khaiqha
New member
My two year old alex just molted his tail feathers today. He's been going through a heavy molt, including his primaries and all of his facial feathers (for a few days I could plainly see his ear holes, that was weird). Anyway, this will be the second time he molts his tail and I'm anxious because he habitually breaks it.
Even as a baby, I noticed he would bend his tail feathers, to such an extant that they would actually have permenant crinks in them until he got a bath. His tail would look like a dolphin's tail, or a crazy tv attenna at times. Eventually these crinks would break, shortening his tail. Once it breaks, he chews on it, shortening the tail even more, stopping once it gets to a certain length (about half the original). He did this with his first tail, and again with his second tail after his first molt.
Why he does it is anyone's guess. I do notice that if he's bored or nervous he's slightly more prone to do it, but he'll also do it when he's happy as well. I have this crazy idea that he does this because his tail gets in the way. At the store, he was kept in a small cage while he was weaning instead of out on a stand because I requested he not be clipped. His tail would get roughed up by the bars often. At home he has a large cage, but depending on what angle he sits on a perch or how he climbs around the bars, the tail can still get roughed up by the bars.Also when I sit against the couch, he has tail issues as well.
Another reason I think he does this intentionally is that he trims his own claws. Rarely his claws will get too long, or more often they get too sharp. When this happens his claws get stuck on my shirt, blanket, etc. He will then chew on the claws that are too long/sharp until the tip breaks off.
So anyway, it kills me when he does this to his tail. Comparing tail feathers from previous molts, he always chews them down to the same length each time. Is there anyway I can get him to stop doing this? He hasn't chewed on his tail in almost a year, but that could just be because it's at the length he likes right now. The store that sold me him said babies usually never take care of their tail, so they're prone to having messed up tails, but adults (3+) will take better care of their tails.
Even as a baby, I noticed he would bend his tail feathers, to such an extant that they would actually have permenant crinks in them until he got a bath. His tail would look like a dolphin's tail, or a crazy tv attenna at times. Eventually these crinks would break, shortening his tail. Once it breaks, he chews on it, shortening the tail even more, stopping once it gets to a certain length (about half the original). He did this with his first tail, and again with his second tail after his first molt.
Why he does it is anyone's guess. I do notice that if he's bored or nervous he's slightly more prone to do it, but he'll also do it when he's happy as well. I have this crazy idea that he does this because his tail gets in the way. At the store, he was kept in a small cage while he was weaning instead of out on a stand because I requested he not be clipped. His tail would get roughed up by the bars often. At home he has a large cage, but depending on what angle he sits on a perch or how he climbs around the bars, the tail can still get roughed up by the bars.Also when I sit against the couch, he has tail issues as well.
Another reason I think he does this intentionally is that he trims his own claws. Rarely his claws will get too long, or more often they get too sharp. When this happens his claws get stuck on my shirt, blanket, etc. He will then chew on the claws that are too long/sharp until the tip breaks off.
So anyway, it kills me when he does this to his tail. Comparing tail feathers from previous molts, he always chews them down to the same length each time. Is there anyway I can get him to stop doing this? He hasn't chewed on his tail in almost a year, but that could just be because it's at the length he likes right now. The store that sold me him said babies usually never take care of their tail, so they're prone to having messed up tails, but adults (3+) will take better care of their tails.