Recently adopted female, 8 years old, plucking.

[KCJames]

She is such a sweet bird. I want to do everything that I can to help her.
All tests negative for a physical condition at the vet.
She eats Harrison's and fruits and vegetables twice daily, a mix, my daughter is vegan so we have everything.
I am giving her sunshine factor, and I'm using healx on the bloodied spots, also vet recommended.
I've had her a little over a week. No plucking until today. A few down feathers, a brand new secondary and some coverts.
There were NO changes in our routine today. Play time, I am teaching her to play and forage. I have all things shreddable and strings to untie, fluffy snuggler.
I'm at my wits end. I have no idea on what to do.
I heard that chamomile tea could help and I don't want to over do vitamin supplements.
She loathes a shower.
I think they used water to punish her....she lived in a business that really stressed her out.
Please help me to help her.

I have a GCC and was raised with a Grey. I'm not new to birds. Just FYI.

 

[weco]

I would check the humidity level in your home.....if it is too dry, that can cause a bird to pluck.....humidity should be between 40%-60%.....

Since she doesn't like showers, you could take her into the bathroom, turn the shower on hot & steam up the room.....that would at least get her wet & all the better if she spreads her wings.....

 

[moni.k]

First off, CONGRATS on your new family member, and thank you for choosing to adopt. It's really amazing to hear about people who take in these animals and give them a second chance at a good life. As for the plucking, I've never experienced having a bird that plucked. But from what I've read, although diet, stress, boredom and health can be a cause, continuation of plucking is mainly due to habit. Don't be too hard on yourself. It's only been a little while since you've brought her home and she may just need some more time to adjust. Unfortunately, this is about all I have for you. But I know there are plenty of other Ekkie owners that can give some additional advice.

 

[KCJames]

I just feel as though she was coming so far and doing so well. She had only make this one scared sounding noise when I brought her home but since then has started to talk and make other sounds. I feel the plucking is because she isn't happy. It's the saddest thing I've ever seen.

 

[sodakat]

She may always pluck. You may not be able to stop her from plucking. She may pluck certain times of the year and she may decide not to pluck for a while then decide it is something she needs to do.

Have you tried running a vacuum very close to her cage to see if she will take a bath in her water dish? If not, I would try that. Just set the vacuum up by her cage and plug it in. Give it about 3 minutes and see what she does.

I have 3 pluckers and have definitely seen a correlation between dislike of bathing and plucking. I don't know which came first with these birds because I didn't own them when they started plucking. But I do think that daily, yes daily, soaking when they need to go through a molt is very helpful to their skin and feathers.

I would first try the vacuum to see if she will jump in her water dish. She may just loft her feathers when the vacuum is running instead of getting in the dish. This would be your opportunity to wet her down. My birds do not like spray bottles. But they tolerate those pump up garden sprayers that hold about a gallon of water, that have the long hose with a nozzle that can be adjusted between a spray and a mist. If she can be placed somewhere you don't mind getting soaked along with her, I recommend picking up a garden sprayer. You can pump it up in another room if the noise/action of pumping bothers her and then just squeeze the trigger when near her. The trigger is not noisy like a spray bottle you must constantly squeeze.

Othewise, have you tried her in a lukewarm shower? On your arm or on something stationary like a stool or chair back where she can move in and out of the shower spray?

This is the first place I would start -- bathing regularly. You will be shocked to see the change in her feathers within a couple weeks of daily bathing.

When I was doing some research on feather destructive behavior a couple years ago I ran across a British website owned by a budgie breeder who shows their birds. They said that about 2 weeks before a show they begin spraying the birds with cool water, getting them soaking wet daily. At first the water soaks into the feathers because the birds are not in prime condition. But, after a few days of regular bathing the birds have begun to preen themselves thoroughly and the preening oil is spread over their feathers so it becomes more difficult to get the feathers totally wet while showering them, even when the birds loft their feathers.

Finally, just before the show, the birds' feathers are in such good shape that water just beads up on the feathers and runs off. This convinced me that water was needed to help my plucking birds. Water is good for their skin too.

Sunshine is another thing you can offer daily or at least a few times a week. Just 15 minutes a day in direct sunlight will benefit her. Be sure she doesn't overheat if it is very warm outside. Even rolling her cage in front of an open window with an intact screen where the sun is streaming in yet not blocked by window glass, will be great.

