Feather Plucking & Self Mutilation

Photo by parsipet.ir

A number of bird owners deal with parrots who pluck out their own feathers or mutilate themselves. Learn why they do it and ways you can work with your (birds) in the online and print resources below.  

Selected Online Resources:

• Highfill, Carol. "Feather Mutilation," Cockatoo Heaven.
• Johnson, Anne. "Feather Mutilation," Winged Wisdom (Oct. 1996).
• Newman, Chick Ph.D, D.V.M. "Feather Picking by Pet Birds," Newman Veterinary Medical Services.
• Newman, Chick Ph.D, D.V.M. "Feather Picking Relationship to Species," Newman Veterinary Medical Services (mentions grey cheeks).
• Wikipedia. "Feather-Plucking."

Print Resources:

• Blanchard, Sally. "The Complexities of Feather Destructive Behavior," The Pet Bird Report.
• Blanchard, Sally. "Feather Picking in Parrots," IAS.
• Blanchard, Sally. "Parrot Psychology: Solve Behavioral Feather Picking," Bird Talk, 20 (Aug. 2002): 12-13.
• Dahlhausen, Bob. "Feather Picking in Pet Birds," Proceedings of the Mid-Atlantic States Association of Avian Veterinarians, 1997: 1-5.
• Davis, Chris. "Feather Picking: Living With a Feather Picker," Bird Talk, 15 (Aug. 1997): 72-79.
• Delp, Joanna and Ron Delp. "Overcoming Mandy's Plucking," Bird Talk, 12 (Mar. 1994): 66-68.
• Dicker, Layne David. "What Your Feather-Picking Bird Can't Tell You," Bird Talk, 18 (Jan. 2000): 68-81.
• Dorge, Ray and Gail Sibley. "What to Do With a Feather Plucker," Bird Talk, 13 (May 1995): 26-30.
• Evans, Kathy L. "Feather Picking and Self Mutilation," Bird Talk, 11 (June 1993): 102-103.
• Farlow, Susan. "Coping With Feather Plucking" in The Bird Care Handbook & Resource Guide, 1st ed., Monterey, CA: Seacoast Publishing (1997): 39.
• Hallander, Jane. "Feather Picking: The Pattern Often Tells the Story," Pet Bird Report, 9 n. 2 (Feb. 2000): 76-78.
• Johnson, Cathy. "Chronic Feather Picking: A Different Approach to Treatment," Proceedings of the Association of Avian Veterinarians, 1987: 125-142.
• Johnson-Delaney, Cathy. "Feather Picking Diagnosis and Treatment," Journal of the Association of Avian Veterinarians, 6 (1992): 82-83.
• Kauffman, Melissa L. and Amy Taylor. "Feather Picking: Reader Case Studies," Bird Talk, 15 (Aug. 1997): 52-71.
• Lennox, Angela M. and Nicole VanDerHeyden. "Haloperidol For Use in Treatment of Psittacine Self-Mutilation and Feather Picking," Proceedings of the Association of Avian Veterinarians, 1993: 119-120.
• Linden, Phoebe G. "Feather Picking: A Complex Problem! Checklist for causes and cures," The Pet Bird Report, 3 (M/A 1993): 14-16.
• Messonnier, Shawn P. "Acupuncture: Discover this novel approach to treating feather-picking birds," Bird Talk, 17 (June 1999): 78-83.
• Murphy, Joel. "Homeopathic Remedies for Feather Picking," Journal of the Association of Avian Veterinarians, 6 (1993).
• Oppenheimer, Jerry. "Feather Picking: Systemic Approach," Proceedings of the Association of Avian Veterinarians, 1991: 314-315.
• Ramsay, Edward. "Self-mutilation Syndrome," Journal of Avian Veterinarians, 5 (1991).
• Ramsay, Edward C. and Howard Grindlinger. "Treatment of Feather Picking With Clomipramine," Proceedings of the Association of Avian Veterinarians, 1992: 379-382 and 1986: 265-279 (mentions grey cheeks).
• Rosenthal, Karen. "Differential Diagnosis of Feather-Picking in Pet Birds," Proceedings of the Association of Avian Veterinarians, 1993: 108-112.
• Rosskopf, Walter J., Jr. and Richard Woerpel. "Feather picking in psittacine birds: a clinician's approach to diagnosis and treatment", Proceedings of the Association of Avian Veterinarians, Miami, FL, (1986): 265-279.
• Rosskopf, Walter J., Jr. and Richard Woerpel. "The Psittacine Mutilation Syndrome: Management, Incidence, Possible Etiology and Therapy", Proceedings of the Association of Avian Veterinarians (1990).
• Schmidt, Robert E. "Use of Biopsies in the Differential Diagnosis of Feather Picking and Avian Skin Disease," Proceedings of the Association of Avian Veterinarians, 1993: 113-115.
• Swicegood, Carolyn. "Feather Destruction," Watchbird, (July/August 1998).
• Turner, Richard. "Trexan (Naltrexone Hydrocholoride) Use in Feather Picking in Avian Species," Proceedings of the Association of Avian Veterinarians, 1993: 116-118.
• Vaughn, Samuel B. "Feather Picking: A Mystery of Avian Medicine," Bird Talk, 15 (Aug. 1997): 42,44,46-51.
• Wissman, Margaret A. "Causes & Cures: Facets of Feather Picking," Bird Talk, 22 (Sept. 2004): 18-22.
• Wissman, Margaret A. "Causes & Cures: Feather Picking Causes," Bird Talk, 20 (Aug. 2002): 14-17.
• Wissman, Margaret A. "Causes of Feather Picking," Bird Talk, 17 (Mar. 99): 78-79.
• Worell, Amy Beth and William L. Farber. "The Use of Acupuncture in the Treatment of Feather Picking in Psittacines," Proceedings of the Association of Avian Veterinarians, 1993: 121-126.
• Worth, Gail. "Ask the Experts: Causes for Feather-Picking," Bird Talk, 17 (Oct. 99): 98-99.

