Is this plucking or what?

[Anastassia]

Hi all, i`m new on this forum. I have Blue and Gold Macaw, named Roger. Him aprroximately 4-5 years old. Him live with us for a 3 years and become a member of our family. Him funny, him talk, play with us and we love him so much.
From this spring him start pluck his DOWN, not feather. I have no idea what is it? If you take a look at him - all look alright, no any sign of this. But when him preening him make "ahw" sond and then new, not opened down on his beak. And him eat it sometime, if down have a blood on the end.
I have no idea what to do. Is this plucking?
We there in Russia have no good bird vet at all. We make all check-up and his health is perfect. Him have no any stress for last time and i`m really don`t know what to do... Please help!
Is down plucking the same as feather plucking or it is something else?


Its him

http://s40.radikal.ru/i089/1009/1c/ab961db59b79.jpg

its his plucking down

 

[CrypticDelirium]

This is unusual, B&G's are known to be pluckers but if it's just down it's not as serious as pulling blood feathers. I'd say keep some quick stop on hand just in case, and try to figure out what's causing this all of a sudden. Honestly it could be one of a few things, since he's eating only down with blood on it, it might be lack or iron or other dietary need. Have their been any changes you might overlook but that he would consider huge, new food or diet change, a new person in the house, lighting changes, sleep schedule for him, etc? Also,he may just have something simple like dry skin, which could be fixed as easily as keeping up routine bath times and a few extra mist baths thrown in. Spring is also when their mating season starts, his hormones might have made him a little off kilter but that would most likely ease up on it's own. I hope it all goes well and please keep us updated!! Good luck!

 

[Anastassia]

I notice that if i give Ro my fingers and there some scratch on it, him start to "eat" this scratch as little vampire.
Yes, him pluck down only and sometimes chewing it after plucking. First him start from his back, now him start pluck place under wings, legs and chest. But from other side, him stop plucking his back and now many new pretty good down on his back.
I buy all books about parrot on Amason and learn all them very well. But nowhere i can find information about DOWN plucking.
There is no any changes in Ro enviropment for the past year, no change on diet, etc. We spend as many time as can with him. I`m and my husband work at home, and Ro`s cage in our cabinet. When we work, Ro sitting in his cage, but when we have free time, Ro play and fly, kissing and make many other things (if you want i can give link to a video with him). Him enjoy learning new tricks and learn them very easy. Usually its take about 5-6 minuts to learn new trick.
I`m so upset and have no idea what to do. May be (i know that its sounds stupid) i have to give him something like raw meat (if him like to "eat" my fingers).

Him hate bathing, but i spray him every day or two (him hate this also).

Now Autumn and him still plucking his down... Unfortunately, Ro "love" photo camera ( did you see his eye on first photo? ), so i not able to make a picture of his "armpits", but i will try. Its look like on photo of plucking birgs, just layer of feather hide it but if left them a little, there is many small "holes" that terrify me so much....
How to help him?
Him is my fluffy son.

And thank you so much for information, i will thinking better what may happened.

 

[AndrewH]

What do you feed him? Do you have access to vitamin supplements for his diet? He looks great, but perhaps he isn't getting the nutrition he requires...

It's not unusual for down to come free when they are preening and my B&G likes to play with her down when this happens, but it looks like he is "plucking" the down. Other than that, he looks very nice, indeed.

 

[Anastassia]

Him eat Prestige Premium - the only on quality bird food can find there.

Also him eat fresh and boiled fruit and vegetable (when i cooking soup i make small pan especially for him - without meat, salt and pepper - vegetables only ), also him eat some special bird eat such as nuts, cereal, rice, buckwheat, millet (all boiled) and germinated seeds sometime. also him have fresh stick for chewing and some rowanberry which him love so much . I`m always thisnks that him have correct diet. Unfortunately there not possible to buy pellet and by our law i can not order them from e-bay or other foreign shops. Its only one things him not eat.
Him have something that was identified by our avian as allergic - if him eat raw or even boiled squash him then have terrible "snivels" from nostrils. May be its something other, then allergic? We make all avaiable checks and did not find anythings wrong. But sometimes his have nosal discharge and i can not find the reason. Sometimes its happened once a 2-3-4 month, sometimes him have this discharge for few days without any visible reason. And its stop without any reason also. We buy air cleaner for him, its help but sometimes its still happened.
Unfortunately, Ro plucking. I saw it many times when him sit on my hand while we drive to our country summer house. And also this special sound which sound like someone unzip, sometimes Ro even scream when pluck... Then him chew down, if down have a blood.
The only things is change this year - i start to give him special avaian vitamin which my friend bring from Finland. But i stop give them as this plucking started... in early spring.

 

[CrypticDelirium]

I wouldn't suggest raw meat, it could contain parasites and make him ill, but you could try bits of hard boiled egg and lean, fully cooked chicken for protein. If he's going at your finger like that I'd say it's most likely something missing in his diet, he may have a deficiency like how some people are anemic. It's unfortunate that pellets are unavailable, if there's any possible way to acquire them it might make all the difference, but I love how well you take care of your birdie!
I wish I could help more, if I think of anything I'll let you know.

 

[Anastassia]

Boiled egg do not contain iron as raw meat do. We there have gematogen ( i`m afrad that i don`t know English word for it). It`s look like toffee but made from cow blood which prepaired in special manner. May be it will help? Him continue pluck fresh, not fully open down but from other hand, new down re-growing on plucking-before places such as his back...

if there's any possible way to acquire them it might make all the difference

i`m thinking about it. Sometime our post services do not pay attention what incide boxes so i can try. But follow our law i can not buy anythings like bird pellets without special permission from Minestry. (They think that it may be poison and i will able to kill all chicken.... something like this). I`m buy red palm oil and... it was illegal but our post service do not pay attention.

but I love how well you take care of your birdie

May be its sounds stupid, but we really beleive that Ro is our second son. I`m love him so much. Nobody beleive that him wild catched Him so cute, him speaking and him love us so much. Kissing (make a sound), cuddling, play with us.
There is some video
Âèäåî@Mail.Ru: boeng : Jolly Roger

 

[AndrewH]

It's possible he is starting to go through hormonal changes. This can cause birds to start plucking and displaying other behaviors. Has he been acting differently with you? That is, is he in his usual good mood or does he become testy or territorial?

 

[triordan]

i love your videos! I just wish i knew what he was saying!!

 

[Anastassia]

Hi is in his usual mood, playing and acting as usual. The problem is - we don`t know is him man or woman. We deside that him is man but we not make any test.

triordan - him saying :
who are you? M?!
I`m ara.
Araruna.
Who are screaming? (before or just after start to scream)
Are you full?
I`m Ro.
Saluto! (after sneezing)
Daddy! Daddy? Where do you go?
Ro, give five!
Ro, give a kiss!
(make kiss sounds)
Ro, pack toys!
C`mon!
Ro, montana (full open wings)
Ro, make eagle!
M-m-m, its tasty!!! (when someone of us eating)
Ro, Roger, Ara, Araruna!
Ro, do you want some nuts?
Come on!
Ro, lets go stroll!
Come on!
Take it!
C`mon!!!
Good boy! (just try to say)
And many combination of this. Possibly i forget something. But him speak not so clear as Grays do.