Home » Bird Forums » Training » Reducing Problem Behaviors » New Sunday Conure. Feather Plucking.
Posted by PeachesMomma on Fri, 07/28/2006 - 20:36 :: Reducing Problem Behaviors
I got my first conure today. She seems to be very sweet, no biting...not screaming...not YET anyway. They told me she was 'just weaned' - she is eating and drinking fine...seems happy in her new cage...BUT, my husband and I went out for dinner to return and find she had pulled out 6 really nice big feathers. When I opened the caged she jumped on my face. She wouldnt get out of my hair and seemed in a panic when I tried to let her stand on my finger ( something she had been doing when she first came home ) NOW she wants ON ME...in my face..her face on my mouth....her in my hair...etc. I know she is scared, but now...Im scared too. I dont want her to bo so panic stricken - what can I do to ease her fears...stop the plucking...etc. I certainly cant hold her all day...( she appears to have just that in mind ) ...lol Any help or advice...would be GREAT. Thank you in advance...Peaches Momma
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Posted by karen on Sat, 07/29/2006 - 14:26.
Are the feathers you found the large tail or flight feathers, or smaller feathers?
If they're the main tail or flight feathers, I doubt she would have pulled them out. Pulling them is extremely painful and even bad pluckers usually don't pluck them out. I would guess that she got the feathers caught on something in her cage, or even just between the bars of the cage, and being in a new home and nervous, she panicked and flapped around and pulled them out that way. That might explain why she was so frightened and eager to get out of the cage.
Right now, you can hold her a bit to calm her down (she was probably just seperated from her siblings and feeling very lonely), and offer her some warm, soft food to eat (warmed up baby food, applesauce, weaning pellets, basically something that will remind her of handfeeding formula) - and offer it to her in a dish or on a spoon. Being offered this food will often help calm a newly weaned bird.



Karen
Chico (conure) and Pippin (budgie)
WI
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