gotfaith1989

Thanks! Will definitely keep everyone updated!

Rocky is nice and healthy according to the vet! He said I'm doing everything correctly for Rocky! So glad he got a clean bill of health!

I'm so disappointed....Rocky pulled out the pretty red feather last night along with the other feather coming in on his back neck. I can't be upset at him though...he has come so far!

He still has a long way to go as far as being fully feathered. And his first vet visit is Thursday!

I am very excited that after having Rocky for 4 months now and trying many interventions, I can see progress in Rocky's feather plucking! First we tried Red Palm Oil (1/4 teaspoon), which I have been using on his Zupreem pellets everyday. Then I cut his seeds (he was getting half seed, half pellet). I tried bathing with aloe vera juice and plain H2O but he hated it so much and I hated to stress him out that I found a different way to get in a bath every once in awhile...he tolerates being on my shoulder while I'm taking a shower every once in awhile. When we FIRST began to see the difference was definitely when I bought the UVB Full Spectrum Lamp for him. He has also been sitting at the window on a perch when it is really sunny outside and he LOVES it. And OF COURSE those awesome head scratches I give him for HOURS at a time!!!!! This is Rocky when we first brought him home (December 31st) [ATTACH=CONFIG]20134[/ATTACH] January 11th (began red palm oil/baths) February 5th (I was gone on vacation for a week while my hubby watched Rocky...we began the Full Spectrum Light RIGHT before I left, but I think there was a tad of a relapse here since I was gone.) February 14th (Back from my vacation...signs of improvement!) March 15th....NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Lots of improvement!!!!! My favorite feather on him! Let's pray he doesn't pluck it He has a couple other random red feathers on him, but nothing quite as obvious as this one! Does this mean he has Red Factor?

Doesn't some red factor have to do with plucking? My CAG is a plucker and he has some feathers throughout his body that grow in red. Right now he's got a big red one coming in on his neck that I'm PRAYING he doesn't pluck because it's beautiful!!!

Yes! I can only laugh when I peek in the room and Rocky is giving his toys kisses! He does it with such emotion! Rocky, in the couple of months we have had him, has only talked a couple times really nicely in front of me. The other conversations he has had have been when he thinks we aren't around! My husband and I joke that we need to set up a video camera in our living room while we're gone for the day and play it back to see what all Rocky talks about while we're gone! Now, whistling and making general noises; he does those anytime he feels like it!

Ok, so for all who are potentially interested...I found this article that says the following.... "THE AIR BUBBLES you see are a sign that an air sac somewhere in your bird's body has been damaged. The bubbles are either pockets of air - called subcutaneous emphysema - that has escaped from a leaking air sac, or they are air sacs located just beneath the skin that are distended due to an inflammation called air saculitis. An explanation of bird anatomy might help you picture what's going on. Instead of a diaphragm to separate the chest (thorax) from the abdominal cavity, birds have one body cavity filled with extensions of the lungs called air sacs. These thin-walled structures also sit just under the skin along the back of the neck and top of the head and even extend into some of the bones. Air sacs help birds fly and help keep waterfowl afloat. (In pelicans, air sacs under the skin on the front of their bodies allow them to dive from 30 feet without injuring themselves and then pop back up to the surface.) If the wall of an air sac tears, air will migrate up and form a pocket under the skin. When air sacs that sit just beneath the skin become infected or damaged and their connection to the rest of the respiratory system is blocked, they also can distend and form what look like bubbles. In my experience, these pockets of air, although unsightly, are rarely infected or life threatening. They're usually the result of a leaking sac somewhere in the bird's body that eventually heals, especially if your veterinarian can speed the process along with antibiotics. (Leaking air sacs cannot be surgically repaired.) However, bubbles can interfere with movement and make your bird uncomfortable. Drawing off air with a needle is a very temporary fix; the leaking air will only rapidly reform the pocket. An excellent way to take care of large bubbles is a Teflon stent, a small valvelike unit that is surgically implanted. The stent protrudes through the skin, allowing trapped air to escape. Depending on the location of the air bubble, the stent might be placed high up on the back of the neck where the bird can't reach it. Or it might have to go on the cheek, under the wing or along the back; however, in my experience, most birds leave stents alone. Stents can be left in place for long periods of time, even permanently. If the damaged air sac heals and the stent is no longer needed, it can be removed." This was found at http://www.parrotchronicles.com/askavet/airsacs_askavet.htm and from what I see, this isn't a terrible situation, but also isn't normal. I will definitely bring this up to the vet when Rocky goes

Rocky bit my finger *hard* for the first time a couple days ago. It HURT like the dickens and I think he got a nerve because it tingled for awhile! But I know he thought my finger was *the bad guy* and didn't intentionally WANT to hurt me so I shook it off. Meanwhile, I'm training my husband to let it go easier when Rocky nips him. My husband has a harder time forgiving and understanding Rocky is a bird, not a dog, and also has a harder time understanding Rocky's body language so ends up getting bit when I normally would have recognized Rocky didn't want to be messed with and walked away. Thanks for sharing your story!

Ok, so I have a very strange question but it has been bugging the crap outta me and I want to know the answer. Here is my birds neck (of course, a plucker) Ok so there are three pieces of skin that connect his head to his body...but on Rocky he has all three, but as you can see, the one on HIS left is full of air! Literally if you push on it (which he hates) it has air in it. I have NO idea if this is normal or not...could someone pretty please check their Grey to see if this is normal at all?

Does he like oatmeal? It may blend well in that. I gave Rocky a pringle (he is obsessed with them) with some on it and he even refused that. He is doing good with the pellets though. I would just try tiny amounts at first and work your way up. Apparently it is an acquired taste with Greys from what I can tell.

Great idea...in fact as I was getting ideas for what to do with our cage from this forum, I came across this http://www.greyforums.net/forums/showthread.php?143481-Show-Us-Your-Cage!&p=143887&viewfull=1#post143887 which I LOVE. I think its a GREAT idea for a bird who can't fly to have more freedom. I saw your cage too, luvparrots, and I really liked that idea too with the rope and even the cute little ladder!

Well our whole house can't be a cushion, but his cage is on carpet. He has only fallen twice and once was because he was on my shoulder and when I bent down, he lost balance. So that time he fell maybe 1.5 feet, not too bad. But the other day, I was in the other room and I heard him fall off his cage and my husband said he was spreading his wings slightly and lowering himself, like he does when he wants me to come get him off his cage, and apparently my husband said he was trying to find me and running all over his cage and fell off. I felt terrible that time because I didn't see him.

I don't expect him to fly around like a bird who has been flying all his/her life. I just want to stop hearing "THUDS" when Rocky decides he is going to jump for the ground or get spooked. I want him to be able to glide to the ground and not get hurt.

He is very pretty but his front side is a different story His neck and about 40% of his chest is close to bare due to plucking. He is still beautiful to me though Thank you Dave...this makes sense. So am I right in thinking that the falling out of the "other side" feathers is due to the extra blood supply that is being taken to grow the one side in? And this will eventually even out and stay that way? If this is the case, I will be ecstatic!