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From: ooblick@intercon.com (Mikki Barry)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: Re: cockatiel feather picking
Message-ID: <26CBEFEF.6150@intercon.com>
Date: 17 Aug 90 13:23:59 GMT
References: <1990Aug6.231106.4279@agate.berkeley.edu> <873@cfiprod.UUCP>
Organization: InterCon Systems Corporation, Sterling, VA
Lines: 31

In article <873@cfiprod.UUCP> susans@cfiprod.UUCP (Susan Scheide -CFI-) writes:
[some excellent advice about psychological causes of feather picking
 deleted]

>	Everything I have ever read tells me those bird sprays and
>	shampoos are never necessary or recommended by bird breeders.
>	I'm suprised the vet didn't tell you that.  A bird should be
>	given the opportunity to bathe, or a light spritz with a
>	plant mister, in plain water several times a week.  Nothing
>	else is necessary.

Feather Glo actually has some agents in it that would alleviate irritation
in the skin.  While not strictly "necessary", if the bird was suffering from
an inflammation of the skin for some reason, the feather glo may actually
have helped.

Also, as a practical matter, a vet can't effectively rule out feather lice
unless the bird was checked in the middle of the night when the lice come
out and are visible.  A visual cue to check for would be "ratty" looking 
feathers with their bottoms freyed, and/or color pigment missing in
areas.  I'm not talking about "stress lines" here, but irregular 
tiny patches.  In these cases, mite/lice spray specially formulated
for birds works wonders.

And don't forget the Nekton and Vionate!  Even if the cause is psychological,
it is obviously putting the bird under stress.  Times of stress are when
latent diseases will surface.  Vitamins and minerals may help to prevent
some of them.

Mikki Barry
Natural Intelligence Aviaries