Cockatoo plucking .. see pics

[birdielover15]

Hi

I just rescued this 4 1/2 yr old female cockatoo. Can’t figure out how to rotate pics on her so my apologizes. She does pluck under her wings, legs and picks at her feet. Well tonight I noticed something new or well new to me. I’ve only had her about two wks and truthfully I can’t say if she had this lump before arrival . I’ve attached pics. I can not afford vet care unfortunately right at the moment so unsure what I can do in the meantime . Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

[noodles123]

Okay---mine is an over-preener (rescue) and she also likes to chew her ankles a bit.
Here are the things I have tried (best=first). #1 and #2 have been the best for my bird.



1. Fidget toys---"C-LINKS" HAVE BEEN A LIFE SAVER---when she starts, I try to redirect with a chain of these little links and she will twirl it around in her mouth instead. I have an umbrella cockatoo and she hasn't ever ingested the plastic when chewing- https://www.amazon.com/Plastic-C-clips-C-links-Glider-Parrot/dp/B00SX2YGDY

2. Plain water (not as a punishment, but as a deterrent). I have found that mine doesn't enjoy the sensation of picking at wet ankles or feathers nearly as much as dry. When she is going to town, I spray the area or (in order to avoid making it look like a punishment) wet my fingers and wet the area that way.



3. Get a humidity gauge and a humidifier if necessary. Make sure you clean it religiously, as airborne bacteria and mold is BAD, but sometimes, plucking can be caused by dry skin or a nutritional imbalance. Nekton-s vitamin supplements are pretty good and the powder can be sprinkled on food- just don't overdo it, as you can OD the bird on certain vitamins. It is German but directions on my bottle are English-

4.Prescriptions---vet suggested amitryptaline (sp?) but due to liver concerns we opted for doxypine which my or may not help..


5.King's Cages Pluck-No-More---expensive...can't say it helped...used it religiously as directed and blew through a lot of money, but it might be worth a shot.



6. Preening rings---mine doesn't want anything to do with hers, but it was worth a try



7. Make sure your bird has enough stuff to keep busy (foraging toys etc)


8. Natural light and sleep can have huge impacts on hormones and anxiety. Cockatoos need a solid 12 hours of sleep and then sunlight during the day---Too much can cause overly hormonal activity but too little causes other issues.


9. Make sure you aren't accidentally giving your cockatoo the wrong idea about your relationship. Stick to petting on the head only and back off if you see any sexual behaviors (twitching eyes with a weird clicking sort of sound, mounting your hand etc). Hormonal cockatoos often pluck.

 

[noodles123]

PS: Yours is probably VERY hormonal right now due to age. Sexual maturity takes place between 3 and 5 years of age (in general)

 

[birdielover15]

Thanks everyone for the advice so far. When loves to make a clicking sound when she is near a person. I do have a uv light but unsure how much to give her daily. She is afraid of a toy ..she literally won’t go in her cage and if she’s does she screams til u take it out. I give her wood which she is afraid of too but if its in small pieces she isn’t afraid. I’ve had a cockatoo in the past and he was a plucker but mostly on his chest so I made him a sweater to try and stop him from over preening or plucking there. Her areas I can’t do anything about. I’m just shocked she over picks at her feet . Probably right perhaps hormonal. I don’t know for how long she has been doing this behavior and if it’s too late to correct it?

 

[noodles123]

The clicking I am talking about isn't a clicking like they make when they are happy (it doesn't sound like a contented chomp or a tapping pencil and it ISN'T like the sound you make with your tongue and teeth....it is more like a raspy clicking sound..semi-subtle and hard to describe)...it is quieter.

The eye-twitching (which starts of as a very discrete vibration) is a dead-giveaway with mine and it always happens if she has been sitting in the sun for a long time and I preen her pin-feathers lol

Or... at the vet when they towel her for blood (which is a bit awkward). They once thought she was having a seizure and I was like, "Um..no...she's fine...I'm pretty sure that's sexual"...The avian vet put her down for fear that she was going to have a stroke and sure enough, the second she hit the table the twitching stopped.....LOL
Shes kind of desperate to lay an egg....Not happening if I can help it

 

[MonicaMc]

Can you get Care Credit by any chance?

https://www.carecredit.com/vetmed/

 

[EllenD]

This is a tough one...the plucking is one issue, the "lump" on her leg/foot is another issue...I can't see it very well in the photo, but it looks like it may have a scab or an entrance wound of some kind on it, is that correct? What you have to worry about here first is an acute infection, which often happens with mutilation wounds.

As far as the plucking goes, this is a pretty bad case, and you obviously have to worry about whether or not he starts to further mutilate his body, rather than only his feathers, which is pretty common unfortunately...

I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess that he's not had much vet care at all during his lifetime, and if he's never had any blood work done or a physical exam by a Certified Avian Vet, you don't know whether or not this is being caused by a physical illness, pain from an injury, etc. He may be extremely ill and no one has ever bothered to find out...At only 4 years old it's very uncommon for this extent of plucking unless there was severe abuse and neglect or a serious illness...He really needs to see a Certified Avian Vet soon...

CareCredit is a great option, most vets take it, and you can apply for it online. Or getting a credit card, etc. I know you meant well when you took him in, but my concern is that he's really, really got some serious issues going on that you may not know about.

 

[noodles123]

I don't know what carecredit is but you might get a quote for pet insurance if money is an issue---my bird has been amazingly expensive (far more than anticipated) and I wish that I had taken out insurance before learning about the liver condition she came to me with.

 

[birdielover15]

I start a new job in about 2 wks and will have enough once I get my first paycheck. It’s just until then. I can’t get carecredit without an income. My hubby takes care of all the bills and my money simply is for spending money and of course my birds. He has no extra funds allotted for her just enough to get by. I planned on vet care when I took her in just now with her lump which has two tiny scabs on it so it seems like it is healing no pus or anything. I was told she has been seen by a vet. Unsure of when though as I didn’t get any vet paperwork with her. I’d love to give her a shower but with her “lump” as I call it I don’t want to have it get a chance to become infected. I appreciate all the advice trust me. I’m not unfamiliar with plucking but this self mutilating if that’s what she’s starting to do is completely new to me. I’ll see if I can’t get a better pic of her leg

 

[noodles123]

It is very hard to see the lump- I just saw the scabs.

 

[Scott]

Cannot see the lump, but if it is not raw or oozing you can likely safely bathe her. Some birds love going into the shower, but an unused, clean spray bottle with adjustable nozzle works well. (they are available at dollar stores) Start with a fine mist, often spraying from the side aiming upwards and allowing the droplets to fall vertically is best.

If the previous owner is willing to provide past vet paperwork, you'll have a baseline to begin - assuming it was a certified avian or similar.