plucked the backs of her wings gradually and I hadn't noticed right away. Last night I found a big pile of shredded feathers on the ground, but she didn't really look any different so I wasn't sure where they were from. This morning she was taking a bath and I saw that she only has 2 feathers on one of her wings! She now falls like a rock and can't get any lift at all! :( I thought she was doing so well. I guess there was probably a "honeymoon" period with Beau and now that he's not new, he is no longer keeping her from plucking. I also think she is jealous because Beau is pursuing friendship with Maddie even though Maddie wants nothing to do with him and is very clear about that. :lol:I actually caught him trying to open Maddie's cage today to let her out! He wasn't strong enough to get the latch up but it just shows you how smart budgies really are. :omg:
 

birdlover82

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:( I'm sorry she's still doing it. I hope she decides to stop soon. :hug8: It's one of my biggest fears with Gwen.
 

allison

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I know what you mean. I'm very scared that Maddie will start plucking too because she's been acting kind of hormonal lately. :(
 

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This is just the toughest nut to crack. Why do they do it? We just don't know enough. I know you've taken her to the vet and nothing is physically wrong so I would just try my best not to make a big deal out of it and love her the way she is.

Ginger
 

allison

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Thanks Ginger. :hug8: I do love her the way she is, it's just so sad remembering the way she was. She used to be such a great flier, and had such gorgeous feathers. And I'm feeling really guilty. What if Maddie is the reason she is plucking? What if I had just gotten another budgie in the first place and not gotten Maddie? I love Maddie to death, but she is a trouble maker.
 

suncoast

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Maddie's been there for a while now and I would think that if she was going to pluck for that reason it would have been sooner than this.

I'm going for the hormonal perpetual spring theory, or maybe it's something in their diet that we don't know about.

And Lynn's little Squeaky Pants started plucking this year and he has no companions.

You can't blame yourself, because we don't know what sets it off.

Ginger
 

itzmered

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I am so sorry to hear that she is still plucking :hug8:
 

ortegah

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I'm so sorry :(
 

birdlady

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Oh I am so sorry...it is so tough to see but it is not your fault. We do the best we can for our babies, but sometimes it is so tough to know the whys....

Luckily Jade is growing hers back in, but I worry every day she will start pulling them out again.

Either way, she is loved, healthy and happy...I have to remember that.
 

allison

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Maddie's been there for a while now and I would think that if she was going to pluck for that reason it would have been sooner than this.

I'm going for the hormonal perpetual spring theory, or maybe it's something in their diet that we don't know about.

And Lynn's little Squeaky Pants started plucking this year and he has no companions.

You can't blame yourself, because we don't know what sets it off.

Ginger
Thanks Ginger. You are right, she probably would have plucked before if it was Maddie.
And thanks everyone else too. You are right, I have to remember that I'm doing my best for her and she is loved and not focus on the plucking.
 

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I would say Squeaky started chewing at his downy feathers back in August he started around his neck, his back and legs and on the middle of his wings, he has been checked for everything possible, he has never pulled a feather so to say it is just like he has fleas. Right now he is like a little pin cushion, he always has gone through slow molts (I've seen other birds loose feathers like they should be bald.) Now he has since started to molt more. I have found that when he is preening sometimes he will preen a pin feather to close to the blood supply and it drives him crazy he won't pull it so I have to hunt down where it is at and pull it for him....thank goodness you can do anything to him, I don't have 6 hands and when it is on the side of his neck it is not easy to get to it.

Right now he is on Booster, daily benadine baths and I have switched to TOP's Pellets, Harrison's changed their super fine and he won't touch it.

Squeaky did become hormonal this year and started rubbing on perches and things (not sure if the rubbing came first because of the tail feathers or the hormones caused him to rub which then did damage some of his tail feathers.) The AV said the tail feathers looked older so she plucked out tail feathers on each visit so now he has no tail :eek: I was not a happy camper I think this made the situation even worse, trying to grow in all his tail feathers at one is very hard on him.

I have had the best luck with Vitiman E ...(getting it on the skin and being very careful not to get it on the feathers.) I am noticing anything with aloe makes him want to dig, pick more, the soother ointment and spray just does not do it for him. He was never one for a lot of baths but now if I miss a day (because of the cooler weather) he takes one on his own.

My counter top in the kitchen was full of the first aid kit and meds, and conditioners. We have even sent feathers in to check for fungus or bacteria it can take up to 6 weeks but so far nothing.

