Sheryl & Sydney

Thanks - I will post pics when I can sit still long enough and learn how. Also, since we adopted her to Sat. before her vet visit, she would poop in her cage and now she won't. We bring her out as often as we can but sometimes it's 6+ hrs before we get her out. She will poop on her playstand, the floor and me but not in her cage?? Any ideas?? Weird.... Also, I do have a jacket for severe pluckers for her but when we put it on her she refuses to stand, rolls around on the floor, puts her talons under it, screams, and pulls out ever feather she can as fast as she can. We take it off after 30 seconds and 30 missing feathers later and she's fine? When I tell you she's is complicated and calculated, she is....... Thanks

All of your posts are helpful and provide emotional support too. It is a very difficult thing to live with and watch and sometimes I hesitate on my decisions on what to do with her next and seek out advice - what has worked and what hasn't worked for others. Maybe one will stick. I read constantly. If this were a med school dissertation, I would be all over it I see her in her double collar and ask myself if I would see myself living "quality" in a double collar? When we adopted her, and being the owner of several other birds, one being a U2, I pretty much knew what we were getting into, but it only makes it harder because you love her so much. I talk to her about her "habit" when we snuggle and tell her to let it all go and start over with us and that we won't let her down. I contantly give her kisses and assure her that she can beat this "thing". Whether she understands me or not, I guess I soothe myself too! My daughter is such a tropper as well. She bears the weight of this also as it is her bird. Sydney is teaching us both a few things about life and the quote that I found on this site pretty much sums it up "Never take life seriously, no one gets out alive anyway"! We will vigillanty and dilligently keep working with her in hopes of at the very least clearing up the wound so we can see the nice pink skin as posted below (that was a heart warming and positive thought-thanks) and over time removing her collars as needed to supervised breaks.....will try to reteaching her allowing her to relearn how to appreciate the wonderful life that she has and let all the past go. I truly believe it is all emotional with her and that something in her past got her to this point. At the end of her day, whenever that is, I want her to have lead a quality of life with us, whatever she choses that to be.........just need help getting there. Sheryl & Sydney

Hi, I'm new to this site but I have been posting on Too Talk on Birds N Way since I am also owned by a U2. I am the mom of my 15 y/o daughter who adopted Sydney, a Congo African Grey from a local shelter in September 2010. Per the shelter, she was purchased from her prior owner as a "breeder" and is approximately 10 y/o. Her name was Monty (yuck) and from what I gather, the old owner had 4CAG's & the owner was found dead, so the rescue came for the flock. Not sure if Sydney saw him die or what. In his care, she was always a feather plucker but not a mutilator. She was at the rescue from last April 2010 until we adopted her in Sept. 2010. We chose her from 2 others b/c of her sweet, curious & fearless personality. At that time her chest from neck to toes was bald with a good size wound in her chest (maybe the size of a quarter). We visited Sydney at the rescue each weekend for a few weeks before adopting her so we could get her new home ready. Some weeks her chest would looked aggravated and other times it looked like it was clearing up with some feather growth. We knew when we adopted her that she would require lots of TLC and work and we were ready. That brings us to today. We have had Sydney for 4 months. When she arrived home, she was quarantined to my daughter's room until we have her vet checked for beak & feather-negative but was put on Baytril antibiotic for her wound. From her adoption in Sept to today, we've had her on seeds, then on a holistic (no wheat, no milk) diet, fresh fruits (she didn't like), fresh veggies (tolerates carrots), lots of toys, lots of snuggle time, daily baths then baths once a week, a regular bed time routine, put a strip light over her cage, then removed it. Clean her cage regularly. Have misted her with all natural Aloe/Water to sooth her. We either put the bird sitter video on or the radio on when we're not home and she has full access to see outside. We've brought her downstairs with the other flock of 5 to "hang out". She's on clomipramine for her OCD with her chest. A week ago Sunday, she almost blead to death. Took 4 hrs of calm and diligent work to get the vein to stop pumping (squirting) blood out. She just got lucky that it was the weekend and I happened into her room and found her, otherwise, her fate would have been realized since we all work and go to school during the week. Since that time, we went to our local vet for an avian e-collar (she ate 4 in less than a week) Took her back to her avian vet last Sat. (1 1/2 hrs away) who fitter her with two collars (spherical and e) and is back on Baytril, on a critical care formula & a topical antibiotic for her open wound (which has grown from quarter size to stretching from one wing across her chest and headed toward the other wing). She lost .47 grams since Sept. They cauterized her main bleeders and was given a dap or two of styptic powder. (The stress of the collars, etc. caused the large scab to crack and she began to lightly bleed.) Of course the stress of our 1 1/2 hr drive + our 1 1/2 hr vet visit + 1 1/2 hr drive home (with her new double collar gear), made for a very upset & mad Sydney. I'm in tough love mode in a desperate effort to keep her with us. I can't allow her to further harm herself. (BTW, we've had a few less severe scares with ther and bleeding, but this last time she got a main vein and it was squiring out). We're hand-feeding her 3x / day by syringe, snuggling with her as much as she will allow, giving her both the oral and topical antibiotics 2x/day and puting her to bed at 8:30 pm. We've been providing lots of things to destroy since she cannot destroy herself and she does quite a number on that stuff. She is the sweetest bird, loves to snuggle, bark, bob her head, sing, whistle, mimmick and give kisses. She doesn't have a mean bone in her body to anyone but herself. My next move is to move her and her cage downstairs with the other birds and around the hub bub of our home. Maybe she's lonley? Also, after her wound finishes scabbing, will begin removing the e-collar for supervised periods of time. Maybe the injury just hurts and bugs her so she gets relief by picking at it, but if it's cleared up ad she's found that destroying newspapers and cardboard is better, she will leave her chest alone. Any ideas, recommendations, insight, advice would be greatly appreciated in an effort to help her live a quality of life. She's worth it! Thanks All. Sheryl & Sydney