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IRN losing feathers

Posted: Fri Feb 21, 2014 9:53 am
by Ahsan
Hello dear all


I bought an IRN few months ago, in the start everything was right and ok, but now he has started to pluck its feathers by himself. All feathers on his belly are gone.

If anyone can help me diagnose or can give suggestion i would be geatfull,
Awaiting your response, below i have attached his recent pics.

Re: IRN losing feathers

Posted: Fri Feb 21, 2014 10:31 am
by MissK
Hi. I'm sorry your nice bird is having this problem. There are different causes of plucking and I am not the expert to advise you. However, if you could include some photos of his cage and his toys, and the room around him, it would be a start. Also tell us what he eats, how he interacts with you, what's in the room around the cage, how he does with other people or pets in the home, etc. Also tell us how this is different from his previous situation. One of the possible reasons for plucking is emotional, and since the problem started after he came with you, I think the environment bears inspection.

Re: IRN losing feathers

Posted: Fri Feb 21, 2014 2:17 pm
by InTheAir
Have you taken him to an avian vet to rule out medical reasons?

Re: IRN losing feathers

Posted: Fri Feb 21, 2014 9:17 pm
by Ahsan
Thanks Missk for your response

I am not keeping him in a cage, he lives with us in our room on a wooden stand, his behavior is also not so good, sometimes he tries to bite us, i am giving him sun flower seeds and different fruits and bread, but he likes sun flower seeds more than any thing,

@ in the air

Yes i took him to my near available vet, he said just stop giving him sun flower seeds, due to seeds his body temperature is increasing and thats why to cool down he is plucking its feathers.

But like everyone i am worried about my bird, I have plan to let him fly so that he can live happily but he can't fly right now, thats why i want to make him beautiful and healthy again

Re: IRN losing feathers

Posted: Sat Feb 22, 2014 7:50 am
by MissK
Hi. In my personal opinion it is asking for trouble to leave the bird "free" in the room all the time. I advise you get him a very good cage of a large enough size and stock it with toys and natural perches, and then allow him to play in and on it with the door open. Once he is familiar with it and comfortable there, you should try feeding him in the cage. Make it a nice place for him, and when he is happy to be there you can start teaching him to live in it with the door closed.

With regards to your plucking issue, how does his lifestyle now compare to his lifestyle before you got him? We cannot help if you don't answer the questions put to you. If the change in lifestyle is very different it may be hard for him to cope with the change. This could promote plucking.

Also, is it possible your vet is not actually a real bird vet, but someone who just also sees birds? A real bird vet is necessary for birds.

Best wishes,

Re: IRN losing feathers

Posted: Sat Feb 22, 2014 1:52 pm
by AJPeter
I am very sorry you are in this position, it must be frightening for you, Missk and Uptheair are right you need to see an avian vet.

In a cage your bird will feel secure and this will help stop the feather plucking, but you need to rule out other problems and options.

How soon after you bought him did the plucking start? I am thinking it might be a left over problem from the previpus owner. Especially if he was in a cage before.

Re: IRN losing feathers

Posted: Sat Feb 22, 2014 10:13 pm
by MissK
By the way, I offer my compliment on getting the bird to pose so nicely in the photos above.

Re: IRN losing feathers

Posted: Mon Nov 09, 2015 6:15 pm
by Lynn40
Can I also suggest that IRN Loves to forage. Make a lot of foraging toys to keep his mind occupied. Mine started doing this but I caught it before it got this bad. She started right after she molted so I thought she was still molting until her feathers were not coming back. She loves to forage so I went online looked up DIY bird toys. Most of the stuff I already had on hand. She stays occupied and her feathers are coming in nice now. I also have been letting her stay out of her cage longer then I was. She would always want to go pick on the other birds. She has gotten better with that also.
Any updates ?
Hope he is doing better