My bird is destroying its tail!

[RockyLucky]

Hello!
My Pearly Conure Lucky is constantly chewing on his tail. Whenever he is in his cage, if he isn't playing, eating or drinking he's chewing on his tail feathers. At first, i thought it was just a little accident he may have had when i wasn't looking but over time it has evolved into something very ugly!

He is currently on a Seed mix diet ( His breeder had him on, I'm looking into changing to zupreme)

His cages dimensions are: 17 lengths, 13 widths 28 height ( I know it is horribly small but he is still quite young and with my income, i cant really afford a much bigger cage at the moment)

He likes to play with a toy i have hanging from the top of his cage

He hates being inside his cage (He's is a really clingy bird)

The only reasons I can think of him doing this is his: Diet, Cage size, Boredom

I would really appreciate it if someone could help me out with this problem.
Thanks a lot!:01:

 

[texsize]

4 months old is very you to develop a problem like this.
So my first recommendation is have him checked out by an avian certified vet.
If everything checks out ok you could be right about boredom. Try to keep him distracted. Give him as much attention as you can. Play with him till he is to tired to be bored.

I don't understand your cage dimensions in the US we use inches and feet. I thought Canada was on the metric system millimeters.
So I can't judge how big 17 lengths is.

texsize

 

[RockyLucky]

4 months old is very you to develop a problem like this.
So my first recommendation is have him checked out by an avian certified vet.
If everything checks out ok you could be right about boredom. Try to keep him distracted. Give him as much attention as you can. Play with him till he is to tired to be bored.

I don't understand your cage dimensions in the US we use inches and feet. I thought Canada was on the metric system millimeters.
So I can't judge how big 17 lengths is.

texsize

No sorry that was my mistake
All my measurements were in inches so 17 inches in length 13 inches in width and 28 inches in height

 

[SailBoat]

Thanks for that information of the sizing.

Young Parrots can be very hard on tail feathers as they are commonly very active and the limitations of any cage will end-up messing-up their tails.

Take a very close look at the feathers. It is very possible your Parrot 'may' be dealing with the combination of messed-up feathers and new feathers coming in at the same time. This can result in more than normal attention to the Feathers.

The above is yet another possibility!

I fully agree with texsize regarding much of this is occur at a very young age and I agree that a CAV check is needed to assure that other underlying problems may not be at work.

 

[Flboy]

That cage really is tiny! I got my cage, 30x27x65 high(inches) height includes a stand, for $60! It was used/new and was sitting in a back room for 5 years. Never used! Deals are out there!

 

[SailBoat]

David, our time stamps are both 10:49!

 

[Flboy]

David, our time stamps are both 10:49!

A time paradox? Where is the DOCTOR when you need him?!?

 

[SailBoat]

David, our time stamps are both 10:49!

A time paradox? Where is the DOCTOR when you need him?!?

This is when that Smile Button would be prefect!!!

Yup, The DOCTOR!!!