Decisions to make about my plucking B&G

[greewing]

I purchased a Blue and Gold macaw(Sydney) who came to us fully-feathered and very friendly when he was age 2. I thought our then 9 yr. old Military macaw(Greenie)would benefit from a fellow companion. Within 4 months Sydney started picking at his feathers so much so that I sought vet intervention. That vet gave him a single shot of steroids which later had severe consequences such as an enlarged stomach (from eating too much and excessive thirst, diabetes-like condition). He literally used to sit on his food bowl and eat himself till there was nothing left. Of course this was during a stressful time, we had 2 hurricanes in a row we weathered here in Central Fl.,but they were powerful enough to scare the birds and us! (We are hurricane veterens to boot having survived 2 category 5 hurricanes in the Virgin Islands prior to our move here. These were not to that degree but there was alot of weather rattling around. This may have contributed to his stress during that time, it is believed by the vet. The new vet later put him into a collar and he stopped plucking of course but within 6 months, he started again. Two years later, that vet refused to give him another collar and told me I should give him away to an aviary; that obviously he was unhappy in our environment. Later, our boarding facility person pointed me to a breeder who mentioned another vet. I gave her a shot and she told me she could offer Sydney a therapy that would stop his plucking. After spending nearly $2000 on that therapy which was haldol injections which didn't work at all and in fact created wildly fluctuating mood swings at first which I had to endure for nearly a month at a time, in that the injections had to wear down a bit until the next dose which would be scheduled the following month. Eventually, after 6 months, Sydney was a different bird, still plycking, only now having the signs of Parkinson's disease (my brother has this), lots of foot shaking and drooling at certain times of the day and he was losing weight. The vet thought it might be metal poisoning so gave him tests and put him on medication which was very expensive and weeks later, she called me and told me there was no signs of metal toxicity! I had sent her a video of Sydney two weeks prior to let her know how concerned I was about his strange behaviour, the drooling, etc and she was totally freaked out by it. Her response was to immediately stop the medication. I decided at that point that I would not see her again for further "therapy" for my Sydney. Rather I went back to my other vet and pleaded with him to put a collar on him and he reiterated his stand...no collar, lose the bird, put in a breeding situation.
I asked another breeder friend I have in California about this and he thought that maybe I shouldn't give up a bird that I like so much and seems to have bonded with me but the vet seems to think that Sydney's bond with me is not natural; he's trying to tell me he wants to impress me by plucking out his feathers when he should be impressing a fully feathered female macaw! (which I am not, hah!)
So, my dilemma: Should I give up Sydney to a breeder, get another bird (I have been looking into adopting a baby scarlet macaw which I could raise from babyhood, preferably a male), or should I keep things the way they are and grin and bare the bareness of the Blue and Gold macaw as time unfolds!
He is mostly a very delightfully tempered bird who does appear to like me quite a bit after all.
I really would appreciate some advice from someone out there who might guide me through this decision-making process. I have 3 or 4 weeks to make up my mind!

[Rubyred]

I've been told by a few "bird experts" that plucking has been genetically linked and is hereditary and to not put pluckers back into the breeding pool. I have a macaw that plucks and it's so difficult to watch them bite off feathers and rip them out. I empathize with you.

[guest1717171]

i wouldnt get rid of your bird
especially if he otherwise appears happy

its definitely a hard thing to watch but i say if he is happy and healthy and you cant get him to stop plucking just to let him do what he's doing and be happy

i dont think he would be happier in another home...

[Tom Lawless]

I'm with the others. Trust your instincts. I'm all for deferring to the experts but it sounds like you've been paying a hefty price to no avail and little explanation.

I agree, I wouldn't put a plucked bird into the breeding pool.

As an African Grey owner I have had to mentally prepare myself for the possibility of plucking. I hope it doesn't happen but if Bing seems otherwise happy and healthy it will be what it is. I have heard some good things about products like Pluck No More and AviCalm. I think they are more natural, holistic type remedies. I'm sure you've already heard about them but I thought I'd throw it out there in case you hadn't.

[TikusMom]

Did any of these veterinarians run any testing for anything other than the one for metal toxicity, such as running a complete blood panel and also, probably most importantly, a fecal??? There are so many reasons a bird plucks...not just because the bird is unhappy!

I can't believe that your veterinarian actually told you to get rid of this bird! If his feather plucking is emotionally triggered (and not from a physical problem) then that could escalate the plucking...especially if he's that bonded to you. I think you need to dump this veterinarian, IMO.

Mattie Sue Athan has a really good book on parrot behavior and how to modify unwanted behavior while encouraging appropriate behavior. The title is "Guide To A Well Behaved Parrot." It's well worth reading! Just please don't give up on your guy! I will see if I can find more info to help you if you'd like.

Hang in there!

[SDavid]

Sorry to digress here a bit but I have to ask about this....

"I've been told by a few "bird experts" that plucking has been genetically linked and is hereditary "

Has anyone else heard anything about this. Or better yet verified it. "Has been linked" by whom and where?

[Lori~D]

Plucking is caused my many different stresses and even allergies to food and invironment. Perfectly feathered birds are even known to pluck sometimes in the wild and birds pluck in breeding situations all the time - Birds in the wild breeding do NOT pluck to impress the mate. It IS in fact very rare in the wild. Birds used to being pets will go into a breeding situation and begin to pluck because they cannot handle the situation. I Would NEVER recommend turning a handfed pet over to a breeder and Plucking is not always hereditary OR passed on. If any vet told you that I would RUN and not walk the other way. I personally would love him for who he is and try some natural methods and do more studiying first.

[SDavid]

Knowing how necessary good feather condition is to survival in the wild I find it hard to believe that a wild bird would pluck (it goes against their survival instinct). Nor have I ever heard of or seen such a thing. But, I don't know. I've never observed wild parrots other than on a documentary. The owner of the Oasis Sanctuary (I spoke with him at the last LIPS expo) told me that wild parrots don't pluck. He has observed parrots in the wild accompanied by a biologist.

"Perfectly feathered birds are even known to pluck sometimes in the wild "

If I may ask, where have you seen or read of this.

[Monica]

It would be nice if there were some sort of update on the B&G... I actually believe though in rehoming a bird if that bird is not happy in its current home... However, rehoming doesn't guarantee a happier bird! It would probably help to know the birds diet as well as what tests were done on the bird, plus a picture of the cage.... it does sound like circumstances are against this person, too....

David, the only instance I've heard of birds plucking in the wild is with a hyacinth macaw, which is said to have been found having a bacterial infection... health related and nothing else! And I don't believe in plucking *JUST* becuase of hormomes.... rather health or environmental factors...

[Beaks]

keep your bird and get a real vet.

you need a full GI and a CBC done. i would also file suit on the vet for all medical expenses paid after he gave your bird the wrong meds.