Frutstrated with plucking and low weight

So I've had Tallulah a few months now, and she's excellent. Super sweet with me, very cuddly, though with anyone else that's another story!

My problem is that she's a bit underweight and I haven't been able to get it up. Sorry I can't give you a gram weight right now, my scale is broken and I haven't been able to get a new one quite yet, but feeling her keel and comparing her to Gonzo, she's thinner than I'd like. Now, she's fairly active and fully flighted, and only 5 years old, compared to Gonzo who's 19 and chews his flight feathers (but loves to flap just as much.)

In general she's a good eater, will try almost anything I put in her bowl, but she's iffy about pellets and any food in her bowl mostly gets thrown out, so I feel like she's just not eating enough. I'm considering switching her back to the Kaytee pellets she was eating before, from Roudybush that I've been feeding her, though I'd prefer not to. I've tried giving her some of the breeder pellets I have mixed in with her Roudybush but she doesn't show much interest. I've been giving her Prime mixed in with a mushed banana and some pellets once a week or so, and a calcium supplement twice a week.

The second issue is that I can't figure out why she's plucking around her neck, it seems to be a nervous habit because she'll do it if she's away from her cage for too long, even if she's with me. She's done this since before I got her, which was probably partially the reason she was rehomed to me (they thought she wasn't getting enough attention.) I can't put her in her cage for long because she'll go and sit in the back and pluck. She mostly ignores her toys, only occasionally chewing on them, the only thing she likes are cardboard boxes and paper. She did chew up a wooden and sisal ladder I gave her though in record time. I try to give her short sessions of being in the cage and taking her out, but during the day she'll go in herself to pluck. There have also been a few occasions where it seems like she forgets how to come back out and I have to coax her out.

The hardest thing is that the plucking is inconsistent. She'll go long enough that most of her neck feathers grow back in, and then start up again. My only guesses to this behavior is hormonal. She bathes herself almost daily in her water bowl, but I give her some extra spritzes since it's been so hot. I really want to curb this behavior before it gets worse. I'm hoping that maybe when the seasons change that the behavior stops on it's own.

I don't actually have any advice, but I at least wanted to chime in and say I feel for you. I only *thought* confetti was plucking, and it stressed me out for several days.

I have read in a few places that some birds who start plucking pick up masochistic tendencies, and continue to pluck because they "enjoy" it. I don't know if that might be the case with Tallulah since I know you said she was doing it since before you took her in. Of course, I don't have a clue what to do to fix the problem, so im pretty useless in the help department.

I will be wishing the best for you both though! Her in getting over the plucking, and you in not getting too frustrated or stressed.

SirEdwin89 said:

I don't actually have any advice, but I at least wanted to chime in and say I feel for you. I only *thought* confetti was plucking, and it stressed me out for several days.

I have read in a few places that some birds who start plucking pick up masochistic tendencies, and continue to pluck because they "enjoy" it. I don't know if that might be the case with Tallulah since I know you said she was doing it since before you took her in. Of course, I don't have a clue what to do to fix the problem, so im pretty useless in the help department.

I will be wishing the best for you both though! Her in getting over the plucking, and you in not getting too frustrated or stressed.

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Thanks, I really appreciate it. I'm very lucky to have two greys with minimal problems. Gonzo is slowly getting over his wing chewing, though as summer came he destroyed the few feathers that were grown out, though there's overall progress with them growing in longer before he chews them.

Really considering all my birds are rescues, I really have to deal with minimal issues, and I'm very thankful for that, especially considering how some of them came to me.

Aquila said:

SirEdwin89 said:

I don't actually have any advice, but I at least wanted to chime in and say I feel for you. I only *thought* confetti was plucking, and it stressed me out for several days.

I have read in a few places that some birds who start plucking pick up masochistic tendencies, and continue to pluck because they "enjoy" it. I don't know if that might be the case with Tallulah since I know you said she was doing it since before you took her in. Of course, I don't have a clue what to do to fix the problem, so im pretty useless in the help department.

I will be wishing the best for you both though! Her in getting over the plucking, and you in not getting too frustrated or stressed.

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Thanks, I really appreciate it. I'm very lucky to have two greys with minimal problems. Gonzo is slowly getting over his wing chewing, though as summer came he destroyed the few feathers that were grown out, though there's overall progress with them growing in longer before he chews them.

Really considering all my birds are rescues, I really have to deal with minimal issues, and I'm very thankful for that, especially considering how some of them came to me.

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That's a fantastic viewpoint to look at everything from. And hey. at the end of the day, with a few less feathers or not you at least know they are in a good happy home now.

Tallulah sounds a lot like my dear Harry. More than likely her plucking is directly related to hormone levels. When a bird yanks a feather, endorphins are released into the blood stream giving the bird a sense of euphoria.

