he picks at feathers and squawks ,flips around cage like something is biting him. constantly preening himsel

Question

he pulls out some feathers. still get on my finger and kisses and fusses with me.

Answer 1

Maybe he needs more to occupy his time. I bought some toys in the baby department because they are cheaper and colorful . Make foraging toys like putting a treat in a toilet paper roll and stuffing the ends with newsprint. That way he has to think to get a treat. I even put sunflower seeds in a pine cone. I make rectangle pieces of newsprint and place a treat in the center and twist the ends to close. Teach him to bathe. Fill a sink with an inch of warm water and splash the water with your fingers and talk enthusiastically to him and he will get the idea. Good luck and have a great relationship.

Answer 2

there are several things that have already been mentioned that can cuases this. It all boils down to three catagories...Medical Internal, Medical External, and emotional distress.

Step one, call your local Avian Certified vet and set up an appointment. You will need to have blood work drawn to check for internal paracites. The vet can also treat for mites with a simple drop of Ivomectrin on the back every ten days for thirty days. Giardia is also common and can causes baldness on the head and legs, sometimes on the abdomen. All of these are easy to test for and easy to treat.

Take notes for your vet to eliminate environmental and nutrition factors. What does your bird eat? a diet of only seed will cause multiple issues which can manifest in plucking. Your vet can work out a good diet, but rule of thumb, 20% seed, 20% fresh fruits, veggies, and pasta, 60% high quality pellets.

Look at the environment. Birds are prey animals and can become stressed if they feel they cannot hide from a threat. Sometimes, placing a birdie hut in the cage or covering half the cage with a blanket will give the bird someplace to hide and calm down. Kind of like a sparrow flying into a bush for safety in your backyard. Is the cage near a window, is there another pet like a cat or dog staring at it, is there loud music, kids, or neighbors? all of these are stress triggers. Observe your bird's environment and go over it with the vet.

Are you a night owl? Most birds aren't. Birds need 12 hours of light and 12 hours of dark. They get really cranky if they don't get enough sleep, and this can cause plucking. I have a friend who adopted a 15 year old abused yellow nape amazon. He was giving her a much better diet and a lot of love, but she was still stark naked except for her head. I suggested that he start taking her outside or exposing her to a UVA/UVB light (ultraviolet like sunlight). She had feathers within six months and is the most well behaved, gorgeous bird I've ever seen now. Just make sure if you are taking your bird outside that she has been clipped by a professional (the primary feathers) and that she is not near anything that can endanger her (other animals, grills, ponds, roads).

Is the bird bored? It sounds like you play with your bird, but what about when you aren't around? Stock pile toys and rotate them every few days to keep your bird entertained. A busy bird is a quiet bird. You can always tell when they are up to no good when all is quiet...just like kids.

Understand that plucking is an addiction. Something somewhere happened that the bird lost a feather. Adreniline is realeased when this happens, momentarily helping the bird forget pain, stress, and boredom. It becomes a drug to them, and even when all factors that cuased him to pluck to begin with are taken care of, you still have to battle the addiction. this is best done with the guidence of a vet or bird behavioralist.

Good luck!

Answer 3

Most likely he is bored. Birds need a lot of stimulation. colorful toys, music, even T.V. believe it or not. When you are home, make sure that your stove is off, ceiling fans are off, toilet seats are covered, and sit with him. talk to him, roll him on his back (if he is tame enough), they even have bird leashes where you can put the harness on him (totally harmless and painless) and take them outside. Just make sure the prime feathers are cut so that he doesn't try to fly and get tangled in the leash. Introduce him to the leash indoors. Birds love the sun.

If he is ill, I had a wonderful bird that lived to be 15, he was a parakeet and began to act strange. I took him to the vet, and he had mites that were eating him from the inside out. He was so old, but wouldn't die, so I gave him the last gift I could, I put him to sleep. His immune system was so old he couldn't fight them off. You might want to take him to the vet to make sure he doesn't have mites. There is also a liquid you can purchase that you rub onto the bird. This lotion does NOT harm the bird in any way, it just tastes disgusting to them, and they stop pulling out their feathers. Your vet would be able to discuss that with you after seeing your bird and it's skin.

If you can't give your bird at least 3 hours of attention, whether it be talking to it from the next room, surfing the web, or watching t.v. together, you might want to consider a pet that needs less attention, or, you can fill the cage with toys, or a mate. :)

Good Luck! :)

Answer 4

My roommate's McCaw was doing this on her chest and legs.

I got her a big-big chew toy--colored wooden blocks on strings--she's finished it off six months later. I gotta find another one.

Also, first thing in the morning, I get her out of her cage and carry her to the bathroom and perch her on the shower curtain rod, letting her enjoy the humid air, then take her on my hand and get her wet. first the back, then the side, she opens her wing, then the other side, and opens her wing. Then back to the rod while I dry. In the summer I'd take her out and let her perch and dry on the trellis (she can't fly) and enjoy the sunshine--they need that. (I'm not convinced the plant-grow light worked)

She left her chest and legs alone, but since it's winter, she's started picking a little.

Don't forget the sunshine.

They are social animals, and a companion might help.

Answer 5

How much attention do you give him? It sounds like he may be heading toward becoming neurotic. Birds are highly intelligent and need stimulation. First things FIRST though. I'd take him to the vet to be sure he doesn't have mites or something else that's actually irritating him. If the vet doesn't find anything, try putting a mirror in his cage, or a mate depending on what kind of bird he is. Good luck!

Answer 6

It sounds like he's bored.Or if you don't think that's the case then maybe he has lice.Do you pay your bird lots os attension and give him new toys every now and then? Also, do you put yellow liquid in his water once a week to get rid of lice? If not then go and ask someone in the pet shop if you need to buy some of this to add to the water.

Answer 7

I take care of an African Grey who does the same sort of thing. But she also has plucked her little body bare of feathers! You should definitely take your little birdy to the avian vet to make sure she doesn't have parasites. Better safe than sorry.

Hope your pal feels better soon!

Answer 8

He's bored. It's what birds do when they get bored to entertain themselves. It's also harmful to them, so get him little bird toys to keep his mind busy, or make some, like tie a shoelace on the cage, or tie a mirror on the side of the cage so he'll think there's another bird in the cage w/him!

Answer 9

It could be lice, worms, a lack of fresh fruit and vegies in his diet or just plain old boredom. Perhaps try remedies for all these and see what happens.

Answer 10

Worms