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Oh Alfie ALWAYS eats it... which is gross. He regurgitates and then immediately swallows it again. 🤢 He does the same when he regurgitates for his toy.

I have to take my 1 year old female African Grey to the Vets for her 1 st appointment. She has chewed off half of 2 flight feathers and needs the bottoms to be removed. My question is should I be in the room with her when this happens or is it best not to be there. I’m thinking if she gets stressed she will remember me been in the room with her and possibly hold a grudge for the situation I’ve put her in. On the other hand, if I’m not in the room and she sees me after her visit she will be grateful I came to her rescue. Please advise. Cheers, Steve

That's a tough one. I stay with Timber and it doesn't seem to hurt our relationship. I thought the same as you when I took him to the vet the first time, but decided he would prefer I was "there for him" regardless of the circumstances.

With more information this all makes more sense now. Poor girl. That second feather just didn't sound right to me and definitely changed my view of things. Hope it's just a small injury the vet can sort out quickly. I would definitely give her lots of things to chew on (toys, cardboard, paper, etc.) to distract her so she'll leave her feathers alone to heal. Even after the vet sorts her out, the area will still be irritating/sore for her -- so she'll need lots of distractions so she'll continue to leave the area alone. I truly believe your girl has been trying to heal herself... and making a right mess of it! Wishing her well!

I’ve got my girl booked into the Avian Vets tomorrow and I’m just hopeful they will be able to help her. There was a new looking feather which seemed to be growing next to the one she chewed. She has been moulting and she did get her wing caught the other day in a ladder so I’ve now removed that ladder. She’s just over 1 year old now. I can’t even touch Matildas wings without been bitten savagely so I’m best to let the vet do all the handling. I think if I were to try to hold her wings open I would hurt her as I’m not experienced enough to know the right way to handle her especially knowing she’s in pain and stressed. The Vet might be able to remove whatever is left of the feathers she’s chewed off and I pray she doesn’t attack me afterwards for the trauma I gotta put her through. I’ll be sure to let you know how the visit goes tomorrow. Thanx again for all your help. Cheers, Steve 🦜😃

Not good. One feather was just a fluke. Like maybe the first feather got twisted and was bothering her. But two? It's not really normal for a parrot to chew a fresh new feather in half -- much less two. Is your girl moulting and uncomfortable? Are you sure it's wing wasn't caught between the cage bars and injured, or maybe your parrot flew into/bumped into something? How long have you had this parrot? Your 2nd feather looks newer -- it looks like a freshly formed feather where the sheath has either fallen away (or been preened away by your bird). Yet that pictured feather is chewed through below where a parrot might try to remove a feather sheath (which is normal to remove an old sheath once a feather is mature). But your girl chewed below the normal exposed sheath area. And now I feel concerned about the remaining halves of the feathers -- are they still there? It hurts to pull a new healthy feather out, which would explain why your grey broke them in half rather than pulling out the whole feather. But why are they bothering her? At this point, the remaining chewed feather ends are rough and uncomfortable for her -- you may need a vet to remove them properly and safely. Otherwise, she may keep chewing the area trying to fix it herself and get into a bad cycle of chewing, irritating the area further, chewing more to fix it, area becomes more irritated, chewing some more to fix that, etc.. You don't want this. Is there any swelling or lumpiness in the skin area near where these feathers came from? I'm trying to figure out why your parrot is trying to remove good feathers early -- unless they are damaged in some way. Moulting can be very uncomfortable, but not to the extent a bird is chewing its healthy new feathers in half. I lean towards some trauma having occurred than just an uncomfortable moult (although either could be possible). I'm also concerned that the next feather she chews in half might have some blood supply to it. At any rate, unless her chest and back are also bald, this doesn't fit the usual feather plucking scenario. Just not the first feathers she'd be chewing, imo. I would check to see if other feathers are injured, if the skin is injured... just find out more. I would hate this to turn into a vet visit -- but you need to know what is happening before she injures herself trying to fix the problem herself.

Matilda has now plucked another feather. This time I notice there’s a difference. There’s a bit of meat on the end where she chewed it off. I also noticed there’s a clear covering at the bottom where there are a few new feathers emerging and the small white root of the feather been plucked out at the base. Here’s a few pix, please lemme know if my observations are correct. Cheers, Steve 🦜😃

Sounds about right! https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/uk-news/foul-mouthed-parrots-removed-uk-19015228

hi everyone, I had been waiting to join this forum for a while, just got added......thanks...🙏 I am based in Dubai UAE and very hard getting info on birds here. I am new with birds and had got a juvenile African grey less than 6 months old on 17th Aug. Her name was Grey Was with me for a month and was extremely pampered and did so much research to do things right to give it the best possible life. with daily shower, sun time, chop, treats, not too much seeds more pellets in diet, sleep routine, taught her how to fly. lots of attention and play time and interaction. I only put it in cage to sleep...rest of time was free on different stands and a well lit room to itself. I have 2 cats and they after first few days got used to having her around in fact would wait for her to wake up in morning and sit watching her make a mess with the chop and fresh fruits and treats. One night put her to bed as she would go to her perch in cage and wriggle when was sleep time. next morning was looking unwell and being new I immediately booked appointment with Avian vet and took for checkup. they said seemed gastro and gave medication. next day was eating a bit but still looked unwell. 3rd day was not eating so got her admitted on 17th Sept . next 2 days she recovered and used to be so excited when went to meet her at clinic. 4th day when went to meet her she was super excited and seemed back to normal and I was told we will discharge in evening, when I went to pick up in evening she was looking very down. I was informed by vet just force-fed and usually get lethargic and maybe is homesick. I got her home thinking will improve after good night sleep....she was cuddling with me the whole time. When was sunset she went to her perch in cage which was our understanding is sleep time now. so I put on the heat lamp to keep her cozy and covered her cage so has a good sleep and is fresh in morning now is back home. morning I prepared all her treats and when removed cover she seemed drained with sunken eyes and dropping hanging. I picked her up..that was her last step up.....I tried to give her some water..but wouldn't take it.....just cuddled up with me.....shivered and was gone. I was heartbroken.....I wasn't prepared to loose her. I wasn't mentally prepared that this could happen....I was devastated. on 22nd Sept. 7am she passed away in my arms....😢 I got her blood test reports 2 days later and was circovirus PBFD positive. I got upset with the avian why discharged when wasn't looking well, could we have done something different, I have a million questions did I do something wrong. What signs to look for? With all the members knowledge and experience would really help if can get some answers on how fatal is circovirus on a healthy active juvenile parrot. How did she get virus? can it be from some food or toys I got her? or was she already infected and it showed up? How soon can I get another? What all precautions to take? Biggest mistake I made I didnt get tested when got her seemed healthy so I have this huge guilt that could I have done something different to save her? Everyone is pressurizing me in family to get another but I am just not ready....... but when I do get I want to be better prepared so would really appreciate your advice.......🙏 I have attached pic of a day before she fell sick, recovery in clinic and her parting. are there some signs I am missing?? pls help understand them better. thanks Do I sterilize the current toys and stands or dispose of them? The food with me do I throw it or anywhere to donate in UAE ? VID-20200919-WA0005.mp4 VID_34980614_111403_681.mp4