Plucking?

[TikiTheConure]

I am sure this is plucking? How do I stop him from doing this? I only have one bird as of yet, Tiki the green cheek conure. I got him about 2 months ago now and he is super attatched to me, I mean extrememly attatched. Any moment he is not with me, he is screamining. It's only momentarily because I work from home. I have him with me all the time or at least in the same room on one of his stands. The plucking started a few days ago and the only things that have changed recently is he seems itchy and dusty. And another thing was, even though I was home I couldn't hang out with him for a few days because I had the flu pretty bad and was bed ridden. I hope the plucking won't conintue. It's either from him being stressed from not being around me for a few days or from this sudden dry skin. I assume it's dry skin because he seems itchy and he was molting before that. Any advice and answers would be appreciated, thank you!

 

[Cottonoid]

Welcome to the forums! He sure is a cutie!!

Does he take baths on his own, or let you mist him? That can help dry skin quite a bit (I've heard....my little man refuses all efforts so far!)

 

[TikiTheConure]

Hi Cottonoid. He has a bath a few times a week, he willingly takes baths. He prefers to take them in the kitchen sink over his water bowl. Should I be letting him bath daily instead of every couple of days?

 

[Cottonoid]

I should have known So far all the conures I've met in person love baths

I actually don't know how often is best! I feel like weekly is a minimum based on what I've read but hopefully other conure owners will have better ideas.

Is he still plucking or paying lots of attention to that area now that you're feeling better and his routine is more normal again?

 

[TikiTheConure]

I should have known So far all the conures I've met in person love baths

I actually don't know how often is best! I feel like weekly is a minimum based on what I've read but hopefully other conure owners will have better ideas.

Is he still plucking or paying lots of attention to that area now that you're feeling better and his routine is more n

I should have known So far all the conures I've met in person love baths

I actually don't know how often is best! I feel like weekly is a minimum based on what I've read but hopefully other conure owners will have better ideas.

Is he still plucking or paying lots of attention to that area now that you're feeling better and his routine is more normal again?

I don't see him plucking when he's infront of me but he is excessively preening his chest. Could it be from the weather change maybe? I was thinking of getting a heating system for his cage at night.

 

[Cottonoid]

Sometimes plucking one area can be a sign of illness, like a crop infection :/ Does he have a vet? It might not hurt to have him seen just in case. Otherwise from what I've read since having my bird who is a chronic feather mutilator, the big things to focus on are the environment/routine/enrichment, diet, and general health care. I just saw your diet thread but haven't replied yet - that's a well rounded nutritionally complete mix of things he eats. Having opportunities to bathe, which he does and I bet is super cute afterward! Making sure he has different types of toys to keep him thinking and learning. Making sure he gets enough sleep at night. The "typical" healthy bird type of stuff, really, lol

For heat supplementing - are you in the US? I have a Sweeter Heater infrared heating panel that I hang on the side of my parrot's cage. There's also the K&H snuggle up heater - a lot of members here use this one and it sounds great!

Sweeter Heater

Snuggle Up Bird Warmer

 

[HeatherG]

I would wonder if your conure is upset because you were sleeping and “ignoring” him. In that case lots of baths and showers should help keep him busy but also reassuring him that you have not disappeared nor are you two-timing him with a chicken hidden in your bedroom closet.

If he is housed in the living room, next time you are really sick maybe you could nap on the sofa? I think it’s good for birds trust to see their humans sleeping.