removing pins

[Meredith0708]

Hello! I have recently acquired an 8-year-old cockatoo and have had her for about two months and are getting along quite well, but I am pretty inexperienced with birds. I noticed she had these quills pocking out of her feathers so did some research and believe she must be molting and these are pins. She has an awful lot of them around her neck and head. I read to gently rub them between my fingers and she was putting up with this very well, but after about a half an hour she took a dive at my face to bite me. She has never shown any sign of aggression before. I have put her on her cage and figure I will leave her alone for tonight, but not sure if I should continue to try and help her with the pins again tomorrow? Any suggestions are appreciated - thanks!

 

[MacawGuy]

Sometimes they hurt when u help them. I do it with my scarlet macaw n he nips me a lot but not to hurt me all. Just to tell me like hey that hurt a little claim down lol. But it should be fine. But all birds are different

 

[melissasparrots]

There is a method to it. Generally you don't want to go anywhere close to the pink base where there is still a blood supply. I try to take of about an 8th of an inch at a time. If the shell cracks and falls off easily when I rub my fingernail over it, then its ready. Getting close the base is tricky business and depending on how bad of a biter your bird is, you might just want to leave that up to her. It can be painful. Sometimes no matter how careful you are you hit one wrong and they turn around and pinch or bite. It feels really good to them right up until the point where it hurts like heck.

Also keep in mind with new birds that some individuals can be easily overstimulated by long petting sessions. So it could have been that at the half hour mark she had a lapse in self control. Maybe keep intense preening sessions shorter until you know more about each other. And keep her well away from your face.

 

[Meredith0708]

Thanks so much for the info - very helpful! I will give it a bit of a go again tomorrow night and see what happens. I think what's throwing me off is I didn't have a sense of her getting upset, she just suddenly took a few stabs at my face. Thanks again!!

 

[jaimmorr]

Welcome to the forum! AND the Goffin's Club! LOL We have one of those here at ParrotForums...

Yep, sounds like you tweaked something by accident and it hurt her a little bit so she was letting you know. Just be careful with that and make sure you pay attention to her body language.

 

[KatherineI]

I'd hold off a bit, personally, until you know her body language a bit better. My Goffin is very easy to read and it didn't take long for us to tell whether she was gonna have any of something or not. I do it just like Melissa does, and I stay away from the bases, that part will happen when it does. And sometimes, I do accidentally hurt her and she lets me know! Good luck!

And welcome to both the forum, and the club

 

[lene1949]

I would give her a bath, before the preening session, as it helps soften the pin feathers...

I preen my birds very gently, and roll rather than rub... They all make a sound, if it hurts - rather than bite...

 

[MacawGuy]

Yea gave get bath you nice info on that. Didn't even think about that

 

[Meredith0708]

Unfortunately she hates the shower and acts like she's being beaten when I spray her - I gave her a pretty good spray down last night, but I get a little nervous about doing something I know she doesn't like.

 

[jaimmorr]

Could be that she has been punished with water before you got her. I wouldn't flood her. (Google "Flooding parrots" if you don't know what flooding is.)

I would make her realize (this is probably going to take awhile) that water is fun and good for her. Take her in the shower with you and let her watch you shower and act like you're having a grand ole time! Play with water in a shallow dish. You could also give her really wet greens (like kale, spinach, etc.) in a shallow dish, some birds like bathing in it.

 

[melissasparrots]

Unfortunately she hates the shower and acts like she's being beaten when I spray her - I gave her a pretty good spray down last night, but I get a little nervous about doing something I know she doesn't like.

I have a few that don't like baths either. I don't do it often, but once in a while I will force the issue if its been a few months and they are looking crummy. None of mine like baths in the shower. With the cockatoo, often times she hates the first few spritzes from a water bottle but then gets into it. Usually I spray her 5-6 times just to get her started and then I go spray another bird. If I notice her trying to get close to me or looking hopeful then I know she wants more bath after she's had a few minutes to think it over. If not, I just leave it to a quick spray. I do let her dry out though before petting her or preening.