Mango's back, AGaiN!

[Mango121913]

Hello all! Been a busy summer, Mango's doing well! Talking, flying up a storm! Very entertaining part of our family's daily activities. I have been fighting a habit he has been doing for a while now, overpreening. Mostly just his neck area. But other than that he's been a very funny, well behaved boy. Well, other than looking for things to get into!:54:
Been trying different shredded type, preening type toys to no avail. Seems to level off to this type of destruction in the neck area. Hopefully he will just outgrow this stage. Typical Mango wants to show off for a pic too!

 

[Anansi]

Welcome back, Craig! Good to see the beautiful Mango, again!

I'm laughing because I got momentarily freaked out by the second pic. Before it hit me that he has a purple band on, it looked like his foot was caught at a strange angle in one of his toys. My eyes just couldn't make sense of what I was seeing. Lol!

 

[Anansi]

Hard to see the overpreening damage from these pics, but here is a great sticky started by Allee that covers overpreening, plucking, and related behaviors: http://www.parrotforums.com/showthread.php?t=52217

Covers a number of factors that can lead to it.

 

[RavensGryf]

Hi Craig and Mango! Good to see you guys are back . Hope to see you around again!

 

[Terry57]

Welcome back Craig and Mango!!! Missed y'all!

 

[chris-md]

Mango is so adrable! Because of his plucking history I tried to give Parker preening toys and shredding toys. Like mango He's not so much for those either. He mostly just likes bells and a super simple foraging toy.

 

[Mango121913]

Mango does enjoy his shredder ball and a piniata style poneapple I bought off Dr.Foster andSmith. Just doesn't seem to curb his feather destruction. He bathes just about everyday. Loves the shower! He is only in his cage from about 7:30 till about 5:30 with the radio playing. He is then roaming the house from then till 9 or 10. But all day when we are home he is out and about. Take him outside mostly on the weekends. Either in his harness or in his cage. His head is getting too big for his medium Aviator harness! Going to have to order a large I guess.

 

[Anansi]

You need a large harness for him? What type of ekkie is he, again?

Perhaps there's something he's having a bit of a reaction to in his diet? Something that is an irritant to his skin in the neck region? A situation like that could conceivably lead to overpreening.

 

[Mango121913]

He's a S I. But the medium seems to be too small to get over his head anymore. He weighs about 790grams. His diet is fresh chop w/ beans, and I have changed ingredients to no avail. I thought it may be because of the pin feathers, but wonder if it's become more of a "habit " than anything else? If you zoom in on the pic with him standing, you can see the feathers, below his mandible, that are damaged. He nips the ends off. Just trying everything to curb this before it becomes worse.

Edit: As for the skin irritated, I thought the same, he does seem to have pin feathers near by ALWAYS. Almost constantly.

 

[Anansi]

790 grams?!? That's a big boy! Are you suuuuuuuuure he's an SI? That kind of weight sounds more like it belongs on a red-sided or a vos. Especially when talking about a bird that flies regularly. Do you have pics that show his wings in relation to his tail?

And yeah, you may very well be right. The initial irritation could be gone and the feather chewing might be a habit at this point. Have you taken him to the vet? And if so, how are all his levels?

 

[Mango121913]

Vet says everything is great. Was told by breeder is definitely a SI. So,other than that, dunno? What are you wanting pictures of? Color, length?

 

[Mango121913]

Oooooops, I am not sure where I came up with that 790?! 350 sounds better.

 

[Mango121913]

Proof! Sorry!

 

[Anansi]

Okay, now 350 sounds a lot more like an actively flying SI. Hahaha! I thought poor Mango was on steroids!

As for the harness, I used a medium on Bixby when he was as much as 440 grams. I know what you mean about that opening, though, and I remember seriously considering getting the large for him myself, but then I worried if there was a reason is was supposed to be that snug. If you do get that larger size, could you take pics of Mango in it so I can see how that fits?

 

[Anansi]

Just remember, the large is what they use for B&G macaws, for instance.

 

[Mango121913]

Yeah, I know. Worried about it being too large too! But, it's beginning to be too uncomfortable for him to take off, more than put on.

 

[Terry57]

I read 790 and was thinking Ekko is severely malnourished!
Whew, 350 made me feel much better