Feather chewing

[NancyO]

Hi everyone. My name is Nancy and I am new here. I have a 1 year old GCC who is chewing the feathers on his back. I'm not sure why. He eats roudybush pellets, higgins safflower gold, sprouts that I grow, fruits, bird muffins, blueberries. He won't eat veggies . I have taken him to our avian exotic vet and it was determined it's behavioral. He gets to come out of his cage for several hours each day and I'm always interacting with him. He is a chewer so I have recently put in more toys that he can chew on in the hopes this will help. Any ideas? He is not plucking. His feathers are ragged looking

Thanks
Nancy

 

[BIRDIGIRL]

Hi Nancy and welcome to you and your Conure he is Beautiful whats his name. I have never had a feather chewer so I wont answer your question but I know others here will have some tips and advice for you...your Conure is Adorable I so Love Green Cheek Conures they are real lovable characters

 

[NancyO]

Thank you Birdigirl. His name is Peeps (aka Booger lol). He seems like such a happy little guy so I really don't get this. Well I guess he's not living in a flock in the wild, but he gets lots of attention lol.

Thanks too for the welcome.

Nancy

 

[BIRDIGIRL]

Peeps is Adorable ...love the name too

 

[wrench13]

Hi. Are you sure he is chewing, and not just playing on his back so hard that the feathers are getting raggedy? Juveniles are known for this, my Salty, almost 1 year has really nasty tail feathers from rough play.

 

[NancyO]

I don't think so. My avian vet thought it was from chewing. I originally thought it was from wooden toys that Peeps likes to sleep under, but my vet didn't think so and neither did the manager at one of our very good bird stores. The thing is I never see Peeps do this

 

[Aquila]

One of my conures was an overpreener, and unfortunately there wasn't much I could do about it except keep her busy. She always chewed up her shoulder area, but it never really got bad.

 

[Printer bird]

Hi NancyO! I had a GCC for about 6 years who chewed. He was a rescue and didn't chew at his not so great home but then began chewing/clipping when he got to us (it didn't help that he got very sick a week or so after we picked him up - we think because of the terrible condition of his former cage). This was very upsetting for us! He had lots of toys, lots of good food, lots of attention so the vet thought it was perhaps hormonal. Charlie chewed his whole life but was seasonal, meaning that he did it mostly when he was molting or very stressed. He was healthy, very loved and very busy so we ultimately just accepted that this is who he was.

Some advice that we received that helped a bit (as we thought it could be hormonally linked) was:
1. consistent, regular bedtime with 10 - 12 hours of sleep in a dark quiet room. Charlie had a sleep cage in another room with nothing in it that was nest-like - just a perch.
2. never pet him on the back.
3. Don't let him find/make nests: we tried to encourage him to play with toys and roam around rather than explore holes and dark corners.
4. ignore hormonal behaviours such as regurgitation - we would walk out of the room or distract him when he did it and remove any toys that he regurgitated for.
5. Regular baths/showers (sink, spray or water dish).

Oh and as for veggies, keep offering them. It took us over two months to get our Charlie to try them. Try different sizes and ways (chopped up small, clipped in large pieces on the side of the cage, etc). Peppers were a great favourite, same with peas. You'll get there!

I know how stressful this feels, but know that you can do everything right and they still might chew. It doesn't mean you are a bad parrot friend! Sending lots of support from one who has been there.

 

[NancyO]

Thanks Printer Bird for the advice. I do put him to bed at 7:30pm and go in the morning to his room around 7:00. The vet suggested I get a night light for the room he is in which I have done. I also mist him everyday as well as having a bird bath on the outside of his cage. I do discourage anything hormonal. I t just bugs me because he didn't do this when I first got him and not for a few months afterward. I did change his cage and this seems to be when it started. The vet asked me if I spray anything in the room (I do not) . He said if something gets on his feathers he would preen to get it off . This got me thinking. I put Soluvite D in his water which I showed the vet ( Peeps doesn't eat a lot of pellets). My thought is in the new cage he could take a bath in the big round feeder dishes. These had the bird vitamins in it so he was taking baths in vitamin water and surely this must leave a film on the feathers. Anyhow I have since moved him back to his old cage (as my husband rolled his eyes). In this cage I think he feels more secure. He also is unable to bathe in the vitamin water now. I've added lots of toys and branch like perches in the hopes he will chew on those. I feel like I'm looking for a needle in a haystack. My husband says not to worry because Peeps is happy. Lol

 

[Printer bird]

The vitamin water makes sense as does the cage change! You can try and transition him by letting him gradually get used to the new cage by having it be around and then having him play in it (if you want!). I hope that your actions help! I totally know the super anxiety stress even if the bird is actually happy! Birds are amazing but can also be stressful because they need such special care and I am always worried that I am doing something wrong! ha ha.