Adopted Macaw Plucking

[FearlessFiona]

Hi guys!

I recently adopted a previously abused macaw. She was kept for about 15 years straight in a cage by a hoarder. She is healthy, but she is recovering from all that hurt. I take her in and out of her cage all day so that she knows nothing is permanent. When she goes in, she will come right back out. She spends a lot of time on the outside of the cage (on me or on a play stand) She has lots of toys, and large, clean, roomy cage, and a family that adores her. Her diet is being slowly switched from seeds to pellets + veggies + fruits. She screams when she sees me and I don't pick her up. When she doesn't see me, she's quiet. She is NOT mean at all. I can hold her, my husband can hold her, she doesn't mind mt kids at all. We all respect her body language and needs for space. That's her current situation.

The pet store that rescued her REALLY helped her plucking habits. In a month's time, she nearly kicked the plucking. She was adjusting to her new life at the pet store. But now, she's at a new place again, and I worry the cycle of plucking has started back up. What can I do to help calm her?

Thanks!!!

 

[AMD72]

Thank you for giving her a loving home! She is a beauty! Have you spoken with the pet store to see what they were doing to stop the plucking? Hoping someone on here has some good suggestions for you. Good Luck!

 

[Zilga51]

Good luck! I'll be following this thread because we're dealing with a similar issue with a rescue macaw. Ours tends to overpreen his chest, and he's really struggling with a molt right now, so the discomfort has kicked it up. Our vet prescribed meloxicam to help with the discomfort, because she's seen him for decades and thinks he hasn't had a proper molt in a long time due to stress (we have him because his owner was too ill to care for him), and it is definitely helping some.