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Post by Scratchpost on Mar 12, 2022 10:40:14 GMT -7
Hi there,
Sorry if this has been posted before, I searched but couldn't find anything.
Aka has started biting his feathers, as far as I can tell it's just on the one side. I tried to see if its on the other side too but he HATES me touching his wings so he bites me if I try look at them.
I only noticed a couple of days ago, I think I would have noticed sooner if he started then because I check his wings daily to make sure he doesn't get any more feather cysts. No feather cysts thank goodness, but the biting. Some of the feathers have their tops completely bitten off while some are just scraggly after a small piece has been removed. His behavior hasn't changed at all, no new food items in his diet, schedule is the same (time for breakfast, time to go outside and time for bed etc.), and no changes around the house or with my husband and I.
The only new thing that I can think of is a feather growth supplement the vet gave me to put in his water after he removed the feather cyst. I follow the instructions exactly. It's called Premolt 5 by Medpet. That is the only new (last month) thing in his life.
What could be the cause of him biting his feathers now but not before?
Thanks.
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Post by beakertrout on Mar 12, 2022 12:28:00 GMT -7
When Beaker was very young he chewed off his tail which not only made him look funny, but ruined his sense of balance.
He has never done that one since.
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Post by Scratchpost on Mar 12, 2022 12:48:37 GMT -7
Hi beakertrout,
Oh shame, I'd imagine it would look funny.
I'm hoping the biting will stop as suddenly as it came but still. It's funny because he started biting his wing when he had the feather cyst so I thought another one was coming but I don't see anything. He can still fly (not as much since his wings were clipped) so I don't think it has affected his balance (yet). I'll see if I open his cover earlier in the morning, that might help because he might be less bored.
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Post by Jane on Mar 13, 2022 5:40:25 GMT -7
It is quite common for young Greys to bite their feathers, especially the tail feathers. See this thread for example: agp.boards.net/thread/7394/feather-shredding-attitudeIt could be that new feathers coming in are irritating him. Is it the same wing that the feather cyst was on? Jane |
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Post by Scratchpost on Mar 13, 2022 12:32:43 GMT -7
Hi Jane,
Thanks for the link. I read through the comments, those were helpful, thanks. The first comment by Haz about that type of behavior as common around 9 months stuck with me. Aka has become a little more nippy than usual, I didn't think anything of it because I assumed it was my fault for the past two days. I spend less time with him on Fridays because I clean the house and I can't have him with me because of the chemicals etc. but the extra nippy started a bit before then now that I think about it. He is a lot younger than nine months (he's just about to turn four months) but could he be developing more quickly than expected?
I generally don't take him out of his cage unless I absolutely have to. If he doesn't want to come out I don't force him unless I have to (when I need to take him to the vet or if we are going away for the weekend and he gets his travel cage). He knows what "outside" is, (his favorite place) and "shoulder" is, (his second favorite place) is so I normally ask him if he wants to sit on my shoulder or go outside. I don't think me taking him from his cage is causing him any stress in that case. If he wants to stay in his cage he is quiet (his version of saying 'no') but if he wants to come out out he squeaks and shakes his tail (its so cute) and either lets me pick him up from the perch inside the cage or he climbs to the top and flies to the floor so I can pick him up to go to the respective places.
No the wing he is biting isn't the same wing that the feather cyst was on, that was my first thought as well. I'll keep checking both wings, I do see the odd feather (maybe one every two days) fall to the floor when he is preening but they aren't ripped from the skin, its a clean cut so I assume it's his beak. He does look a bit bigger than about a week ago so yes, there could be lots of new feathers coming in and I just don't realize. He doesn't seem to be preening more than usual.
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