 

[sodakat]

Don't feel sad for her! That is the worst thing you can do. She is just a bird without feathers. She doesn't need pity. I'm sure she is VERY happy that you brought her into your home. Just enjoy her!

 

[Kalidasa]

Mine was bald when I brought her home, and every time she pulled one I would burst into tears! It's stopped but I still watch her very carefully. You can't really blame yourself, just look at it like nail-biting or smoking, it's a hard habit to break, but it can be done. Having lots of humidity as weco suggested is a very good idea. I started out with "steam baths" in the bathroom, then moved on to aloe baths. She HATES being sprayed, but I've found a way to do it where it doesn't bother her at all. If I hold her against my chest, and spray her right against her body, so the nozzle is touching the body, she's ok with that. I put the nozzle right on her little shoulder blades and spray so the water runs all down her body, then I spray going down her back. Then I turn her over and spray her front...everything but the head. The turning over part may or may not happen for you. If it doesn't, just spray while she's perched, but closely. Antoinette also gave me some great advice, about having a sink with water in it (plugged) and slowly lowering her as you also lower your face with her, talking softly, and let her go in. That has also worked for me like a charm! Good luck!
As long as she's healthy, that's the most important thing. Just look at the present state as a bad haircut!
Also, she might pull out damaged feathers, as she should. Or ones ready to come out anyway.

 

[coltfire]

ok my brother had a plucker, and for 5 years she kept plucking , he tried every thing, and then i had a friend who asked if he had tried alovera , so i got him to pill it scoop the jell out coat the area once a week at night where plucking, following morning good bath and for two weeks also adding it into there food, she no longer plucks and its been 4 years,and as long as toys are kept up with right diet she does not even look like plucking. hope this may help

 

[coltfire]

with putting it in there food it was everyday for two weeks then a week off and then back in for another two weeks , buy then you should have a bird covered in feathers or at least coming through.if needed you repeat

 

[sodakat]

...so i got him to pill it scoop the jell out...

What do you mean "pill it"? You bought aloe vera pills then emptied them?

As long as it is washed off I guess this would be okay, but I know there was recently an eclectus who was sprayed with aloe vera mixed with water who inhaled some of the droplets and had some breathing problems.

I also know there are many people who have done aloe vera therapy in various forms without success.

To coat an entire bird in aloe vera (which is what would need to happen with my Lolly) seems like a not very good idea, to me.

Please don't think I'm being mean because I'm not. I just worry about hearing ONE incident of something that helped ONE bird and people getting excited to try this.

Do we know if this was pure aloe vera?

 

[Boysmom]

As the others have stated plucking can be very hard to stop. Kathy has given you some great advice. I agree that you will have to teach her to shower, and it takes time so be patient. Try a warm bowl of water in the bathroom while the warm shower runs. Splash around in the water with your hands, to try to coax her to explore the water. You could try some pure aloe vera juice in her water, but I don't know if it will help. You might could luck up and find some aloe detox to put into the water also. It's hard to find but I found it in Birmingham Alabama at the Golden Temple health food store, and successfully stoppped the Amazon I was fostering from plucking with it. Have you considered that she may be scared of the new toys ? I always introduce new things very slowly to watch what the birds reaction to them are. How old is she ? How long has she been with you ? Where do you live ? When did she last molt ? Is she hormonal now ?Those answers may help us all help you better, as sometimes it is enviromental or allergy related.

 

[Kalidasa]

If you're worried about the "purity" of the aloe, simply use fresh cut leaves from a live plant.

 

[LoryLover]

I'm no expert on plucking, but here are two experiences I had:

Stress can cause plucking. I've had two instances of my lory plucking. One was my first lory (many years ago) - began plucking due to liver failure and I learned that liver failure causes intense itching.

The other instance was with our current lory - she began plucking feathers from her right shoulder when she was going through a period of incontinence due to an egg-bound experience she had. She sustained quite a bit of nerve and tissue damage internally from being egg bound. (vet was able to remove egg, thank goodness)

As she healed from that, she spent more time in her cage due to her being incontinent and constantly dripping urine. And she plucked out all the feathers around her vent area, and a section of feathers on her right shoulder.

But as the time progressed and she got healed up, her plucking completely ceased. It took her 3 years to completely heal - that was about 7 years ago and she has been fine since.

