Persie The Naked is getting her wings!

[Brittany741]

Now to see if she barbers them...

 

[chris-md]

Aw go persie! Let's keep these!

Im a Little jealous actually. I've seen next to nothing as far as spring molting in Parker. He needs it!

 

[camo]

Fingers crossed!!

Keep the showers/baths up, eclectus parrots really appreciate extra showers when the feathers are coming through. I only know this because I have been taught by two expert, Gizmo and Pebbles. Pebbles is getting new feathers on her neck and face at the moment and has gotten to the stage where she is waiting in the bathroom for me to give them a shower every day. When she is not molting, she would be happy to only have a shower every third day.

Cheers,

Camo

 

[Brittany741]

Most definitely. She is getting a lot of new feathers in right now. If they're bothering her, it's news to me. She is so clingy right now, she even dove out of the feeder door this morning when I was putting her mash in! Adorable but my jaw definitely dropped. You'd never know she was neglected at all.

 

[Anansi]

I am fervently hoping that she allows her feathers to grow out now that she has a new life. Sometimes the plucking becomes habitual, but I'd be ecstatic if this turned out to be one of those cases where it's not.

And Chris, I'm pulling for you and Parker as well. You've been searching so hard for an answer. I truly believe that if there is one to be found, you'll find it.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

 

[Brittany741]

Sad. I spooked her just now when I went by with my wheelchair and she attempted to fly [emoji45] she lost the tail blood feather which was almost completely in. I feel so bad.


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[chris-md]

I am fervently hoping that she allows her feathers to grow out now that she has a new life. Sometimes the plucking becomes habitual, but I'd be ecstatic if this turned out to be one of those cases where it's not.

And Chris, I'm pulling for you and Parker as well. You've been searching so hard for an answer. I truly believe that if there is one to be found, you'll find it.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalkg

Thanks Stephen. But I might be more hopeless than I realized. When told he was a seasonal plucker I assumed he would have started feathering out on his body at least a bit this spring like he did late summer. This hasn't been the case; no new body feathers at all. If he only really feathers out once a year and barbers them all, that would make him a full on plucker (not seasonal) which could put him in the incurable zone.

I do still find it curious he plucks only during the winter, and only after leaving them alone for a couple months. Even more curious I'm learning he draws it out. He's still got a few green feathers left after plucking since December. Don't most pluckers do so quickly, losing most feathers in a very short time?

 

[Brittany741]

I am fervently hoping that she allows her feathers to grow out now that she has a new life. Sometimes the plucking becomes habitual, but I'd be ecstatic if this turned out to be one of those cases where it's not.

And Chris, I'm pulling for you and Parker as well. You've been searching so hard for an answer. I truly believe that if there is one to be found, you'll find it.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalkg

Thanks Stephen. But I might be more hopeless than I realized. When told he was a seasonal plucker I assumed he would have started feathering out on his body at least a bit this spring like he did late summer. This hasn't been the case; no new body feathers at all. If he only really feathers out once a year and barbers them all, that would make him a full on plucker (not seasonal) which could put him in the incurable zone.

I do still find it curious he plucks only during the winter, and only after leaving them alone for a couple months. Even more curious I'm learning he draws it out. He's still got a few green feathers left after plucking since December. Don't most pluckers do so quickly, losing most feathers in a very short time?

Every plucker is different. Some decide to pluck everything in a single night after you unassumingly go to bed. Others may take a few out a day (while others are busy growing in.)

Plucking, unfortunately, is one of those things even the experts don't know a whole lot about. All we can do is try one change at a time and hope like crazy we figure out a cause. And sometimes even when we DO find a cause, their plucking has moved into habitual territory where they've developed an addiction to the release of feel-good hormones.

Much like people who suffer with trichotillomania, the causes of this behavior are as varied as the individuals who suffer from it. Ask me how I know. I began pulling my hair out in secret when I was just 7 years old. It wasn't until I was properly diagnosed and treated for obsessive-compulsive disorder, I began noticing I wasn't doing it as much. Mine is purely related to anxiety surrounding uncertainty. I had zero anxiety when I was in law enforcement, because I trained and prepared like crazy. But give me one single stressful conversation with family and I wouldn't sleep for days!

Granted, I am a human and I didn't spend most of my life in a cage until my injury, and even now my birds and I spend about the same amount of time "locked up" in our boxes. Maybe this is why I have such a heart for birds who pluck, because I understand it. It's embarrassing, shameful, people judge, and treatment is HARD to find.

There are instances where plucking is caused purely by environmental issues and this is when solving the mystery becomes easier. Dealing with internal emotional issues is much more difficult. That's when we just give them all we can and provide comfort and security. Sometimes it never does get resolved but we just can't give up trying to find the cause. At a bare minimum, they will feel that love and additional security even if they are our naked chickens for life [emoji4]

 

[Uglow]

Chris, you and Brittany and anyone else who takes home a plucker are honestly true heroes. I can't commend you guys enough.

 

[Brittany741]

I am fervently hoping that she allows her feathers to grow out now that she has a new life. Sometimes the plucking becomes habitual, but I'd be ecstatic if this turned out to be one of those cases where it's not.

And Chris, I'm pulling for you and Parker as well. You've been searching so hard for an answer. I truly believe that if there is one to be found, you'll find it.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalkg

Thanks Stephen. But I might be more hopeless than I realized. When told he was a seasonal plucker I assumed he would have started feathering out on his body at least a bit this spring like he did late summer. This hasn't been the case; no new body feathers at all. If he only really feathers out once a year and barbers them all, that would make him a full on plucker (not seasonal) which could put him in the incurable zone.

