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Plucking

Talk about bird illnesses and other bird health related issues. Seeds, pellets, fruits, vegetables and more. Discuss what to feed your birds and in what quantity. Share your recipe ideas.

Re: Plucking

Postby Valerieholt » Tue Nov 29, 2016 3:34 am

Wellness i'm very optimistic, it's been a week since I started to chat with you and it was the best thing I could enjoy done, I don't know what possessed me to think there would be a parrot forum lol, treacle is already like the sweet bird he used to be, he's really enjoying his food, I say he but I've no clue really, there's no plucking at himself or the aggression and agitation that went with it, no screeching, and when the light starts to fade he sits on top of his cage singing whilst I wheel him into his room, he comes over gives me a kiss and takes himself off into his cage!, it's fabulous and I can't tell you how relieved I am at the difference, i'm not one for taking on an animal and then getting rid because it's behaviour isn't as I think it should be, I knew it was my fault but couldn't sort it out on my own xx
Valerieholt
Parrotlet
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 22
Number of Birds Owned: 1
Types of Birds Owned: Black headed caique
Flight: No

Re: Plucking

Postby Pajarita » Tue Nov 29, 2016 11:26 am

That's great news! :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :danicing:
Pajarita
Norwegian Blue
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 18701
Location: NW Pa
Number of Birds Owned: 30
Types of Birds Owned: RoseBreasted too, CAG, DoubleYellowHead Amazon, BlueFront Amazon, YellowNape Amazon, Senegal, African Redbelly, Quaker, Sun Conure, Nanday, BlackCap Caique, WhiteBelly Caique, PeachFace lovebird, budgies,
Flight: Yes

Re: Plucking

Postby Valerieholt » Tue Dec 06, 2016 8:51 am

What do you think of the pellets advertised with all the fits and nutrients they need, i'm not suggesting a replacement of the fruit and veg treacle has but, he does like a little bit of the parrot food, and I know too much is not good so what about the pellets, are they any better, he only has a ramikin dish and that lasts him two days so a small amount, am trying really hard to put the goodness back into him, he's doing ok, still over preening but not nearly as agitated
Valerieholt
Parrotlet
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 22
Number of Birds Owned: 1
Types of Birds Owned: Black headed caique
Flight: No

Re: Plucking

Postby Pajarita » Tue Dec 06, 2016 11:25 am

Well, I tell you, I've been doing research on parrots natural diets for over 20 years (since my first rescue was diagnosed with high uric acid and I found out it was due to the bad diet I was giving her) and I reached the conclusion a long time ago that pellets are not and never will be the best dietary option for parrots.

For one thing, the 'complete nutrition' label the manufacturers put on them is nothing but a bold face lie which they get away with because the industry is 100% unregulated (which means they can claim whatever they want, even if it's not true). Nobody knows the exact dietary needs of the different species of parrots - we know some things about some species but not nearly enough so the 'complete nutrition' is a fallacy. Besides, all birds are seasonal eaters, consuming more of one thing during one season and more of another during another so feeding the same nutritional values all year round is not what nature intended for them. Then you have the actual ingredients which are, with the single exception of Tops, all animal feed quality (my parrots eat human grade). All of them, with the single exception of Tops, contain soy (I don't feed any of my animals soy - too many side effects and potential allergen -if you look at the dog and cat pet food, you will find that NONE of the better foods contains soy). Pellets, with a maximum humidity of 10%, are way too dry for an animal that evolved to eat a steady diet of 85 to 95% moisture. And, besides, what, exactly are pellets but ground up and processed grains with man-made vitamins and minerals added? I would much rather give them the actual grains but of a higher quality, organic and minimally processed!

Pellets were considered a huge improvement when they first came out but that was because we did not know anything about parrots diets and fed them sunflower seeds, peanuts and chicken :shock: . Nowadays, there are sources where we can do research and come up with a fresh food diet that complies with the nutritional parameters of their natural diet - and that's what I prefer for mine. BUT, if you really want to give your bird pellets, I suggest you consider Tops because they are, in my personal opinion, the 'lesser evil' but be careful how much you feed because caiques are supposed to eat low protein, especially this time of the year (the resting season).
Pajarita
Norwegian Blue
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 18701
Location: NW Pa
Number of Birds Owned: 30
Types of Birds Owned: RoseBreasted too, CAG, DoubleYellowHead Amazon, BlueFront Amazon, YellowNape Amazon, Senegal, African Redbelly, Quaker, Sun Conure, Nanday, BlackCap Caique, WhiteBelly Caique, PeachFace lovebird, budgies,
Flight: Yes

