Playing with his own feather!!

[MissK]

Tonight quite late I came home, put on the lights, and sat down to check the email. Presently I looked up beside me and there I saw Lynnie, the new Lineolated Parakeet, holding one of his own feathers in his foot and nibbling the quill end.

I've heard birds will play with their own feathers but I was none-the-less horrified! He already seems to eat his own poop off the grate. Is he going to start pulling and playing with his own feathers? Or is this a normal thing that should not worry me? Of note, he is doing a little bit of molting, and I'm sure it is really molting because I see pin feathers on his head.

It was quite a shock, but still a really cute sight to see..... Quick, somebody reassure me!

[Donovan]

Mr Bell picks up his feathers and chews on them like they're toys so I'd say normal. On a side note I get tickled when he's preening and one the little fluffy ones gets stuck to his face and he panics trying to get rid of it.

and I think the poop thing will pass pretty soon... he's young.

[MissK]

I bet that's a hoot........

Well, thanks for the reassurance. I needed that. Lynnie's new to me, but he's almost 3 years old (if the seller is to be believed) and certainly of adult size. The vet didn't have much to say on eating poop. I almost think she didn't believe it. She just said to clean the grate frequently. He was just in there getting tested for disease, so I guess I'm not *too* worried. But I don't like it.

[clawnz]

Sorry to butt in here!
I agree the playing with a feather should be just playing with a moulted one.

As for poop eating! This could be due to a deficiency. And could be fixed by you, as you have taken the time to sort out a decent diet.
Finding out what or if, is a hard one to figure.

The way I look at it, is they may well understand they are short on a vitamin, mineral, or trace element. Some things they do pass in their poop, so eating it they maybe trying to get something out of it.
I do not put it down to just a bad habit.
Google poop eating birds, I am sure I have read a few posts by people on their thoughts.
Henry is my only a poop eater, (not often though) and I have never been able to figure it out with him. I do know he has bad arthritis, so maybe related to that.

[Donovan]

maybe bird droppings can cure arthritis!

[MissK]

Thanks Clawnz,

I got the bird from a second hand bird dealer who claimed to have had him 2 months. She also claimed he was female, but he's not. The last claim was that he's almost three years old, and I tend to believe that, sort of. No leg band.

I hope if there are nutritional deficiencies that they might already be getting addressed in my house. My research says he should eat a lot, so I offer him as much food as I offer my RIngneck. He hardly seems to eat, though there is plenty of poop. I think he's cherry picking the seed mix and he's snacking on the plant. He accepts some leaves but rejects the vegetables and the pellets. REALLY hope poop eating is not a habit at this point. He's a beautiful bird.

[clawnz]

maybe bird droppings can cure arthritis!

I meant that his body is telling him he needs more of a mineral or supplement.
With dogs this can be seen sometimes when they are fed mainly dogs rolls (which can be of very low quality)
And may well be lacking in many Vitamins, minerals and trace elements needed for good health.
When Henry has an attack I treat with a Holistic treatment. Honey and Cinnamon and this clears it up in a few days.

[MissK]

Hi Molossus,

Thanks for looking in and reassuring me!

[Donovan]

Mr. Bell is chewing up one of his own tail feathers right now. I noticed it on the floor a little while ago and then just now I saw him up in one of his spots chewing on it.

[AJPeter]

I think l will put Billie into high production for pooh to meet the demand for an arthritus cure, thanks Donovan.

[MissK]

I clipped one of Rocky's feathers up in the cage for Lynnie to preen and he has completely ignored it.

[Lerakroxa]

Ive used maxipatch and there was a feature where I can play normal vinyl in a direct mode. Is there any way to do this with Binkytoy cuz I would like to play normal records and use Binkytoy at the same time.

[sanjays mummi]

It's called Coprophagia, common in dogs, and giving the dog pineapple stops it, pineapple contains an enzyme, whose deficiency causes coprophagia, maybe it could work in the same way with birds?, it's worth a try, eh?

[MissK]

Any excuse for pineapple is good for me........

[AJPeter]

Rabbits do it too.

[sanjays mummi]

Yes, but then they recycle it, its part of their natural behaviour, our dogs were very keen on recycled rabbit poo, eeeoow!

[AJPeter]

Parrot poop cures baldness in men, they need to rub it into their scalp 10 times a day and if that does not baldness then l am Yulle Brenner