I have a recovering plucker. For the first time in five years, we are making great progress. She is nearly fully feathered. In April, and for the last 4-5 years, she was nearly a completely white bird. I am interested in what others have changed to see progress, so that I can try those things, too. Multiple vet tests turned out to be normal. Bird was on a good diet. Her cage mate died 5 years ago.
What I changed (obviously these things worked for me on a case by case basis; might not work for others, or not even most others):
1) Switched from water bottles to water bowls
2) Added red palm oil
3) Started covering the cages
4) Added vitamin D
5) Added mop heads and preeners (didn't do anything in this case)
6) Bought a Celltei Pak O Bird and bring bird on hikes/visits/short outings (very good product; now that I have one I understand the cost)
7) Bring the bird outside periodically, for full sun exposure
8) Misted with aloe vera (bird hates it so I stopped)
9) Encourage bird to exercise: flapping wings on hand, hanging upside down, swinging, etc
10) Give her red palm oil before leaving out the front door so she is occupied and not focused on my leaving
11) Switched from Roudybush to TOPS pellets (not pushing TOPS specifically; it simply is free of many main ingredients other pellets use such as corn, wheat, soy--used it as a pseudo elimination diet that is greens based instead of grain based)
12) Added some TOPS seed and/or canary seed (Volkman's) to diet
13) Added more chewing toys (wood blocks)
14) Added a mirror (bird hasn't even looked at it as far as I know)
15) Added a canary to my flock (probably not what did it, either, since this happened well before the improvements. The bugger sure is cute, though.)
16) Moved to a new apartment (bird is still by a window, but only on one side now, among very likely many other things)
17) Added powdered pepper into the diet, and many spices that are categorized as pungently spicy. Cinnamon, cumin, red pepper, black pepper, white pepper. Parrots needing peppers is a native folk understanding of birds that was passed to me.
18) Offered dried peppers (bird didn't touch)
19) The well water here has Calcium; the well water in the last place was high in iron. Have not explored the differences
20) New place has no cats; old place had outdoor cats
21) Probably other things I do not remember, now
I am interested in what others have found helpful for their birds. Thanks!
What I changed (obviously these things worked for me on a case by case basis; might not work for others, or not even most others):
1) Switched from water bottles to water bowls
2) Added red palm oil
3) Started covering the cages
4) Added vitamin D
5) Added mop heads and preeners (didn't do anything in this case)
6) Bought a Celltei Pak O Bird and bring bird on hikes/visits/short outings (very good product; now that I have one I understand the cost)
7) Bring the bird outside periodically, for full sun exposure
8) Misted with aloe vera (bird hates it so I stopped)
9) Encourage bird to exercise: flapping wings on hand, hanging upside down, swinging, etc
10) Give her red palm oil before leaving out the front door so she is occupied and not focused on my leaving
11) Switched from Roudybush to TOPS pellets (not pushing TOPS specifically; it simply is free of many main ingredients other pellets use such as corn, wheat, soy--used it as a pseudo elimination diet that is greens based instead of grain based)
12) Added some TOPS seed and/or canary seed (Volkman's) to diet
13) Added more chewing toys (wood blocks)
14) Added a mirror (bird hasn't even looked at it as far as I know)
15) Added a canary to my flock (probably not what did it, either, since this happened well before the improvements. The bugger sure is cute, though.)
16) Moved to a new apartment (bird is still by a window, but only on one side now, among very likely many other things)
17) Added powdered pepper into the diet, and many spices that are categorized as pungently spicy. Cinnamon, cumin, red pepper, black pepper, white pepper. Parrots needing peppers is a native folk understanding of birds that was passed to me.
18) Offered dried peppers (bird didn't touch)
19) The well water here has Calcium; the well water in the last place was high in iron. Have not explored the differences
20) New place has no cats; old place had outdoor cats
21) Probably other things I do not remember, now
I am interested in what others have found helpful for their birds. Thanks!
