chris-md
Well-known member
- Feb 6, 2010
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- 2,140
- Parrots
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Parker - male Eclectus
Aphrodite - red throated conure (RIP)
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- #21
It sounds like you're doing the very best you can for Parker. It's very frustrating to see birds pluck themselves and not be able to resolve the cause. My eclectus, Oscar, barbered his original tail off. I would often catch him chewing his own feathers. An eclectus breeder suggested that he might have been doing it because feathers are a great source of protein and when eclectus are molting, which Oscar was at the time, they are deprived of protein. On the other hand, my local vet seems to think it may have stemmed from a trauma he experienced before I got him, eg his dietary needs were not met in the nest or he did not receive the correct amount of light. She averred that eclectus are more sensitive than other parrots and a trauma from their childhood can easily manifest itself later on in the form of barbering and plucking, as well as other problems.
I too was concerned that Oscar wasn't receiving enough light. I put him in an aviary outside during the day but the sun was being blocked from the cage by an ivy bush. I cut the bush back so he'd receive sun, and he did not barber his second tail. I don't really know whether sufficient sunlight played a role in stopping him from doing it, since it's merely based on establishing a causal relation, but if you think that improper lighting is part of Parker's problem, I think you should by all means investigate it.
HI keatz. Im glad to hear your Oscar is doing better! In this case I can rule out protein deficiency because he gets plenty of plant based proteins from the likes of beans and sprouts. Plus small nips of chicken on occasion.