I'm at the end of my rope here...........

[mtdoramike]

You want to talk about feather issues. Here are a few Pictures of Mac, he will be 5 years old next month. He was over preening his feathers and chewing on them when I got him two years ago. His wings looked like lace and no tail feathers and his leg feathers were gone. But he started letting is tail feathers grow back in and his leg feathers were growing in as well. But about 8 months after we had him his previous owner and her sister came to visit Mac. He started back to chewing his feathers directly after that and has gotten worse. But at least he had green feathers on his chest and back.

But his previous owner showed up for another visit a couple of months ago and now he has now green left on his chest and most of his green feathers are gone on his back. We have taken him to the vet for blood work and a check up and everything came back normal. The vet thinks it's a habit with him. He had originally started this with the previous owner when she had to lock him in his cage for 8 hours a day when her husband passed away.

I'm at my wits end here, I have tried about everything. I tried Pluck No More by Kings cages, but after a couple of treatments Mac's personality changed and he became moody and aggressive so I stopped it. I have tried several bath products, the vet recommended palm oil, so we have been giving it to him in his food periodically. But I don't know, I feel that he's trying to tell me something, I'm just missing it.

I'm starting to think it's his environment and that maybe he just isn't happy here. He has the run of the house and is rarely ever locked in his cage except at night time. So that isn't the issue. Any one else got any ideas or remedies worth trying?

I've heard about this Mojo (major Molt) that Eclectus can go through. Some go through it and some don't. This kind of looks like that, but he's been getting progressively worse the past year. I think he's been chewing his feathers for quite some time, but now it's more of a plucking situation.

 

[gemini84]

im so sorry to hear this poor fellows story, but after reading it (im far from an expert) i think its a psychologicsl link with his previous owner.
you said he was doing much better, then they visited and he started again, and then after yet another visit from them he got even worse.
are you personally connnected to the previous owner? imo it would be best to cease contact with the previous owner. But as i said, im no expert... i dont have have any experience with plucking
good luck with him,i dont think its you. you are wonderful parront, dont give up

 

[kendrafitz]

I agree with Gemini84.

 

[mtdoramike]

im so sorry to hear this poor fellows story, but after reading it (im far from an expert) i think its a psychologicsl link with his previous owner.
you said he was doing much better, then they visited and he started again, and then after yet another visit from them he got even worse.
are you personally connnected to the previous owner? imo it would be best to cease contact with the previous owner. But as i said, im no expert... i dont have have any experience with plucking
good luck with him,i dont think its you. you are wonderful parront, dont give up

The previous owner is one of those people that really hates to let go. So I let her come by a couple of times to visit with Mac. But after the second time, I cut it off. I felt the same way that it could be an emotional attachment to the previous owner. Mac was her husbands bird until he died a few months before I adopted him. So I told the previous owner that since she seems to have a hard time letting go of Mac and it's possible that he really misses her too that I would consider giving Mac back to her if it's in the best interest of her and Mac. But she declined not having the ability to care for him or having a place to keep him.

I know that there are times when no matter what we do, we just can't get an animal to accept us. I had a bird years ago that I had for a couple of years and she tolerated me. But ever time my brother came by, she would dance around fluttering her wings until he picked her up. Once he was holding her, she wouldn't get off of him so he could leave. If I took her off of him, the bird would nip me pretty hard. I decided to give her to my brother who reluctantly took her because he wasn't really a bird person. But they became best friends and was a lot happier than she ever was with me. When I would go over to see him, she wouldn't even give me the time of day hahahahahaha.

 

[JerseyWendy]

Gosh, Mike, I'm so sorry. I know you are going above and beyond for your Mac, and are doing everything you can possibly think of to make him happy.

I, too, believe this to be an emotional thing, especially because it got worse after each visit.

 

[ashlie]

I'm no expert, but is it maybe the visits with his previous owner, stressing him out to the point of him chewing his feathers? Maybe he was afraid his previous owner was going to take him back and put him in his cge for the 8 hours . Can u try maybe going a period of time where they don't come to visit? Because it sounded like he was more feathered and happier when he didn't see them after you took him. Anyways, just a thought..good luck and I think you are doing the very best you can with him. He is beautiful by the way!

 

[maillet]

This behavior is common from feather pluckers. Most birds start doing this due to a prolonged style of care they dislike (i.e. neglect) and will do so to distress as doing this releases adrenaline (similar to how we head to the bar to distress once in while).

