She's still plucking

[usamma]

I just adopted a Sun yesterday, 6.5 years old, who has a plucking problem. I got her from a rescue group. She was surrendered just 2 days ago. The woman who turned her in provided a long vet record showing that she had consulted with the avian vet numerous times over the past few years to deal with this plucking. The bird has a clean bill of health, and the problem is probably due to the first year of the bird's life spent in a glass case at PetSmart. The bird had started plucking when the woman adopted her. Three years ago the woman adopted a second conure, which I also have now. The two are very bonded (both females). Their cage is crammed full of stimulating toys, and the birds were both reportedly held a lot. The reason for their surrender was the last child in the family left for college and the parents don't want to have the birds any longer.

I was told that the first bird had stopped plucking, however I have observed her plucking two feathers this morning. One was a pin feather on her otherwise bare chest. It was there yesterday, gone today. I saw her actually pull out two others. Her tail is full length but all chewed up to the point where half of it is gone. Just the shaft is left on a couple of them.

At this point my goal is to just love the bird the way she is, provide love and attention and give her the best life possible. Is there anything that I should do for this bird that hasn't been done already, or should I just give up and treat her as normally as possible?

[magdalena]

I swear, I wish there was a study done on how many glass encased birds from stores end up plucking. That just can't be good for them.

Sorry to hear your new addition is still at it. :(

[fqtt]

The only thing I can think to help is if you see them start to pick, try and direct their attention away to something they can shred instead (a piece of paper, a toy, etc.) I don't know how much of shredders Conures are, but I think if you can teach them to shred something other than their feathers, they will be much happier birds. Just make sure you aren't messing with them when they're trying to preen, be positive that they're plucking or biting first.

I have a cockatiel who has been a plucker since we got him (I don't know when he started, but when I adopted him the underside of his wings were bare and he was missing the flight feathers on his left wing), and it has taken him a long time (almost two years!) to start calming down about it. He still plucks, but as soon as I hear him starting I try to get his attention on one of his toys so he can mess with that instead. It's helping a lot more, and so is letting him out of the cage a lot. He LOVES being with people, and will ride around on my mom's shoulder almost all day some days. Other times he'll hang out with my sister, or he'll sit on the back of my chair while I'm at the computer and wait for a head scratch. I'm trying to break his habit, but it really is hard :( just keep persevering, whatever you do :)

[hollyhawkz]

There are little vests you can buy that are made to help pluckers, and something called no pluck. Maybe you could google them.

[Beardiedawg]

I adopted a bald senegal about five years ago. The first thing I can stress is to be patient. The bird has been through a lot of change in just a couple of days. She has probably learned that plucking is a soothing behavior when she is stressed. When I first got Sammy, she would pull a feather on the top of her wings (she only has feathers on the top of her wings, head and tail. the rest is completely bald.) when I would clip her wings or nails or something stressful like that. As time went by, she started to do it less and less. She no longer does it anymore. The hardest part was not to react when she would do it. I had to try and distract he before I expected her to do it so that I didn't reinforce the behavior.

[Tom Lawless]

Originally Posted by usamma

At this point my goal is to just love the bird the way she is, provide love and attention and give her the best life possible. Is there anything that I should do for this bird that hasn't been done already, or should I just give up and treat her as normally as possible?

It can be really hard to pinpoint the reason for plucking. Sometimes it is clear but others can be impossible to figure out. My Bing never lived in a glass pet store cage. He has a pretty good life and yet he has feather destruction issues that are behavioral and for the life of me, incomprehensible. I think the July 2009 Bird Talk magazine has some great essays written by people whose birds pluck. I recommend reading it if you can get a hold of it, not for answers but because you realize you are not alone and hear how others have made peace with this. It can be hard not to take it personal. Think of it like people who are compulsive finger nail chewers. It's just what they do. That's not to say it can't change. As your new bird settles into the pattern of life in her new home whatever issues that lead to her plucking may be resolved. This move has probably thrown life as she knew it into chaos so it's almost no surprise that she would return to plucking behaviors. Having said that my vet encouraged me to give Bing a shower every day, to get a good Avian full spectrum light on him for four to six hours a day, lots of toys he can shred, and try to move him toward foraging for food to keep his mind occupied in different ways. I have also been using pluck-no-more which is expensive. I will say he looks better than he did but he stills picks at his feathers and breaks some and although I hope it doesn't happen, I worry I will come home to a big pile of feathers again in the future. Having said that, I love that bird. He brings me so much happiness. Even knowing he would turn out to be a plucker, I wouldn't hesitate for a minute to take him. It is what it is.

