Hello New to the Forum and have a Plucker

[dirtpoor]

Hello everyone! My name is Kristie and a couple of weeks a go I took in a Solomon Island Eclectus named Rhett. I have experience with Macaws Conures and Cockatoo's but not Eclectus. Any how, he is a plucker and I've never had a plucker before. This is a relatively new problem for him, as he never used to do it. This is also why I now have him, I can provide an environment that is very stable and stress free. His plucking has gotten better, but it hasn't stopped so I think at this point it's more habit than anything else. I was told by a bird expert not to put a collar on him, and I want to stick with that advice. In the meantime, does anyone know of some things that will help? I have been bathing him in water mixed with Aloe Vera Juice to help sooth his skin.

Thanks in advance!

 

[suebee]

i've seen pics of ppl putting vests on the birds to cover area where they pluck, but also read that when feathers are back, an vest is off they pluck again??

1st vet check, make sure its not mites, hormones etc

food what are you feeding, think eccies have a diff diet to our parrots

and as you can see from my pics of nut she was a plucker when i got her, she got worse, but she is covered but still chews her feathers at times

what i find with nut now if i let her take my curtains down an keep that beak busy on shredding things, play with coins etc, nut loves to throw things off surfaces, she leaves her feathers be

also sunlight as in out side! let them feel the wind so to speak, i put nut outside in her sleep cage, or when she is in her main cage (locked up!) i have the windows open!

i think get to know the bird, an let it have a routine an be settled

an welcome to the forum an thank you for taking on this poor bird, even in its condition looks so cute an vulnerable

 

[Spiritbird]

Here is some good reading for you on the subject.

https://companionparrotonline.com/metz_inside_mind.html

 

[mtdoramike]

WOW that poor baby. First, like Sue suggests, have him taken to a vet to check for mites or other parasites. But in the mean time, get him lots & lots of toys to play with. Spend a lot of time with him, interacting with him. What your trying to do is distract him from that type of behavior, just like you would for correcting bad behavior. Make sure since you have other birds that you don't swap toys with the other birds and I hope you quarantined him from the others until all has been checked out.

But he does have a severe plucking problem that will be tough to overcome. But I have plenty of faith in you.

 

[dirtpoor]

Thank you everyone! He has been checked for everything and is medically clear so it's definitely behavioral in nature. He really isn't interested in his toys and absolutely distrusts new ones. He LOVES sitting in the window and going outside. He is a real charmer who coo's, sings, and laughs most often when in the window or watching any Hannibal Lector movie (don't know how I feel about that one yet). I watch him a lot and pay attention to his body language so I can learn who he truly is on the inside. Also he was on Amitryptalline (sp?)but I weaned him off of it. His pevious owners tried the tie on vest and he went bonkers, so i'm not going to do that either. Believe it or not, he looks much better than he did so we are making progress, I guess i'm being a little impatient I just want to help the little guy, he's such a Doll!

 

[dirtpoor]

Also, I no longer have my other birds, I had to give them up because my dad suffered alcohol induced dementia and I couldn't adequately take care of them and my dad at the same time

 

[IcyWolf]

My doctor had me amitryptiline years ago, I'm not sure if it acts the same way or not in birds and humans but I got put on it for severe anxiety and needless to say I went from having weekly anxiety attacks to daily ones on the medication. It may have just been my personal reaction to it but ever since then I have a pure hatred for the stuff!
Also, what kind of a diet is he on? My 'too was also a plucker when I got her, but she was being fed nothing but a really cheap seed mix and had the same toys for over a year. I got her on a good pellet diet with fresh fruits and veggies, new toys, a bigger cage and daily handling and she completely grew back her feathers and never plucked again.