As the behavior is linked to the individual - I would cease all contact for his health.

On a perhaps more perceptive note from your photographs. If he is being aggressive I would remove the play-top for a short while to see if it helps. From these pictures, it appears to be VERY high up (above the Curtains). And while some birds are fine with this level of high, many (mine included) begin to get a "power" issue and misbehave.

From what I can also see in the photograph you mostly have string toys? Have you considered buying a few of the more Flashy Wooden ones designed to be destroyed, and then make them look FUN before adding to the cage. It could very well distract him from feather plucking if he can destroy a handful of these while trimming beak?

Male Ekkies tend to love dark green and yellow wooden colors I have noticed. Both mine and my friends will tear these to shreds, ignoring darker colors like reds or the purples. I have entire mixed toys left with these (reminds of females maybe...)?

Other than toys, height, and environmental stressors (e.g. old owner). I would also consider diet (known cause of feather plucking in Ekkies - Specifically a lack of the vitamins found in Peppers), as well as how much attention (or too much attention).

Hate to see Ekkies looking this way : - (
Best of luck in finding the happy solution!

 

[sodakat]

My guess is he started plucking when his owner (now deceased) became ill, not necessarily because he was caged.

He might not stop. But, I would try giving him a routine of going outside each day and if possible, taking a little car ride several days a week. I'll bet he would enjoy that a lot.

It doesn't look like a molt to me, unfortunately. I would say he is both chewing and plucking.

Also, have you tried pinecones? If he will work on them, keep him stocked up. I've had one of mine give 12 pinecones a haircut in one day!!

Has he any interest in soft wood, because if he does I have a couple more suggestions.

 

[mtdoramike]

This behavior is common from feather pluckers. Most birds start doing this due to a prolonged style of care they dislike (i.e. neglect) and will do so to distress as doing this releases adrenaline (similar to how we head to the bar to distress once in while).

As the behavior is linked to the individual - I would cease all contact for his health.

On a perhaps more perceptive note from your photographs. If he is being aggressive I would remove the play-top for a short while to see if it helps. From these pictures, it appears to be VERY high up (above the Curtains). And while some birds are fine with this level of high, many (mine included) begin to get a "power" issue and misbehave.

From what I can also see in the photograph you mostly have string toys? Have you considered buying a few of the more Flashy Wooden ones designed to be destroyed, and then make them look FUN before adding to the cage. It could very well distract him from feather plucking if he can destroy a handful of these while trimming beak?

Male Ekkies tend to love dark green and yellow wooden colors I have noticed. Both mine and my friends will tear these to shreds, ignoring darker colors like reds or the purples. I have entire mixed toys left with these (reminds of females maybe...)?

Other than toys, height, and environmental stressors (e.g. old owner). I would also consider diet (known cause of feather plucking in Ekkies - Specifically a lack of the vitamins found in Peppers), as well as how much attention (or too much attention).

Hate to see Ekkies looking this way : - (
Best of luck in finding the happy solution!

I'm also looking at diet as well, he does like his snacks like pop corn at night, so I have cut out all snacks other than a spoon of nuts and seeds. He gets mixed veggies and fruits daily. Although his vet said to cut back on the fruits because he said people tend to go over board on fruits.

Unfortunately Mac isn't a big play toy kind of bird. He looks at me as his play toy. Mark his previous owner who died was home with Mac all day and spent his day with Mac, so Mac tends to be a bit clingy. The previous owners also had a Cockatiel Named Shelby that Mac hated because Shelby would aggravate him by climbing on his play stand. So for weeks after each time the previous owner would visit Mac would sit for hours and call out Shelby. It broke my heart to hear this and questioned the previous owners visits. But I allowed it one last time and then cut her off.

 

[mtdoramike]

My guess is he started plucking when his owner (now deceased) became ill, not necessarily because he was caged.

He might not stop. But, I would try giving him a routine of going outside each day and if possible, taking a little car ride several days a week. I'll bet he would enjoy that a lot.

It doesn't look like a molt to me, unfortunately. I would say he is both chewing and plucking.

Also, have you tried pinecones? If he will work on them, keep him stocked up. I've had one of mine give 12 pinecones a haircut in one day!!

Has he any interest in soft wood, because if he does I have a couple more suggestions.

Yes, Mac loves Pine cones, which we have all around us so it's very cheap to load him up with them. We put them in the freezer for a few days to kill any mites or bugs that might be on them. My wife has read through some of your posts and has gotten some things to try out like dietary things and more sun shine as well as baths every day for a couple of weeks and see how that goes.

