If you would like to participate in a study which evaluates the use of MSM on
avian companions that engage in feather-destructive behaviors, the following
information is provided.
The following dose is based on the recommendation that an adult with a weight of
130 lbs. would take a minimum dose of 2,000 mg. By extrapolation, if you placed
1/4 teaspoon of this product in 8 ounces of water, you would be placing a total
of 167 mg of MSM in that amount of water. Based upon the dose of 2000 mg
for a 130 pound human, the starting dose for a 500 gram parrot would be 17
mg. If the parrot drank one ounce of his water out of the 8-ounce water
dish, he would be consuming approximately 21 mg.
Therefore, if you were to use the liquid supplement, a reasonable amount to
place into 8 ounces of water is 1/4 teaspoon. This might even be too
little if the parrot drank less than one ounce, but this is a good reference
point at which to start.
If you are interested in trying MSM on an avian companion, please join the
Featherpicking list and post a message to the list indicating the following:
1. The day you begin supplementation
2. The exact brand name of the product you are using to provide the MSM and
the form it comes in.
3. The dosage or amount you are giving.
4. Rate your bird's feather picking:
(1) Slight = feather chewing, no bald
spots, chewed tail and flight feathers, overall scruffy look.
(2) Moderate = perhaps a few bare spots,
some flight feathers or tail feathers missing, 50% of the body affected by
feather destruction.
(3) Severe = Most of the body covered
only with down, possible mutilation, no tail or flight feathers.
5. Indicate the areas your bird has feather picked.
After approximately three months, we will check in with those using the MSM to
find out if any positive results have been seen.