ILMAG

I am fairly new to this website - I have only written one other time before but check back for advice on a regular basis. I have a 15 month Congo named Frankie who has plucking issues. He is still beautiful and has his "moments" when he is "attitudinal." Frankie nods his head when I ask him if he wants to come to see me and makes kissing sounds at me when he wants me to pay attention to him. A real romeo. My reason for writing this evening is to see if anyone knows about using a Delonghi oil heater around their birds? This is a self-contained unit (radiator)and would be ideal for keeping his room nice and warm during the winter months provided it is safe. With the weather dipping way down at night now, I need to know as soon as possible. Any help would be appreciated. Also, previous recommendations to use the aloe vera juice for pleather plucking has seemed to help a bit. He doesn't particularly care for being sprayed but I will continue. Thanks to everyone for the recommendation! I hope to be able to post photos of him soon.

Thank you for responding. I have taken him to an avian vet who is also the owner of a 40 year old macaw who used to be a plucker. He seems to love what he does. Examination did not reveal any problems except that he is bored. I failed to mention that he is adopted. The plucking started before I adopoted him. When I first brought him home he was close to bald and the feathers started coming back. The vet suggested I take him out of his cage for sleeping and put him into a smaller cage at night. When I tried this he began acting very strange and I had to literally pry him out of the upper corner of the cage. He was clinging to the corner and gnawing on his round swing with rope on it. He has NOT acted the same since. He has another vet appointment this Wednesday. The vet gave an injection to calm him down and he said that I would notice that he was better behaved within a few days. He is more loving towards me HOWEVER, I can't leave the room even briefly without him becoming angry and tearing his feathers out. I have had him for just over one month and feel that I am failing him. I get up at 4AM every morning before work and fix him breakfast, then we eat together. I put him back into his cage at 7AM when I leave. I'm very sorry to say that he is in his cage during the day while I'm at work. My husband comes home early during the day and lets him out of his cage. I sit at the table next to him from the time I come home from work until I go to bed around 9PM. I eat dinner with him and play with him before I put him to bed. I sing to him, he loves to be cuddled (the vet said not to do this anymore). I give him a shower every other day and spray him with a spray that promises to stop feather plucking (this was given to me by the vet). He is out of his cage all day on the weekends from sun up until around 9PM and he still gets furious when it is time to go to bed. He does NOT like to have his cage covered so I have started to just cover the corner where he sleeps which still allows him to see in front. I also keep a night light on for him at night. He does still bite me and I have suffered some pretty nasty bites since I adopted him - he is still learning to trust me. He seems to have a problem with my hands. One hand in sight is fine but when he sees both hands he bites. He also bites me HARD whenever my husband is in sight. Don't know what that is all about. My husband has tried to make friends with him but to no avail. What in the world am I doing wrong?? I want him to be happy and beautiful.

This thread discusses the Content article: Help please! I have a 15 month old Congo who is a plucker. Stopped for a while then started again. Pulls feathers out even when I leave the room for short periods of time. Pulls feathers out and throws them over his shoulder. Have tried everything, new toys, games, shredded paper. If anyone has worked with a plucker and has any suggestions, they would be GREATLY appreciated!