Foraging and plucking

[ptuga72]

So Scarlet is plucking again...ugh. Well to help curb it I've been giving her a lot more foraging opportunities. I'm still getting her to learn how to do most of it, but it's been fun so far. In the morning I put 3-4 foraging toys in her cage (all in different places). I also put her pellets, daily nutriberri and almond ration in the bathroom size dixie cups and cover with shredded paper. I put 4-5 of these in one of her food dishes, so she has to go hunting to find her favorites. I also put parchment paper over her regular food dish (with some pellets in it).

The first time I did it she looked at me like "what the f*** is this mom?" but in a few short days she acts like she's looking forward to me setting up her cage I'm still teaching her that the ones on the other side of the cage DO have food in them, and to explore the toys more, but overall I am happy with the progress.

This has only curbed the plucking a nominal amount . Has anyone else used foraging to help stop plucking? I am doing other things to stop it, this was just one of them. Is there anything else I could be doing for some foraging fun?

[Kim S]

Great idea. I dont know why she plucks (who does?) but if you can minimize it this way, brilliant.
You could try the arabic gum. Stil not sure if you can get some in the US or Canada, but if you want some I could try to send some over.

I have heard the advice to give them cooled down tea made out of garlic. This would give the feathers a yucky taste and would stop them from plucking. I am trying this with a breedingpair of cockatiels I have who pluck their young. I will give you an update when the young have left the nest (in about 6 weeks).

[ptuga72]

Great idea. I dont know why she plucks (who does?) but if you can minimize it this way, brilliant.
You could try the arabic gum. Stil not sure if you can get some in the US or Canada, but if you want some I could try to send some over.

I have heard the advice to give them cooled down tea made out of garlic. This would give the feathers a yucky taste and would stop them from plucking. I am trying this with a breedingpair of cockatiels I have who pluck their young. I will give you an update when the young have left the nest (in about 6 weeks).

Oooh great idea, I will have to try that!

[HyperD]

Doesnt garlic thin their blood and is generally considered not parrot safe? Are you sure you want to put that onto feathers that a bird is plucking - i.e. ingesting?

[ptuga72]

Doesnt garlic thin their blood and is generally considered not parrot safe? Are you sure you want to put that onto feathers that a bird is plucking - i.e. ingesting?

It was my understanding that raw garlic can be a problem in large quantities, but cooked garlic in small amounts is ok. Plus I wouldn't be giving her the garlic itself, just a tea made from it

[garou97]

Doesnt garlic thin their blood and is generally considered not parrot safe? Are you sure you want to put that onto feathers that a bird is plucking - i.e. ingesting?

Yeah, I've heard it does too. Maybe it's because of how the tea is made? or it could be after the first few tastes they (hopefully) stop plucking, and the small amount doesn't hurt them? I wouldn't try it though - better safe then sorry!

[Kim S]

For the unbelievers, I am trying this on a cockatiel couple of mine who have a clutch of 6 day old chicks at the moment. If theres anything not safe with this method I'm sure I'll notice soon enough.

[Giantmoa]

do preening toys help minimize plucking at all?

[ptuga72]

do preening toys help minimize plucking at all?

They can. But Scarlet generally wont play with them as she isn't over-preening, she is a "get all excited and huffy then yank those suckers right out" type of girl. But maybe I'll try some new ones....

I also have been saving intact feathers (all hers); I will tie them together and hang in her cage. I have heard that birds may be more inclined to play-preen with their own feathers. There are some breeders doing this with baby conures still learning how to preen themselves.

ugh plucking is so frustrating

[Kim S]

I heard that its a bad idea to let birds play with their own feathers. They get the idea that its a good thing to play with their feathers and start plucking becouse of that.