Molting...or plucker in the making?

[Dayna]

Originally Posted by leighrivera161

Id take my bird to the vet if something was obviously wrong. So dont try to make me look careless here guys! Ive done my research, I know what to look for and Im sure you all do to. I could write a book on plucking at this point!The key thing is, Vega already stated her other bird was stressed. Why run up vet bills when your bird is in a controlled environment. She has gone through a few crazy months. It doesnt help the stress level to put them through test. No bashing please!

I don't think that in any way shape or form was anyone bashing anyone. We have just been stating the importance of proper vet care.

We must all remember that when posting in this open public forum that new bird owners who know nothing about birds whatsoever read all these posts. What they would get from this posting had we not stated something about a vet was that if your bird is plucking you would not run it to a vet.

I try to answer questions based on a wide variety of people with a broad range of experiences who might be reading this and taking advice based on someone elses animal.

No bashing was stated or intended. I am sure that you are an experianced bird owner.

[Vega]

Hey leighrivera161 I'd honestly rather play it safe. Harvey started pulling his feathers while I was in treatment over the summer. It got worse before it started to improve. And it just recently started improving. The reason I don't think it's stress for Gypsy is because she got through all of those changes without a problem. Well, she did go through a screaming phase, but that's since passed. Things have been getting back to normal for the past couple months...this pulling thing just started.

Last week I noticed more feathers than normal, but figured it was due to molting. Last night is the first time I've seen her pull out a feather. With how she's looking now, I have no doubt it's from her pulling them--and she did it as I was holding her tonight.

I'm concerned she may have gotten into something. And I keep going over things in my head. I noticed her nibbling some of the dog food, gave her a piece of a pitzzel (sp?) the other night, there's a mirror I've seen her beaking--though it doesn't look like she chipped any paint off....so I have all these things that I'm now thinking "could that be it?"

I'll talk to the vet tomorrow. He's certified avian and the local aviary uses him. I was fortunate enough to work under him about 10 years ago before realising I didn't have the heart to be a vet tech...or too much hear...depends on how you look at it. On the down side he doesn't explain things very well. On the upside I know he knows what he's talking about.

[Captain Jack]

Originally Posted by Vega

Hey leighrivera161 I'd honestly rather play it safe. Harvey started pulling his feathers while I was in treatment over the summer. It got worse before it started to improve. And it just recently started improving. The reason I don't think it's stress for Gypsy is because she got through all of those changes without a problem. Well, she did go through a screaming phase, but that's since passed. Things have been getting back to normal for the past couple months...this pulling thing just started.

Last week I noticed more feathers than normal, but figured it was due to molting. Last night is the first time I've seen her pull out a feather. With how she's looking now, I have no doubt it's from her pulling them--and she did it as I was holding her tonight.

I'm concerned she may have gotten into something. And I keep going over things in my head. I noticed her nibbling some of the dog food, gave her a piece of a pitzzel (sp?) the other night, there's a mirror I've seen her beaking--though it doesn't look like she chipped any paint off....so I have all these things that I'm now thinking "could that be it?"

I'll talk to the vet tomorrow. He's certified avian and the local aviary uses him. I was fortunate enough to work under him about 10 years ago before realising I didn't have the heart to be a vet tech...or too much hear...depends on how you look at it. On the down side he doesn't explain things very well. On the upside I know he knows what he's talking about.

Great decision to go to the vet!!!

[Vega]

Welp, we have an appt for 10 am Friday. I figured it would be ok to wait for a semi-regular appt since she's still eating/drinking/pooping/acting pretty normally. The doc usually saves a few openings for emergencies. If it's scheduled a day or so later there's no emergency fee.

I threw in a couple "floor toys" (aka toys I can't hang) before leaving work this morning. I'm hoping this will give her something else to focus on. I know she likes beating the crap out of things that she can toss around.

I'll keep you all updated on any changes!

[The Outlaw]

Frankly, I have to agree with Leigh on this one. You have a fully mature Ekkie hen and she's no doubt hormonal as hell. She is pulling feathers because that's what broody Ekkie's do. They will often start a cycle of plucking and then even egg laying. They are hard wired to line those nests, either real or imaginary.

Your bird could, in fact, be looking at a nesting site that you aren't even aware of. So, she begins plucking. In the wild, she would have a mate and then they would start producing babies. Since the second phase cannot happen, she is caught in a cycle that is difficult to stop.

There are a number of things you can try, however.

1. Reduce her hours of light exposure. Cut it by 2 hours.
2. Remove anything she can shred
3. Reduce her seed intake. Don't leave a seed dish in her cage. Seed production in nature often triggers broodiness in female parrots of all species.
4. Move her cage to a new location. This will take away her visual cue.
5. Don't pet or stroke her under the wings or down the back. In fact, you may want to keep your hands off of her. Let her sit with you or on you.
6. She will be very cage protective. Try to have her out of cage as much as you can and on playstands. However, if you don't have her clipped, she may surprise you with an unexpected hole in the wall as she excavates a new nest.
7. I used Avicalm to interupt the cycle and a vest. I can work, but you have to be vigilant.
8. Give her a soaking shower DAILY.

