Bird Tip - Sock Sweater for Feather Pickers

I used to have a seasonal feather picking cockatoo.  We didn't want the feather picking to become a permanent habit. I created a sock sweater for her.  What I did was take my hubby's old tube socks, wash well w/ bleach, cut sock the length of the 'toos neck to right above the vent, snip hole at the toe where her head goes, snip two slits on each side where her wings go. There's enough play in it to wrestle her head and wings into it. Originally I also cut leg slits into it, but it turned out unnecessary to put her legs through.

I'd replace the sweater as needed according to tattering and/or her chewing. If I were really feeling like a nut, I'd sew beads and little bits of ribbon onto it so she could chew and play with the decorations. Here's how:

 

Sock side view

 

Sock bottom view

 

The green marker indicates where the cuts go

 

After cuts are made

 

What it looks like after stuffing a bird into it.

Put it over the head first, then wings.  See below on a caution.

 

**IMPORTANT** When putting it on the bird, don't try to get the end of the wing into the wing holes first.  Grab the "elbow" (joint closest to the head) and pull the elbow through - the rest of the wing will follow.

It is normal for the parrot to flail around like it's being eaten by a boa constrictor and it's dying.  It's also normal for some parrots to chew the sweater off within a few minutes.  You need to put the sweater on when you can supervise all day long until the bird gets used to it.  It may take several days for the bird to get used to it and you may need to take the sweater off at night or when you cannot supervise so the bird doesn't strangle itself.   Do not leave the sweater on the bird unsupervised until you are sure the bird's used to it and doesn't seem like it's even wearing a sweater.

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