Brown Headed Overpreening

[Deueller92]

So I have a brown headed poicephalus that has been over preening and shredding her feathers. She's only 5 months old. We've been working on playing with toys because when I got her she was terrified. So all she did was preen and preen and now her belly isn't even green anymore.

Recently, I saw he start to notice her pull out a feather every time I came home and didn't go over and get her out of her cage.

She used to do the same when I would leave so I would treat her with half an almond.

Is there anything I can do? I feel lost.

[Pajarita]

Well, she is just a baby and what they mostly need is constant company, warm soft food, quiet (no going to unfamiliar places or been handled by strangers -and, to a baby parrot, almost everybody is a stranger), security and love. If you work full time outside the house, I am afraid that her been alone during the day is making her feel very insecure and anxious so she is barbering and plucking. I would suggest you find her a birdsitter, birdie day care and, if this is impossible, you should consider rehoming her to somebody who stays at home because, if you don't, you will end up with a naked parrot which will be highstrung/nervous/anxious for the rest of its natural life because when they start so young and nothing is done to remedy the problem (and this means giving them what they need and are lacking at the moment), they get into a habit/addiction and cannot ever be stopped.

There was this lady in California who purchased a baby gray and he started doing the same thing. She tried everything (another parrot, radio and TV on, foraging and plucking toys, good lights, fresh food diet, etc) and nothing worked even though she only worked part-time. Some birds refuse to be 'good' pets and spend the day without their human... BTW, she rehomed him and the bird is doing great now.

[Deueller92]

Please Do not assume you know what is going on....I am a College student. I am only in classes....a max of 3 to 4 hrs a day. So luna is out the rest of the time with me so that's about 4+ hours at least. She isn't my first bird. She is on Harrisons and a Natural Fruit Blend. On top of that she always gets fruits and veggies in the morning. I thought it was the change in temperature and her skin might be drying out so I got a humidifier and giving her baths every other day. I'm lost on what do. I came here simply to get some advice, not to be told I should get rid of her, because I am not going to rehome her.

I know she is young to be shredding her feathers and plucking them out occasionally. That's why I am here. She does it to her chest and some on her legs, its not too drastic, but is noticeable.

[cml]

Please Do not assume you know what is going on....I am a College student. I am only in classes....a max of 3 to 4 hrs a day. So luna is out the rest of the time with me so that's about 4+ hours at least. She isn't my first bird. She is on Harrisons and a Natural Fruit Blend. On top of that she always gets fruits and veggies in the morning. I thought it was the change in temperature and her skin might be drying out so I got a humidifier and giving her baths every other day. I'm lost on what do. I came here simply to get some advice, not to be told I should get rid of her, because I am not going to rehome her.

I know she is young to be shredding her feathers and plucking them out occasionally. That's why I am here. She does it to her chest and some on her legs, its not too drastic, but is noticeable.

Please dont be discouraged, its a sad fact that some replies to newcomers to the site are a bit harsher than they should be (because it can scare people off). Please stay around, because from your initial post I think you need some coaching and help !

I can see a few issues here, specifically this:

Recently, I saw he start to notice her pull out a feather every time I came home and didn't go over and get her out of her cage.

She used to do the same when I would leave so I would treat her with half an almond.

You have, essentially, rewarded the plucking and thus reinforcing that behaviour. Are you familiar with reinforcment? If not, I suggest you read up on Michael's blog: http://www.trainedparrot.com
Do a site search and you should find it.

Basically it means that you have encouraged a behaviour and thus taught your parrot its a good thing. I think this will be a hard nut to crack, but hopefully Michael will chime in with some good advice.
In the meantime, definetely STOP giving her almonds when she plucks, its about the worst thing you can do. Also STOP giving her attention when she plucks, and dont give her any attention at all when exhibiting that behavior.
Instead, focus on some good behaviour and be sure to reward that plenty, with praise and treats. If necessary focus on something specific, but be sure its nothing related to preening or plucking.

[Pajarita]

I am sorry but that could be the wrong advice and make things worse. When parrots start plucking while still a baby, there are two possibilities: a very serious, slow acting disease (like PDD or PBFD) or anxiety. The anxiety could be caused by loneliness, a too active environment, been handled by strangers, predators nearby, etc. But the perceived potential 'danger' these situations cause in the bird's mind would disappear if the baby is quietly cuddled next to the owner's body so not paying attention to it would only make the baby more anxious and pluck worse. Plucking is not a behavior that can be 'trained out' by positive reinforcement, the only solution is to give the bird what the bird feels is lacking. Which is not as easy as it sounds...

[cml]

I agree with you pajarita, but from his description it very much sounds like he has reinforced the plucking, regardless how it started!

