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Has anyone ever had expereince with a feather picking lovebird?
I am to pet sit these two lovebirds. One of them is bald. He so bald that he has stitches from the picking. The owner brought him to the vet and said it was behavioral. As I reading these lovebird chats I wonder if it something else.
Regardless, these birds are not tame and they are rescues She has just few toys but I am guessing they might like shredder toys to keep them busy.
I thought maybe even a plant/tree in therir cage would be a good idea.
If so, what kind of plant/tree would be good for them?

Hi,

I know that feeling. I have a lovebird and he picks his leg. And it is behavioral. He only picks when I'm at work, and refuses to distract himself no matter what I do for him. Anyway, my vet told me if it gets that bad (stiches...), they should put a collar on him and monitor him to try to break the habit. It's sad for the bird and he will act "dead" for about 24 hours, but in the end it'll save his live from picking. What they told me to do to distract Sawyer from picking is to let him "scavange"...I wrap up treats in paper (paper towels, toilet paper rolls), and he picks at it until he can get the treat....could be an idea.

Hope this helps...

In the wild, birds are busy all day long foraging for food. Perhaps making him hunt for food will occupy his time and he will think less about picking. For instance, put food in his food dish and cover it with shredded paper or something that he has to dig through to find what's in the dish. Start the foraging slowly so not all of it's hidden but as he gets better at finding it, increase the amount he has to find.

Oftentimes, when a bird develops a habit such as feather plucking, it is because they are bored or unhappy. The best way to prevent feather-plucking and to keep those beautiful feathers on your bird, is to provide your pet with plenty of exercise, entertainment and companionship. The first thing I would recommend is be sure you have a large lovebird cage. Small birdcages make your parrot feel cramped and stifled. Remember, birds are wild creatures who love space. An indoor avairy would be ideal. I would recommend purchasing your lovebird cages or parrot cage from a company called Cages By Design. They sell nation-wide and you can view their website at http://www.cagesbydesign.com. Cages by Design is one of the largest custom birdcage manufacturers in the USA. And their models are truly breathtaking. Not only that, they are spacious and roomy—absolutely ideal for keeping your lovebird happy. In addition, be sure to invest in plenty of toys for your lovebird. Cages by Design also sells a variety of toys including rope toys, swings, ladders, etc. It is a good idea to rotate toys every few weeks to prevent boredom.