Feather Biting

[HannahW]

Okay, Wall-E has started biting his feathers off of his chest and chewing them. He has an avian vet appointment tomorrow afternoon for a checkup and we are hoping they can help us with this new obsession. He has also decided to fly into our ceiling twice in as many days. We were told by a breeder friend that he has just started acting out because he has now realized that he has been moved. We give him all kinds of attention, toys, treats, and for the first week or so he seemed really happy. Is this normal? Like I said, we already have a vet appointment for tomorrow, but any insight ya'll can offer would be great. Thanks!

 

[samanthabe1]

I'm not sure. good luck. I hope he's just learning that he can't go through walls.

 

[HannahW]

Yeah, thanks. Tomorrow afternoon can't come soon enough. We are just hoping they can help. In the past day, he has bitten almost all of the feathers off of his chest. At least he has decided after his run in with the ceiling that staying on his cage is a good place to be.

 

[Printer bird]

Hi Hannah, I know what you're going through! We adopted a green cheek from a man about two months ago who had him in a small, unclean cage (there was mold!), with only one toy and a very limited diet (pellets only). So we put him in a big cage, lots of toys, better diet, more love, regular routine and time out of the cage and he suddenly started picking his feathers off (about a week and a half ago) despite the huge improvement in environment. We were very concerned and stressed but the vet thinks that maybe its a hormonal problem for us so we are trying a few things to help keep the hormone levels down. He pulled off a lot (he doesn't pluck - just picks them off and chews on his down feathers) last night but was pretty good today both when we were out and when we got home. So I am hopeful! I hope the vet has some suggestions for you as well. It is really nice to go there, though, and just know that they are healthy and you are doing well by them and to get a good plan of action. Much bird love in feather improvement solidarity to you and Wall-E from Heather and Charlie (Charl-E?).

 

[suebee]

hey hanna, i've just got a senegal from my brother, 1st wk she was lovely and now she is trying to rule the roost, but she is feather plucking/chewing, my brother said she did this last yr had her to vets an they said she was fine?? but feathers came back in the summer

anyway i spoke with a breeder an she told me that angel (aka nutbird i renamed her) was most likely in season, especially if she did this feather plucking last year and should pass by march time

but i have found the toys my brother had got her does not interest her, but she loves to chew on leather, like my handbags etc, watch and see what wall-e likes to chew on an make things around that, i've made nut leather straps with metal buttons, and simple leather pockets to hide food in, these seem to keep her beak busy for most of the day, she isn't caged alot, and can nip/bite but the biting has become less often as i've learnt to read her body language, but as soon as my partner comes home she's back to doing all she can for his attention, and basically claiming him as her territory!

but i have withdrawn attention from her and this seemed most effective for when she nips/bites or gets over excited, i go quiet and not look at her, i don't leave room, just giving her the iggy for a bit, its also seem to work with the feather chewing/plucking, as when she did this at my brother the family would tell her off distract her make noise etc basically she got attention for it, now i just sit quiet, and if she's getting to carried away i get up to go into kitchen etc where she can follow from my shoulder. or i start cleaning, she loves to watch me clean the windows, or i spray her with water if i think she is in the mood for it

but she's not daft its near my partners home time an she is flapping about looking for him, so i hope all goes well at vets tomorrow X

 

[HannahW]

Thanks everyone! We did get good news, other than being alittle short on vitamins, Wall-E is in good health. The vet thinks that he may have just at first been so busy enjoying his new surroundings he didn't realize that everything had changed permenantly. He gave us somthing called Rescue Remedy to put in his water for a few days to help Wall-E calm down. He has done pretty well today, only plucking a few feathers as opposed to the previous couple of days when the entire cage bottom seemed to be filled. We now have him on Zupreem natural pellets along with trying new veggies, he really has gone after the Zupreem. Right now he is trying to figure out how to get out of his cage without touching his swing. ( He has had bad luck with it) Thanks for all the thoughts sent our way!