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Quaker keeps barbering

AtALoss

Meeting neighbors
Joined
5/24/22
Messages
38
I’ve done everything I could for this bird… he’s bartering his tail and by his wings and there’s no much dander and feathers behind his cage. He’s tried being smart about it now and hiding it there. My air filter device is by him cause I’m very allergic but it’s not grabbing it all. The humidity is 30-40 here so I had bought a giant humidifier and I couldn’t keep using it cause it made my face and scalp itch horribly. So I got him a tiny humidifier but the problem is if I have to turn on the ac it nullifies that little humidifier. So I’m sitting in 80-82 degree temperature with heat sensitivity cause I don’t want the humidity to go any lower for him. But he’s still barbering regardless just less.
I originally lived in Florida and he was fine then but I left to be with my significant other (and also cause I could never go outside cause I’m extremely sensitive to heat) so I moved to Wisconsin.. which is hot now cause of summer.
I’ve tried chamomile, I’ve tried a sock, I’ve tried avicalm and hiding treats in his forage toys and misting him and I don’t know why moving over two months ago has caused him to do this but I just can’t get him to stop.
And like I said I’m allergic to birds so the bird with the least dander is becoming a problem because his barbering and picking is making him release a bunch of dander
What do I do I’m in a rock and a hard place here. I need to run the ac it’s really affecting my health having this place stay at 80 but I can’t use a humidifier that will affect me cause I’ll itch horribly and it looks like even the small humidifier has to be cleaned a lot due to orange mold that grows very quickly in it…I need a solution that helps him but also doesn’t affect my stupid health I’m so tired of itching. My previous quaker never caused these issues cause he didn’t pick and pluck so my allergies didn’t get triggered as badly…
 

AtALoss

Meeting neighbors
Joined
5/24/22
Messages
38
I’ve done everything I could for this bird… he’s bartering his tail and by his wings and there’s no much dander and feathers behind his cage. He’s tried being smart about it now and hiding it there. My air filter device is by him cause I’m very allergic but it’s not grabbing it all. The humidity is 30-40 here so I had bought a giant humidifier and I couldn’t keep using it cause it made my face and scalp itch horribly. So I got him a tiny humidifier but the problem is if I have to turn on the ac it nullifies that little humidifier. So I’m sitting in 80-82 degree temperature with heat sensitivity cause I don’t want the humidity to go any lower for him. But he’s still barbering regardless just less.
I originally lived in Florida and he was fine then but I left to be with my significant other (and also cause I could never go outside cause I’m extremely sensitive to heat) so I moved to Wisconsin.. which is hot now cause of summer.
I’ve tried chamomile, I’ve tried a sock, I’ve tried avicalm and hiding treats in his forage toys and misting him and I don’t know why moving over two months ago has caused him to do this but I just can’t get him to stop.
And like I said I’m allergic to birds so the bird with the least dander is becoming a problem because his barbering and picking is making him release a bunch of dander
What do I do I’m in a rock and a hard place here. I need to run the ac it’s really affecting my health having this place stay at 80 but I can’t use a humidifier that will affect me cause I’ll itch horribly and it looks like even the small humidifier has to be cleaned a lot due to orange mold that grows very quickly in it…I need a solution that helps him but also doesn’t affect my stupid health I’m so tired of itching. My previous quaker never caused these issues cause he didn’t pick and pluck so my allergies didn’t get triggered as badly…
It’s gonna be 100 Tuesday and I really need a solution or we’re gonna both fry….
 

Pixiebeak

Biking along the boulevard
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Joined
6/18/22
Messages
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Real Name
Laura
Hi,
I love quakers bunches.

A move is more than enough to cause stress, plus adding a significant other , and of course picking up on your stress. All of that is more than enough to trigger behavior issues.

Is he flighted?

Things I would try. I would take him on several tours of the new home..the best way is to do a short trips from cage then back to cage with treat. Act like a tour guide explaining everything. The short trips out and back help him map it. So walk him across the room , if there us a food place to have him step to and back to you for a treat fo that. Then walk back to the cage and step to cage for a treat. The walk to a new location, be sure and stop st each window and let him look out. Then back to cage. Keep up till he has seen tge whole house and you can repeat on different days.

Its also helpful to set up his own "furniture " fir him to claim as part of his territory and safe places to hang out. I use 3 inch ceiling hooks and heavy weighted fishing line to hang big rope spirals down to my head height when sitting. Cheap, no floor space e taken up, minimal visual clutter. Take him to his furniture and give lots of treats and praise. Mine are all flighted so can fly to their spots and also 90% keeps them off my furniture.

I would also do a reintroduction of him.to your SO. Have your bird out on a perch on his cage and in a happy and relaxed mood. Walk your SO other over, you hand your bird a treat, then explaining who and name of SO. Have SO talk to him and hopefully can hand off a few treats and welcome him to his new home.
If he he us great at stepping up have your bird step to you give treat. Have SO given treat. Then have him step to SO and he gives another treat. Then Have him step back to you fir treat and out him back on cage and brag on him.

Birds can feel alot of anxiety not knowing who is coming and going and what is going on. So its very powerful and helpful to have everyone in the house go and let the bird know you are leaving and give a treat. As soon as anyone returns home go and say hello I'm back and give a treat. Also as soon as anyone gets up in the morning go and great first thing and give a treat. The above most excellent advice was paid fir by a friend who hired a behavior consultant after getting married and moving. It had a huge positive impact on the bird right away! ( they were dealing with screaming)

I would also try and set up a somewhat predictable routine. Burds like routine and rituals.

