GCCC Over Preening

[MariMyrtle]

Hello All!
I have an 8.5yo Green Cheek Conure (Pip) who has within the past few weeks begun overpreening. I've had him for almost a decade and he's never exhibited this behaviour before. He's chewed all the flight feathers off on his left wing, ans all his tail feathers. I can't for the life of me figure out why he's started doing this.

Can people please point me towards a thread or give me some common troubleshooting ideas for how to find out what's wrong?

Thank you!!
-Mari

 

[LaManuka]

Welcome to the forums, @MariMyrtle, though i am sorry to hear your Pip may have be developing some issues with plucking Sadly it seems that GCCs are one of the species more commonly affected by this problem and you are wise to be concerned about it and seeking help. There can be any number of reasons for it, from medical to psychological or a combination of several factors - I once had a quaker who seemed to be heading in that direction so my first port of call was to take him to my avian vet for assessment. Thankfully it was something different in his case, but I would strongly recommend a vet visit for Pip if you haven't already done it, that really is the best place to start in my opinion. I've linked up a few resources for you that may help to give insight into some of the causes ....

https://brisbanebirdvet.com.au/wp-content/uploads/BBV_Feather-Picking-and-Self-Mutilation.pdf

Plucking: A Search For Answers

If you've spent very much time with parrots you've probably heard the term or seen the results of plucking. Plucking is disturbing and complex, in many cases the reasons are difficult to pinpoint. There are no easy answers or explanations. It's a terrifying event to discover a pile of feathers...

www.parrotforums.com

And a link to avian vet services worldwide - I don't know where in the world you're located nor if you have a bird vet that you see regularly already, but this list should help you find one if you don't.......

Avian Vet Resources

After a suggestion by a member, @Abu Colo, the Mod Team decided to create a list of veterinarians around the world who see birds. This was something we had discussed a few years ago, but the task seemed so large that we didn't get very far. However, the need is there and we decided that the time...

www.parrotforums.com

Again, welcome to you and Pip, and i wish both of you all the very best!!

 

[SailBoat]

Since this is just started, it is possible that it maybe a surface infection and your Avian Vet should take skin sample and under a microscope look for bacteria, comparing it with a none effected area. I do not remember which one, but checking with the Association of Avian Vets will provide a possible source. Sadly, time is limited as open wounds become overloaded and determining which becomes difficult. At that point, a general will likely be a choice.