Macaw pulling out feather and chewing it

KalieLovesBirds · Jul 31, 2015

I've been watching my B&G macaw preen himself and noticed he pulled out a longer feather and then began chewing the shaft of it. Is this normal to do to a feather that's been removed while preening? I ask this because he plucked while at the rescue and I've been noticing a few feathers here and there.

Birdman666 · Jul 31, 2015

Mine absolutely does that with every molted feather she gets...

Sometimes she uses the long tail feathers as back scratchers as well, which is pretty funny to watch.

KalieLovesBirds · Jul 31, 2015

Ok good. I just wanted to make sure this wasn't a behavior because of him plucking at the rescue. I'm not sure if the other feathers I find on the bottom of his cage are molted or plucked. I'm hoping not plucked but if they are I am assuming it's because he is still stressed out from the transition to being in his new home. He has only been here for a week now.

JerseyWendy · Jul 31, 2015

Kalie, feel free to have a look at this thread: http://www.parrotforums.com/behavioral/52217-plucking-search-answers.html

Both my big macs sometimes use their molted feathers to give themselves a scratch.

Looks kind of cute, sort of like they're using a tool to get to places they normally wouldn't get to so easily.

KalieLovesBirds · Jul 31, 2015

Thank you for the link! I will take a read through of it. I have noticed two for sure pin feathers growing where he has plucked, one being on his leg and one under his one wing on his side. Hopefully they are signs of more to come.

Weezerj · Jul 31, 2015

Is there a way to look at a feather and know if it was plucked or molted? (I hope thats not too stupid of a question)

JerseyWendy · Jul 31, 2015

Weezerj said:
Is there a way to look at a feather and know if it was plucked or molted? (I hope thats not too stupid of a question)

Yes, there is indeed. Kindly have a peek at the link I gave to Kalie, there are numerous pictures in the thread (and we're hoping to add many more)

And this is absolutely NOT a stupid question!

KalieLovesBirds · Jul 31, 2015

If I take some pictures of the feathers I am finding on the bottom of his cage and upload them to that thread that you posted for me to take a look at, would I be able to get opinions as to whether he is for sure plucking these? And maybe you wouldn't be able to tell if he has chewed all of the other ones after they've been removed like he did with the one I saw him do today. They have been over the course of the past week but there just seems to be quite a few even for a week. And maybe I am just worrying too much since I know he plucked at the rescue and I have only had him a week.

JerseyWendy · Jul 31, 2015

Yes, Kalie, that is an excellent idea!!! Please do upload some photos to that thread.

Please remember, we may not always be 100% accurate when trying to determine whether certain feathers were purposely yanked/plucked or naturally molted, but we will try out very best to give our honest opinion. (I'm speaking for all contributing members here.)

Weezerj · Jul 31, 2015

Ok, based on the pics the 2 feathers I have certainly looked like a molt.....

Macaw pulling out feather and chewing it

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