 

[sodakat]

He sounds quite a bit like my Sully who was relinquished to the New Mexico Macaw and Cockatoo Rescue after a divorce where he lost his person. Sully needs quite a bit of reassurance but has become more independent during the last couple years he's lived with me and my other Eclectus.

Sully is my best chewer of the males. He likes thse toys (expensive) called Avian Flap Jacks and Avian Fluster (Bird Toys) from Mother Pluckin Bird Toys. The thin wood pieces are appealing. He also likes the large yucca kabobs as well as shreddables like coffee filter flowers and adding machine tape.

Sully had a rough bout of TT and WF this past winter. It was followed by (probably all tied together) another heavy molt (3rd year in a row) and some barbering on his upper back and shoulders / tops of wings. He has now filled in all those feathers and feeling much better and is not messing with any feathers.

I do think some of these guys are more sensitive to things (both physical things and emotional things) than others. Or maybe some have a support system that allows them to get through tough times better. Not really sure of course.

Something you might want to add to his chop for a few weeks is a bit of tofu.

Do you sprout for him? Try just garbanzo beans and lentils and see what he thinks of those.

 

[Grinder]

I am sorry that you are having these issues and everything I am going to say has pretty much already been said.

You must stop the previous owner's visits. Even if your parrot had a wonderful relationship with the previous owner, the visits are detrimental to your bird because it completely confuses them. Imagine if you loved someone for a long time and the next thing you know they've given you up and you live in a new strange place. Every so often that loved one comes to see you and doesn't explain why they gave you up and once again leave you with no explanation. You wouldn't know how to handle that. Whenever I have rehomed a bird and someone asks if they can visit I have to disappoint them and tell them that cannot be part of the deal. It's just not fair to the bird.

 

[U2gal]

I have a few pickers. Why not just love him for who and how he is? Continue to love him and care for him well and try not to make a big fuss over feather destruction.

 

[mtdoramike]

I have a few pickers. Why not just love him for who and how he is? Continue to love him and care for him well and try not to make a big fuss over feather destruction.

I do love Macky for who he is, but I feel he's trying to tell me something that I'm not picking up on. There is usually a reason for a bird to pick, chew or pluck their feathers whether it be from physical, psychological, or dietary. It's rarely from habit forming because in the wild birds need their feathers to fly and for protection from the elements. I think I need a bird whisperer. I would love for Macky to be as beautiful on the outside as I know he is on the inside if possible. If not then I would love Mac either way.

I also realize that some times when looking for a solution to a problem, a person can be too close to find the solution and needs to step back and look at things from another perspective.

 

[sodakat]

Because it seems like he is plucking for non-dietary reasons, this may not apply, but regardless, make sure he's not eating anything with man-made vitamin A. Laurella D. worked with a client whose bird was barbering severely and Nutri Berries unfortunately were much of the problem. Many processed people foods are made with man-made Vit A. Some Eclectus can't handle it.

 

[Mayden]

I have a few pickers. Why not just love him for who and how he is? Continue to love him and care for him well and try not to make a big fuss over feather destruction.

I do love Macky for who he is, but I feel he's trying to tell me something that I'm not picking up on. There is usually a reason for a bird to pick, chew or pluck their feathers whether it be from physical, psychological, or dietary. It's rarely from habit forming because in the wild birds need their feathers to fly and for protection from the elements. I think I need a bird whisperer. I would love for Macky to be as beautiful on the outside as I know he is on the inside if possible. If not then I would love Mac either way.

I also realize that some times when looking for a solution to a problem, a person can be too close to find the solution and needs to step back and look at things from another perspective.

SO so true!

I'm just going to agree with what the others said about the previous owner and potentially diet. I don't know enough about Eclectus and Mac to really say anything but they'd be my 'go to' responses.

I'm sure you'll do the best you can for Mac either way. Is he actually distressed at all or just being a pain in the butt with his feathers?

 

[SandyBee]

Ok I've never had a plucker so take everything I say with a grain of salt and common sense!

Can you fly him? If birds in the wild don't pluck because they need their feathers maybe flying him is the thing he needs.
Also heard mop heads(the stringy ones) also give them a good outlet to replace the habit.

It sounds like you have diet and health problems under control, just keep trying new things and activities till you hit the right one. I would also keep using red palm oil as it helps their skin so if itchiness is a part of it at all it can help.

