[Juno22]

Hey all!
My girl Juno has started plucking a week now, she is 1 year old and started this behaviour after I had to go out and leave her with a friend. She had plucked her entire belly in those 2 hours I was gone.My friend had fallen asleep. I have tried and turned every stone to make her stop the behaviour. She might stop for a day and starts the next. I have bought new toys, spent alot of extra time with her, given her extra sun , added more protein and vitaminer supplements to her diet. The breeder sent me a collar for her to wear, but she becomes so obsessed with it , she does not stop chewing the collar to try get it off. She had the collar for 6 hours straight yesterday and that time she did not eat,drink nor watch her step, she was getting so exhausted and warm I thought she would pass out,so I removed the collar to feed her. The breeder told me she should have it 24/7 but I dont even belive she could sleep like that ( I dont have to heart to see her in that state, it hurts me that she is hurting. Forgive me for the long text and bad grammer. I am hoping someone could give me some advice or help, also I will be taking her to the vet this week.My brother recomended something called pluck no more, A herbal remedy but not sure about it. Best of Regards

 

[Rubydoo252]

Hi and welcome to the forum!
You have access to an avian vet? Plucking can have many causes, and it is important to check with a vet. Breeders can be helpful, but they are not trained avian vets, and their suggestions should not be taken in place of one.
If the collar is a problem for your bird, remove it. Not eating is very unsafe! Plucking, while ugly, is not life-threatening, although it can be a symptom of physical issues, which is why an avian vet visit is important. The vet will give you a better idea of what is going on and what are some safe things to do.
Shredding toys are a good first step while you wait for your vet appointment. She might even enjoy simply tissues to chew on - those are Tumi's favorite toy. Take the collar off - I would never put something invasive on such a small bird without a vet's instruction, and even then it won't work for every bird. A week is a very short period of time - plucking will require patience and the acceptance that you might have a bird that plucks for the rest of her life - most seem to.

 

[Juno22]

Thank you for your quick response, this is what I also felt about the collar but was told to be persistent with it.I only tried the collar once and never tried it again. I dont have a avian vet anywhere nearby, and the weather is too harsh to the take the train to another city, I will take her to the local vet. I do have alot of chewing toys for her all over the house, seagrass mats and all sorts of shredded papper. I hope she will not be a forever plucker, I am afraid she is vulnerable to weather and wind, I did buy her a warm lamp but when she is out and about it feels like she is cold, she spends night time in the cage and is with me during the day.

 

[Rubydoo252]

They are definitely more tropical animals, and with feather plucking that does make her more vulnerable. In addition to making it as warm as you can for her, since you are in a cold weather area you also need to be aware of humidity. That could be making the feather plucking worse if the humidity is too low, and in cold temperature it tends to be a problem. I live in a more humid climate, but dry air can make feathers itchy and cause plucking especially if she is molting.

 

[Juno22]

They are definitely more tropical animals, and with feather plucking that does make her more vulnerable. In addition to making it as warm as you can for her, since you are in a cold weather area you also need to be aware of humidity. That could be making the feather plucking worse if the humidity is too low, and in cold temperature it tends to be a problem. I live in a more humid climate, but dry air can make feathers itchy and cause plucking especially if she is molting.

Hello! Wanted to update on Juno, she is doing mighty better, almost all her feathers have grown out and she preens normally. I bought a humidifier and use it regularly. I am not sure if that was what helped or just time, but she is her sassy and active old self again with all the pretty blue feathers.I wanted to thank you for your replies and help in this situation. 🙏🙏