2 Responses for "What would you like to ask?parrot feather plucking/chewing?"

1. miley cyrus March 14th, 2010 at 4:19 am 1

   Congratulations on your recent adoption. I think it is wonderful when I hear that someone has taken in a unwanted bird, and given him a good home.From your question, it sounds like this is your first bird, or at least your first large bird. Eclectus Parrots are very intelligent, they need lots of mental stimulation. A good first place to start is with his toys. Birds in the wild spend a great deal of time foraging for their food. Hiding treats in different places in his cage and play area will help to mimic this behavior. Foraging toys offer a unique challenge, he will have to manipulate them to in order to figure out how to access the treat inside, this will keep him busy for hours and help to keep his mind off his feathers. There are many different types available, from something as simple as taking a coffee filter and wrapping it around a favorite treat then hiding it. to purchasing complex toys that have draws, and hidden compartments as well as rings that he will need to manipulate.Diet: Birds need a balanced nutritious diet that consists of fruit, vegetables, grains, beans, pellet and nuts. *The only seeds my birds get are in the form of nutra-berris.* I like to cook for my birds, Pretty Bird Birdy Banquet, and the Beak Appetite are great bases. You can cook and serve or like I do, make a large batch, add pasta, beans, nuts, vegetables, or brown rice. Package it then freeze it. Defrosting just enough in the fridge for a few days worth, then adding fresh fruits and veggies. You mentioned boiled egg. Birds do tend to like egg, but you need to be careful of the amount they eat, cholesterol can become a problem in birds. Try Egg Beaters, there is no cholesterol, so he can have it as often as you want to serve it. *Mine will eat it every day if I let them* With the exception of junk food, basically he can eat what you eat. Avoid things like eggplant, onion, mushrooms, avocados (only because if you don't know where to stop cutting, avocados contain a toxin that will make him ill).Bath Time: You can take him into the shower, if he doesn't freak out. or you can use something called EZ Bird Mister. *I use this from time to time* But mostly, he will probobly take a bath in his drinking water dish. Be prepared for a mess.Lots of positive attention will help him bond to you. Birds are social creatures, they thrive on interaction, it is best to keep his cage in the hub of activity where he can be in the middlle of all the action. Soon he will adjust to his new home, and forget all about the evils of his past life.* all of the items I mentioned above are available at http://www.drsfostersmith0o0comBest of Luck with your new feathered friend. Source(s): Living with companion parrots for over 25 years.

2. justin bieber March 14th, 2010 at 4:19 am 2

   Have you been told he's a chewer or have you seen him chew on his feathers?If he's come from a broken home then he may have never had showers or baths in that home, causing his feathers to look really bad. Heavy moults can also cause their feathers to look terrible for long periods.There are many causes for eclectus feather chewing & if it's not curbed it can turn into plucking. He may just need a long shower to stop his itch & sooth his skin, so try this first. Straight aloe juice (minimum 97% aloe) is recommended for pluckers too.I don't recommend you ignore him doing this. It won't stop him & will only give him more times & opportunity to keep doing it. You need to find things to distract him from chewing. A poor diet or allergies can also cause itching irritating skin & feathers. An incorrect wing clip can cause chewing & plucking & broken irritating feathers can also lead to chewing. I would start by giving him a lengthy shower & see if there is any indication of relief after you've showered him.You can have a perfectly healthy eclectus that plucks. Plucking & chewing is stress related. Unfortunately it can only be cured if the exact cause if found & that is very difficult to do. Please visit this eclectus website. It has the correct dietary requirements you may need to read up on for the ecelctus parrot. http://eclectusparrots0o0net/& forum:http://eclectusparrots0o0net/forum& our current topic is feather plucking & chewing. You might get some more info there & advice from others with ecelctuses that pluck & chew their feathers.Since you've only just got him you should also allow time for him to settle into his new home before handling him too much. It can increase his stress levels.I offer my eclectus egg monthly ONLY. Not because of cholesterol but because ecelctus parrots do poorly on high animal proteins such as egg. Eclectus parrots are vegetable protein eaters. As I said, their diet isn't like other parrot species. Please do read up on it.