 

[coltfire]

...so i got him to pill it scoop the jell out...

What do you mean "pill it"? You bought aloe vera pills then emptied them?

As long as it is washed off I guess this would be okay, but I know there was recently an eclectus who was sprayed with aloe vera mixed with water who inhaled some of the droplets and had some breathing problems.

I also know there are many people who have done aloe vera therapy in various forms without success.

To coat an entire bird in aloe vera (which is what would need to happen with my Lolly) seems like a not very good idea, to me.

Please don't think I'm being mean because I'm not. I just worry about hearing ONE incident of something that helped ONE bird and people getting excited to try this.

Do we know if this was pure aloe vera?

no sorry you peel the skin of the leaf. straight from plant , so yes pure

 

[sodakat]

...so i got him to pill it scoop the jell out...

What do you mean "pill it"? You bought aloe vera pills then emptied them?

As long as it is washed off I guess this would be okay, but I know there was recently an eclectus who was sprayed with aloe vera mixed with water who inhaled some of the droplets and had some breathing problems.

I also know there are many people who have done aloe vera therapy in various forms without success.

To coat an entire bird in aloe vera (which is what would need to happen with my Lolly) seems like a not very good idea, to me.

Please don't think I'm being mean because I'm not. I just worry about hearing ONE incident of something that helped ONE bird and people getting excited to try this.

Do we know if this was pure aloe vera?

no sorry you peel the skin of the leaf. straight from plant , so yes pure

Hah, hah! You meant PEEL it. I never even thought of that when I read pill it! Sorry.

 

[KCJames]

She has slowly taken to bathing, in her water dish. Totally fine by me!
Only her head but so be it. I have used chamomile tea and aloe Vera in her water- she hates it. I don't think she will ever get her feathers back. No matter how much attention or diet, bathing, she isn't going to stop. I accept her the way she is. If she stops then she stops. All testing was negative for skin problems. Vet says I'm doing everything right an at this point it's up to her. I wish she had gone to someone more familiar with them....

 

[Chikoo]

KCJames, before you lose hope...I have had my female for a year now, and right now she is 99% fully-feathered, the most I have ever seen on her. I don't know what changed. It is possible that they stop. Who knows she may start again, but I don't know.

 

[sodakat]

Pinecones helped my Bella who came to me as a plucker. Lolly on the other hand is not as interested in giving a pinecone a haircut.

 

[Chikoo]

This is the first place I would start -- bathing regularly. You will be shocked to see the change in her feathers within a couple weeks of daily bathing.

When I was doing some research on feather destructive behavior a couple years ago I ran across a British website owned by a budgie breeder who shows their birds. They said that about 2 weeks before a show they begin spraying the birds with cool water, getting them soaking wet daily. At first the water soaks into the feathers because the birds are not in prime condition. But, after a few days of regular bathing the birds have begun to preen themselves thoroughly and the preening oil is spread over their feathers so it becomes more difficult to get the feathers totally wet while showering them, even when the birds loft their feathers.

Sodakat, this is a very astute observation. Also interesting that you noticed a pattern with plucking birds and not enjoying baths. My female doesn't do the typical parrot things in the shower. She sits there like a stone. My male on the other hand can't stop spreading his wings, wagging his tail, leaning down, and just basking in the water. He loves it. She is like a statue.

I can't say she DOESN'T like it, she puts up with it, and I think there is something relaxing about it for her. She often zones out and won't even step up on me because she is so subdued by the water.

On the other hand, when I have both birds on the shower perch and I put the water directly on them, she will scoot away from it, while my male will just let it all flow on him.

I've been bathing her daily recently, since she has been molting, and is nearly fully feathered for the first time.

Do you think daily baths are significant for pluckers even in a naturally tropical climate like Hawaii? Or is the root of it not really moisture/dryness, but the encouragement of proper grooming.

 

[sodakat]

Personally, I think its water on feathers and skin, which softens the feathers and keeps the skin from drying out, more than proper preening.

I have not been able to figure out why birds who exhibit feather destructive behavior seem less inclined to bathe. I don't want any of my non-pluckers to start plucking but it would be I.teresting to observe what triggers the behavior. My 3 who pluck came to me as adults with the habit.

I have observed that there is an increase in this activity in the months following the shortest day of the year here. It is also very dry then.