Parrot Care 101 - Feather Plucking 3 (Picking Barbering)

There's much to learn about owning a parrot. Think hard before buying or adopting. Please see your avian vet for regular check ups. Don't be nervous at the amount of info. It becomes second nature after a while. They are like children. They are your family! I'm not a professional, just a parrot owner who is always learning.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• parrot
• care
• bird
• health
• plucking
• picking
• barbering
• greenwing
• green
• wing
• macaw
• african
• grey
• Puppy
• Einstein
• Pluck
• No
• More

[multidoom]

We had the same case. All we had left was just one head, and no feather at all!!! Very sad! But now he is getting better, even can fly a bit. It took almost two years to try and get it growing back again!!! One thing I can say, it is definitely NOT seasonal!!!!! One thing you should check is, after the feather has been plucked, the left overs do not allow to grow for new feather, you may have to check and to get it out yourself, they may cause some infection.

Good Luck and do not worry!!!

[Parrotcare101]

After going on vacation & my mom saying she did not pluck and then returning home and Einstein plucked & barbered and squeeks for me and wants continual scratching, I think she has decided I am her mate. She is way too attached & mushy. I am convinced this is Einstein's situation. Instead of ignoring her (Never!), I will chat with her intelligently to see if that takes her mind of cuddling & any nesting behavior. We closed the sock drawer too where she was digging through -a nesting behavior.

[patryric]

It is a seasonal thing here, they start plucking when winter comes usually.

Hope my big guy will be ok this year.

It can be devastating but try to hide your feelings cause they are like sponge. Water bowls were put away from food bowl and I now use GSE in it to keep it clean. Do not despair and be patient.

Good luck.

[Parrotcare101]

I don't think it's seasonal with Einstein. Bird Talk mag has a great article in this month (or last month's) issue about molting and when they molt. I'll find out the details.

[patryric]

I have two Greys and one Macaw.

My female (10) had been breaking belly feathers since one. I got her a companion Macaw with no help. Four years ago I got a male Grey. We moved and she has stopped plucking finally but her belly will never grow back to normal. My young male was perfect until last december when it had a night fright and in the morning all feathers were gone from tail. Within few days all wing ones gone also. Terrible. He had bacterial infection in intestines and was treated.

[Parrotcare101]

Night fright?

Did the infection cause the plucking?

[LittoMoonLight]

can you put something on her neck so she could not pluck

[Parrotcare101]

So you did take him to the vet. That's good. Check out my message to you. Playing with wax-free bathroom dixie cups are great to play and get them foraging.

[LP9BiTcH]

My bird is now doing it sparingly...but he is doing it out of habit. My vet said he is healthy...

I am home 24/7 he isn't stressed he has toys....and foraging toys too.

I have noticed he likes to take the feather and bite it little by little because it makes a cracking noise. When It doesn't make that noise anymore he drops it.

It's a bit like having a baby..you can read, research, learn. each bird is so unique and has it's own personality. With in the same breed I mean.

[LP9BiTcH]

My bird is now doing it sparingly...but he is doing it out of habit. My vet said he is healthy...

I am home 24/7 he isn't stressed he has toys....and foraging toys too.

I have noticed he likes to take the feather and bite it little by little because it makes a cracking noise. When It doesn't make that noise anymore he drops it.

It's a bit like having a baby..you can read, research, learn. each bird is so unique and has it's own personality. With in the same breed I mean.