Is this Feather Plucking?

[BeccaB00]

My macaw's chest has been all frazzled looking for months now, and

if anything its getting worse...Does this look like an early stage

of plucking to you? Hes not in molt.

thanks.

 

[BAMABIRDS]

There are no stages of feather plucking they just start ripping out feathers and in my opinion it's not plucking don't worry about it

 

[BeccaB00]

alright. I meant chewing..not stages. Like chewing now plucking later? i dont know. Thanks though.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

I think some birds do start with over preening and chewing, then move on to plucking. Some birds even rip their own flesh. Some birds will only chew and never pluck. Some birds will pluck and never rip flesh. All birds are different.

Honestly, he looks a little scruffy to me. How old is he? I'd be looking at things that have changed in the household, his diet, bathing, hours of sleep, exercise, toys, pets and people in the household, cage placement, time out of cage, schedule, etc. He might need something adjusted. He might be helped by having more to do. He could have a health issue contributing to it, too.

 

[BeccaB00]

Quote:
absolutely nothings changed.

-Get up in the morning- (around 7:00)
- eat pellets -
- come out of cage to forage for seeds -
-go back in cage and play- (door is open through-out the day)
-I come in and out of the room throughout the day to 'snuggle' and play with him-
-Then bedtime around 8:00-

Ofcoarse he does his bird things like - takes a bath in his water bowl, etc. But nothing
has changed. I havent moved his cage, bedtime or anything. Hes about 2 years old.
I noticed it back in october when I rehomed my other birds. Could that be the cause?

 

[WoodlandWoman]

Even if birds aren't in the same cage or of the same species, if they live in the same household they are part of a flock. He may be going through a period of adjustment after the loss of your other birds. He's still quite young and may be less confident than a more mature adult parrot.

Can you give him some softer chewable and shredable toys? Things like woven palm fronds, paper, undyed tissue paper, plain paper towels, untreated raffia, untreated sizzle rope, plain paper cups?

I'd give him more foods that he can chew on, too. Maybe get a food skewer/birdie kabob or food cage and give him some bigger junks of fresh vegetables to chew on. He may have an interesting time shredding them, even if he doesn't eat all of it. More diversions like that might make his day more interesting and fill the time for him.

 

[mhwc56]

Losing his flock would definitely upset him and cause him to develope all manner of behaviors....