# Butt feather chewing when in heat



## KeaColorado (Jan 2, 2013)

Help! 

Kea had a false pregnancy in December and blew her coat. After that, I started bathing once a week with IOD royal jelly and giving DogZymes Ultimate and GroHair supplements, misting with water and a few drops of conditioner and brushing daily. 

Finally, FINALLY the coat was looking nice and full with a big fluffy tail and butt. 

Then (of course), she came into season on Saturday. On Sunday, I caught her biting out a clump of butt feathers :no:

I have been trying to monitor her closely and spraying a little bitter apple on the tail and butt feathers. When I'm away from the house, she's in the kitchen with a bone to work on or a kong stuffed with frozen moistened kibble. 

Anybody else have any other tips? I'm starting to wonder if she'll ever have a nice show coat...and I'm ready to start pulling out my own hair at this point!


----------



## AmbikaGR (Dec 31, 2007)

Brooke did this also during her first season. I believe it was due to the sani-pants I was using then. They fit pretty snug and I think the moisture that was trapped due to the pants was irritating her skin. In subsequent seasons I switched to an older pair of pants that are much looser fitting and she was/is not as bad about it. 
Don't know if you are using any pants on her though.


----------



## KeaColorado (Jan 2, 2013)

Yes, they are little boy Thomas the Train underware and she refuses to go out in public wearing them.  During her first cycle, I tried the sani-pants, and those were a definite no-go that caused some irritation. 

I've been trying to make sure she has some times when she's NOT wearing the undies, so she can clean herself. When I'm working from the office, she's gated in the kitchen and not wearing her pants, and at night she's crated. The rest of the day when we're home, she needs to wear them because we have white carpet (ugh) and she's allowed on all the furniture.


----------



## KeaColorado (Jan 2, 2013)

I should add that the pic of Brooke in your sig looks a lot like Kea, so there must be something about those blondies and the feather chewing!


----------



## KeaColorado (Jan 2, 2013)

And, because I'm a nerd, I just figured out they both have Seeshaw Dylan behind them a few generations back, so they're related. That would explain why they look alike


----------



## Sally's Mom (Sep 20, 2010)

I think some of it is hormonal... No matter what you do, they pull the hair....


----------

