Excessive Preening

[Tallyollyopia]

Note: I do not know if I'm handling this correctly, just that it's working.

I have two peach faced lovebirds, Gully and Fern (yes, they're named after the movie), and about a week ago I noticed that Gully's chest feathers were looking a little ragged. I didn't think it was a big deal (the house has been warmer than normal due to the changes in the weather), so I ignored it. (Gully has always been an enthusiastic bather.) A couple of days later a bald patch appeared. I took them to the vet. It is not caused by mites, fungus, or that other thing the vet said might be causing it. He then suggested that perhaps it's caused by stress, and wanted to put a collar on both birds (even though only one of them was over preening) in order to stop this from happening.

I did not like this idea. I'll be the first to admit that I don't know all that much about lovebirds and that all of what I do know I learned in the past year (beginning with the day they were practically dropped on my doorstep), but it seems to me that a collar that keeps the birds from, well, preening, is asking for a build-up of oils, whatever that fluff is called that gets caught between feathers (on all breeds of birds; I have had birds before), and that just strikes me as just as unhealthy as the bald spot.

What I did was this: I started bringing the birds out of my room and into the main areas of the home (I originally kept them in my room to protect them from the cat), and every time I noticed Gully beginning to preen the bald spot or around the bald spot I thwacked the top of the cage. It's been three days and he's stopped his zealous over preening (he's still preening normally), but I have no idea what caused it to begin in the first place. (My roommates got the cat in October.)

Did I handle this right? How do I keep it from happening again? What caused it in the first place?

[linda040899]

Instead of thwacking the top of the cage, perhaps using a spray bottle filled with water would get the same message across and get the feathering wet as a side bonus. Either is effective but the water could be beneficial.

I, personally, do not like Elizabethan Collars for parrots. The only time it might be even a little bit effective is if the bird is self-mutilating and causing injury to the flesh. Cockatoos are known for doing this and it's because they are strong flock animals in the wild and need almost constant attention when kept as companions. Perhaps letting Gully and Fern forage more for food would keep them busy and over preening would be less of an issue. :)

[Tallyollyopia]

I wanted to let you know that I tried the misting bottle, to try and restore normal preening habits like you suggested, but I caught my roommates using the bottle as a punishment tool when the birds got loud. >: I did some online research, and re-read all of my previous forums, and I hit upon the idea of playing jungle bird noises (video on Youtube) and that seems to be helping. (I also made them some foraging toys, which also seems to be helping.) Here's hoping that the the feathers grow back and are allowed to stay in!

[linda040899]

Lovely roommates, really lovely! Parrots don't understand the concept of punishment so it's best you stopped doing the misting. Hey, whatever it takes to help the behavior. Sometimes we have to get a bit creative, which it sounds like you are. Let us know how this is working! You may have come upon a really good idea that others could use, as well!

[Maxie]

I wonder if your roommates would like the idea of being sprayed with a giant spray bottle whenever they get noisy!

I said this once before...you need to find new roommates. :whistle: Or maybe get a Doberman to protect the birds from your roommates and their cat!

[michael]

I wanted to let you know that I tried the misting bottle, to try and restore normal preening habits like you suggested, but I caught my roommates using the bottle as a punishment tool when the birds got loud. >: I did some online research, and re-read all of my previous forums, and I hit upon the idea of playing jungle bird noises (video on Youtube) and that seems to be helping. (I also made them some foraging toys, which also seems to be helping.) Here's hoping that the the feathers grow back and are allowed to stay in!

How unfortunate your room mates chose to turn the WB into a punishment tool. Its one thing if its needed to intervene if a parrot continually attacks your person or, to break up a serious squabble between two or more parrots, but if for any other reasons besides that or to help encourage preening and promote good feather health, then I think a parrot can easily view a water bottle as something frightening or intrusive. .. Hopefully in the future you may find a way to ease your feathered friends back into misting, or at the least retain Gully's interest in water in par with having previously been misted. .. Sadly, feather abuse among lovebirds is really quite common, the reasons of which can be anything from poor diet, environment (ETA; stress from), disease, heavy metal, or a combination thereof. As for Ecollar's... I'm with Linda in that the only time they should be applied, is if a parrot is mutilating itself to the point where it becomes life threatening. .. Having been there done that, I wish you the best of luck. ......:)

[Tallyollyopia]

All right; they've got foraging toys, and Fern is still perfectly fine. Gully is still overpreening (and losing) his chest feathers, and it's getting worse. Does anyone have any other ideas on what I can do?

[carrier]

One of my two boys, Wrigley, is a plucker. Just one spot on his left wing. Completely bald. A bit under the wing too, but the majority of his attention has gone to the top of it.


I have been to many doctors. Tests showed nothing medical. When he first did start plucking we did try an e-collar. He hated it, but the feathers started growing back. Fenway, his mate, could tell how unhappy he was and tried to chew through it to free him!


Regardless, after the e-collar was removed, the plucking started again.


Long story short, we have concluded that it is most likely hormones, as prior to my adopting him he had a female mate and fathered a few babies. That female died, and he could not be caged with his daughter. I'm thinking because he's experienced fatherhood that could be triggering the problem for him.


Since his plucking doesn't interfere with his general health, I had to let it go and accept him as a plucker. I'm sad he's stressed, and would do anything I could to make him stop, but there's really not much I can do but try and stimulate foraging, limit daylight, etc..


I also sometimes wonder if his breeding (he is yellow, not "normal" green) may have something to do with it, as he has also had a few emergency trips to the vet for various infections/illnesses, and he is REALLY little in size compared to Fenway. Fenway has never been ill.


Sorry for the long post but I know what you're going through.


Good luck!