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Naked Goffin Plucks Buddy Bald

keikoasmom

Walking the driveway
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Linda
Our Goffin, Bubo, has had a feather chewing problem for years. In the last year we tried soft collars and dresses but she can destroy those too. I just read the article about giardia, and I'm going to ask my vet what he thinks.
It does seem that January is molting time for most of our birds. But in the last few weeks, Bubo has plucked her buddy (BF Zon) Keiko's head bald.
She has always plucked a feather here and there on Keikoa, and for a while I thought she was after the nutrients at the base of the feather. It still seems that way but this is way more fricking than previously.
Any ideas on how to stop this? I put a dab of Vaseline on Keikoa's head. It slowed Bubo down, but I don't know if this is a good solution and it didn't last more than about 24 hours.
 

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Mockinbirdiva

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This is a conundrum on what is best to do between buddies. I had the same thing happen years ago with Casey...a crimson belly and his live in buddy.. Joey a male green cheek conure who was one of my babies that hatched here and bought by a lady that lived with the other owner of Casey. Six months after Joey left these two ladies had allowed Casey ( also a male) and Joey to live together in the same cage without issue. Casey's owner relinquished him to me because I had crimsons but surprised me with Joey as well when she brought him to my home. Since the two got along I allowed them to stay together..... until one day I walk into their room and see a pile of feathers on the floor of the cage. Joey had plucked Casey's entire back to the skin..no down. no feathers. To be sure it wasn't Casey doing the plucking I let the two out of the cage to sit on a perch and observed them while I was cleaning. Sure enough, I saw Joey go straight for Casey's back and pluck. Joey was coming into maturity and saw Casey as a mate, possibly plucking him in frustration not being able to mate and surprisingly Casey was tolerant of this. For me... that was the end of them being together forever. Joey's plucking of Casey was destructive behavior and would either end with Casey being plucked bald all over, skin mutiliation or the two ending in serious fights. They were separated and very unhappy about it. I ended up rehoming Joey. He could not be trusted with any of my birds and not a candidate for breeding ( I did raise the green cheeks) and it would be less stress for the two being separated. I'm not suggesting you rehome but sharing my experience with a bird plucking another. Since Bubo has plucked Keikoa I would not allow them together because the plucking may escalate not only to the head but the rest of Keikoa's body. At some point the plucking may be painful for Keikoa and cause a serious fight. My other concern for your other New World birds would be the powder down from Bubo and Brandy affecting the other birds.
 

keikoasmom

Walking the driveway
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Aurora, CO
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Linda
Thank you for the info. The feather dust IS pretty bad at times, but we have two air cleaners, and
we seem to keep up with it.
We kept them apart and Keikoa's head is fine now. It might have been a seasonal thing.
All of them molted during Jan-Feb last year, so we might have that again.

Keikoa goes into "clucking mode"ever few days, and Bubo wants to help her, but I have read that it is normal
for buddies to try to help each other out. That is fine, no more plucking.

Except the Brandy had been plucking the bigger feathers from her stomach and chest, shoulders and back.
She did that last year, and I don't remember what we did to stop that. The vet suggested Benadryl,
but I didn't see that it helped, unless I have forgotten. 2021 was pretty eventful.
 

expressmailtome

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Any updates on Bubo?
This member has not logged in in 6 and a half months, so you are unlikely to receive a reply any time soon.
 
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