PREMIUM PINECONES, LTD

"A pine cone a day keeps the plucking at bay
...oh, but they just love 'em anyway!"

Owners of cockatiels, cockatoos, African greys, macaws and other species of pet parrots often visit Natty Newfeathers because, sadly, their birds have begun to pull out, barber or snap their own feathers. Such destructive behaviors, often referred to collectively as feather plucking, are relatively common problems. Notwithstanding, they can also be some of the most difficult behavioral problems to solve and may, if not checked, lead to life-threatening mutilation.

Almost without exception, birds that engage in this destructive behavior have undergone one form of stress or another. Assuming no abnormal pathology, the "secret" to normalizing these birds is to identify the stressors, eliminate or minimize those stressors, and then try to break the birds' often deep-seated -destructive habits. The more emotional and sensitive a bird is, the more susceptible it can be to plucking itself; and the more ingrained its habit may be. African grey parrots and cockatoos are over-represented among feather-destructive pet birds because, perhaps more than any other psittacines, they seem to fit the sensitivity profile.

Now birds that pluck their feathers and birds that just want to have fun have a web site to call their own. While we're new at this, and undoubtedly this site will always be a work in progress, we envision it ultimately as a place to visit not only to order unique items designed to help birds that mutilate, pluck and barber their feathers, but also a place to find information and feel comfortable asking questions about parrot enrichment, nutrition, behavior and socialization.

We welcome your comments. Please don't hesitate to let us know how we can make things better. We're all about that!

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