I do still find it curious he plucks only during the winter, and only after leaving them alone for a couple months. Even more curious I'm learning he draws it out. He's still got a few green feathers left after plucking since December. Don't most pluckers do so quickly, losing most feathers in a very short time?

Are you running a cool mist humidifier??

 

[chris-md]

Thanks Uglow

 

[chris-md]

Brittany I have a few more tricks up my sleeve before I deem his plucking hopeless. Humidity is in fact one of them. I tried a large humidifier in the past but because of where is cage is located the humidity barely batted an eye. My only hope here is a whole home humidifier, which I've been lobbying for for months (almost have my partner worn down here. Couple more months of begging and I'll have him m), but we've got many financial commitments this year so it's not likely going to happen this year.

im also likely going to try hormone therapy my avian vet recommended later this year to suppress estrogen (implant version of Luperon shots), in case it's hormone related. Likelihood of a male ekkie responding to this treatment is not great and highly variable but I have to at least try.

Stephen can attest, I've been through the ringer and back trying to fix his plucking. I've tried and am still trying all possible variables

 

[jtidwell]

Hope is a plucker, too. I've seen down feathers in the bottom of her cage on several mornings. I've only had her home from the rescue for a few weeks, so I haven't been able to catch her in the act of plucking -- maybe she's starting an actual molt. I can't tell yet.

She's getting a daily misting with very dilute aloe juice. Vet's orders for dry skin. She hates it most days, but occasionally she gets going and combines it with a water-bowl bath.

Our cold New England spring is rapidly turning into summer. We get plenty of humidity in the warm months, and our house windows remain open most of the time. So I'm hoping that may help. If not, well, we'll try something else. She's a doll, regardless of her feather condition!

 

[chris-md]

J, best of luck to you and hope! I don't know much about aloe, but I want to caution with the application of anything to the feathers. Birds preen to remove stuff from their feathers. If your applying possibly greasy stuff (aloe), you could possibly encourage eveb more plucking/overpreening because they are trying to remove the aloe.

Absent a humidifier I'm trying to battle dry skin with omega fatty acids, which encourages skin moisture. I've avoided aloe application for the reason above. I have no practical inexperience with it, but the thought of applying anything to the feathers makes me cringe.

 

[Anansi]

Brittany I have a few more tricks up my sleeve before I deem his plucking hopeless...

It's never hopeless, Chris. Anyone with a habitual plucker must be prepared for the possibility that they'll never find the answer, but they should never conclude that such an answer doesn't exist. A fine line of distinction, but an important one in my opinion.

...Stephen can attest, I've been through the ringer and back trying to fix his plucking. I've tried and am still trying all possible variables

Oh, yes. I can most certainly attest to that. Chris, along with other members such as Allee, Victoria (Riddick07), Terry57 and Littleredhen77 have impressed me with their determination to find an answer to a stubborn plucking/barbering issue. Only true love can fuel that kind of perseverance, and I feel their birds are lucky to have them.

J, best of luck to you and hope! I don't know much about aloe, but I want to caution with the application of anything to the feathers. Birds preen to remove stuff from their feathers. If your applying possibly greasy stuff (aloe), you could possibly encourage eveb more plucking/overpreening because they are trying to remove the aloe.

Absent a humidifier I'm trying to battle dry skin with omega fatty acids, which encourages skin moisture. I've avoided aloe application for the reason above. I have no practical inexperience with it, but the thought of applying anything to the feathers makes me cringe.

I have no experience with aloe either. As Chris says, pure water is generally best for ekkies - who are just so picky about their feather condition - as well as for parrots in general. But that said, in cases where something does need to be applied, aloe seems the balm of choice. Of course, we're talking diluted aloe, here. So there really wouldn't be a sheen of oiliness or anything.

There is some debate as to whether adding aloe is an acceptable treatment, and as I said, I have no experience with it myself. But it seems by far the most accepted alternative to water alone. And some swear by the results they've seen in the condition of their bird's plumage.

 

[jtidwell]

It's not the greasy type of aloe. There's a drinkable form of aloe juice, intended for humans to drink straight up. (Something I had not known before the vet told me about it.) The avian vet at Angell Memorial told me to dilute it a lot -- one teaspoon per quart of water -- and use that when misting the girlie. Just FYI!

I hear you on the omega-3 supplementation, though. Your comment reminded me that another vet once prescribed omega-3 for my Hahn's macaw when he was having a skin issue. Our flaxseed oil is expired (I'm too embarrassed to post the expiration date), so it looks like I'll be headed to Whole Foods soon for a fresh bottle of that.

 

[coopedup]

J, best of luck to you and hope! I don't know much about aloe, but I want to caution with the application of anything to the feathers. Birds preen to remove stuff from their feathers. If your applying possibly greasy stuff (aloe), you could possibly encourage eveb more plucking/overpreening because they are trying to remove the aloe.

Absent a humidifier I'm trying to battle dry skin with omega fatty acids, which encourages skin moisture. I've avoided aloe application for the reason above. I have no practical inexperience with it, but the thought of applying anything to the feathers makes me cringe.

Is fish oil useful for birds? I give a pill to my dog every day (trader joes have odorless ones) to help her with dry skin/itching/allergy issues.

 

[BIRDIGIRL]

I hope thise beautiful feathers keep growing and remain unplucked...I know everyone has recomended showers and they are a must but I also read somewhere that vitamin D helps and the easiest way to get vitamin D is a little spell out doors each day.

 

[Brittany741]

I hope thise beautiful feathers keep growing and remain unplucked...I know everyone has recomended showers and they are a must but I also read somewhere that vitamin D helps and the easiest way to get vitamin D is a little spell out doors each day.

She loves her outside time. I have to be EXTRA careful, though, since she is so naked. A sunburn would be a huge problem for her so we usually have a maximum of 5 minutes sun exposure.