Sweaters for Parrots

Hi There!

I'm wondering if anyone has ever tried one of these? I'd love to know the pros and cons. It would be nice if I could still get VinVin out just for a little bit -- not in the snow of course -- but maybe during fall.

http://www.birdsupplies.com/Feather-...ots-p/avfs.htm

Thanks!

Hi Molly

Is Vinnie the Vasa plucking?That's the only time I've heard of anyone using some kind of sock.If you do try it I'm curious to know how well it works or doesn't work.Please keep me posted.


Marcia

Vin has been "over-preening" some of his clipped flight feathers because I guess they're bothering him. He has a vet visit to to have them trimmed this weekend. He's not plucking, but I can see how a sweater like this would reduce the irritation.

Vinnie made a new photographer friend who wants to take pictures of him when the leaves are changing. I'm more interested in the sweater so I can still take him out now that it's cooling off. We've been having so much fun on our walks and trips to the park I cringe at the idea of him having to stay in for months on end.

I will also check with his vet for safe temperatures and durations.

Thanks!

Have you tried giving Vinnie warm baths as well as treating him with
the Aloe Vera Distilled put it in a spray bottle.Go crazy with it because it's very soothing.I have some pluckers as well as barberers.

I hope everything goes well.Try making foraging toys that's what I was told by my avian vet.

Marcia

If you wanted to try a sweater, I would say comfortable...low 60's, but not a windy or damp day! And if you do.....You better have Vinnie fashion show pics!

Hi Sasha,

I think some of Vinnie's clipped wings are poking him. I'm hoping that by trimming them they'll stop bothering him. All of his other feathers are fine.



Do you think aloe would help with this? He has plenty of preening toys. They double as wigs. Any other suggestions are appreciated!

Kimba! You bet there will be pictures. But this photog uses REAL film and it takes a couple weeks to get the pictures back, which is why I still don't have any from our last outing. I'll out them up as soon as I get them!

Quote: (Originally Posted by maybe molly)

Hi Sasha, I think some of Vinnie's clipped wings are poking him. I'm hoping that by trimming them they'll stop bothering him. All of his other feathers are fine. Do you think aloe would help with this? He has plenty of preening toys. They double as wigs. Any other suggestions are appreciated! Kimba! You bet there will be pictures. But this photog uses REAL film and it takes a couple weeks to get the pictures back, which is why I still don't have any from our last outing. I'll out them up as soon as I get them!

Molly

Yikes Vinnie is barbering!Putting a sweater on him or cutting his wings more will only add to the problem.What you need to do is distract him from doing it.If he was plucking or overpreening it would be one thing.

4 of my Eclectus are barbering and their wings look just like Vinnie's wings.I was just to my avian vet a few weeks ago and she suggested making foraging toys using tissue paper boxes and toilet paper rolls as well as paper towel rolls stuff with toys,foraging foods and make them work for them.She told me that they're probably bored.They have plenty of things to keep them occupied.I'll try anything at this point to get them to stop doing that.

Actually clipping further will help. Poe, bfa, had this issue where the flight were not clipped properly so the ends poked him and he started barbing as well, only much worse. By clipping the damaged feathers to about an inch, there is no more poking or irritation, the down side however is that those feathers because of lack of weight might not moult out on schedule. Poe's took 2 years to moult out. As soon as those bothersome clipped feathers were removed he stopped fussing with his wings, and as a result when the new feathers came in, he has never had a problem with them since. This was done right at the beginning of the issue so no "habit barbing" formed. Poe will never be clipped again which is more than fine with his owner. However I would think that future clipping might again instigate the issue. SO I would definitely see how one might think that it would not work, but if you plan on keeping a flighted parrot it should definitely solve the issue.

Sasha if this is something you would like to try, it is important to know that you can NOT use scissors! But rather bird nail clippers, and to go in and actual clip off each feather at the shaft just below where the "feather" part of the feather starts. Using scissors will result in pain. and most likely injury. By doing this you are also leaving the next feather layer intact, which will be important to prevent further irritation. However unless your are very good at restraining a parrot as well as clipping, I would suggest either a vet, or someone with the experience at this.

Thanks guys!

I'm going to stick with Saturday's vet appointment. As is, I can handle Vinnie pretty well, but I've never tried to restrain him, much less trim his feathers. We're still building trust and I don't want to compromise that right now.

I will let the tech know your recommendations tho, about the next layer preventing further irritation. A very good point.

P.S. It's hard to tell from the photos, but the two outer-most feathers are also stripped the most, and they are longer than the other feathers, maybe by 1/3 inch. Do you still think they should trim all of them?

P.S.S. Oops I see now that last post was for Sasha No way am I going to try to hold VinVin down for a wing trim, haha.

Thanks again!