Tonifrax
Guest
Hi guys,
As you know if you've read my posts, Ollie is a plucker. Hes not too bad, mostly just his neck and then down feathers elsewhere. His diet has improved since i got him and he gets nutribal once a week in his food. Hes still a bit fussy but loves sweet potato, will eat broccoli, picks through his chop and he gets a little palm nut oil on occasion too. I dont live near an avian vet so we get all basic stuff done at the vet nearby - they are recommended by an avian vet. They quoted me a price for full blood analysis, ring removal and microchip implantation but because none of it is urgent i am going to wait and travel 3hrs to an avian vet when lockdown restrictions ease. The blood analysis is just to be 100% sure theres nothing else going on that could be causing it. He was at the vets just before i got him but id still like to take him myself rather than going off of someone elses word.
He keeps snapping his tail feathers off when they grow back in. Always during the night. Last time he did it was like a week ago now and then a couple days ago I woke up and he snapped the last one off and even a flight feather which he doesnt usually do plus there was some smaller grey and red feathers. I dont know what is causing it. It could be habit, maybe something scares him during the night etc.. Im not sure.
He gets put to bed at around 10pm or he says "go to bed" to let me know hes tired. Curtains and blinds closed. He used to be covered but he hasnt been since moving into his new cages. Parrotlets arent covered either. Their cage is next to his. He takes a while to settle then goes quiet. He has a night light as hes fallen a handful of times (when he was covered as well) during the night since i got him. I turn off the other lights in the room and leave the door open a bit with the corridor light on until i know hes settled in his usual spot. Then i turn this off and go to my room with the door open a bit so i can hear incase he falls. Sometimes i get up during the night and I can hear hes not asleep... Usually cos he poops and i hear it hit the paper or 5am this morning i heard him moving so i spoke to him and he responded. Hes gone like a whole month between episodes of this and let his tail grow out but then just snapped it all off again. He is very attached to me... Both literally (glued to my arm just now) and figuratively. Although im here all day I put him in his cage for a while to entertain himself. Sometimes he goes in a huff and makes a really loud noise to let me know hes not happy. I ignore him. He eventually stops. He is capable of entertaining himself on his stand but if i leave the room he tries to find me and gets pretty upset about it even if im only gone 5 mins. He likes to walk along the radiator (covered with a blanket) to the door so he can see me still. If the blanket isnt there he shouts because he doesnt like to walk on the radiator without it. He gets bored of playing with his toys when hes out unless im involved somehow. Hes the same with eating.. If im not involved or standing watching him its not good enough lol. Know thats pretty standard flock behaviour though.
Otherwise he seems happy but just wondered if anyone had any ideas as to anything i can do bout the tail snapping. @DizzyBlue mentioned a sleep cage and i read the thread about that. Just wondered how that could be of benefit or if anyone has solved similar issues doing that or has any more ideas?
As you know if you've read my posts, Ollie is a plucker. Hes not too bad, mostly just his neck and then down feathers elsewhere. His diet has improved since i got him and he gets nutribal once a week in his food. Hes still a bit fussy but loves sweet potato, will eat broccoli, picks through his chop and he gets a little palm nut oil on occasion too. I dont live near an avian vet so we get all basic stuff done at the vet nearby - they are recommended by an avian vet. They quoted me a price for full blood analysis, ring removal and microchip implantation but because none of it is urgent i am going to wait and travel 3hrs to an avian vet when lockdown restrictions ease. The blood analysis is just to be 100% sure theres nothing else going on that could be causing it. He was at the vets just before i got him but id still like to take him myself rather than going off of someone elses word.
He keeps snapping his tail feathers off when they grow back in. Always during the night. Last time he did it was like a week ago now and then a couple days ago I woke up and he snapped the last one off and even a flight feather which he doesnt usually do plus there was some smaller grey and red feathers. I dont know what is causing it. It could be habit, maybe something scares him during the night etc.. Im not sure.
He gets put to bed at around 10pm or he says "go to bed" to let me know hes tired. Curtains and blinds closed. He used to be covered but he hasnt been since moving into his new cages. Parrotlets arent covered either. Their cage is next to his. He takes a while to settle then goes quiet. He has a night light as hes fallen a handful of times (when he was covered as well) during the night since i got him. I turn off the other lights in the room and leave the door open a bit with the corridor light on until i know hes settled in his usual spot. Then i turn this off and go to my room with the door open a bit so i can hear incase he falls. Sometimes i get up during the night and I can hear hes not asleep... Usually cos he poops and i hear it hit the paper or 5am this morning i heard him moving so i spoke to him and he responded. Hes gone like a whole month between episodes of this and let his tail grow out but then just snapped it all off again. He is very attached to me... Both literally (glued to my arm just now) and figuratively. Although im here all day I put him in his cage for a while to entertain himself. Sometimes he goes in a huff and makes a really loud noise to let me know hes not happy. I ignore him. He eventually stops. He is capable of entertaining himself on his stand but if i leave the room he tries to find me and gets pretty upset about it even if im only gone 5 mins. He likes to walk along the radiator (covered with a blanket) to the door so he can see me still. If the blanket isnt there he shouts because he doesnt like to walk on the radiator without it. He gets bored of playing with his toys when hes out unless im involved somehow. Hes the same with eating.. If im not involved or standing watching him its not good enough lol. Know thats pretty standard flock behaviour though.
Otherwise he seems happy but just wondered if anyone had any ideas as to anything i can do bout the tail snapping. @DizzyBlue mentioned a sleep cage and i read the thread about that. Just wondered how that could be of benefit or if anyone has solved similar issues doing that or has any more ideas?