Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!usc!jarthur!uunet!hsi!hsi86!mallon
From: mallon@hsi86.hsi.com (Dan Mallon)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: INDOOR: Pet Parakeet that plucks out his feathers- help!
Message-ID: <2830@hsi86.hsi.com>
Date: 2 Jan 91 16:40:50 GMT
Organization: 3M Health Information Systems, Wallingford, CT
Lines: 30


I have a pet parakeet who plucks out the feathers on his chest and back.
He began this type of behavior about 6 months ago.  We went to a vet who
gave the bird a shot for some type of parasite.  The shot did no good
except make the bird woozy for almost a day.  He said the shot was the first
thing to try, then there were other approaches if it didn't work.  A week
or so later when we went back, we saw a different vet who owned birds of his
own.  He looked at the bird and suggested that the bird was pulling out his
feathers due to being itchy possibly from mites, so he recommended a spray
for us to use on him.  After this failed, we went back again.  This time 
the vet recommended getting a second bird to keep the first one company or
putting a collar on the bird that would prevent him from pulling the feathers
out.  He felt that using the collar would only fix the symptoms and not the
problem.  The reason for us to get another bird is that the bird is generally
left alone for the whole day and sometimes into the night.  We got another
bird, but that didn't help either.  The bird (Freddie) didn't pluck himself
as much as he had previously, and occasionally, he even lets his feathers
grow back, but within days, he begins plucking them again.  

Currently, the bird is almost featherless except for his wings and head.  We
are worried, because we were warned that he could cut himself and scar that
could cause him problems.  Has anyone ever had this problem?  Does anyone have
any type of suggestion to offer?

Thanks,
Dan

-- 
 Dan Mallon			     mallon@hsi.com
 3M Health Information Systems	     {uunet,yale}!hsi!mallon