over preening

[roy]

What's the best why to stop Biggles from over preening and is there anyway I could show him how to do it I know that is a long shoot showing him lol

[marie83]

Keep him busy doing other stuff, lots of baths etc. I thought the meds had reduced the over preening or has it picked up again?

[roy]

He's not chewing them now just over preening them if it one thing it's another lol my partner says it like having a child about the house I told her now you know how I feel lol

[Andromeda]

What's the best why to stop Biggles from over preening and is there anyway I could show him how to do it I know that is a long shoot showing him lol

Over preening is hard to address. My GCC over preens and I have tried a few things (teaching him to preen a toy, Soother spray, baths with aloe and water) but nothing has been successful. The thing is that he doesn't preen aggressively, nor does he preen excessively (he and my Poi, who does not over preen, will both preen at the same time and for the same amount of time) but when he does preen he chews off the tips of his feathers. However, because he doesn't sit there and chew chew chew and just does it while preening I haven't been able to eliminate it.

You could offer some preening toys and use positive reinforcement to redirect his attention to his toys. It's worth a try as it might help. However, if he has learned to preen improperly (as my GCC has) it might just be something he will always do.

[GreenWing]

You could offer some preening toys and use positive reinforcement to redirect his attention to his toys. It's worth a try as it might help. However, if he has learned to preen improperly (as my GCC has) it might just be something he will always do.

Yes, this is wise advice from Andromeda, and I sympathize with Roy as our Tiki has recently overpreened her breast feathers. I thought it was a molt at first as we're anticipating her first, but now we're not sure. Tiki is also being slightly more aggressive in addition BUT I can say that adding new and extra toys has GREATLY helped in the meanwhile.

A question, though, for the experienced: I read on a website that using a spray mix of mustard and water, and spraying it on over-preened areas can stop the preening... even though your bird will smell like a hot dog. Can this be confirmed by any of you as a safe, effective method to combat over-preening?

[Andromeda]

A question, though, for the experienced: I read on a website that using a spray mix of mustard and water, and spraying it on over-preened areas can stop the preening... even though your bird will smell like a hot dog. Can this be confirmed by any of you as a safe, effective method to combat over-preening?

I can't speak one way or another as to the mustard and water. I tried Soother spray on a recommendation by my vet and while it didn't work for Bubba it has been known to work in other cases of plucking and over preening.

You can also try a mixture of one part aloe vera juice to four parts water.

Another thing my vet recommended (which also didn't work but has worked in other birds) is Rescue Remedy pet.

Just as an example of over preening here is my GCC:



Notice how the feathers on the shoulder and near the legs have jagged edges and some of them are tipped in black whereas others are nice and smooth and round because he leaves them alone.

[roy]

Yes that's the same as Biggles I've just bought some spray that is really bitter in taste so I think I'm going to try that and get some more toys for him I will let everyone know what happens

[Eurycerus]

Oh no, I think Diggy might overpreen. I thought it might just be a sign of poor health but the tips of his feathers are black ever since I've had him (not all, like his wing and tail feathers seem okay) but around his neck and shoulders kind of area. I noticed because Nika's feathers are gorgeous and in perfect health, but his just aren't as pretty and full of life.

I'm working on adding fun new toys but he ignores most things except shredders (the roll of woven palm leaf).

Also, he seems to be losing more feathers than Nika right now which frightens me.

Is it normal that when a feather comes out during preening to chew on it? I noticed that all the feathers at the bottom of the cage were mangled and then I caught him chewing on one and tried to distract him away from it...

I think it's because I don't know Diggy as well as Nika so everything he does that's unusual scares me :[ and because he's not even my parrot. If he develops a sickness or bad behavior under my care I'd feel even more upset about it than if Nika does...

I may buy that soother spray, though I thought I heard anything sprayed on feathers can result in additional chewing because they can tell there's something on it and don't like it?

[Andromeda]

Oh no, I think Diggy might overpreen. I thought it might just be a sign of poor health but the tips of his feathers are black ever since I've had him (not all, like his wing and tail feathers seem okay) but around his neck and shoulders kind of area.

Black feather tips can also be poor health. I was pretty sure it was over preening with my conure (due to the fact that he had literally stripped every bit of fabric off of his "Happy Hut" in his first home) but I took him to the vet and he had lots of tests done and they all came back normal. I know Diggy is a foster so I'm not sure what kind of labs he's had but when you see black feather tips it could be a nutritional deficiency, a deficiency in UV light exposure, or even something like liver or kidney disease.

However it could also just be over preening because when a bird over preens or chews the coloring in the feathers eventually gets rubbed off and the tips turn black.

My conure also does not over preen his primaries, tail feathers, or the feathers on the lower 2/3 of his wing. Everything else he over preens but only some of them are black on the edges. Most of the feathers he over preens (such as those on his chest) just have jagged edges and are not black. You might want to closely examine Diggy and see if he has any feathers with irregular edges that are not black as that would be a pretty solid indication that the black ones you do see are from over preening.

Also, he seems to be losing more feathers than Nika right now which frightens me.

Is it normal that when a feather comes out during preening to chew on it? I noticed that all the feathers at the bottom of the cage were mangled and then I caught him chewing on one and tried to distract him away from it...

Well the feather loss could possibly be a molt.

I'd say "mangling" feathers he sheds is not normal; I've never had a bird that does that. Even my conure who over preens does not chew or mangle the feathers he loses. I see him preen and play with them for a few minutes but then he drops them and they are intact. If Diggy mangles the feathers he sheds it sounds like he might have issues with feather destruction.

I may buy that soother spray, though I thought I heard anything sprayed on feathers can result in additional chewing because they can tell there's something on it and don't like it?

Well the Soother is something you spray from several inches away and you just apply a mist so you only spray it maybe three or four times (several times a day) as opposed to soaking the bird. I never observed any increase in preening in either my conure or my Poi and I have used it on both birds in the past.

If Diggy's over preening is due to irritated skin or itching the Soother should work but if it is a psychological issue such as fear or nervousness it might not help whereas Rescue Remedy Pet might work in that case.

If it is a long established behavior then it is a habit and although you might be able to reduce it (as I have reduced it in my conure) it is unlikely you'll ever eliminate it, unfortunately.

[roy]

What is this rescue remedy????