Have you tried soaking the pellets in a little fruit juice? That is the only way I finally got pellets past Harry's beak. She loves softened Zupreem Natural pellets, she refuses to touch the better brands. Mashed sweet potatoes and quinoa was a favorite from day one, I could sneak other veggies in and get by with it on good days.

I would give Tallulah lots of sisal and soft wood to destroy. Another toy that does wonders for Harry during hormone season are the cotton mops. The cotton pulls off easily so there's little chance of getting tangled. Of course there is a chance she could ingest the cotton fluff and cause a crop infection but so far I've seen no evidence that she swallows the cotton. She had two mops in her cage and she runs to them when she gets agitated. She preens the toys rather than herself.

Allee said:

Tallulah sounds a lot like my dear Harry. More than likely her plucking is directly related to hormone levels. When a bird yanks a feather, endorphins are released into the blood stream giving the bird a sense of euphoria.

Have you tried soaking the pellets in a little fruit juice? That is the only way I finally got pellets past Harry's beak. She loves softened Zupreem Natural pellets, she refuses to touch the better brands. Mashed sweet potatoes and quinoa was a favorite from day one, I could sneak other veggies in and get by with it on good days.

I would give Tallulah lots of sisal and soft wood to destroy. Another toy that does wonders for Harry during hormone season are the cotton mops. The cotton pulls off easily so there's little chance of getting tangled. Of course there is a chance she could ingest the cotton fluff and cause a crop infection but so far I've seen no evidence that she swallows the cotton. She had two mops in her cage and she runs to them when she gets agitated. She preens the toys rather than herself.

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I'm lucky that she will eat most things I give her, but yeah I might try the Zupreem since that's what I used to buy and I knew my other birds will eat it if she doesn't.

A mop sounds like a good idea, a bit bigger than what I make with cotton rope and leather, hopefully she's not scared of it!

Any opinions on this spray? I'm going to be ordering things anyway, wondering if this might be worth a shot or if I should try something else.

Our Buzz came to us a front feather plucker and back feather chewer. His vet said once they start as a habit/stress it's hard to stop. He suggested diet and showers as things that may help...but he still is doing it. I second the mop, it was one of the first toys we got him and he loves it. I do trim it up when strands look like he could tangle in them. Buzz wouldn't play with toys when we got him but he has just started schredding toys, loves wood sticks. We also got him a puzzle toy and he goes nuts with it. He is going through he first molt with us now so I'm not sure how that will affect the plucking.

Hey mates you mean like a normal mop? like the ones to clean the floor? Any specifications? can I dye it with food colorant?

Likes cardboard and paper.....


What about making a toy out of cardboard and paper?


Or toys made out of coffee filters and cupcake holders???


Or toys made out of a good thick plastic? Zip tie the center (make sure to put another zip tie in there to hang it with!), and then you can stuff seeds, pellets and treats into the ends!


Or take some wooden toys, drill holes in them, and stuff with seeds, nuts and pellets?

Is she plucking the front of her neck or the back? My CAG has feather loss on the front of his neck...he had an long untreated crop infection before we got him, and his vet thinks it bothered him, so he started plucking there. He still does it from time to time as it had become a habit by the time he received treatment for the infection.
Justice also loves cardboard, and will chew a phone book right down to nothing.

Aquila said:

Any opinions on this spray? I'm going to be ordering things anyway, wondering if this might be worth a shot or if I should try something else.

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Ive only used an aloe spray prescribed by Harry's vet, she advised against any other sprays. The spray is called, Soother, I don't know if it's only available from vets.

marcomm said:

Hey mates you mean like a normal mop? like the ones to clean the floor? Any specifications? can I dye it with food colorant?

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I buy Harry's mops, they are cheap and the cotton is bird safe. Harry hated toys when she came to me but when she is agitated she will run to her mops and close her eyes while she chews. This is the only photo I have and Harry's sleeping, hopefully you can see the two mops.

Terry57 said:

Is she plucking the front of her neck or the back? My CAG has feather loss on the front of his neck...he had an long untreated crop infection before we got him, and his vet thinks it bothered him, so he started plucking there. He still does it from time to time as it had become a habit by the time he received treatment for the infection.
Justice also loves cardboard, and will chew a phone book right down to nothing.

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It started around the sides of her neck and a little bit of the top of her wings, she's only recently started going for under her neck and crop area. I don't know exactly how long it's been going on before I got her, but I'll definitely bring it up when she goes to the vet.

Allee said:

I buy Harry's mops, they are cheap and the cotton is bird safe. Harry hated toys when she came to me but when she is agitated she will run to her mops and close her eyes while she chews. This is the only photo I have and Harry's sleeping, hopefully you can see the two mops.

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Thanks for the tip, I don't think we have that brand around, but I guess any cotton mop would be fine.