New Member Today 10-6-19

cazimodo said:
Hello and welcome from me and my two. My Ziggy plucks (she's a Hahn's Macaw). I got her as a hand reared baby, so she's not been with another owner, but she's a very complicated wee bird. Totally bolshie, but very clever and loving. The first time she plucked was when we temporarily moved the cage to another room so we could put the Xmas tree up in the living room. I thought it would be alright as we were still in sight and she shares the cage with Frodo, but boy was I wrong! She plucked all of the feathers she could reach and chewed off both her wing and tail feathers!

They luckily all grew back when we moved the cage back, but she started again a few months ago. One side of her chest and under her wings (I keep joking with her that she's getting her underarms beach ready [emoji1]). We think it's mostly hormones now, but with Madame Ziggy you just never know. As I said, complicated.

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Wow thats very interesting, just goes to show how delicate and clever birds can be
 
i do not recommend pellits when it comes to pluckers but i think diet is very important, it pays to get a good mix as most shop foods contain sunflour seeds and nuts that are very fatty, i use mainly Johnson and Jeff Lean and fit mix and trying her with tidy mix, on the dry side but plenty of fresh fruit and veg in her diet, i try to aim that i can only just notice the brest bone. i give her feed that she has to forrage for to keep her more occupied as the more she is being busy the less she will think about getting her feathers off. give her sprays every other day, it will help combat irritation caused by new feathers comming through
 
Michael Reynolds said:
i do not recommend pellits when it comes to pluckers but i think diet is very important, it pays to get a good mix as most shop foods contain sunflour seeds and nuts that are very fatty, i use mainly Johnson and Jeff Lean and fit mix and trying her with tidy mix, on the dry side but plenty of fresh fruit and veg in her diet, i try to aim that i can only just notice the brest bone. i give her feed that she has to forrage for to keep her more occupied as the more she is being busy the less she will think about getting her feathers off. give her sprays every other day, it will help combat irritation caused by new feathers comming through
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Thanks, i have tried different foods and additives and other kind of things, like Collars, but she gets very upset with any changes and wont entertain most veg, Apples-pears yes..near impossible to keep a bird occupied for long as i live on my own and work so not there with her like i want to be, she has looked like this from day one more than 6 years ago.I am thinking of fitting a Collar again but its gona have to be one that i design myself coz the rest dont last beyond a day.
 
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Changing a birds diet can take time but it is well worth it, try eating the fruit or pretanding it is yours, they just like having what they think they should not have
 
Thanks for the help all suggestions are taken on board and the Collar idea will probably not happen, i dont like to upset her in any way. Home all day with her, she out of cage soon as i get up and goes back in on her own, unless i have to go out, of course.
 
When you are out & she is alone do you leave a radio/TV on for her so there is some company, also when it get dark early a small side light. I feel all these things may help a little. I also do not think a collar is necessarily a good idea and they can cause a lot of stress unless a bird has an open wound that needs to be protected.
 
TV and Radio always left on for her. Cbeebies channel with all the different sounds. The Collar wont be fitted, its just that i get desperate at times when she keeps chewing at her self its very upsetting to see.
 
JessCheekyMia said:
She is a absolute stunner, she is lucky to have a lovely home with you. My hubby's Hahns is a little plucker but she is still gorgeous and I love her to bits. She was a plucker when she came to us. Unfortunately some parrots won't stop their habbit of plucking.
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Thank you , all we can do is give them lots of love and attention, i try to do, she is on one today none stop chatter got to feed her now she shouting Dinner.
 
Ok you get upset seeing her get at her feathers, try to ignore what she is doing and not show any reaction to her ways, it is so easy to give your bird the wrong signals and reinforce her to carry on because she sees that its getting your attention. do not tell her off try to notice what she is doing and even the slightest reacton she can pick up on. its easy said but so hard to do.
 
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