To pluck or not to pluck

[Sue13]

We are contemplating adopting a second CAG. I am talking to a woman who has a female CAG that has recently started to pluck her feathers.

Since our Fred has very beautiful feathers (despite his neurotic personality), I am concerned that he could learn to self-mutilate if we adopt a CAG who has that problem.

Does anyone have any experience with this? Do you think that I should be concerned introducing a CAG who plucks?

[Tullysmom]

Hmmm...You know, I've never heard of that being a problem but just because I haven't that doesn't make it so. Does the owner have any idea why her CAG has started plucking?

I do have a plucker myself, a TAG and he's right next to my IRN, and Willie has never plucked. And actually Tully has all but stopped plucking. He's actually letting his feathers grow back. He still has his moments though. So I don't really think that one crazy bird will make the whole flock crazy. So to speak.

I wouldn't think that it would create a problem with your CAG. You will have them separated for the first 30 or so days anyway, so who knows, with a little love and attention and a great diet maybe that female CAG will stop plucking before she even meets Fred. So I say go for it!!

[Monica]

I think you are just making things up in your head, worrying too much.... Many people think that adding an untame bird will make their tame bird wild... mostly it depends on the birds, however it normally is the opposite that occurs.... ending up with TWO tame birds rather than two wild birds... Now, I'm not saying that by bringing in the plucked CAG that she'll stop, but given the right care she might.

What I AM saying though, is that adding a plucking CAG to your home SHOULD NOT make your current one pluck... I have 1 cherry headed conure who is somewhat of a plucker/mutilator, and her best buddy is a cockatiel... I once saw a bare spot on my tiel, and I did freak out... but I haven't seen it since, so I'm not entirely sure whats up there....

I do have another cockatiel that mutilates her left wing (giving her a self one sided clip.... dangerous but it can't be fixed since it's now looking like she destroyed the feather follicles), and she used to mutilate her mates head (overpreening). I don't know how long ago she did, but her mates head, although bare in a few spots, is perfectly fine now. She also lives with two of her offspring, and neither one pluck. Although her mate is plucked, I haven't seen any signs of him plucking or mutilating himself or his family.

[Sue13]

Thank you for your thoughts. I guess I will not worry too much about whether the new bird I will be adopting has a bit of a plucking problem.

[crackerbird]

I have two CAG's with which one is a plucker. We adopted the second one in hopes of helping the first. It worked for awhile but Rocky is back to plucking. It does not effect Crackers the second one at all. They have to different personalities and I am convinced that Rocky enjoyed having a new companion for awhile but now Crackers drives him nuts. Rocky is 2 1/2 years old. Wasn't much into talking. Crackers is 4 and a big talker. We adopted him last September and Rocky soon learned to talk more and stopped plucking.
A couple of months later Rocky started plucking again. They both get a long fine but Crackers constantly is talking or making sometype of noise and even blames Rocky for it.
I have also read that it is not a habit they pick up from observing another.

[janejacinto]

Why is this bird plucking, that is what you need to know, is it a health issue? When has this bird been to the vets, what tests did they run, how old is this bird and when did it start to pluck? Why are the wanting to let it go?

No one bird can pluck and another will not, but if it is a health issue it could bring this health issue right into your home and you could end up with two pluckers and huge vet bills.
Jane