feather picking baby cag

[denise3mom]

Hi all my cag is just about 6 months old sinces 4 moths old he has been picking out his down feathers yesterday he has started with the grey ones beyond upsetting ................ he has been seen by the avain vet bllodwork perfect no beak and feather checked that he is dna male he is on organic pellets he has a outdoor cage 2 play areas in different parts of the house many many toys forging ,,wood ... foot toys get veggies fruit sweet potato pasta shower every day I am at a loss what is wrong with him? Thanks ~ Denise

 

[MonicaMc]

Are you sure he's physically picking out feathers and not just molting them out? When he loses/picks one, can you describe the behavior? Do you have photos to show us?

 

[denise3mom]

Hi oh yes i watch him go to his legs his chest his back and rip them out I wish he was molting any change he goes right to his body to pull feathers out when he got his 1st shower he pulled his feathers now he vocallizes his protest but wont pull when he is in his cage he pulls i am hme so he is out all day now his doing it even out I dont get i i exposed him to new things reassure him it is so upsetting I dont give him a nny attention when he does it but it is ripping my heart out why would he do that soooo young is it gentic?

 

[Joshmackow]

Are you providing him with enough attention? talking all the time playing and not just putting him on play things?

 

[denise3mom]

I play and talk with him he is where i am all day do you think he needs more time on me?

 

[Pedro]

denise it is so unusual that a baby parrot would pluck. My experience tells me that maybe your baby is going through his 6 month old molt. At this age they start molting out their baby feathers. I think whats happening is your little fellow is grooming himself & disloging all the loose down feathers. Wet him & have a close look to see if there are any pin feathers coming through. I think all your questions will be answered then.

 

[denise3mom]

HI Pedro Thank you for your reply I do find he wants to be velcroed to me alot of the day I give him a very good amut of attention by talking whislieing to him pettting and giving him food by hand I truly wish it was a molt but i see him ripping out his feathers he is doing some on the legs and chest it KILLS me I have spent so much money on pluck no more went to the avain vet got a clean bill of health I got him from the tv personality mark marrone he has a show on the hallmark channel pet keeping with mark marrone has been on martha stwert he owns the store parrots of the world his idea of dealing with his picking is cutting his beak and showering him everyday and im not kidding putting him in his carrier and putting him in the closet to sleep i couldnt do that!! I give him a shower i can see a bald spot where he has been picking for 2 months please any advice thansk so much

 

[MonicaMc]

It's normal for parrots to have some areas where there are no feathers.


Can you get us a photo when he's dry and again when he's wet?

 

[denise3mom]

I sure will

 

[denise3mom]

Hi all my cag is just about 6 months old sinces 4 moths old he has been picking out his down feathers yesterday he has started with the grey ones beyond upsetting ................ he has been seen by the avain vet bllodwork perfect no beak and feather checked that he is dna male he is on organic pellets he has a outdoor cage 2 play areas in different parts of the house many many toys forging ,,wood ... foot toys get veggies fruit sweet potato pasta shower every day I am at a loss what is wrong with him? Thanks ~ Denise

here are the pixs of him picking

 

[MonicaMc]

Awe, poor baby!

I can agree with giving him showers frequently, but the rest, I just can't...

I would suggest to stop feeding the sweet potato. As per Feeding Feathers Yahoo Group, sweet potatoes may make pluckers pluck more, so removing it from the diet can help.

What pellets is he currently eating? Have you considered Roudybush Rice Diet in case it might be a food allergy?

You mentioned a lot about toys and foraging. Does he actually do any of those activities, or does he ignore his stuff? If he doesn't really play with things, he may need to be taught how.


If you have any pine trees in your area, you might try finding some pinecones, cleaning them the best you can, then heating them in the oven for 20-30 minutes, with the heat on at 200-250° F and use these as an easy foraging/play toy!

Or maybe get some popsicle sticks? Fill a brown paper bag up with plain popcorn, shredded paper, treats, foot toys, etc?

If available to you, find some safe trees that have not been sprayed with any chemicals, cut down a few branches and give them to your grey, leaves and all!



You are right, it's picking, and you've done a great job trying to find out why he's doing it! I honestly don't know, only that you can try and distract him with other things to do and perhaps change around his diet and give more opportunities for play/foraging.

 

[denise3mom]

Hi Monia thank you so much for your reply , Charlie is on harrisons life time organic and feed my flock organic pellets A allergy did cross my mind but now with the arsenic in the rice do you think it would be safe to fed that to him instead? Just installed his full spectrum lightening I will change the diet too if you think its safe

 

[MonicaMc]

I would believe that Roudybush probably tests their grains before putting it into the mix, but it wouldn't hurt to call up and ask them.

I have heard of two pluckers who were eating the Harrison's diet, and when taken off of Harrison's and put onto a fresh food diet, they stopped plucking. However, I can't say if this is due to the diet they were on, or perhaps the change of environment/home! Both birds were plucking in their previous home but stopped in their new home, and the owner attributed it to diet... but it could have been any number or combination of things.

It wouldn't hurt to try, but it might not make a difference, either. Then again, another owner here, of a military macaw, has noticed an improvement when she put her macaw onto the rice diet. Check out these two threads.

http://www.parrotforums.com/general-health-care/22280-roudybush-rice-diet.html
http://www.parrotforums.com/general-health-care/23256-roudy-bush-rice-diet-amazing.html


It's just one of those things that you don't know until you try. I wish I could be of more help, but I'm just spouting out ideas at this point, since it sounds like you've got just about everything else covered!

 

[denise3mom]

Thank you so much Monica I called my vet he will get back to me in the morning I did order the rice pellets I will do whatever it takes to get my baby well I pray he wasnt born with a predispostion to picking ie say his parents were pluckers? I dont know grasping at straws here Thanks again ! <3 Denise

 

[MonicaMc]

Please let us know how it goes! Maybe you'll figure something out that none of us could?

 

[denise3mom]

I made him a soak and cook bean mix I gave it to him this morning he has had his face in the bowl for almost a hour! I will cut out the sweet potatoes I ordered the rice pellet see if he will eat it ... hes got his full spectrum light on feed him a piece of banana LOL Onto a shower Thanks for listening ! ~ Denise