Pin feathers and itchiness

[CAGLulu]

My parrot has a lot of pin feathers on her neck where she can't reach them. Every night I try to help her getting them off by rubbing my two fingers on them and pulling gently but they just dont want to break and if I do it a bit harder she will let me know that it hurts. She scratches her neck all the time and I feel sorry for her. What can/should I do?

 

[roxynoodle]

My conures uses a keyring on a chain to get hers off. It was once a toy until she ate all the wood parts off. Then I saw her using it to groom her head and face everyday and I left it there. Maybe she can do it herself if she has a "tool" to do it. I'm not good at removing them either. I think having a beak helps!

 

[Spiritbird]

Keep her spritzed with water and let nature take its course. My TAG hates it when I try to help with neck pins so I stick just to her head.

 

[CAGLulu]

@roxynoodle - Unfortunately, I don't think my parrot is that creative nor intelligent I must say your Conure is a smart bird


@Spiritbird - I've read that in nature their companion will help removing the pin feathers and since I only have one bird I've read that I should help her removing them but you are probably right, it will be best if I just let her do it since she don't like it when I try to help her
I do spray her everyday

 

[roxynoodle]

Well, ya know, I think they are all pretty smart. Rowdy is good at figuring out how to use tools though to get what she wants. I'm sure though people wonder why she has the remains of a toy just hanging there, but she uses it a couple of times a day to groom herself and has for years, so I leave it! She started using it as she destroyed the toy so I left it even after all the toy parts were gone. I will have to see what works best for Pete and Merlin though. Maybe I can do it for them since they both love having their heads petted and theirs will be bigger. If not, then I might provide something like Rowdy uses and see if they figure it out.

 

[CAGLulu]

Absolutely, all birds are smart, just in his/her own way. Hopefuly you can do it for Pete and Merlin, and if you can't they better watch Rowdy to see how it is done. I'm sure all your birds are adorable!

 

[luvmytooo]

Try not pulling when you break the pins. If they are too short , it hurts them.
I hope I can explain this correctly , but using your pointer and your thumb , try breaking the pin with your pointer finger nail while pushing it against your thumb.
Clear as mud ? But dont pull , it might be the pulling that your bird doesnt like .

 

[roxynoodle]

It is true they are all smart in different ways. Rowdy is also very obsessive about her personal grooming. She uses her cement perch to file her nails and beak. She bathes every day as well.

I also see Merlin using her cement perch for her beak and nails so maybe she will understand a tool for head and neck pins. I guess I'll find out soon enough since she is molting.

What luvmytoo describes is what I have tried, too. I'm just not very good at doing it to little conure feathers.

 

[CAGLulu]

Thanks luvmytoo! I will definitely try that tomorrow and if she don't like it, I will just leave her and her pin feathers alone. Her pin feathers I'm trying to break are quite short so that can be why it hurts. Thanks again!

Rowdy sounds like a princess that always take care of herself. She must be a handsome bird My parrot also uses her cement perch so that is a plus! No need to groom her nails and beak.

 

[roxynoodle]

Yes, now if I can only get Pete to figure it out, lol! Well, at least he is getting on the darn thing. He hated that plastic Pedi-cure perch I bought him, but now he has a nice cement one. Of course right now Petey just wants some nice, non malnurished feathers, which he is getting now.

 

[CAGLulu]

I'm sure he will figure it out soon. It also took Lulu, my CAG, a long time to figure it out but she did eventually. Sometimes they just need some extra time to figure things out

 

[Mare Miller]

How funny, I was just going to say what luvmytoo just said, except I use my thumb nail against my pointer finger nail! I start at the tippy tip of Amigo's pin feather and press just hard enough to break the hard shell, work down by increments and only to about half way. Don't get too close to the blood line.

 

[luvmytooo]

How funny, I was just going to say what luvmytoo just said, except I use my thumb nail against my pointer finger nail! I start at the tippy tip of Amigo's pin feather and press just hard enough to break the hard shell, work down by increments and only to about half way. Don't get too close to the blood line.

lolol. That is funny We both have our own methods
I think I tried it your way once and found myself pulling too much , so I use my pointer instead and he doesnt yell at me
But when they are too short , he makes me jump when he complains , lolol. Yoshi loves to be preened , he will practically lay down in my lap or cuddle up close to me. Such a cuddle bug

 

[Mare Miller]

Yeah, I think they do like it and appreciate the help but sure let you know when you've crossed the line!

 

[luvmytooo]

Oh they do ! I jump like crazy everytime he yells , I cant control it , I try not to jump as much , but it's like you get so relaxed with them , and then he gives that "squawk" and I react to it , but he doesnt even lift his head sometimes !
I think he knows he can make me jump and he just does it sometimes for laugh

 

[Mare Miller]

I'm always afraid of the beak chomp that might come with the squawk! If it was anyone else, but me, putting this move on Amigo, there would be blood shed! It's the same way with cutting his nails. He loves for me to handle his feet, kinda hard getting the clippers near them because he wants to play with them, but when I do get in a nip...sometimes he yelps and it freaks me out! Knock on wood, he hasn't bitten me, yet!

 

[luvmytooo]

I'm always afraid of the beak chomp that might come with the squawk! If it was anyone else, but me, putting this move on Amigo, there would be blood shed! It's the same way with cutting his nails. He loves for me to handle his feet, kinda hard getting the clippers near them because he wants to play with them, but when I do get in a nip...sometimes he yelps and it freaks me out! Knock on wood, he hasn't bitten me, yet!

With the size bird that Amigo is , I would be a little jumpy too
It's great that he lets you clip his nails though. I am trying to get
Yoshi used to me touching his feet and holding his foot still , so when I get him used to seeing the clippers , I just might be able to do the clipping without much fuss . I hate to towel him , but that's another thing I need to get him used to , but I hate upsetting him because then I feel he will hate me , lolol. IMO , I really dont think there is a way of getting a bird used to being towelled . But , I guess there is always that one bird who finds it amusing

 

[roxynoodle]

If you can get a bird used to playing under a blanket or towel with you, I think it helps. But some birds will do that and still really hate being toweled for medical reasons. Pete was playing under a blanket with me this afternoon, but if he is wrapped in a towel he will spend hours angrily trying to fix his feathers. Merlin is now super scared of towels after all her vet visits.

 

[luvmytooo]

I was told by Rosie's previous owners that she liked to go under the blanket with you.
I have yet to try that with her , lolol. She has been here a over a month now , so I think she is ready to try something new I still have yet to bring her in the shower ! I should try that tomorrow morning I know it will be too much for Yoshi , but I think it would be a good idea for him to see Rosie playing in the water , then maybe one day , he will join her