Conure plucking I think help!

jadew19

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Mar 26, 2022
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Green cheek conures and Parrotlets
So before I start I do have a vet appointment but due to there being few avian vets in the area there is a wait and I canā€™t afford a pet hospital. I believe that my 9 year old conure is plucking out his feathers. Iā€™ve only had him for about two months and he just started one day. The pet store lady told me it could be molting and not to worry. So it was fine. I had added another make during this time with him because they both came from the same cage in the store. Unfortunately by the ladyā€™s word that they wouldnā€™t hurt each other. They didnā€™t but it seemed as if they over cared for each other and the 9 year old over preened the six month old. So thatā€™s when I separated them and it then escalated to the 9 year old pulling out almost all his feathers. At first they looked chewed off but now itā€™s getting down to almost no feathers on his chest and back. His head partial of wings and tail isnā€™t touched though for which i assume he canā€™t reach. I try to let him out of his cage at least 3 hours a day, he get fresh water a vegetable and seed diet. Iā€™ve added crushed eggshells on food. New toys and preening toys to his cage but since Iā€™ve got him I havenā€™t seen him touch a toy. But from what I know from his background heā€™s a rescue bird so maybe he has some past trauma that had made him have this bad habit. I would just love some guidance until I can get to my vet. I donā€™t want to see him hurt himself heā€™s really sweet and doesnā€™t show any aggressiveness. Thanks!
 

clark_conure

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Jul 14, 2017
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A crossover Quaker Scuti (F), A Sun conure named AC, A Cinnamon Green Cheek conure Kent, and 6 budgies, Scuti Jr. (f), yellow (m), clark Jr. (m), Dot (f), Zebra(f), Machine (m).
When a bird molts... wherever he/she spends the most time it will look like a bird exploded there.....

That part is kind of funny.

But what your describing.......there should never be any exposed skin on a bird.

First get the vet appointment

2nd offer pellets and fruit, get a thing of strawberries and apples at the supermarket, make a show of eating them then let him eat. The natural sugars aren't the best but will make him/her happier.

Seeds are {ok somewhat good) but not good except for treats.... the conure may be feeling unwell from lack of nutrition.

Pellets have what they need for a balanced nutrition.

Three hours a day isn't enough, every minute I'm home I have a bird on my shoulder. You don't even have to engage, (better if you do) but they just need to be able to sit on you and feel important.


You can literally just sit there and watch netflix or tv and they will be happier just having the companionship.
 

Laurasea

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Aug 2, 2018
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Was he already doing this before you adopted him? Or just rapidly started?

Great job in getting a vet appointment, many people are having to wait to get in.

Plucking is a complex issue...and a frustrating one. Starts with veterinarian. Then all things cage, diet, out if cage time, enrichment like the preen toys you are trying. Eliminating stress.

You said he liked his new freinds, but you have to cage separate? I cage all .one separate as well. Can they have time out together?
 
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jadew19

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Mar 26, 2022
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Green cheek conures and Parrotlets
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Was he already doing this before you adopted him? Or just rapidly started?

Great job in getting a vet appointment, many people are having to wait to get in.

Plucking is a complex issue...and a frustrating one. Starts with veterinarian. Then all things cage, diet, out if cage time, enrichment like the preen toys you are trying. Eliminating stress.

You said he liked his new freinds, but you have to cage separate? I cage all .one separate as well. Can they have time out together?
So for the first two weeks I had him he was fine and then I introduced a cage mate which was the younger male because the lady I got them from had them in the same cage before and they really cared for each other so it worked out. But about three weeks into them being together I noticed feathers all of a sudden rapidly collecting at the bottom of the cage and I couldnā€™t figure out why. He still to this day tries not to pluck in from of me.

So from what Iā€™ve been told which is very little but almost all of the birds Iā€™ve adopted have been from some terrible situations of rehoming I think he specifically was kept in a cat carrier with many other birds with very little food and water. As for anymore history they donā€™t know much about him either than that heā€™s a boy.

He loved his cage friends for sure at first I thought the stress of having more company was getting to him so I tried to move him away but I actually think he missed them so about three weeks later I moved him into the middle of two of my cages so he could be beside them. Heā€™s always hanging towards the one male I originally had him in a cage with. But when they are together he still tries to pull out his feathers and my poor little boy will let him.

I try to have him out of his cage the most since he possibly wants more attention but itā€™s actually kind of cute because the younger male will give like a flock call and heā€™ll fly all the way back to my room and sit on his cage.

Itā€™s just so odd on how happy he seems to be pulling out feathers because he tries to cuddle with all my birds but ends up attempting to yank feathers out of them too.
 
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jadew19

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Mar 26, 2022
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Green cheek conures and Parrotlets
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When a bird molts... wherever he/she spends the most time it will look like a bird exploded there.....

That part is kind of funny.

But what your describing.......there should never be any exposed skin on a bird.

First get the vet appointment

2nd offer pellets and fruit, get a thing of strawberries and apples at the supermarket, make a show of eating them then let him eat. The natural sugars aren't the best but will make him/her happier.

Seeds are {ok somewhat good) but not good except for treats.... the conure may be feeling unwell from lack of nutrition.

Pellets have what they need for a balanced nutrition.

Three hours a day isn't enough, every minute I'm home I have a bird on my shoulder. You don't even have to engage, (better if you do) but they just need to be able to sit on you and feel important.


You can literally just sit there and watch netflix or tv and they will be happier just having the companionship.
Thanks for the advice I went out and tried to find some more pellet based food I found a Haegan Tropican lifetime formula I heard was good and he seems to enjoy it this afternoon. Iā€™ll definitely keep him out as much as I can too, my tv seems to be the best place to perch. Iā€™ll have to find something for him to perch on the walls.
 

clark_conure

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Jul 14, 2017
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A crossover Quaker Scuti (F), A Sun conure named AC, A Cinnamon Green Cheek conure Kent, and 6 budgies, Scuti Jr. (f), yellow (m), clark Jr. (m), Dot (f), Zebra(f), Machine (m).
no.....shoulder........the shoulder is the exalted place to perch for a bird......the shoulder it must be.........


I'm not even kidding, you want to fix t6his problem the bird needs a shoulder to hang out on.
 
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jadew19

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Mar 26, 2022
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Green cheek conures and Parrotlets
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I see well thatā€™s actually kind of good because most of the time he stays there but when the other birds call him heā€™s gone even if itā€™s halfway across the house.
 

Terry57

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Welcome to the forum!
Could your 9 year old conure and his young former cage mate have time out together? He could be grieving the loss of his friend. Rescue birds are well worth the extra work, but they are different than babies in so many ways.
There is no way of knowing how many homes he has been in, only to find himself being moved to another one. It sounds like yours was bonded to the baby and was reunited, then suddenly he was moved away. I think if you let them out at the same time and watch them, the over preening can be controlled. You just need to be ready to distract if over preening starts.
You are reaching out for help and you care about them. and I have faith you can make it work for them:)
 

Terry57

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Hawkhead(Darwin),YCA(Dexter),VE (Ekko),OWA(Slater),BHP(Talli),DYH(Calypso),RLA(Kimera),Alex(Xander)CBC(Phoe),IRN (Kodee,Luna,Stevie),WCP (Pisces),CAG(Justice)GCC (Jax), GSC2(Charley)
no.....shoulder........the shoulder is the exalted place to perch for a bird......the shoulder it must be.........


I'm not even kidding, you want to fix t6his problem the bird needs a shoulder to hang out on.
I believe that allowing your bird on your shoulder has to be earned. I have several birds who are not trusted enough to sit on my shoulder, but they are perfectly happy to sit on my hand.
 

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