Thoughts On Elvis

Ann-Marie

Quiet as a Mouse
Regular Member
This past few days I've been all excited as Elvis has had some lovely feathers growing under his neck. But unfortunately he has chewed them all again!


I'm really starting to think more seriously about this being some sort of bonding issues he has. The chews / snips his feathers the worst when I stroke him. But he comes to me nibbling at my fingers when he wants stroking and I can't ignore him. But every time he goes for his feathers I stop stroking him and tell him not to do it. We go over and over this process but it doesn't stop him trying.


I've also noticed that when I haven't been spending as much time with him he seems to be doing it worse!


Any thoughts / suggestions / ideas? xx
 
Doesn't really sound like a bonding issue if he does it whether you are there or not, more of a habit with a few triggers, maybe you are one of them, don't know what to advise though, does anyone?...is a complex subject without definite answers...


Sorry Ann-Marie, that wasn't much help :th_smiley_flowers:
 
I know exactly what you mean, there is a fine line with these boys. Too much bonding and they are all hormonal, but when we ignore them they pluck as well. I have found that with Max he has cuddles and i scratch his neck, but no stroking. It is hard because when he is cuddly he is very and i want him to be on me all the time but after 10 minutes i get him a toy, so he can sit on me but is distracted. If he won't play i then put him on his playstand.


I did find Ann-Marie that when Max was at his worse i had to spray him to stop chewing his feathers, this would be several times a day and he ended up hating me. I think he soon learnt that if he left himself alone and showed no signs of hormonal behaviour towards me, he wouldn't get sprayed. This was on top of his normal sprays throughout the day. I used the avix soother spray as it is in its own blue bottle...................Max now hates that but didn't associate the normal spray bottle with bad or unwanted behaviour.


I definitely don't think its because they are unhappy.


Hope this make sense and can help with Elvis :wink2:
 
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thanks guys. I'm pretty sure he isn't unhappy - in fact I'm sure he is really happy with his little life.


Kat - I will give that a try. I've got the avix soother spray to use for Elvis anyway so I will do it when I see him chewing them.


Its really weird as he will go and sit on John's knee and doesn't do it at all! xx
 
Give it a go Ann-Marie, it may not work but you never know. I only use that bottle, so have put some of the avix soother in another clear spray bottle.
 
Harley`s much like that, but I now know there`s no pattern.


I kept a diary of food, behaviour and plucking and looked for links over 4 months, there are none it seems.


Harley likes to be out with me, but he`s not a cuddly stroky bird, he likes to be busy. Yet, he`ll be running across the floor going to fetch the ball, stop, yank out a feather, squeal, and carry on!


Some days he doesn`t get much time out of the cage because he`s being aggresive, yet he`ll sit not plucking at all, other days he`ll sit in the cage all day plucking regardless.


He`s had every test done at the vets, i`ve changed his diet, everything. The one thing I`ve done recently is given less seed and more muesli, I`ve noticed he`s less aggresive and not plucking quite so much, but that`s not necessarily down to the change, that could be coincidence, the change in weather, anything.


It doesn`t help much sorry, but you`re not alone!
 
thanks Scarlett. Its something he was doing before he came here. I hoped with having lots to play on and some company it would help. For a while he seemed to be getting better then he's started up again. His diet is now really good so I'm pretty sure its not that but he has very dry skin and is much more dusty than the others - so may be that is something to do with it. My Mum mentioned today that got me thinking. She said it could be that when I tickle him behind is head is is itching him and he's just scratching in another area.... just a thought but worth considering.


I've had him to the vet once but not the new vet - so I'm going to take him along and see what she says.


He is such a lovely birdie - he is the most loving out of them all really (well with me anyway) but he craves attention all the time xx
 
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