2 scarlet macaw babies plucking each others head feathers, please help

[lordburrito]

Hello
I have a little problem here... I have 2 scarlet macaw babies... they are approx. 5 months old... they are sweet and healty, but .. they are plucking each others head feathers ... both of them... they are doing it since they were "hatched"... they like each other a lot.. they preen together, eat together, sleep together... the breeder said that they Will stop doing it .. I hope that he is right.. but I am consered as an owner, so I am asking you people .. does anyone have any experience on this "problem" .. I would really like to keep them together, but if this is a serious problem.. then I Will have to separate them ... by the way.. I am not a noob ... I also have a blue front amazon for 6 years now ... Please give me some opinions... I really can't find anything useful on the internet about this problem ...

Thank you

 

[Captsteve]

There are some things in Bird Psych that we without feathers are not meant to understand.

I would separate them for a while at least before the follicles get damaged if it has not happened already. Once the feathers all come back try them together again, maybe they will have lost interest in over preening by then.

 

[JerseyWendy]

I completely agree with CaptSteve! Additionally I'd provide them both with a HUGE variety of different toys and activities, in an attempt to diverge their attention to something other than pulling each others 'hair' out.

 

[lordburrito]

They have it all .. they also have a huge double cage.. sized 2meters x 1meter x 2meters ... but ... i can seperate the cage on 2 separate spaces ... And I Will probably do it... but my hearth is breaking ... they really care for each other ... Is it possible that this is happening because they are so Young and still dont have the control of their beaks ... as they are 5 months old ... and then when they preen ... they pull each oders hair ....

 

[Flboy]

OCD at any age!

 

[lordburrito]

OCD at any age!

Sorry ... I dont understand your anwer ... what does it mean ?

 

[Flboy]

OCD at any age!

Sorry, thought of that when I noticed your hometown!
OCD = obsessive compulsive disorder.

 

[Birdman666]

I agree. You have to separate them.

They can still have supervised out time together. But you don't want them damaging their head feather follicles at this age...

Scarelet's are beaky birds. They haven't learned to control their impulses.
This will most likely improve as their mental faculties improve. But for right now I'd separate them.

Give them lap time together when they get out time, and physically prevent them from overpreening each other... and while you're at it, it's a good time to start bite pressure training anyway...

 

[lordburrito]

Thank you all ...

I Will do it ... so ... one more question .. what about the night time ? they sleep together ...I dont think they Will pluck each other during the night time .. ? or so ...

ALSO -- Birdman ... they are so sweet and gentle ... I know that scarlets are known for beeing beaky... but ... these two are really sweethearts for now ... the male Johnny is a bit beaky from time to time .. while the female Chilli ... you can eat her alive at any moment haha ... by the way ... I was really suprised how Chilli and Johnny influenced on my blue front amazon ... Since I got them ..my amazon is soooo nice to everyone Since I got the macaws ... My amazon tolerates anyone in the house

 

[Birdman666]

They learn from each other.

If a zon who is reluctant to be handled, sees a macaw sucking it up, and getting all the attention... Jealousy sometimes is your friend.

That looks like fun, and I want some of that too...

They get more active with baby birds in the house as well. Doesn't matter the kind of baby bird... the activity level goes way up, so the interaction factor goes up with it.

The really beaky stuff usually comes later. I want to say 6 months-ish... if you work with them NOW before that really sets in, it's significantly less problematic.

Rachel had a Scarlet that was as mushy as they come... total lap bird.

 

[lordburrito]

Totaly agree .... they are doing fine so far... but also.. I was and still am beeing very attentive, that nothing changes for my zon ... we got the Scarlets.. they are sweet... but still .. my zon gets all the attention she had before.. all the rutine is the same, but the time we spend together now as a family is different now... far more affective... I can let my zon out of the cage now even when complete stranger arrives in our home .. and she doesnt eat that stranger alive

 

[Captsteve]

As for your question for sleeping together, I would put the cage divider in and put perches in such a way that they can still get close with the bars between them. See how this works. if they still over preen you may have to put plexiglass in between them.

Best of luck! I can tell they have a great home!