Re: Plucking

Postby Valerieholt » Wed Dec 07, 2016 2:30 am

Ok, no pellets for treacle then, I will carry on with the fresh stuff and a very small amount of parrot food xx thankyou once again
Valerieholt
Parrotlet
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 22
Number of Birds Owned: 1
Types of Birds Owned: Black headed caique
Flight: No

Re: Plucking

Postby Valerieholt » Fri Dec 30, 2016 10:09 am

Just an update on treacle, he's definitely a lot happier, but he's still picking at his feathers, I've bought some shredding toys hoping to take his attention away from his feathers but it hasn't worked yet, am thinking that his body clock will reset at some stage and it will all right itself
Valerieholt
Parrotlet
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 22
Number of Birds Owned: 1
Types of Birds Owned: Black headed caique
Flight: No

Re: Plucking

Postby Pajarita » Fri Dec 30, 2016 12:24 pm

Thank you so much for coming back and giving us an update! It takes months and months for their endocrine system to get back on track with the seasons and even longer for them to stop plucking IF they ever do! I've been successful with pluckers but not completely. My Sweetpea Senegal was doing great but started again when a new bird joined the flock and, although Linus Too has improved, he is still barbering and plucking. But, given enough time and persistence, they all improve greatly.
Pajarita
Norwegian Blue
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 18701
Location: NW Pa
Number of Birds Owned: 30
Types of Birds Owned: RoseBreasted too, CAG, DoubleYellowHead Amazon, BlueFront Amazon, YellowNape Amazon, Senegal, African Redbelly, Quaker, Sun Conure, Nanday, BlackCap Caique, WhiteBelly Caique, PeachFace lovebird, budgies,
Flight: Yes

Re: Plucking

Postby Valerieholt » Fri Dec 30, 2016 3:26 pm

I will keep it all in mind, like I said he's so much happier, no screeching and jumping like something's biting him, no aggression towards himself anymore, must say though, I give him fresh fruit and veg everyday now, different variety so he doesn't get bored but he's not really bothered about it, I seem to waste an awful lot, have to get used to giving him smaller portions lol
Valerieholt
Parrotlet
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 22
Number of Birds Owned: 1
Types of Birds Owned: Black headed caique
Flight: No

Re: Plucking

Postby Pajarita » Sat Dec 31, 2016 12:53 pm

I think that food waste is an inevitable 'side-effect' of feeding a parrot a good diet :lol: The thing is that parrots have the ecological niche function of propagating seeds and feeding ground species so the 'pick food and throw it to the floor' behavior is a natural, hard-wired one in them and, as with all natural behaviors, I really don't try to eliminate or even minimize it. What I do is save all the stuff they don't eat and give it to the street birds mixed with wild bird seed I buy for them -in the winter, I have a flock of about 20+ pigeons, 30+ sparrows and a pair of mourning doves that come every morning to get their breakfast (I call them 'my clients' and my grandkids refer to it as the 'all you can eat birdy buffet' :lol: -they love to 'hide' in the closed-in porch and watch them coming down to eat when I call them).
Pajarita
Norwegian Blue
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 18701
Location: NW Pa
Number of Birds Owned: 30
Types of Birds Owned: RoseBreasted too, CAG, DoubleYellowHead Amazon, BlueFront Amazon, YellowNape Amazon, Senegal, African Redbelly, Quaker, Sun Conure, Nanday, BlackCap Caique, WhiteBelly Caique, PeachFace lovebird, budgies,
Flight: Yes

Re: Plucking

Postby Loriusgarrulus » Sat Dec 31, 2016 3:45 pm

I feed the waste parrot food to the chickens. They turn it into eggs. :hatched:
We have some very healthy long lived chickens
Growing Old Disgracefully
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Loriusgarrulus
Conure
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 180
Location: Cheshire. United Kingdom
Number of Birds Owned: 2
Types of Birds Owned: Yellow backed chattering lory: Kanga
Blackheaded caique: Tupi
Yellow thighed caique: Karo
Flight: Yes

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