The Caleb Saga Continues

[Sondra]

Good choice of collar. Here's what M2Mom, an authority on Toos (especially M2s), from Second Chance Birds stated about collars.

Quote: Collars are indeed cruel but sometimes there is no other alternative if a bird is mutilating. The pipe foam collar and the ball collars are the kindest of them all. I do not think they should be used for plucking unless very short term on a newly plucking bird to see if it can help break the cycle. Collars can ruin a bird's neck if not used under supervision of a vet or a person who knows what they are doing. Collars can stretch the neck (like those tribes in Africa) and ruin the neck muscles.

I did not want Bo to live in a collar so I created a breast plate for him. It fit to his body like a turtle shell over his front. It was held in place by sweaters that I make. The breast plate allowed total freedom of movement including climbing and he never acted like he knew it was there.

However, as long as we breed birds that self destruct on a regular basis. As long as breeders breed every bird and raise every bird ... instead of allowing the natural survival of the fittest .... we will have birds that need the collars. They breed runts and birds that simply would not have made it if intervention by humans was not there to hand feed. We are an arrogant species that thinks we know better than Mother Nature._________________

To read the entire thread go to
http://www.secondchancebirds.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=148&t=6423&hilit=collar

[grey782163]

While I agree to some extent, further valid points were made in the thread that place the collar as one viable tool toattempt to remedy the problem. If all medical and psychological avenues have been explored, a collar that is properly fitted by a qualified veterinarian has a place in any therapy seeking to curb or redirect the behavior. Redirecting the behavior can mean leaving the bird if it plucks in your presence (consistency is key) whereby the bird in question associates a response to the behavior. This works well in parrots that are extremely bonded to their owner: eventually they associate that the behavior (plucking/barbering a few minutes) the companionship they desire. To my knowledge, no research has qualitatively shown a link between hand rearing and plucking or mutilative behaviors. While it is true that this behavior is not noted in wild birds, this can also be due to amount of sunlight, bathing opportunities, diet, social behaviors etc. There are too many variables at this point to make blanket statements, judgments, or condemnations IMHO.

[Sondra]

How about a Caleb update..................PLEASE.  I just LOVE Caleb!!

[steptoe91(tozie)]

caleb is .... well, he's caleb.    he still barbers, his wings still look like pink penguin flippers. but they are absolutely adorable  i was a bit concerned as i noticed yesterday, he has a spot on each wing that appears to be a chewed blood feather that's clotted. its one of the big flight feathers, too. i'm watching those closely. he plucks the feathers on his chest, near his wound but it seems those are the only ones he plucks. he does still have his wound. we (he and i) keep it clean. between regular baths, and him grooming it regularly... probably why it wont heal, but anyway, its clean. its still shallow but it IS still there. he has let it narrow down several times and just when i start to have hope it'll heal up, he makes it wider again. right now, he's been letting it heal a bit, but not enough to make a big diff. it itches him, i can tell. but he still wont allow me to massage anything into it. he's basically a happy guy living cage free in his own bedroom. he's been pretty hormonal the last few weeks. he wants desperately to mate with my hand    he has been a wood chipping fool again, lately. thank goodness for my new miter saw and drill press, he's already made it well worth my investment. he is still quite a velcro bird. he MUST be on me for a minimum of two hours a day. he happily sits on my knee as i type, surf, or read on the net. ya really couldnt ask for a sweeter guy. as i type he's happily demolishing a phone book on top of his cage. he isnt a quiet guy, but he's not unreasonably loud either.

thanks for asking.   

[wishforabird]

he is a great valentine!!! 

[Sondra]

I'm so glad he's doing well! I miss hearing about him (as well as the rest of your flock).

Have you tried misting his wound with a 100% pure Aloe and water mixture? It does help with the itchies. Use 2/3 aloe and 1/3 water. It has to be pure aloe juice, Mothers brand is one I know of, but there are others.

[grey782163]

I wonder if rogaine would stimulate feather growth

[patti3birds]

Im buying rosewater/glycerine, I pray it helps w Charlie