Plucking

[winglet]

Originally Posted by babypiggy

have u tried red palm oil?

Never heard of it babypiggy!! how would I use it? your advise would be greatfully received.
I will check out if I can get it in my part of the country as I have said previously I will try anything.I hope I dont have to rub it on charlie's skin as I think this will be a no no he will probaly bite the fingers of me

[babypiggy]

i doubt u can get it in your country unless u are in africa
hehehe!
u jsut mix it into their food
but i prefer to mix it into the fresh food, put it in their scrambled eggs, whatever u are making for them

it makes their overall look seem better, hence makign them look heathier

here is a link to where u can order it from
Virgin Palm Oil - Tropical Traditions

thats where i got mine
and one jar will last u a LONG LONG LONG time

btw the red palm nut is something that greys forage for in the wild hence the oils are extracted from this nut
tho do not be fooled some greys/birds may not like it or take to it right away

PPS - it stains whatever it touches

[winglet]

Thankyou for your reply babypiggy I will certainly give it a try. I have just been googling for it and found this site...Akamuti ® - 100% Natural Skincare - Virgin Red Palm Oil - Various Sizes

would you say this is the same thing?

[babypiggy]

IT SEEMS LIKE IT
but its safe for human consumption

btw where are u located?

[winglet]

YEP that's what I thought.I will order it and give it a go.When I get it I will pm you and maybe you can advise me on how much and how often to give it.

By the way I am from Wales in the UK

[babypiggy]

okie dokie

also organic aloe juice mixed with their misting water helps

i'm not sure if all the tests were done
so it's hard to say what is causing him to pluck

if there is nothing wrong medically then yer over the biggest part of your fear

but u can also try the aloe juice along with the red palm oil
i really hope it does help with his "bad" habit


i give the following to ajax to help him molt and relieve the itchyness as he's beening going through his first major molt since last oct

organic red palm oil
organic hemp oil (no it's not what u think it is...its not "mary jane")
and aloe juice

[Monica]

What is your greys diet? i.e. what do you feed him every day? Any way you could upload a picture of his cage setup? Did the vet do a full CBC? Did they do a fecal test?

Does your grey get direct sunlight (not through a window or screen) or full spectrum lighting? Does he have ways to forage? Is he flighted or clipped? Does he get daily exercise? (flapping or flying until winded, at least once a day if not more often?)

[winglet]

Originally Posted by Monica

What is your greys diet? i.e. what do you feed him every day? Any way you could upload a picture of his cage setup? Did the vet do a full CBC? Did they do a fecal test?

Does your grey get direct sunlight (not through a window or screen) or full spectrum lighting? Does he have ways to forage? Is he flighted or clipped? Does he get daily exercise? (flapping or flying until winded, at least once a day if not more often?)

Hi Monica,

sorry for the late reply I have been working nights so haven't been on here much.Charlie is fed with Harrisons High Potency Coarse Pellets...advised by my avian vet he also has fresh vegetables and a little fruit.I often make little toys for him to forage for his food which keep him busy I have toys that he can rip apart toys he can chew on, toys he swings from he really is a happy bird in every other aspect.I had his wings clipped so that he could spend more time out of his cage (the plucking started long before his wings were clipped)I take him out the garden when ever I can...weather permitting. He walks freely about the house,yes he does flap his wings.....I spray him often with Aloe Vera juice mixed with hot water just warm enough for him to tolerate...there is no way he would ever go into the shower but he does enjoy his spray and then tries to bathe in his water bowl I have introduced a shallow water bowl into the bottom of his cage but he wont entertain it at all.
I am off next week so I will try and upload some pictures of him I really am at my wits end with him I just want to see his feathers all velvety again

[Monica]

It's a good thing your going to try out red palm oil! You'll have to let us know how it goes! I take it that Charlie's liver and kidneys checked out fine? No parasites? No fungal or bacterial infections? Does he also get a healthy mix of grains, legumes, lentils, and sprouts?

Some other things to think about could be environmental things... sprays, cigarette smoke, air fresheners, appliances that contain PTFE, carpet cleaners, etc... something that could potentially get into the air, get onto Charlie's skin, and cause skin irritation.

[Lisa B]

hi..sorry I am late on this one.
mustard is not a good idea. it can ruin feathers.

Something that hasnt been mentioned yet, is that, we are finding out , that plucking issues can be hereditary. If your baby had parents that are high strung, chances are, it was passed down.

Dont beat yourself up. I know its heartbreaking.
Most important thing is to have medical issues ruled out.

The Grey Roost