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Conference 7.286::pet_birds

Title:	Captive Breeding for Conservation--and FUN!
Notice:	INTROS 6.X / FOR SALE 13.X / Buying a Bird 900.*
Moderator:	VIDEO::PULSIFER

Created:	Mon Oct 10 1988
Last Modified:	Tue Jun 03 1997
Last Successful Update:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:	942
Total number of notes:	6016

253.0. "Naked Grey Needs HELP!!!!" by EGYPT::BELLIVEAU () Tue Sep 12 1989 00:33

    I've done a show keyword/full for plucking, picking, and feathers and
    came up empty.  We have an African Grey who plucks his leg and chest
    feathers.  My roomate adopted him 6 years ago because his owner didn't
    like his looks (naked!!!) plus she didn't get along with him.  It took
    my roomate Yvonne almost a year to bring him around, and it took Birdie
    about the same amount of time to get to like me.  Now he's a real
    cuddler.  He has plenty of toys, he plays (and squabbles occasionally)
    with his penmate Buddy, an Amazon, and has begun to eat vitamins, fresh
    fruits and vegetables, and apple-flavered pellets in addition to his
    mainstay seed mixture.  So now what??? Does he pluck feathers the way
    some people bite their fingernails?? Any ideas??!!

T.R	Title	User	Personal Name	Date	Lines
253.1	perhaps it's habit.	WARLRD::SIMPSON		`Tue Sep 12 1989 13:12`	29
	Hello... I have an African Grey (Jonathan). Jonathan does not pluck but has had a lot of feather trouble. His feathers all fell out on his legs, chest, wings and back. He looked like a big fluff ball. These problems seem to have been due to parasites and a low thyroid. Jonathan is a Grey I got from Quarantine about 2 years ago. I was told he was hand-fed but you would never know it. I have finally gotten him to like being petted but he still does not like to be picked up. At any rate, I asked about plucking when I took him to the second vet. The first one thought it was plucking and put a collar on him. This did not work. He chewed it off in a week. Anyway, the second vet said that he had seen Greys who plucked out of habit. They were in a stressful situation and started and even after taken out of that situation, they did not stop. Maybe this could be your bird's problem. Have you talked with the vet? Good luck! Laurie
253.2	Parasites	CSC32::K_WORKMAN	HSC/SHADOW Tech Leader 522-4990	`Tue Sep 12 1989 14:10`	2
	One of the major causes for feather plucking is parasites. Have a fecal done by your vet and ivermectin if necessary.
253.3	healthy but naked	EGYPT::BELLIVEAU		`Tue Sep 12 1989 18:38`	5
	RE:.1 and .2 I forgot to mention Birdie's been checked out by the vet (who by the way makes house calls!!). No bugs, in fact he's in excellent health. It seems as Laurie mentioned, once the habit begins, it's difficult to break. 8^( Thanx for the input.
253.4	reference	WMOIS::B_REINKE	if you are a dreamer, come in..	`Tue Sep 12 1989 20:01`	1
	Also see note 213 Cockatiel feather picking.
253.5	ready to breed	SVCRUS::KROLL		`Tue Sep 12 1989 20:50`	7
	I had a friend who had one that tried everything. finally sold it to a breeder and low & behold the plucking stoped and she went to nest that year and raized 3 clutches. every time he seperated them she would start again. never will know the long term results of this for they burned up in a fire.
253.6	sympathy...	GLASHR::MOEHLENPA_ED		`Fri Sep 15 1989 04:40`	6
	Mine (a female) was doing the same thing. Now she is happily a breeder bird at a breeding facility. She isn't plucking anymore, to my understanding. Ed