If this situation continues to be too much for you. If you ever make a trip back to Florida ( I live in North Florida) and want to re home him to me, im happy to add him to my flock. Or I know a lovely lady in Minnesota who might be willing to take him.

Of course I hope you guys are able to make progress and work things out.
 

Pixiebeak

Biking along the boulevard
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
6/18/22
Messages
7,320
Location
USA
Real Name
Laura
Frankly I see no reason not to have A/C on.
 

AtALoss

Meeting neighbors
Joined
5/24/22
Messages
38
Hi,
I love quakers bunches.

A move is more than enough to cause stress, plus adding a significant other , and of course picking up on your stress. All of that is more than enough to trigger behavior issues.

Is he flighted?

Things I would try. I would take him on several tours of the new home..the best way is to do a short trips from cage then back to cage with treat. Act like a tour guide explaining everything. The short trips out and back help him map it. So walk him across the room , if there us a food place to have him step to and back to you for a treat fo that. Then walk back to the cage and step to cage for a treat. The walk to a new location, be sure and stop st each window and let him look out. Then back to cage. Keep up till he has seen tge whole house and you can repeat on different days.

Its also helpful to set up his own "furniture " fir him to claim as part of his territory and safe places to hang out. I use 3 inch ceiling hooks and heavy weighted fishing line to hang big rope spirals down to my head height when sitting. Cheap, no floor space e taken up, minimal visual clutter. Take him to his furniture and give lots of treats and praise. Mine are all flighted so can fly to their spots and also 90% keeps them off my furniture.

I would also do a reintroduction of him.to your SO. Have your bird out on a perch on his cage and in a happy and relaxed mood. Walk your SO other over, you hand your bird a treat, then explaining who and name of SO. Have SO talk to him and hopefully can hand off a few treats and welcome him to his new home.
If he he us great at stepping up have your bird step to you give treat. Have SO given treat. Then have him step to SO and he gives another treat. Then Have him step back to you fir treat and out him back on cage and brag on him.

Birds can feel alot of anxiety not knowing who is coming and going and what is going on. So its very powerful and helpful to have everyone in the house go and let the bird know you are leaving and give a treat. As soon as anyone returns home go and say hello I'm back and give a treat. Also as soon as anyone gets up in the morning go and great first thing and give a treat. The above most excellent advice was paid fir by a friend who hired a behavior consultant after getting married and moving. It had a huge positive impact on the bird right away! ( they were dealing with screaming)

I would also try and set up a somewhat predictable routine. Burds like routine and rituals.

If this situation continues to be too much for you. If you ever make a trip back to Florida ( I live in North Florida) and want to re home him to me, im happy to add him to my flock. Or I know a lovely lady in Minnesota who might be willing to take him.

Of course I hope you guys are able to make progress and work things out.
I did all that.. it’s been two months he will stop for a little bit and then come back and do it again. I was told it was cause it’s not very humid which is why I’m suffering through no air conditioner cause it makes it worse. My gf really likes him and I know she’ll view me giving him up as not giving it my all and be concerned I’d give up on other things too.. but I just don’t know what to do.. he’s not flighted and even if he was he pulled off too much to be able to. And they’re partially illegal here except for pets I think… he runs around on top of his cage all day fighting his toys but then finds the time to tug on her feathers too..

it’s 37% humidity in here right now and I’m worried if it goes any lower it’ll affect him even more. People on Facebook kept saying he’s barbering and pulling cause of the lack of humidity that’s why I tried the big humidifier but it affected my health so I had to stick to his small one… I don’t think it’s working much though..it’s not central air it’s a device on the side of the wall in each room

but it’s been over two months and we do the same routine every single day and I can’t predict when he’s going to pull more it’s random.

he also doesn’t like me much anymore cause of the sock and all the other stuff I tried to get him to stop, he actually likes my significant other way more than me lol
 
Last edited:

Pixiebeak

Biking along the boulevard
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
6/18/22
Messages
7,320
Location
USA
Real Name
Laura
Humidity has its place. But I don't think it the cause of your bird plucking..I think stress is .

Plucking is a complex issue and difficult to resolve. My own veterinarian advises not to pay attention to it, or try to physically intervention. But instead to work on everything else in their life.

Work on building back your bond , both you and your burd stress reduction.

I've had limited success. When its first started is your best chance to get it stopped. Avian vet to rule out health issues. Increase self directed behavior, in a non flighted this can be a larger area connected with perches to navigate, linking play areas. A great diet with a large selection of veggies and parrot safe foods, daily access to a bath bowl so they can choose when to use, foraging ( starts with easy interactive teaching them how) lot 0f easy to destroy chew stuff, frilly papper preen toys. It can be beneficial to spend time outside in light shade in a very secure cage and with right with them always as stray cat and other predators are always a risk. Being outdoors can be a real mood lifter. Even a half hour a couple if times a week.

I took on a young quaker that had just started to pluck shoulders and over preen all feathers. She responded to diet change, lots of out of cage time and life makeover and stopped.

I took in an older quaker thst plucked her neck. She continues to do this no better no worse. But other behavior issues like screaming and being shut down resolved.

I took a bald mutilating foster. Because of sever mutilating we started on mood altering drugs. This led to flight, tail and back feathers coming back in and left alone, body damage healed. Weaned off drugs and didn't start mutilating again, and left wings tail and back alone. But continued to pluck chest and belly feathers. We just accepted that.
 
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