unusual feather plucking - Can u help?

Stacey_Erbay

New member
Sep 7, 2010
1
0
I have an issues that I just cant quiet figure out... Hoping some of you might know. I have a new Plum Head Parakeet and he is just the CUTEST thing ever lived! He was born April 1st 2010, and I have had him about 6 weeks now. WHen I bought him he had been in a fight with some cockatiles and broke a toe, had most of his tail feathers pulled out and a few of his flight feathers, I just couldnt leave him there cause it was love at first sight and I had to bring him home....

I took him to the vet 2 days after I bought him. he got a clean bill of health other than his obvious issues. hi toe has never healed but no longer gives him pain. all his bites and scratches are healed and he is trusting me to even touch his tail finally. So whats the problem?????

PROBLEM IS: he keeps plucking out his NEW flight feathers and tail feathers as they grow in. No where eles is he plucking! and they seem to have an unusually long cuticle (I have no idea what to call that tube that the feathers come out of. so I am using cuticle) the tube is thick and doesnt break away like I think it should. my son makes the the comment that the feathers look fake. and he is right they look like feathers were glued on him. within 1-2 days Jazzy breaks the off or pulls the out despite the associated blood and pain. All of his other feathers are beautiful grow in normally and he doesnt pluck at all. What can I do about this? Is anyone aware of a condition that causes the feathers to grow in like that?
 

AndrewH

New member
Aug 22, 2010
112
0
Dayton, OH
Parrots
Both my birds are rehomed rescues. Samantha, Umbrella Cockatoo (HD: 2002)
Lucky, B&G Macaw (HD: 1990-ish?)
I would go back to the vet. Plucking these feather isn't as common as chest/neck plucking. I've read that plucking primaries can be due to diet/nutrition issues. There are a lot of reasons birds pluck, but diet and stress are two easy ones to control for.
 

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