I have changed all the soaps I use, air filters, water, went from plastic to glass for foods, had the duct work and A/C checked off the top of my head this is just a few of the things I have changed. I will be sending a water sample off, and I will be sending off a Giardia test kit I got from Debbie who owns The BirdSafe Store very nice people. They only sell the test kits they do not do the testing, that goes to a lab in CA.
It is a slow process and there has never been any thoughts of collaring but I am home all the time.

Keep a journal, that is what I have been doing for several weeks now.
Squeaky and I wish you and Harper all the best :hug8:
 

thebirdnerds

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Are you offering him shred able and foraging toys? Also, how about his diet. I haven't read many of your posts :( sorry so I am not sure what you are feeding them. Sometimes if you get more fresh into their diet and offer the foraging toys you can destract them from this plucking. I give Dino phone books and he tears them up!!! I think phone books maybe a little too big for you bird however, you could use a small bunch of papers (like a mini phone book).
 

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My Squeaky alreay had like a 1/3 of the livingroom full of now 2 cages, playstands, boings, swings and tons of toys and foraging toys....they are now everywhere in the house :eek:
He is not into it like he was...I have gotten so many new ones to boot here, not interested :( like he used to be.
We are still refining his diet.

Allison hope I helped some :hug8:
 

allison

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Lynne, does the vitamin E come as a liquid that you just put on the skin? I had her tested for Giardia, and the test was negative.
Jennifer, I feed a holistic diet. About 75-85% fresh and sprouted seeds/grains. No pellets (not good for parrotlets especially mutations) and for dry they get Dr.Harvey's parakeet seeds.
She has plenty of shredable toys, and when she first started plucking, she was free range in the bird room. She now is in a cage because she can't fly and it's not safe for her to be out with Kei (my pionus).
Threads about Harper's plucking:
http://forums.avianavenue.com/healthy-highway/3161-harper-plucking.html
http://forums.avianavenue.com/healthy-highway/3319-medical-reasons-plucking.html
http://forums.avianavenue.com/feathered-photos-fairway/3267-harper-caught-act.html
http://forums.avianavenue.com/feathered-photos-fairway/4347-harper-before-after.html
http://forums.avianavenue.com/candlelit-lane/3184-please-light-candle-harper.html
http://forums.avianavenue.com/healthy-highway/5896-gradual-plucking.html
Threads about my diet:
http://forums.avianavenue.com/holistic-avenue/4440-holistic-diet.html
http://forums.avianavenue.com/feathered-food-court/1856-fall-fresh-mix.html
My bird room (plenty of toys and stimulation :) )
http://forums.avianavenue.com/toys-cages-bypass/5786-im-exausted-bird-room-redo-vid.html
 

birdlady

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Funny, Allison, my vets said to feed pellets....more so than seed.....I guess there are always differening opinions....but this was for egg laying issues, not plucking....
 

Lynne

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I got the gel caps and use a sterile pin to poke a hole in it. I then empty the contents onto a small piece of wax paper then use a Q-Tip to apply onto the skin, just a small amount will do, don't want the feathers to get oily. I applied it after his bath and waited until he was 3/4 of the way dry. Also I varied the days I did it like 3 in a row 3 off, I noticed if it got into the feathers he did not approve of that either :confused:
Squeaky is still flying everywhere but he can't cut the corners like he used to...kinda hard with no tail but he can get lift no problem there.
Thanks for the links I will have to check them out. It seems this year was a bad year :(
I think with P'lets they are now thinking that pellets my not be the best diet for them.
 
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Anne & Gang

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oh man not again..I am so sorry..why oh why do they do that...I know it worries you so much
 

allison

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Lynne do you get the caplets at the health food store?
Funny, Allison, my vets said to feed pellets....more so than seed.....I guess there are always differening opinions....but this was for egg laying issues, not plucking....
Pellets are fine for most bird species but can cause kidney problems in parrotlets (as well as other small birds like budgies and cockatiels).
Parrotlet Mutations
 
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birdlady

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Hmmm...I will have to ask my vet again...currently I give a mix of parrotlet seed and pellets...when she was at U of Penn last year her vet said "mostly" pellets for here egg laying problems.

I was told the no pellets was for the mutations.

Kiwi has a varied diet with fresh veggies and fruits, pasta, rice, beans, etc...but less of the moist foods when she is nesty....
 
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allison

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It's mostly for mutations, but can cause problems with all parrotlets, budgies, and cockatiels. Especially if they don't drink a lot of water and are fed mostly pellets. I personally don't feel comfortable feeding them at all as Miracle died of gout caused by kidney damage. My vet told me that she doesn't recomend pellets for any small birds for that exact reason. :hug8:Miracle was fed a 50/50 seed to pellet diet at the rescue for a few years, and when I first got her I continued feeding pellets until I learned that they could cause problems.
 
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