Boing Chewer. Okay?

[Caitnah]

My 2 1/2 year old Pineapple Conure has been spending a lot of time out of his cage due to me being home during pandemic.
Like many birds, if he had his way, he’d NEVER go back into his cage.

He has two very large playgrounds outside his cage and boings are his favorite toys. The last few days he has been spending a lonnnnng time chewing and picking apart the bottom of the three boings he has. In fact right at this moment he is chewing the MIDDLE of his cage boing which is brand new.

He also likes to pick at sofa fabrics, shirts and towels. I understand this to be common but is the boing situation something to be concerned about?

 

[noodles123]

They can ingest small bits of the particles and it can cause a blockage. It can also lead to fraying, which can tangle their feet.

You don't have any of those crazy huts/tents in his cage, do you?

I wouldn't necessarily leave the boing in there with him if he is chewing a lot. I hate to tell you to remove his favorite toy, but if he does it enough, it could accumulate in his insides if he is accidentally swallowing any of the teeny-tiny fibers.

Some chewing is okay, but long term etc it could cause issues.

 

[Caitnah]

Nah...had a hut when I first got him but removed it due to possible problems.
What I’m worried about is that this boing chewing is psychological.

 

[noodles123]

Can you elaborate on that?

 

[Caitnah]

Am concerned that boing chewing might be a replacement for feather plucking. Obviously I’d rather him “pluck” the boing but just concerned that this chewing is not some form of neurotic behavior.

 

[noodles123]

Well, it could be, but replacement behaviors are one of the things they recommend (it just can get problematic is they are chewing a lot rather than "preening" the cotton--- does he chew loose ends or mouth them at all (like he would preen a feather)?
Again, some chewing is okay, but if he is shredding the thing, I would worry about the tiny bits of cotton that may be sticking in his mouth.

It could also be a hormonal/nesting behavior.

 

[Caitnah]

Seems to be preening. Been doing that a lot to my hair also. The hair preening has been much more frequent than in the past.
And as mentioned, he has been doing it to any and all chairs he lands on. I stop him on the chairs as quickly as possible.

 

[noodles123]

If he is just preening, he may not be getting that many of the fibers...You could try something like shoe-laces and see if that makes him less prone to chewing (obviously with supervision still, as they are cotton too).
I would wash them first or get them from a bird place if possible, but I am assuming they just use the plain old cotton ones from the store anyway (don't quote me on that).
Has anything changed that would stress him out at all? Any new things in the home...? Any hairstyle changes, furniture, cage movement, people coming in/out etc, new pets?

There was someone who used mop heads for their over-preening cockatoo (washed first and new)...But it was a replacement for feather issues.
I know that doesn't really address the neuroticism part of your concern..

 

[Caitnah]

If he is just preening, he may not be getting that many of the fibers...You could try something like shoe-laces and see if that makes him less prone to chewing (obviously with supervision still, as they are cotton too).
I would wash them first or get them from a bird place if possible, but I am assuming they just use the plain old cotton ones from the store anyway (don't quote me on that).
Has anything changed that would stress him out at all? Any new things in the home...? Any hairstyle changes, furniture, cage movement, people coming in/out etc, new pets?

There was someone who used mop heads for their over-preening cockatoo (washed first and new)...But it was a replacement for feather issues.
I know that doesn't really address the neuroticism part of your concern..

The ONLY difference is my girl friend. For about 16 months, when she would come over to my house, he would ignore me and go to her. If I tried to get him to step up, WHAM!
She hasn’t come over as much in the last 4 months and since me being home due to pandemic, he has bonded with me even more. Now when she comes over, he will fly to her but also to me. In fact, last time she visited he stayed with me more.
BUT, when she leaves, he will still look for her for a couple days.

Right now, I just came home from being out all day and I let him out. Within two minutes he went to the bottom of his boing to chew. He stopped after a few minutes and is looking to fly to me.

 

[noodles123]

If he is just preening, he may not be getting that many of the fibers...You could try something like shoe-laces and see if that makes him less prone to chewing (obviously with supervision still, as they are cotton too).
I would wash them first or get them from a bird place if possible, but I am assuming they just use the plain old cotton ones from the store anyway (don't quote me on that).
Has anything changed that would stress him out at all? Any new things in the home...? Any hairstyle changes, furniture, cage movement, people coming in/out etc, new pets?

There was someone who used mop heads for their over-preening cockatoo (washed first and new)...But it was a replacement for feather issues.
I know that doesn't really address the neuroticism part of your concern..

The ONLY difference is my girl friend. For about 16 months, when she would come over to my house, he would ignore me and go to her. If I tried to get him to step up, WHAM!
She hasn’t come over as much in the last 4 months and since me being home due to pandemic, he has bonded with me even more. Now when she comes over, he will fly to her but also to me. In fact, last time she visited he stayed with me more.
BUT, when she leaves, he will still look for her for a couple days.

Right now, I just came home from being out all day and I let him out. Within two minutes he went to the bottom of his boing to chew. He stopped after a few minutes and is looking to fly to me.

Honestly, that could be causing anxiety in your bird. If he saw her as a flock member (or mate, even).

It is better than plucking, and it could just be due to boredom, but if you think it is psychological, what you have described could play a role (in theory).