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Serious feather plucking

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  • 11-04-2010 7:43pm
    #1
    Shibbie
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10 ✭


    I adopted a lovebird a few days ago from a family member who wasnt looking after him properly. He initially started to pluck himself when his mate was still alive and it was thought that she had been attacking him. The plucking is so bad all his back is torn and he cannot fly. Since I've gotten him I've been giving him different foods (even though he hasnt tried many of them), toys, and leaving him out of the cage.

    I've seen an anti-plucking spray in the pet shop but I'm not sure if this will be safe to use as he has open sores on his back. Is there anything else I can put on his back so that it won't get infected?

    I'm hoping my college grant will come in this week so that I can bring him to the vet this week. If anyone knows anything that will cheer him up or that I can put on his back please let me know

    Thanks


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    #2
    Outkast_IRE
    Registered Users Posts: 7,516 ✭✭✭Outkast_IRE


    Shibbie wrote: »
    I adopted a lovebird a few days ago from a family member who wasnt looking after him properly. He initially started to pluck himself when his mate was still alive and it was thought that she had been attacking him. The plucking is so bad all his back is torn and he cannot fly. Since I've gotten him I've been giving him different foods (even though he hasnt tried many of them), toys, and leaving him out of the cage.

    I've seen an anti-plucking spray in the pet shop but I'm not sure if this will be safe to use as he has open sores on his back. Is there anything else I can put on his back so that it won't get infected?

    I'm hoping my college grant will come in this week so that I can bring him to the vet this week. If anyone knows anything that will cheer him up or that I can put on his back please let me know

    Thanks
    I would think that the trip to the vets is uncessary and will just be a waste of your cash. Feather plucking is behavioral and all you can do is try to keep the bird busy and give it attention hopefully it might bond to you and relax with the plucking .
    As for the open sores then , do a bit of net research im sure all you can do is use a bit of antiseptic cream or somethin similar , just be careful applying it lovebirds have a nasty bite


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    #3
    Shibbie
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10 ✭Shibbie


    thanks... Id say he'd give a nasty nip alright altho he seems tame enough but I wouldnt put it past him!


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    #4
    Outkast_IRE
    Registered Users Posts: 7,516 ✭✭✭Outkast_IRE


    iv kept birds most of my life and honestly a love bird can take a chunk outta your finger no problem !!!!!!!!! I dont keep them anymore :rolleyes:


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    #5
    Sigma Force
    Registered Users Posts: 5,132 ✭✭✭Sigma Force


    The poor fella, some birds are more prone than others but once they start it takes a while for them to stop some don't stop altogether but there's lots of things you can do to help him I'm sure he will improve if you do.

    For the sores on his back, if you can get a clean dropper or syringe (no needle just the pluger things) and boil up some water in the kettle and add a tea spoon of salt, any salt will do and allow it to cool. Then drop the cooled salt water on his wounds, I wouldn't suggest spraying him with it because he might ingest too much salt but salt water is a great healer.

    Get a clean empty spray bottle the ones from the garden center not a bottle that has contained cleaning stuff etc. before. Fill it wil warm water and give him a light spray once a day in the warmth to keep the area clean if you can't handle him to put the salt water on the sores.

    Wrapping in a towel can help and getting a 2nd person to apply the salt water.

    You could also try this product depending on how bad he is.
    http://www.24parrot.com/product.asp?pf_id=6584&QSI=4dccd047-57ee-4137-a989-edffba58f6d0

    A nice big cage with a few toys at first, shredding toys are a good idea.
    For larger parrots some people use feather dusters and let their parrot remove the feathers from it so they stop removing their own but I've no idea how safe the glue used in them is.

    However there's lots of shredding toys available for love bird sizes the Northern parrots site is good but it's not cheap so check out similar products on ebay and at your local shop etc.

    Did you find out much about his previous home, was he left alone a lot, what size was his cage did the previous owners give you any indication on what things stress him out.

    Things like dvds can help too just for something to occupy the bird, I've got the birdy show on dvd our tiel likes watching it but there's a few others available on the northern parrots website.

    There's a few beahaviour books as well.

    If the lesions on his back are deep or very painful it's best to take him to the vets.

    He could probably do with a suppliment as well like ace high or Avix sunshine factor feather and skin suppliment. http://www.24parrot.com/product.asp?pf_id=6586a&QSI=e1c4c017-5445-4ea4-83d4-b889b4420594

    Good on you for taking him on


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    #6
    Shibbie
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10 ✭Shibbie


    Hi thanks for your help. Had to head back to college for a few days so boyf is looking after him. Grant came in thank god so gonna check out the pet shops here to see if they have a better selection of stuff for him. So hopefully they'll have some good toys for him to shred.

    As for his previous owner, his life consisted of being fed seed and cleaned out and thats about it. So I'd say pure lack of attention and having something to do have led to this.

    Do you know if anti-plucking sprays would be any use?


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