Feather issue

[monotwine]

Hi was wondering if any on this forum have ever had an issue similar to this.

I have a red throated parrot hen that consistently plucks herself on her back, only her back. It has gotten so bad that she actually creates a little sore where she plucks.
I have demited her, done pest control etc but that does not seem to be the cause. I treat her wounds with a bacteria/fungicide/general ointment and isolate her for a few weeks the feathers reemerge, but day one back in the aviary she fusses with her back and then starts this process again. I have had her a year and she does not stop this. She does not have any other visible signs of health problems and its not a male trying to mate with her that causes the feather loss as was first thought.
I don't know what to do to her. I will be taking her down to the vet again sometime soon, but thought to ask if anyone knew this sort of behaviour.
She has plenty nesting material including goose down so don't see this plucking as nesting behaviour. She does this regardless of the season. Silly girl.
The pics were a bit hazy so fiddled with the colour/contrast so you could see the issue.

RHP closer.jpg (146.72 KiB) Viewed 961 times

[lovemyfinch]

I am certainly no expert and haven't experienced this, but am wondering if it might possibly be stress related being as how you say that she clears up while isolated and starts over again when returned to the aviary?

[cindy]

Janine, I was thinking along the same lines. Would you be able to remove her and her mate to an individual cage in a quiet spot to see if that helps? Maybe something outside or within the aviary is stressing her. She could also be experiencing pain and featherplucking is her way of dealing with it. It could even be a food alergy. Moving her to an individual cage with her mate may help you pinpoint the problem. If the mate is stressing her remove him for the time being.

This site may help.
http://www.avianweb.com/featherplucking.html

The main site is:
http://www.avianweb.com/diseases.htm

They cover everything you can think of. Good luck with her.

[monotwine]

Thanks for the ideas / thoughts. I know it is always difficult to try figure out something like this over a forum, so I appreciate any thoughts and I will try answer or give clarity if required.

The thing is she seems more stressed when isolated and prefers to be outside with the other parrots. She is not chased around or anything when out. She does not have a mate, the males reject her / she them. I have tried a few. I have one male now, one of my own youngsters that she sort of accepts. The only problem is he is frantic when removed to a smaller cage and upsets her. She is now settled in a smaller cage.
I wonder if she plucks on purpose so as not to attract a male LOL. Do all my hens need to be as picky and me? he he.

What I have done is left the isolation cage attached inside my aviary. The hen goes in there and eats, sleeps builds nest by herself although she has access to the others and prospective males. She can come or go as she pleases now without interference and is calm inside the cage or in the aviary. But the plucking remains.

I feed her the same food inside the cage as when she is in the aviary so I don't think it will be a food allergy, unless she is allergic to grass / living plants? Gosh I don't need another of those. I already have two dogs and a cat with skin allergy!

Thing is when i bought her she had a few feathers missing from behind her neck. Nothing bad and I thought she was just being harassed by the males. I think differently now. I think she has always done this.
Psychological problem?

[monotwine]

Thanks for the links I will go have a look.

[Finch Fry]

No expert opinion here but from everything you say, it just seems psychological. This type of behavior manifests itself in humans as well who harm themselves for no good reason. The trick is finding what works for them to stimulate their brain so that they dont even get to the point of thinking about hurting themselves. Honestly, if she is better in a cage by herself and stops the behavior, I would leave it at that. The "stress" of being in a cage will go away after she adjusts to her new environment... could take a week or 2 maybe. But I would focus more on her physical health first and then manage the other stresses in her life.

If the cage out in the aviary works, do it and make it a permanent thing. Toss some greenery around it and let her have her own private happy place.

[cindy]

Feather plucking is a tough issue. I experienced it with a Gray, if I was gone for certain lengths of time, moved something in his cage or moved the cage even just a few feet away from it's usual spot, he would cut chest and wing feathers halfway down the shaft. It took some blood tests and observing to get it just right for him, it finally stopped. We supplemented with extra protiens and calcium and lots of nourishing veggies and fruits.

Do keep us posted, I understand how worried you are for her. She may have a underlying internal issue going on that is hard to pinpoint.

[nixity]

Doesn't Giardia infection cause area specific plucking like this?

Hmm.. this site says under wings, chest and legs.. but maybe worth looking into?

http://www.solwayparrotclub.co.uk/Giard ... ucking.htm

[CandoAviary]

Are you absolutely sure it is not the male plucking her. There was a post on this forum a while back about this with red throats. Very common and some members here had to seperate and some even lost their female. It happens quickly usually in flight. The female would of course preen the freshly plucked area giving the impression that she herself was doing it.
Most self pluckers pluck even once seperated and usually it is the breast/chest feathers that are mutilated.
My breed stock has proven that when the hen is in breeding condition the male pursues,chase, plucks maybe 2 feathers then the female allows mating. I have seen the females stop the chase offer her rump with the male mounting and biting the back of the neck and not pulling feathers out... but they ALWAYS grip the back of the neck/back. On the other hand, if the hen is not in breeding mode the male will continue his pursuit doing much damage as the hen does not yield. I have also noted most chases occur at sunrize.
Hope your female can get some relief whatever the cause.

I found the link to the post I referred to, it was back in May 2009
http://finchforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=5811

[monotwine]

Cando, VERY sure its not the male. He has two other hens to himself and does not even like this one. I know what you mean with how aggressively they take the hens. Which ever of the other two females is flavour-of-the-month with the male have the neck feathers damaged althogh never to this degree.
I have actually spent full days watching and she does it herself. I think she stops when isolated because I put dollops of ointment on that is not tastey so forced in a way to stop the plucking. Its just not that easy to catch her daily in the aviary.
I will follow up all your links. Thanks. never heard of Giardia infection will look that up too.

Its just great to have a place to bounce off ideas with other finch keepers experiences.

[CandoAviary]

Well it sounds like it isn't the male..... strange. Maybe it is just a neurotic hen because she isn't in His circle of ladies.... LOL
Do keep me posted so I will know what to look out for.

[cindy]

Here is a little bit more informations about skin/self mutilation and some of the causes associated with it.

http://www.avianweb.com/selfmutilation.html