 

[sodakat]

Here is another perspective (like you mentioned) from Dr Heidi Hoefer:

We cannot assume every plucking bird is emotional or psychotic. It would be wrong to "just give drugs" before having a full medical and behavior work-up. Physical exams, bloodwork, and fecals are the minimum data base. In some cases, skin biopsies may be indicated, and sometimes XRAY's. Once any possibility of a medical problem can be reasonably eliminated, implementation of behavioral modification techniques is indicated.
The psychological problems that can lead to plucking can be difficult to determine. It helps to "think like a bird", i.e., to understand a little about the driving forces behind avian behavior. The first part of this is to realize that most pet bird species are highly intelligent and social beings that in the wild, have very busy days. The whole "flock mentality" is a very foreign concept to persons accustomed to dog/cat (predator) behavior. All parrots, even those domestically bred, should be considered wild animals that do not grasp the concept of the pet/master relationship. It is essential, then, that the owner implements guidelines to ensure the desired behavior. Lack of clear-cut and consistent guidelines can result in undesirable behavior like feather plucking and biting. Additional stressors like separation anxiety, frustration, and boredom, are common in the typical pet parrot. Plucking is not seen in free-ranging wild birds; it is a captivity problem that may have it's roots in stress and insecurity.
A thorough history is an important part of the work-up of the plucking bird. Any changes in the environment, however simple, may be significant. Emotional changes as well as physical changes must be taken into account. The age of the bird is important as well as the season, and even the time of day of the active plucking.

 

[U2gal]

I have a few pickers. Why not just love him for who and how he is? Continue to love him and care for him well and try not to make a big fuss over feather destruction.

I do love Macky for who he is, but I feel he's trying to tell me something that I'm not picking up on. There is usually a reason for a bird to pick, chew or pluck their feathers whether it be from physical, psychological, or dietary. It's rarely from habit forming because in the wild birds need their feathers to fly and for protection from the elements. I think I need a bird whisperer. I would love for Macky to be as beautiful on the outside as I know he is on the inside if possible. If not then I would love Mac either way.

I also realize that some times when looking for a solution to a problem, a person can be too close to find the solution and needs to step back and look at things from another perspective.

But sometimes feather chewing is a habit. They start it during an emotional time in their life. And perhaps whenever an issue crops up it immediately falls into the habit of chewing the feathers or plucking due to an emotional or whatever reason it started in the first place long ago.

Personally, I think birds are very sensitive emotional creatures. You said the previous owner visit a few months before and that's when you've noticed an increase of feather destructive behavior. I think, with all medical issues/dietary issues seen to, he may be doing this due to a psychological reason.

 

[mtdoramike]

That's what hurts me the most is that I allowed the visits because of the emotional attachment the owner had to Mac since Mac was her late husbands bird. She even commented on the first visit how wonderful his feathers were looking. But after this last visit which has been almost two months ago, he has really gone to town on his feathers.

I think Mac does most of the damage at night which is evident on the bottom of his cage in the morning since we clean their cages every evening before they are put to bed. So for the past two weeks, I have been keeping Mac up either with me, or on his play stand until we go to bed about 10:00pm so that he has less time in his cage alone to chew his feathers. I notice he's catching more cat naps during the day than he used to

I even bought three bottles of this bath spray that was recommended by my bird groomer and have been using it now for about a week and a half. Hopefully it will help.

I have a few pickers. Why not just love him for who and how he is? Continue to love him and care for him well and try not to make a big fuss over feather destruction.

I do love Macky for who he is, but I feel he's trying to tell me something that I'm not picking up on. There is usually a reason for a bird to pick, chew or pluck their feathers whether it be from physical, psychological, or dietary. It's rarely from habit forming because in the wild birds need their feathers to fly and for protection from the elements. I think I need a bird whisperer. I would love for Macky to be as beautiful on the outside as I know he is on the inside if possible. If not then I would love Mac either way.

I also realize that some times when looking for a solution to a problem, a person can be too close to find the solution and needs to step back and look at things from another perspective.

But sometimes feather chewing is a habit. They start it during an emotional time in their life. And perhaps whenever an issue crops up it immediately falls into the habit of chewing the feathers or plucking due to an emotional or whatever reason it started in the first place long ago.

Personally, I think birds are very sensitive emotional creatures. You said the previous owner visit a few months before and that's when you've noticed an increase of feather destructive behavior. I think, with all medical issues/dietary issues seen to, he may be doing this due to a psychological reason.