Plucking Senegal

[Wolf]

I am a member of several different forums, most of them I only have time to visit intermittently and only post on two of them. Plucking birds is a major topic on all of them and my membership allows me to get a broader perspective of the results of all of the various things that people try to do to help their birds to quit plucking. For me it is a major research tool. The thing is that I notice whenever there is a success in the bird ceasing to pluck and so far the three things that all of the successes have in common is a solar light schedule, low protein diet and a major increase in the amount of direct and ambient attention and interaction. These things are found in all of the successes and finding a mate is also found in some of them, although it is found in far fewer instances of success that I would have expected it is still found often enough to make my list of the top four things that appear to help reduce the amount of plucking in most species of parrots.
Now this is the results of my studies thus far and it is not scientific but more a correlation of methods used by people that have companion parrots as members of their household. Of my own parrots I have three that came to me plucking, one a CAG also mutilated, the second, a Celestial Parrotlet plucked moderately and the third, a Budgie hen who has plucked long enough that she will never have good plumage and she came with a mate. The CAG and the Parrotlet All responded to the light, low protein diet, and attention. Since they have responded I have provided my Parrotlet with a mate. I have seen no effect as far as feather destructive behavior in her since she has gotten a mate, but she has not had the mate for very long and the jury is still out on that.
I don't know if this will help you or not but there may be something to help you or at least I hope so.

[aquagreen]

Thanks so much for all the info! I have another question, but it's gloop-related, so I'll start a new thread because I think it merits one....