Cockatoo sudden feather plucking

[Katou]

We have a 15 year rescue bare eyed cockatoo, had him for around about a year now and has all of a sudden over the past month started plucking underneath his wings, which is getting worse where he makes himself bleed. It seems to me that he has very itchy and irritated skin, he can sleep and jump up & shake out of nowhere!! Seems to be really annoying him. Cannot seem to stop it, have tried spraying with water, getting him in a bath, mite spray (which seemed to help for a day or two), and have now resorted to "No-Pick" avian spray. He's a fussy eater but he has daily supplements etc. Plenty of toys & attention as we are busy with him everyday in learning him to come out of his cage. Starting to feel really bad as I don't know why he does it or how to stop it!!!! Please help!!!! Open to all suggestions!!!!

 

[MikeBrunstedt]

OLIVE OIL AND PLUCKING...

Hello. I have never posted on any type of forum, but I thought this was so helpful in stopping feather plucking. I wanted to see if anyone else would try to confirm the method.

My cockatoo has always had trouble with her feather sheaths crumbling off. They obviously irritated her as she starting pulling them out. She felt like the end of a bunch of tennis shoe strings. As soon as the heater started to run in the fall, the feathers started to fly at a very alarming rate so I begain the try many types of butter and oils.

The only one that worked was olive oil. I just rub a little on my hands and then get it on her. She hates it, but as we rub her the oil get to almost every location on her body. Miraculously, the sheaths flaked off and the plucking completely stopped. We ran out of olive oil and tried regular oils and shea butter and margarine, but we had to go get more olive oil and it started to work again.

Of course there is give and take, now she plucks the hair off my arms and legs. But I'd rather be bald there than her not have any feathers.

So if you are having trouble with plucking, try olive oil and let me know if it works for you too.

Thanks.

 

[MonicaMc]

Personally, I wouldn't put any kind of oil or fats or grease on her feathers.


Considering her case, I would be looking at her diet and see if she's missing some nutrient or something that may be making it difficult for her to molt or is causing dry skin/hardened keratin sheaths.

 

[Featheredsamurai]

To me it sounds like a possible yeast infection on the skin. Whenever a parrot suddenly starts plucking a it's important to have a certified avian vet look at them to make sure it's not a health problem. Are there certified avian vets a available in Belgium? If not yiu'll have to do with he best normal vet you can find.

 

[Featheredsamurai]

OLIVE OIL AND PLUCKING...

Hello. I have never posted on any type of forum, but I thought this was so helpful in stopping feather plucking. I wanted to see if anyone else would try to confirm the method.

My cockatoo has always had trouble with her feather sheaths crumbling off. They obviously irritated her as she starting pulling them out. She felt like the end of a bunch of tennis shoe strings. As soon as the heater started to run in the fall, the feathers started to fly at a very alarming rate so I begain the try many types of butter and oils.

The only one that worked was olive oil. I just rub a little on my hands and then get it on her. She hates it, but as we rub her the oil get to almost every location on her body. Miraculously, the sheaths flaked off and the plucking completely stopped. We ran out of olive oil and tried regular oils and shea butter and margarine, but we had to go get more olive oil and it started to work again.

Of course there is give and take, now she plucks the hair off my arms and legs. But I'd rather be bald there than her not have any feathers.

So if you are having trouble with plucking, try olive oil and let me know if it works for you too.

Thanks.

That's great it worked for you, but I wouldn't use olive oil on a bird unless specifically told to do so by a avian vet. You should check out the product "rain", it's a soothing and nurishing spray made with only water and aloe. It's perfectly safe and has worked well with my cockatoo.