 

[ShreddedOakAviary]

I have a male VOS I had vetted over and over.... he's was a plucker. No one could find anything wrong with him. He's on a diet of about 70% fresh fruit, 20% veggies and legumes, and 10% ECLECTUS pellet. Recently I put him on metronidazole (treatment for Giardia) because despite a negative tests his fecal was looking qand smelling pretty bad. He's grown most of his feathers back, seems comfortable, and is back to enjoying his outside aviary with his mate. I sent in my own fecal samples to confirm Giardia and he was positive despite all the negative tests done by the vet. You can send in sample to avianbiotech and they are much more sensitive for Giardia then what the vet does. Although a lot of breeders do tell me that about half of their Eclectus pluck... perhaps aviculturists are missing a key dietary ingredient or our understanding of them just needs a fev more years.

 

[suebee]

awww nuts fave place is infront of windows, thats where her main cage is stood when we are out

but keep us all up dated

 

[dirtpoor]

Thanks everyone! the amitryptiline is a tri-cyclic anti-depressant and I just think that's way to heavy of a med for a Parrot, too easy for an accidental over dose. I took have severe anxiety and panic attacks but it is well controlled with my medication. Rhett's diet isn't where I would like it to be, but I'm taking things slow. He gets frozen veggies heated up in hot water daily, but prefers his seed mix. It' LM Parrot Bonanza or something along those lines, I can't remember the exact name. He isn't partial to fruit at all and so far refuses to eat it. I want to start slowly mixing some pellets if I can find some that are all natural with no additives. Also, I am going to start picking the peanuts out of his food, since I read that some birds including Eclectus can have skin allergies from them. Did I mention I'm neurotic? I got a spray called Vetericyn that should help with any skin irritation as well, and is 100% safe. For now, I focus on things he likes like going outside, sitting in his window, watching Hannibal Lector movies and also watching other green Parrots on youtube (green are his favorite).

 

[dirtpoor]

I can't thank you all enough for the help and advice and how nice you all are! I feel like I have a whole new set of friends like I did when I joined the Mastiff forum

 

[suebee]

The Eclectus Parrot - Graham Taylor (Australia)

for best choice of foods

and you are mosrt welcome an we are pleased you have jioned

 

[ShreddedOakAviary]

I was just gonna recomend vetricyn, (use the gel for better results). It worked wonders on a goffin that was completely naked.... we used Avicalm in her diet and sprayed her with the Vetricyn gel about 2 times a day.... She's got quite a few feathers growing in now

 

[dirtpoor]

Hello again! Suebee, that website is so informative and helpful! I showed Rhetts previous owners a fresh pic of him and they said he definitely has a lot of new feather growth, WOOHOO! He watched Silence of the lambs with me last night and tonight seems content to sit in the window by himself.

 

[mrob]

hey, this might sound a little bit weird, but do you know that there is a comedy silence of the lambs the MUSICAL - not a video but audio? my eclectus LOVES it, especially because i sing along and laugh..... It was so weird seeing your boy likes SOL too! what a weird coincidence!! Try googling it and see how he likes it - if anything its good for a laugh =)

 

[suebee]

if your birds start looking at you, and make that sucking liver noise! sleep with a stick under your pillows!!!!! lol

 

[Spiritbird]

Make sure you bird gets a good 10 to 12 hours of quality sleep at night. N TV or other human noises. It makes for a grumpy bird if they do not. You are doing a very good job of guardianship.

 

[dirtpoor]

Hello again! I couldn't figure out how to start a new thread so I came back to this one I have a new pic of Rhett that I took yesterday, I think he looks better, what do you think?

 

[suebee]

omg!! i think there is over wing!!! and bottom of back!!!!

WELL DONE!!!!!!

its a great feeling when they start coming back but please don't feel bad, if some new feathers get chewed! nut is still a feather chewer grrr

an awww poor baby i just want to wrap him in a blanket when i see his pic

 

[dirtpoor]

Thank you Doll! I am excited but guarded, I know we will have ups and downs. He really is a hoot and I love him even when he growls at me Silly boy! He doesn't like being sprayed with the Vetericyn but he tolerates it so that helps