Owlet
Well-known member
So, I’m at an in-pass with Lincoln and I’m not quiet sure what to do. If yall have any advice or any weigh ins, please feel free to.
So, lately I’ve noticed the more mental stimulation I give Lincoln, the more he mutilates his feathers and screams. When I was busy and couldn’t spend as much time with him as I would like, his feathers grew back and stayed around longer. Now that I’ve taught him a few new foragers and am regularly doing training sessions with him, he mutilates and screams constantly no matter how many “distractions” I give him. He seems to enjoy the mental stimulation as when he gets “tired” of it he just sits back and grinds his beak. He actively engages and regularly offers behaviors instead of being asked. So I don’t think it’s stressing him and that’s what causing the plucking. Now, what I am stuck on is do I just, continue providing the mental stimulation and let him mutilate his feathers? or do I let the feathers grow and let him chill on his own terms? Now, when he mutilates his feathers is relatively minor as far as the behavior goes. He barbers them and over preens but he doesn’t actually pluck them out or mutilate the skin.
I also don’t really believe it is hormonal. He isn’t expressing any other hormonal behavior like trying to hump my hand, biting, and regurgitating which are all things that he does do when hormonal.
So, lately I’ve noticed the more mental stimulation I give Lincoln, the more he mutilates his feathers and screams. When I was busy and couldn’t spend as much time with him as I would like, his feathers grew back and stayed around longer. Now that I’ve taught him a few new foragers and am regularly doing training sessions with him, he mutilates and screams constantly no matter how many “distractions” I give him. He seems to enjoy the mental stimulation as when he gets “tired” of it he just sits back and grinds his beak. He actively engages and regularly offers behaviors instead of being asked. So I don’t think it’s stressing him and that’s what causing the plucking. Now, what I am stuck on is do I just, continue providing the mental stimulation and let him mutilate his feathers? or do I let the feathers grow and let him chill on his own terms? Now, when he mutilates his feathers is relatively minor as far as the behavior goes. He barbers them and over preens but he doesn’t actually pluck them out or mutilate the skin.
I also don’t really believe it is hormonal. He isn’t expressing any other hormonal behavior like trying to hump my hand, biting, and regurgitating which are all things that he does do when hormonal.