Speech Training for Birds

Products:

• Cockatiel DVD + Bonus Video: Train Your Bird to Talk
• Feathered Phonics the Easy Way To Teach Your Bird to Speak, Vol. 1
• Feathered Phonics the Easy Way To Teach Your Bird to Sing, Vol. 2
• Parrot Training CD's
• Teaching Your Bird to Talk by Diane Grindol
• Train Your Bird to Talk
• Train Your Parrot To Talk
• Wordy Birdy

Print Resources:

• Athan, Mattie Sue. "Eliminate Foul Language and Other Nuisance Sounds,"  Bird Talk, 17 (Feb. 1999): 76-83.
• Beane, C. "Teaching Birds to Talk," Bird Talk, 4 (Jun. 1986): 32.
• Blanchard, Sally. "Parrot Psychology: Teaching a Parrot To Talk," Bird Talk, 14 (Dec. 1996): 12.
• Blanchard, Sally. "Parrot Psychology: To Talk or Not To Talk," Bird Talk, 14 (Aug. 1996): 46-47.
• Davis, Chris. "Yak Kitty Yak, Please Talk Back," Bird Talk, 18 (Aug. 2000): 62-67.
• Doss, J. "Learn to Speak Parrot," Bird Talk, 10 (Aug. 1992): 68.
• Grindol, Diane. "5 Ways to Rev Up Your Bird's Vocabulary," Bird Talk, 23 (Aug. 2005): 32-35.
• Higdon, Pamela L. "Talking Birds," Bird Talk, 11 (June 1993): 50-62.
• Higdon, Pamela L. "Talking Questions and Answers," Bird Talk, 13 (Jun. 1995): 52-59.
• New, K. "How Birds Learn to Talk," Bird Talk, 5 (Oct. 1987): 40.
• Nickolin, Theresa. "Teaching Birds to Talk," Bird Talk, 10 (Apr. 1992): 108-119.
• Samuelson, Phillip & Kathleen Etchepara. "Look Who's Talking!" Bird Talk, 9 (Jan. 1991): 88-99.
• Sweat, Rebecca. "The Who, Why and How of Talking," Bird Talk, 22 (Aug. 2004): 20-26.
• "Talking Success Stories," Bird Talk, 13 (June 1995): 82-90.
• Tevis, P. "How to Train Your Bird to Talk," Bird Talk, 2 (Aug. 1984): 44.
• Wilson, Liz. "Parrot Psychology: To Speak or Not to Speak," Bird Talk, 20 (May 2002): 16-17.
• Wissman, Margaret A. "Causes & Cures: How Do Birds Vocalize," Bird Talk, 20 (May 2002): 18-21.
• Worth, Gail. "Teaching Your Parrot to Talk," Bird Talk, 15 (Jan. 1997): 113.

Pet Sitting/Sitters

Interested in bird sitting or finding a bird sitter for your flock? Here are some online and print resources for you to peruse.

• Chamberlain, Susan. "Find a Bird-Savvy Pet-Sitter," birdchannel.com.
• Grindol, Diane. "Bird Basics for Pet Sitters."
• Johnson, Anne. "Hiring a Professional Pet Sitting Service," Winged Wisdom, (Nov. 1997).
• Kauffman, Melissa. "Pet Sitting for Birds," birdchannel.com.
• Moran, Patti. Pet Sitting for Profit (ebook)
• Sweat, Rebecca. "No Sweat! Become a Bird Sitter," Bird Talk, 20 (July 2002): 68-69, 97.
• Sweat, Rebecca. "No Sweat! Find the Perfect Pet Sitter," Bird Talk, 20 (June 2002): 66-69.

Potty Training Pet Birds

 

• Burkett, Greg. "How to Potty Train Birds."
• Hartman, Steve. "Potty Training Your Parrot in 72 Hours."
• Highfill, Carole. "The ABC's of Potty Training," Winged Wisdom, Mar./Apr. 2003.
• Kalhagen, Alyson. "How to Potty Train Your Pet Bird."
• Lambdin, W.H. "Potty Train Your Bird," Birds N Ways.
• MIT. "Potty-training Your Bird."
• "Potty Training for Parrots" (video).
• Rei. "Potty-training Your Bird."
• Spadafori, Gina and Speer, Brian L. "Potty Training Your Bird."

More Resources:

• Gonzalez, F. "Potty Train Your Parrot," Bird Talk, 3 (Dec. 1985): 38.
• Kaplan, Elise. "Potty Training," Bird Talk, 22 (July 2004): 52-55.
• Rhea, M. "Potty Train Your Bird," Bird Talk, 6 (July 1988): 44.
• Warsalla, Denise. "Training Tips: Potty Training Parrots," Bird Talk, 8 (Aug. 1990): 64-73.