Can you help me help Eddie?... I took his happy hut away and his is anything but

[lemonypickett]

Hi guys, sorry I have been MIA and now I return to ask for advice right off the bat.

I know I told you guys about Eddie biting himself on his shoulders, plucking the feathers, and crying while doing this. He started this about two years ago, and saw a vet for it back then. He goes through phases of doing it more or less, so just as I start to think I need to bring him back, he slows doing it.

The last week he has been doing it more than ever. I was wondering if this could be a hormone thing. He lives with Jimmy (another male) and they both hump this happy hut ALL DAY LONG. They stop to take a nap once in a while or eat. Neither bird has played with a toy or shredded anything in 8 months. Jimmy demands that Eddie feed him (by regurgitation) constantly.

I am wondering if it is possible that the sex hormones or stress of this frustration is fueling what seems to be a psychological disorder.

I figure the vet will fit him with an e collar as he presents as a plucker (which he may be that I don't want to submit to admit) and then Jimmy may pick on him as his mobility may be compromised. I would then need a second cage. The budget isn't looking good for that and a vet trip for at least a month.

So, am I crazy to think that removing the hut will refocus them to play instead of hump?

I took it out yesterday, and Eddie (waaaaaaay more than Jimmy) is seemingly going through withdrawals.... he is chirping the loud, Mom! I need something bad! Chirp ALL DAY LONG. It is making me crazy.

I didn't give it back as I am trying this experiment. Has anyone heard about anything like this before?

Any insight would be appreciated more than you can imagine.

[kimberly1985]

Goodness! Poor Eddie! I wish I could help but I've never heard of the humping this extreme.

[shadnamber]

Well... I have read that happy huts cause more problems than they solve and should only be used for fledging babies. I think you did the right thing. There are lots of reasons why birds pluck but only one reason why they would hump, right?:rofl:
keep us posted on how things progress, hopefully for the better.

[michael]

...........The last week he has been doing it more than ever. I was wondering if this could be a hormone thing........ ........So, am I crazy to think that removing the hut will refocus them to play instead of hump?........ ........I didn't give it back as I am trying this experiment. Has anyone heard about anything like this before? .....

Hi Laura. .. Sorry to hear Eddie's continuing to abuse himself. .. Can you tell us what exactly he's doing to his feathers? .. Is he plucking them out, chewing them, chopping them off half way? How about his skin? ... Although feather abusive behavior is rarely the result of sexual frustration, hormones, including hyperthyroidism, can indeed cause a great amount of stress, the end result feather abuse. .. This, along with any nutritional deficiencies etc, should all have been ruled out by your vet. .. It is also possible Jimmy along with the happy hut is compounding the problem. .. Removing the happy hut, to me, is a very good start. .. Have you thought about replacing the happy hut with shreddables such as paper? .. How often does Eddie bathe?

[Jally]

Ohmygoodness, poor Eddie. I don't know what to tell you. Peanut went thru a similar stage maybe 2 years ago and I had to put away all of his happy toys. But, he didn't do so well. Although, I don't think I helped any in regards to redirecting his behavior. So, maybe if you did as Michael suggested and replaced the happy hut with lots of fun activities, keep him busy and his mind off of his missing happy hut I think he'll be OK. :)

[bbslovie]

Hi, when I had Peaches he did the same thing in reverse. He loved getting it on with his happy hut and I removed it. That's when he started plucking. I finally figured it out and gave him back his hut and the plucking stopped. Let us know how Eddie's doing.


Barb :)

[linda040899]

I think Barb's approach is probably the answer. Eddie is going to hump something and you just took away his preferred object. Like it or not, he will eventually replace what you removed, so giving it back might cause him to ease up on the feather picking.

[maya_exquisite]

Oh, I'm so sorry... poor Eddie! :(

Kano (RIP) used to hump his Happy Hut quite often, to the point where he'd create holes in the Hut from all the friction and he was bare around his vent and thighs. I couldn't provide him with a female so I just left the Happy Hut and continued to provide other things for him to do as well. Luckily the humping didn't affect his life dramatically.

Mika also has a Happy Hut but only uses it to nap/sleep. He's never humped a thing in his life, ever. Sometimes I wonder if he even knows how... who knows, maybe his hormonal overload violent heaving is because he can't hump something to relieve the hormones??

What all has the vet done to try and figure out the underlying cause of the plucking?

[marc]

Hi,
if you think it's a hormonal trouble then I'm wondering why you don't consider the possibility of satisfying really his necessity?
If you remove the happy hut then you have to provide something that it keeps busy his mind.
I deem that a good female can really solve his trouble(if the root cause is a hormonal trouble).

[lemonypickett]

Hi Gang,

I just came on here to see what is going on and discovered that the message of help I posted so long ago did post!! I was doing it from my cell phone, and it hadn't appeared to have been posted successfully...... so sorry for my delay in responding!

I am happy to report, the 5 days of screaming for the hut are over. He hasn't humped anything, and he and Jimmy now have no interest in humping my fleece blankets or thready boing toys in months.

His feather distruction (for the moment) has stopped entirely. My awesome and million dollar vet (Dr. Connie Orcutt) has now booked Tuesdays at a local vets office where they are much more affordable...... if/when this ever reappears, I will take him right in. It is my fear of the blood draw that has me not rushing in. I had him in for a check for this problem when it first started, and they couldn't find anything wrong. (no blood taken) - If it comes back, I may risk it to find out what is happening... last time he got a bad hematoma and we were worried it wouldn't stop bleeding. I have a video of that on youtube, I think it is Eddie lovebird blood draw for keywords.

So, thank you all for the kind words...... it seems to have worked itself out. He has even stopped feeding Jimmy! A much happier bird now. Although I feel bad he doesn't have a soft bed to sleep in and must stay awake enough to grip his perch, he is better off I think.

I will post some pics soon..... they miss you guys!! :happy::happy:

[Chickobee]

Hi Laura;

It's nice to see you pop in again.

I'm happy to hear that Eddie is doing so much better. He's such a special little guy.

It sounds like removing the hut solved the problem although he did protest LOUDLY about it at first. If you decide it would work better to have a girlfriend for him I have two of the most stunning, beautiful Australian cinnamon double violet hens who might just love an older man like Eddie! LOL

Quigley used to hump all the time until I put him with Ariel. Now they are both happy. Ariel wanted to be with him and would fly to his cage whenever she could get out of hers. They are so sweet together.

I love having our birds in pairs because they seem to be so much more content, and they get preened way better than I am able to do it too! :happy:

We have a little hen who had been shamelessly chasing after a young male during flock out playtimes last weekend. A couple days ago I rearranged birds and put them together. Dave was worried that they might fight because they hadn't had the usual get acquainted time caged side-by-side, but they sure didn't need it. Sometimes two birds just seem to immediately click, especially when they make up their own minds instead of me pairing them for genetic reasons. They are just so adorable perched together and flirting with each other.

[lemonypickett]

Oh Linda,

You are so sweet! I have often thought about making Eddie babies, but I am afraid to change the easy, peaceful existance I (usually) have.

I would then need to get Jimmy a girlfriend, and that makes more mess and cages! I have lived that dream in the past.... lol

I am still thinking I may take Edward to the vet, as he does bite and cry here and there. I took a pic of him when he was really plucking and biting for a while, and I wet his feathers so I could document the damage. I will try and figure out how to post a pic on here...... been so long I forget!