[Pajarita]

Actually, I did not understand the OP's original posting the same you did. I understood that he would 'distract' her with an almond when he left so she would not pluck - which would indicate, in my personal opinion, that the problem was that she did NOT want to be left alone. Not even for a few hours at a time. Some birds are like that, they simply refuse to resign themselves to being a pet.... and I know because I have a bunch of them -LOL

[Deueller92]

Basically it means that you have encouraged a behaviour and thus taught your parrot its a good thing. I think this will be a hard nut to crack, but hopefully Michael will chime in with some good advice.
In the meantime, definetely STOP giving her almonds when she plucks, its about the worst thing you can do. Also STOP giving her attention when she plucks, and dont give her any attention at all when exhibiting that behavior.
Instead, focus on some good behaviour and be sure to reward that plenty, with praise and treats. If necessary focus on something specific, but be sure its nothing related to preening or plucking.

I was definitely discouraged but I'm also not a push over. Im on other forums and know that on this one specifically new comers can be sometimes put down rather harshly.

Maybe I need to be more clear. I would never treat her for plucking. I've read actually three books, Guide to Companioin Parrot Behvior, The Senegal and It's Family, and Guide to a Well-Behaved Parrot. I know that it could be detrimental to treat at that time.

I gave her an almond when I put her in her cage and way before she would pluck. There by redirecting her so she would simply not pluck when I would leave and instead just eat an almond.

Also I do need coaching, I will not lie. I am not a new bird owner. But I am new to the Poi family. I've heard mixed reviews on wether this is good or not and would love feed back. When I do come home now and Luna notices that I do not take her out right away, I will see her try to pull a feather out because A) she knows I will pay attention or B) she's nervous. Ether way I don't want to encourage it...so I say No Luna, walk over and then cover the cage letting her know that It wasn't good what she did, and she will not get what she wants. Now that is a Negative Reinforcement which is a debatable tool. But I need her to stop and from what I can tell it stops her.

But please I am open to criticism, just constructive criticism. Not Rehome Your bird Criticism. That's all.

[Deueller92]

I am sorry but that could be the wrong advice and make things worse. When parrots start plucking while still a baby, there are two possibilities: a very serious, slow acting disease (like PDD or PBFD) or anxiety. The anxiety could be caused by loneliness, a too active environment, been handled by strangers, predators nearby, etc. But the perceived potential 'danger' these situations cause in the bird's mind would disappear if the baby is quietly cuddled next to the owner's body so not paying attention to it would only make the baby more anxious and pluck worse. Plucking is not a behavior that can be 'trained out' by positive reinforcement, the only solution is to give the bird what the bird feels is lacking. Which is not as easy as it sounds...

What is the best way to go about deciding what she is lacking? I was hoping it could just be dry skin since it started around the winter time. But it seems it's gone beyond that now.

[Pajarita]

Well, for one thing, a check-up with tests on a couple of diseases is a good start. I'll be honest with you, people always say that parrots can pluck because of disease but of all the parrots I've heard or seen that pluck, only one, a baby grey, was sick. The rest all had emotional problems.

As to what the lack could be, nobody can tell from a posting so you will have to do the evaluation yourself or have a behavioral expert come over and observe. I can give you generalizations like a strict solar schedule (to ensure a healthy endocrine system), good full spectrum and UV lights (for vision and appropriate hormonal release), fresh diet (we all are what we eat but undomesticated species more so), company (and that means hours of having the bird on you), flight time as well as out of cage time (4 hours a day), etc but birds are like people and nurture goes hand-in-hand with nature so how healthy the parents were, how long she was allowed to stay with them, how she was hand-fed (type of formula, type of method -gavage been super bad for them, schedule, etc), whether she was kept in the light or in shadow (baby parrots ne?ed to finish developing their sight in darkness), etc has a lot to do with how the adolescent and adult bird turns out. There are studies that tell us that birds that were stressed out when babies grow up to be nervous, insecure and highstrung and remain so the rest of their lives so the way she was treated BEFORE she came to you is as important as the way you are caring for her.

There are so many variables... Do you play music loud? Has she been taken out to unfamiliar places? Has she been handled by your friends? Do you keep the TV on? Is she exposed to natural light? Is her cage round or has corners? Is the cage positioned high off the floor? Do you handle her at her 'best' times: after breakfast -hers not yours- and before her dinner -which should be given at 3:45pm this time of the year? Is she exposed to noise when she should be sleeping thereby not allowing quality and restful sleep? Is her cage in front of a window so she can see a bit of sky? Have you tried leaving a radio on a station where there is a lot of talk while you are out? Have you tried giving her the protein food (pellets, seeds, nuts) inside foraging toys when you leave so she'll be focus on getting it instead of your absence? Is she a lone bird or do you have any other?

I know that you don't want to hear about rehoming her but the truth is that, sometimes, we can't provide the best home for a specific parrot. I've rehomed several birds because I realized that they needed something I couldn't give them. And I don't consider it a failure! Quite the contrary, the fact that they are much happier in their new homes than with me is a happy ending. It's just that some birds work out well with what we can give them and some don't - and it's not our or their fault, it's just the way it is. But it doesn't mean that another parrot would not work out just fine living under exactly the same conditions.

Re-evaluate everything about the general environment (cage, placement, light, light schedule, etc) and about your husbandry (diet, handling, etc) and see if there is anything that could be stressing her out or something that could be improved.