pin feathers

[Prettybird21]

hey everyone,

I've had Oddie for about 6 months now and its been quite stressful. he's still biting and i still need to use one of my extra perches just to get him out of his cage. When he's out all he does is sit on top of his cage and if i bring him over to me he'll just fly right back. if i get him out of his cage he rarely bites me but i've had him on my shoulder a few times and once he started attacking my ear and necklace!

As for my main topic... he's recently developed pin feathers. since im totally new at this, i read about removing them. I was just wondering should i go to my vet and ask them to remove it or should i do it myself or can i just leave them?

[missie]

It's my understanding they often have their 'buddies' help them with preening....particularly those 'hard to get to' spots. When the pin feathers come out, they have a sort of sheath on them. The sheath eventually falls off, but in the process can become itchy and irritable to them.

I know I sometimes 'help' my little one along. he will sit on my lap and as I'm giving him scritches, taking a pin feather between my thumb and pointer finger I wil. 'twist' the sheath gently so the 'casing' falls off. If the sheath is not ready to come off, it won't.

Of course, this is ever so gently done. My little one loves it. Makes him feel better. Also, a bath helps the process along.

Don't believe there is need for a vet to do it.....actually, I can't imagine that a vet WOULD do it. It's a natural process for them.

[Jinx n Noodle]

If he won't allow you to do it, usually they will find a toy to rub on.

[michiganlet]

If you take him to the vet maybe they could show you how to do the pin feathers on his head and neck. You might want to consider getting his wings clipped. I think it calms them down and you can learn to handle him better because he can't fly away.

They love necklaces, earrings, and watches. I don't wear jewerly around mine because he has broken the clasps on all of them. Strong little beaks.

[Tina&Jeremy]

The first step is them allowing you to give scrithces, and the next step is helping with pinnies.

I have found the easiest way to get a pinnie without tugging or pulling in any way is to "crack" the pinnie with my nails, which breaks the sheath into little pieces, then scritches will cause the sheath to fall away. Agave LOVES it and directs me to the spots that need the most attention :)

[clements25]

bit unrelated but my male was same as how your describing your own i clipped his wings and it calmed him right down and was able to let me punish him by putting him on the floor if he bit i had mine clipped so he could fly at waist level i would not recommend doing this yourself but get 5 or 6 clipped and they grow back pretty quick mine had his first flight feather grow back within a month and gets around fine now and can still fly and get about how he used to with just one grown back and the behavioral issues have gone even though he is nearly fully flighted again just a thought