Feather Plucking

[joshbirdlover]

Hello I am thinking about getting 2 electus and they have 1 male and 1 female and the female is a feather plucker is there anything that I can do to get her to stop is that something I shouldn't buy because she plucks?

[Monica]

First and foremost, an avian vet visit, which should cost about $300 per bird, to ensure they are healthy. Second, a healthy diet. If you feed pellets, go with TOP's, Foundation Formula Original, Harrison's, or Roudybush. Please bare in mind though that it is generally not recommended to feed eclectus pellets because most do not do well with pellets in the diet.

With that in mind, they need a diet high in fresh foods. This means they need a variety of fresh foods fed to them daily.... about 15% legumes, 30% grains, 45% veggies, and 10% fruits. You can spend about $20-$30 (at least) to get enough foods to make a big mash that you could feed them. Add in the occasional cooked eggs, plenty of sprouted seeds, and a good dry blend. Some blends to check out are below (although they are on the expensive side). Besides all that, I've heard eclectus do well with nectar added to the diet... so if you include this in the diet, get lory nectar, mix some together with water and provide in a water bottle.


Goldenfeast Home
Bird-Elicious! (not sure if they are still producing - you'll have to contact them)
Noah's Kingdom - Bird Food, Dog Food, Cat Food
BIRD PARADISE BLENDS by Bird Paradise
Birdgrains
Avian Naturals and All Bird Toys nutritious healthy organic natural parrot food parrot supply treats gifts parts

Of course, if these two do not come with a large cage your going to need to look for one... which would cost $300-$600. I'd recommend a cage that is 40x30x65 at least. And of course you'll need the perches and toys to put into the cage, which could easily be another $100-$300.


If you can afford them and their specialty diet, then go for it! If not, I'd recommend holding off...

[joshbirdlover]

ok but what about her feather plucking is that a problem?

[Monica]

It is only if you see it as one! I've got two who mutilate! One who still mutilates on and off, the other who now rarely mutilate. Worse than plucking, since they 'cause themselves to bleed.

A lot of members here have birds that barber, pluck, or mutilate, and they still love their birds, regardless of that!

[SallyQZ]

I agree with Monica - a vet's visit will rule out any physical causes for plucking. Organic foods & fresh foods will help correct any processed food or dye allergies that might be causing the bird to pluck. Some birds pluck due to stress.

And keep in mind that even if you do get one that is NOT a plucker, it can start plucking at any time for a multitude of reasons. I have had my African Grey since he was a half bald, pin-feathered chick. The first year that we had him, he pulled out all his red tail feathers - we think it was because my husband was home constantly for two weeks over Christmas & it disturbed the "normal" routine. After my husband went back to his regular work schedule, Tonka stopped plucking and didn't touch a feather for almost ten years.

Now, approx two months ago, he started plucking his chest, legs, and under his wings. I can't think of any traumatic incidents/changes that may have started it and he's in good health. I started using a supplement called "Pluck No More" and it seems to be working. At least the feathers on his legs have all grown back and his chest is 75% grown back.

I would never pass up a bird simply because it plucks. In fact, I usually want to take home every plucked bird I see .... mothering instinct or something!

[joshbirdlover]

ok that is what I was feeling but I was just worried about that maybe being a problem with my other birds like it was a disease or something I am still thinking about it the problem for me is cost lol!

[PyscoFalcon]

If the male and female are kept together then it might be simple that it's the male plucking her ;)

[shosh]

It depends where the plucking is located....sometimes the partner will pluck but that is most evident on the top of the bird's head. If it is under the wing or chest, you pretty well know it is self-caused.
I rescued a self-mutilator and she is now MUCH better...even to the point of starting to allow her feathers to grow back in. I think how they respond to "treatment" for lack of a better word, depends greatly on what caused the initial plucking to begin. I tried 5 bottles of Pluck No More and it was a heck of a lot of money down the drain....It supposedly has about a 50% success rate but I think a lot of that depends on the initial "trauma", so to speak. If it was an occurance, like something freaked the bird out and it started plucking, I think the stuff can work just fine. But if it was a long, environmental issue such as small cage, no toys, stress, no attention, I think the pluck no more doesn't work and the best approach is big cage, toys, environmental changes ( of a positive nature), great food, veggies high in vit a and calcium and, I have found that full spectrum lighting has also made a good deal of difference.
I took Lucy into the vet after I rescued her but one look at her pattern of plucking and he ruled out physical issues, especially considering the cage she was in and that she was abandoned. He gave me Flammazine for her wounds and we went from there.....A lot of trial and error....and a lot of frustration. Plucking issues do not resolve overnight....if at all, depending on the bird. but, even though lucy isn't as pretty as she could be, she is the sweetest little bird.
Don't you have new lovebirds, josh??? Careful....it's easy to get carried away and suddenly start taking in EVERYTHING and before you know it you are buried in birds, cages and expense.
By the way, just because the vet didn't believe that physical tests were necessary in Lucy's case, doesn't mean I don't think they should be done....and you certainly need to isolate the birds from your others....We just wanted to go the psychological route as opposed to the physical ( especially since most plucking issues are psychological)....

[Astrid660]

Well, they shouldn't be put right with your new birds when they get home anyway. Quarantine?

It might be a medical cause, the mate might be plucking her, or she might have some kind of stress that is causing her to pluck. A vet would be able to better tell, not us, who have never met this bird.

Good luck. How many birds do you have now? You seem to be obtaining quite a few in a short period of time.

[Monica]

Parrots plucking is similar to humans cutting themselves.... although I wouldn't necessarily say that in humans its due to diet, however diet still plays a large role in how we act.

School Diet Change Brings Improved Behavior, Healthier, More Focused Students

However, in both, they can cause self-harm due to boredom, and through this self-harm they can achieve a sort of 'high.' If they do it often enough they no longer feel the pain (or it doesn't bother them as much) so each time they injure themselves they get a high from all the endorphins released. Therefore, many say that once a bird starts plucking, it may be difficult to get them to stop.

Regardless of that, plucking can be caused by illness, a bad diet, medicines, allergies, boredom, stress, frustration, and who knows what else. It is not in itself a disease, but the reaction to something else. Putting a collar on the bird wont solve the issue, only deter it.

A simple cause and effect is below...

Cause: Boredom (no toys or enrichment)
Effect: Plucking (what else is he supposed to do?)
Deterrent: Collar (stops the bird, but they are still bored - thus does not solve the problem)
Solution: Enrichment (toys, enrichment activities, etc)