Self-Mutilation Combo

About This Bird Collar Combo:

It’s difficult to stand by and watch your pet birds self-mutilate. Feather-plucking and bird self-mutilation can be devastating to both your pet and you. It can cause emotional and physical pain and can lead to infections. Protect your bird and take the pain away with the BeakGuard Bird Vest.

A variety of supports are needed to keep self-mutilating birds in check. Our Bird Self-Mutilating Combo provides several types of support to discourage self-mutilation, while you implement behavioral solutions to help your pet.

Our Bird Self Mutilation Collar Combo includes our BeakGuard Bird Vest and a Fringy Cone Bird Collar. We’ve had tons of clients email us saying that this combo is the ideal setup for their bird. It’s double protection yet not too heavy or too warm. It really helps to protect those tough to reach places like legs, feet, and under the wings.

This durable "bulletproof" BeakGuard Vest helps stop serious feather plucking and bird self-mutilation while protecting your birds' chest & back. It closes with DuraGrip® Industrial Strength Hook and Loop Closure.

The Fringy Cone Bird Collar is our most protective Elizabethan-style bird collar yet. The stiff insert at the base flares out making it hard to get around. Our signature thick fringy neck creates an extra layer of protection.

Unlike traditional plastic bird collars, our Fringy Cone Bird Collar is soft so your bird can climb, eat, and play. Best of all, it doesn't block your bird’s peripheral vision. No more restrictive suits of armor for your bird!

I was initially worried that it would be too hot for him, but that was before I saw and felt the vest. Houdini has taken to it quite well.  Thank you for these wonderful products!" 
Toni T.

This combo for bird self mutilation supports the protection of. 

• The top & underside of the wings
• The vent area
• Feet & legs
• Chest & back

As A General Rule Choose Collar Size by Your Bird's Weight In Grams

Medium weight fleece, heavy-duty thread, stiffener inserts, industrial strength hook & loop.

This may be a two person job. If you can't handle your bird, then you should have your vet help you.

1. Sit on the floor with your knees in front of you. 
2. Place your bird in between your knees with the beak pointing away from you.
3. Put the vest on first.  One person may need to hold the head stabilizing the jaw to prevent a bite.
4. Open the vest and slip it under the birds vest. Lift the wings and pull the back of the vest around.Secure the velcro. Next, lift the wings and secure the velcro tabs.
5. If your bird is a known chewer, which most mutilators are, use moleskin to secure the velcro closures.

Always observe your bird for a few days to make sure that it can get around and go about its daily activities like walking, eating, and playing.

Every bird reacts differently. Some birds throw a fit while others act like they are frozen. 

Either way, it is up to you to lavishly reward and reinforce "normal" parrot behavior and ignore the "fits." If your bird acts frozen, as if it can't move or eat, gently show it that it can walk, eat, and play in a bird collar.

Be persistent! Give your pet plenty of treats and favorite toys to when it is leaving the collar alone. Also, reward normal parrot daily activities like

This combination makes it doubly difficult for your self mutilating "Houdini" to remove (although we know how dexterous self mutilators are 😱).

Some customers report that the BeakGuard Bird Vest creates a "comforting" therapeutic effect to calm your bird’s frazzled nerves.

Persistent pluckers may be able to open the hook & loop. Reinforce the hook & loop by attaching Mole Skin to the underside of the Fringy Cone or spraying both collars with Bitter Yuk Spray or another bird-safe bitter.

Please be advised: Birds that habitually pluck or mutilate themselves and those that have had this habit for a long time need more training and time to adapt to a bird collar. While most people experience success with our bird collars we do not guarantee that a bird will adapt to a bird collar, that they'll like it, or that they can't remove the collar. 

Please review our returns policy here.

Compare bird collars here.

Tips, tricks & advice from the pros. that include how to adjust the fit for your particular bird, click here. 

Plan to support acceptance with these strategies:

1. Spray the bird collar with a bird-safe bitter spray like Bitter Apple Or King's No Chew.

2. After placing the collar on the bird, stabilize the hook and loop closure by placing a strip of moleskin or duct tape on the underside where the two sides overlap.