It really sounds like you have a good handle on this. Good luck. I hope they both bring you lots of fun and that the rest of your flock thinks this is a good addition too.

[usamma]

Thanks so much for the ideas and thoughts! :) It's always good to come here and have people's input who have experience with things. The vet paperwork says her follicles are damaged and the feathers probably won't grow back on her chest, legs, and wings. :( However, I was just sad to see that lone pinfeather on her chest get plucked just as it was coming out.

I have seen those plucking vests at the bird diaper website. Great idea! I just think it's too late for her chest feathers except one here and there that still are able to grow.

I don't care so much about what she looks like. I am just sad that she feels she needs to do it. I am a nail-biter so I kinda understand. She's a sweet, gentle bird and I'm glad she's in our family. Hopefully as she gets settled in her plucking will slow down. I will try to distract her if I see her doing it. I am also going to put some willow branches with attached leaves for her to chew. The budgies seem to love it. I noticed she's a chewer of the wood things that are in the cage already.

Thanks again!

[usamma]

Originally Posted by Tom Lawless

It can be really hard to pinpoint the reason for plucking. Sometimes it is clear but others can be impossible to figure out. My Bing never lived in a glass pet store cage. He has a pretty good life and yet he has feather destruction issues that are behavioral and for the life of me, incomprehensible. I think the July 2009 Bird Talk magazine has some great essays written by people whose birds pluck. I recommend reading it if you can get a hold of it, not for answers but because you realize you are not alone and hear how others have made peace with this. It can be hard not to take it personal. Think of it like people who are compulsive finger nail chewers. It's just what they do. That's not to say it can't change. As your new bird settles into the pattern of life in her new home whatever issues that lead to her plucking may be resolved. This move has probably thrown life as she knew it into chaos so it's almost no surprise that she would return to plucking behaviors. Having said that my vet encouraged me to give Bing a shower every day, to get a good Avian full spectrum light on him for four to six hours a day, lots of toys he can shred, and try to move him toward foraging for food to keep his mind occupied in different ways. I have also been using pluck-no-more which is expensive. I will say he looks better than he did but he stills picks at his feathers and breaks some and although I hope it doesn't happen, I worry I will come home to a big pile of feathers again in the future. Having said that, I love that bird. He brings me so much happiness. Even knowing he would turn out to be a plucker, I wouldn't hesitate for a minute to take him. It is what it is.

It really sounds like you have a good handle on this. Good luck. I hope they both bring you lots of fun and that the rest of your flock thinks this is a good addition too.

Thanks for sharing your story. I will try to find a copy of that mag. I'm sure they have back issues, or maybe my library would have it.

[Tom Lawless]

Originally Posted by usamma

I don't care so much about what she looks like. I am just sad that she feels she needs to do it.
Thanks again!

That was and sometimes is my sadness too. There is a side of me that often felt and maybe still feels that somehow or someway I am not meeting Bing's needs or he wouldn't be doing this. I suppose on some level that might be true but honestly, he is one of the happiest and sweetest birds I know who often takes great pleasure in shredding his feathers. Go figure. One of the things I liked about the essays from other bird owners is they talk about how they move away from the mindset of guilt to one of peace and acceptance. For whatever reason your little girl has plucked and may pluck in the future, all signs point to the fact that she has a great home now and none of it is related to you. I like that you care so much because it means she will have a nice life with you. My avian vet told me that whoever comes up with a cure for this plucking will be a millionaire. I figure if it's got the experts stumped I'll just enjoy Bing with his varying degree of feathers and let someone else worry about a 'cure' as long as he seems to be happy in every other facet of his life.

[j_me7944]

I have a M2 and she has plucked for a long while. I just recently rehomed her and her previous owner went through a divorce and the m2 was left with the ex hubby. Well to make a long story short they also had a B&G Macaw. The M2 hated it. Plus the children of the new wife were really mean to her. So when my friend inherited her back from ex hubby she was totally bald except her head feathers. She even shredded her tail feathers down to the shaft as well. Since I have had her for 2 weeks almost.... she has not touched a feather on her body whatsoever. Her pink feathers are starting to come back in some areas. I have purchased Dow Rods for her to chew on and foraging snacks which seem to help. She has learned to play hide and seek and loves to snuggle. I think it just takes alot of one on one time to get their mind off of a Obssesive Compulsive habit. We can try everything in the world but don't beat yourself up over it because it may be nothing that you have done. Is she good with your other birds?