FINCHforum

Hi Everyone. I'm glad that I found this forum. I've posted in another forum but it never hurts to get more ideas. My question (if you don't want to read the whole thing) is: Has anybody succeeded in stopping a bird from plucking another bird without separating them permanently? Do plucking behaviors ever end on their own?

I got my first pair of male zebs in mid October. They seemed to get along fine, eating/sleeping together, and preening each other. However, a month later, I noticed bald spots around both legs of one of them. After careful observation, I noticed the other plucking him occasionally (maybe a couple of feathers a day). So I removed the sleeping nest, and got shredding/ pacifying toys. When that didn't work, I separated them in two cages. I bought a new larger cage and moved the plucked one into the new cage. He grew back his feathers in as little as 2 weeks (well I don't see the bald spots anymore but it's possible he can fill out more). Anyway, in the mean time, the other one was MISERABLE without his buddy. He spent all day hopping and flying toward the other cage in futile attempt to get to his friend.

So I reintroduced them together in the new big cage, and saw the agressor plucked his long-lost buddy the following day. The plucking is very infrequent (1-2 feathers a day). It's been two days. Should I separate them again or is it possible that he's plucking now because he's more stresed (from moving the cage) and will be less aggressive later? Do plucking behaviors ever end on their own? By the way, they LOVE each other, always preening and sharing things, just one has a plucking habit...

Thanks for any help!

No, I do not think they can live together without this happening. Your only option would be to get a divided cage where they can see each other and not touch each other.

Good luck.

I agree. Get one of those breeding cages with the center divider so they can see each other, but your little one can still be safe. I wouldn't want to live with someone who pulled my hair out every day, even if it was just one or two hairs.

Hi Raellen,

I was just doing some reading up and one of the most common reasons that finches pluck themselves and their mate is sexual frustration. So this behaviour will likely continue. Your best option, as the other posters mentioned, is to separate the pair if the one bird continues to aggressively pluck the other one.