Good luck.

[leighrivera161]

Thanks for your support Nancy. My main interest on this board is the birds. I really enjoy the fellowship and shared knowledge, but the birds are my heart! With that in mind and my endless hours of research based on my plucking rescue, I came across a few common things. 1 is, since the bird cant really tell you whats happening, a good and concerned owner will go to the vet. Theres not a thing wrong with that especially if you feel your baby may have ingested something, or been exposed. The truth is, the vet is expensive and often an unnecessary trip of worry and frustration for both bird and owner. However humans do this with new born's, running to the E.R when its just a belly ache. The key is, knowing your bird and its environment. If your cage is clean and you dont leave food out too long, its most likely not bacterial. If he hasnt been exposed to another questionable bird, he hasnt caught something. If your bird is tested when he's a baby for the basics, he is most likely not ill. Things that can pop up are maybe, an infected Uropygial gland (not too common in ekkies) at the tail base which causes extreme plucking starting at the tail. Hormones and stress are the biggies. Once a bird plucks it can become similar to a heroin addiction. Each pluck releases adrenalin and the bird becomes addicted to the rush. So in conclusion I say, if you feel you would put your heart at ease by going to the vet, then you have my support! Either way, I pray your baby will be just fine! Thanks for listening!!

[Vega]

Hey Outlaw, thank you for the suggestions...would you mind if I asked a few questions though? No other way to learn things unless one asks! I'm also open to suggestions. I know being in the situation can blur things that a 3rd party may see.

1. Reduce her hours of light exposure. Cut it by 2 hours. I thought that it was the opposite way around, that one should increase the light hours? (wouldn't be the first time I was wrong though lol) Right now she's pretty much at 12 light/12 dark. I'm trying to think of how I can adjust this and still give her "out of cage time". I uncover them before leaving for work about 8:30-9 am, then put her to bed around 9 pm. By the time I get home from work this gives her appx 3 hours out of cage time a day.


2. Remove anything she can shred. Again, I thought it was the opposite way around. To put in shredding toys to help prevent her from mutulating herself? What type of toys should I use instead?

3. Reduce her seed intake. Don't leave a seed dish in her cage. Seed production in nature often triggers broodiness in female parrots of all species. She only gets seed as a treat so that's not hard to stop. Any other treat suggestions though?


4. Move her cage to a new location. This will take away her visual cue. Can't really do that. They are in a bedroom and the only place I can move her is to the wall Harvey is on...and I'm trying to give him some stability to stop HIS feather pulling

5. Don't pet or stroke her under the wings or down the back. In fact, you may want to keep your hands off of her. Let her sit with you or on you. BINGO! I think we just found a trigger! I noticed lately she's been letting me pet her much more. Since she's not usually this loving I've been enjoying this turn in her personality. DOH!

6. She will be very cage protective. Try to have her out of cage as much as you can and on playstands. However, if you don't have her clipped, she may surprise you with an unexpected hole in the wall as she excavates a new nest. So far she's been good about that. She goes off and climbs around the outside of her cage while I'm cleaning it. Although the shoe-rack thing seems to be another story. She charges the dogs if they walk by, but she'll step up just fine for me.

7. I used Avicalm to interupt the cycle and a vest. I can work, but you have to be vigilant. I've heard of this, can't recall what it is at the moment though.

8. Give her a soaking shower DAILY. Would a soaking spray work? I don't like showering them before putting them to bed, and it's a bit chilly on the first floor to do it when I first get them out after work.

[Vega]

Oh, and I wanted to ask about what she does with the feathers afterwards. I always assumed that, if pulling to build a nest, she would "save" the feathers and start building somewhere. But she either lets them just fall or shreds them to pieces. Does it really matter what she does with them though?

[Mike B]

Originally Posted by Dayna

When a bird is plucking the very first thing you do is go to the vet. You need to rule out a variety of things:

Heavy metal poisoning
Vitamen deficency
Vitamen overdose
Infection
Hormonal imbalance
etc

Vega thank you for taking her to the vet. It is best if medical cause is ruled out. A vet can do so much more than take an x-ray. Plus most avian vets can offer really great behavioral advice.

Great advice Dayna.

Mike

[The Outlaw]

OK. You remove shredding toys because they can inadvertently become nesting materials. We think it will occupy their little beaks, but they are thinking, what a nice mattress!

Soak her in the morning. It gives her something constructive to do with her feathers as she removes the excess water. Don't even towel her. Let her drip dry.

Switch both cages. Let them both get a new view.

Cover her cage to reduce the light.