Cones, Bubbles, E-collars

I got to thinking just now, as I was scritching Sisco and removing some of the sheath on her new pin feathers, that when she had an E-collar on, how uncomfortable that must have been when she had new feathers popping thru. I wonder if we aren't doing more harm than good using these types of devices.

When I got Sisco, she had a bubble collar around her neck. It looked very uncomfortable to me and so we took it off the next day, but as soon as it was off, she went on a plucking spree! We made an E-collar of X-ray film and put that on her. I took that off of her when it was apparent that she was having trouble getting to her food.

I have not used anything like that since, and the plucking continues. But, I'd rather her be comfortable rather than be in pain due to a pin feather bending the wrong way. If I touch a new pin feather, I get bit. Can you imagine if a bird has a bubble collar on and has a new pin feather coming thru, but is bent or rubbing the collar, how grouchy they are because of the pain of that new feather?

That's why I feel it is important to use something more soft and pliable rather than something that won't move and will inhibit growth of new feathers under it. For some birds, feather plucking is due to a medical condition. For others it is due to environment and then becomes a habit that is very difficult to end. To get it to stop, something needs to change or become better in the bird's environment. Look around to see what could possible be a trigger for this plucking. An air freshener? A new lotion (or something on your skin like residue smoke, cleaners, metals, hazardous materials, etc) causing an allergic reaction to him? A new family member (can be human or animal)?

We looked around, but did we spot anything? Yes? Good, fix it. No? Look again. Still nothing? OK, work on getting the habit to stop by replacing it with a new habit or habits. A way to do that is to literally replace that habit with something else. Keep him or her extra extra busy so she doesn't have time to pluck. Easier said than done if you have a job. All you can do in that situation is to try and keep her busy while you are gone with special toys that you only put into use when you have to be gone. The idea is to keep her engaged during the day so she doesn't think about her feathers. Whether or not you have to work, it doesn't matter because this will be a slow on going process, or so I am learning. :-)

Good luck! Any questions or comments, let me have 'em!