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Plucking grey
- Thread starter ch4rlotte
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Shezbug
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Sparkles99
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I have budgies, but you may find your poll more elucidating if you adjust it for maturity. Like have four categories: yes + sexually immature, no + sexually immature, yes + sexually mature, no + sexually mature. You might even want to poll if the birds in the poll have a conspecific birdie buddy.
I have a plucker too. I have noticed that his plucking isn't as bad now since I give him a misty shower on the weekends, I would do it more if I didn't have a full time job. It has really helped. I read that dry skin and the itching makes them pluck and he does have dry skin. I have a better humidifier that is supposed to be delivered today, I can even monitor the percentage of the humidity. She told me it really helps, she has snakes and the increased humidity has helped them shed their skin. Your bird doesn't look that bad, Paco's chest is bald. I don't think the feathers will come back. I'll follow thread and see if there are other suggestions and I will let you know how the increased humidity has helped or not.
Sometimes increasing showers or mistings can help. Hormones can cause increased plucking as well. So unless you go the route of hormone shots your CAG may continue to pluck. There's no guarentee the shots will stop the plucking either. Ours doesn't pluck, she nips hers off.
@Toy Yep Paco somehow nips or something at his, and the new pin feathers on his chest he uses his beak like tweezers and plucks them out. The increase in showers has helped. He has 3 wing feathers coming in on the left wing but now he has started on the right wing. I'm sure its emotions. When I first got him he was great, gained weight, feathers coming in, then he molted left wing and when feathers would grow back he would nip at them. I was working with steady hours 8- 4:30 and he was fine, then covid hit, and I lost my job and ended up working nights at a gas station well he did not like that at all. The thing that is baffling I am back to my line of work, days and home in the evening and he hasn't let up on the feathers, not as bad but not good either. It's been 6 months. I am soo confused and baffled as to why this is happening and I have no idea why he is doing this now.
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Parrots are like a puzzle with a missing piece. If we knew their thoughts we could give them everything they need. JaJaBinks ( B&G Macaw passed August 2020) was stuck in a small junky home made cage, kept in the dark 24/7 & had 2 small pieces of aluminum as a toy for the first 2 years of her life. Yet she never damage a feather. You'd think if any bird would she would have.
Sparkles99
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That’s really interesting, Toy! I wonder if it’s because she was young/ immature. Was she hand raised?
I can relate, I started out with parakeets, then Love Birds, Cockatiels, its amazing when people find out you love birds they are like you want my bird? They were all given to me.. I had a wild caught White Front Amazon given to me. She was my bud for 25 years. I had to help her over the rainbow bridge 3 years ago. Broke me in half. Paco came into my life 2 weeks later. His cage was horrible, they put sheet plastic up the sides of his cage to keep the newspaper from falling on the floor, he had water bottle hanging from his cage, with brown water in it. The cage was so filthy it took me 3 days to clean it, the poor guy smelled. This was his second owner, the first one left him in a basement in the dark and he was bald. He might not be the perfect parrot but he is my buddy, and I will give him the best life that I can. Yes, we still have issues to work on, but he now steps up, gives me kisses and he is my family. I will continue to learn as much as I can about this amazing creature.
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I have heard it is best to get a full vet check to see if there is a physical cause. Misting, diet changes, supplements can help. Louise's brother is a plucker. He is healthy and they have tried everything I listed and more. He gets tons of attention, interacts with Alexa when they are gone (he can get her to play music and tell stories). We have an excellent vet who is published/nationally known. After they tried everything, his advice was that many greys pluck and to love him for who he is. If he begins to mutilate, they they may need try collars... but he is just a plucker. Likes to show off his legs and neck with fewer feathers. He is loved for who he is and they don't pay much attention to the plucking. Best of luck with your bird, he is handsome and looks to love shoulder rides. I admire all birds but really love greys--so smart, so interesting. They are not really colorful- they look more like they are wearing a suit of armor which makes them cool in their own way.
All I know is her previous owners got her at 5 months of age. She was abused & neglected. The tiny cage they had for her was home made from green plastic coated garden wire fence. Her diet was wild bird seed & peanuts. Her golden yellow feathers were lemon yellow due to lack of proper diet. They couldn't handle her. She would lunge & bite. I witnessed the woman back hand her across the face. Her toenails were a good 2 inches long. She was so dirty her wing & back feathers curled up & she stunk bad. The woman wanted to get rid of her & get a U2. I pray I was able to talk her out of it. I insisted on her husband taking the cage apart & putting it in my car. It went in the trash as soon as I got home. I didn't want to let it behind for another parrot to suffer in. After going thru all that she became an amazing companion.
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It makes me ill to think of how birds are neglected and abused. People think dogs and cats have it bad? I don't even want to dwell on it. There are some sick, selfish people in the world. So glad you rescued her.
ohhh smart i never thought of that!! thank you dearly
yes it truly breaks my heart, i can’t even imagine who would do something so cruel to any animal
yes i’ll take her to the vet again, i know one of her old owners took her to the vet about it, but i don’t know the details. the alexa thing is so cute!! i might have to get one for her while i’m at school!!
Hello I have an African grey a great plucker!Tried everything doctors, vitamins humidifier,he is in the sun all day.I found out about this bio liquid pluck no more and after many tries eventually bought it.I live in Greece Europe and have huge huge problem to have it from USA.Used it for about 5 months.After a month he stopped completely plucking and after 5 months has his 80% of feathers again.Amazing stuff.But I run out of pluck no more and he started again.Also my Ferby became a totally different bird he was more playful and really calm.So I love that stuff everyone should try it!You put a small amount in his water and mist him 2 to 3 times a day!Kind of desperate now because can’t find it in a shop that ships to Europe!
It is a herbal liquid and I don’t really know who supports them but really my Ferby was already featherless in a horrible condition and there was nothing else that I could do to stop him plucking.After this pluck no more he grew almost all his feathers in about 5 month.Like a miracle was much calmer.So I loved it!I is really expensive though I am actually thinking to go to London to buy some bottles they do not send it to Greece
