Why does your plucker pluck?

[TypingParrot]

There are a number of reasons birds may pluck themselves. Did it start after you got your bird? Or did you get them that way? Why do you think (or know) that your bird began plucking?

 

[Cynthia & Percy]

Percy food allergies habit
Little General hormonal in the fall

Shammy was on the wrong pellet diet does not pluck now

Baby unknown at this time but a habit she even plucks Rocky

 

[TypingParrot]

Percy food allergies habit
Little General hormonal in the fall

Shammy was on the wrong pellet diet does not pluck now

Baby unknown at this time but a habit she even plucks Rocky

wow, you have your hands full don't you? I'm doing an article on the birds and this poll is going to help me figure out the biggest reason birds pluck.

 

[Holiday]

Elvis--hormones and confinement. She plucks more often when she's hormonal and when she's been stuck in her cage for hours while I'm at work. When she's not hormonal and has more time out than in, plucking is reduced.

Max: loneliness. He stopped plucking when I got him a same-species companion.

I didn't choose "unhappiness" because they aren't/weren't unhappy overall.

 

[jasminlana]

I've only had Ella 3 weeks, so it's unknown why she plucks.

I feel it's a combination of things, poor diet of only seeds, lack of bathing, no shredding or chewing toys, those are things I think contributed to it. I guess time will tell if remedies to these things will stop the plucking.

 

[Birdasaurus]

For Tango I think it's habit. He gets ticked off when he starts to molt, and so he starts clipping feathers in that area.

I think he used to do it continuously out of unhappiness before he came here (he was only down and head feathers)...and now molting is the only time that he's crabby, so it's the only time he barbers.

 

[Birdiemarie]

Ruby was due to food allergies. She's now an habitual plucker which happens to a lot of ekkies who start plucking.

 

[MessyBeaks]

Uncle Leo came from a situation of severe neglect, so that's how it started. Since coming to us in June or so of last year, he's regrown his green shoulders, blue collar and red pantaloons as well as about 50% of his chest feathers. He does still pluck a little out of nervous habit but is now easily redirected and far less emotionally stressed, so it's coming - we've even seen the odd feather under his wings and on his back. We're confident he will return to full feather but will likely always be prone to feather damaging behaviour if his environment isn't meeting his needs.

Casino plucks only during long periods of separation from me - once when we went on our honeymoon, once when he was injured and had to stay at the vet hospital, and again in February when we went on vacation. Once he gets started he ends up pulling out most of his contour feathers even if we return home. He then grows everything in normally at his next molt and leaves it alone unless/until the next time we go away.

 

[Laurul Feather Cat]

Tasha 'tiel has been tested for everything and nothing is positive. She started plucking when her brother started pressuring her to mate. At first one or two feathers, then two days later she was bare and bloodily mutilated on her chest and stomach. We separated them (and kicked myself for not separating her sooner) and she continues to pluck feathers but never again mutilated herself. She does NOT like males and avoids them like the plague. In a wierd quirk, Tasha lays eggs at the drop of a hat, anywhere and everywhere and even drops them while flying!

 

[JLcribber]

That's the $64,000 question.

 

[TypingParrot]

That's the $64,000 question.

i was afraid of this post being touchy for some people. I know I get P'd off when I talk about my rescue (dog living at my moms right now) and her past. I also know other people who get caught up in their emotions when discussing things that trouble their beloved pets.

 

[mrstweet]

I don't know for sure but my best gues would be under "medical issues" since you didn'y give an option for nutritional issues. She JUST started eating healthier and got over a bacterial infection so part of it may be habit and part of it may be nutritional (my opinion) as well as dry skin.

Many reasons.

 

[TypingParrot]

my apologies for the lack of nutrition option I am making notes on paper as well to make the article more specific.

 

[Kathie]

I only wish I knew. Ruby was a plucker when she first came to live with me and has never stopped. At this point, I believe it is habit. The only time she begins to grow in is when she is sitting on an egg.

 

[love4birds]

I voted medical reasons, because currently only Leyla is plucking. She has polyfolliculitis that used to be very bad on her rump. By now she's killed most of the follicles so she has a bare little rump, but there are still three or four that give her issues. And her right shoulder bugs her sometimes too.

Chewy has had feather issues too, but right now she's only overpreening a *little* bit. She used to chew off her chest feathers when there were new people around; she really only likes me and (sometimes) my sister. I'm working at that, but with her past I don't know if we'll ever make it over that hurdle.

 

[TypingParrot]

Thank you to those who have answered. If you would like to have your bird's story in the article, you can PM me. If not, that's fine

 

[Angelicarboreals]

I didn't vote because nothing really matched my situation, but I have a Mealy Amazon that was hatched in August of 2003 that has been with me since he was eight months old. He tends to pluck anytime I go out of town or am away for a bit (he is fully feathered again right now but boy do I dread leaving for the military) or any time he senses my stress. He started in 2005 when I left him with my parents to go on a week vacation and he has done it about four times (so almost once a year on average) since. I have taken him to the vet on a few occasions and both vets who have seen him agree that it is an anxiety issue.

 

[shellbeme]

When Chico started plucking eons ago, we went to the vet for test after test after test, the Dr. found an infection that caused his spleen to enlarge, we were able to correct the issue but he felt that the plucking had formed into habit and would continue. Well it's certainly continued but I'm not 100% confident it was all medical based, I think there were probably a number of different factors involved-like the fact that I coddled him too much when I first brought him home and didn't expose him to enough change in early years and I could probably go on and on and on.