Anxiety?

[rbpittman]

Do our greys suffer from anxiety? This is regarding Beau - who just had 22 feathers removed due to the condition of them, and hoping to reduce, stop his feather chewing.

 

The only time Beau chews his feathers is when he is in his cage. Unfortunately, over the last two nights he has chewed 3 feathers off again. He only does this when he is put into his cage. This started at the same time of his plucking of his chest and while he doesn't pluck the feathers off his chest anymore, he continues to chew his feathers on his right wing.

 

As long as he is out of his cage he doesn't mess with any of his feathers except for to preen. I leave him out of his cage as long as I am home with him, and have considered leaving him out of his cage completely, but need advise on how to do this and where he should be put at night or if I'm not at home. His cage is in my office with the other birds and Dixie (CAG) doesn't care for any of the other birds and am concerned that Beau could make his way to her cage and climb up on it. Beau does get along very well with Blue (sun) but I don't think it would be appropriate for the two of them to be in the same cage. Any advice would be appreciated.

[JillyBeanz]

Or do they develop habits? I bite my nails (I know, it's awful) - they say this is a sign of anxiety - I'm the least anxious, least stressed person about! I've always done it and can't stop.

 

I don't know, I'm just thinking, but perhaps as he's always done it he just doesn't know how to stop? He's had a pretty crap upbringing before being lucky enough to find you - perhaps this is how he made his days go quicker.

 

I know that you'll be stressing over this Robin, I would be too - but you are doing everything for GBG - as I keep saying - he's so lucky to have you xx

[rbpittman]

Thanks Jill. I had seen Beau in the shop many times and helped with some of his fledging, he had not touched these feathers before the crop injury. Very weird. Yes I'm stressing - trying to find a way to leave him out of his cage all the time. Not sure if that's the right answer however.

[lovethatgrey]

I think they can definitely feel distress or suffering. I think some chewing of feathers can be due to boredom and sheer habit.

 

I would consider having a sort of hanging gym that he can hang out on when he's outside of his cage and load it with toys that HE finds interesting. Example, foraging toys, preening toys, puzzles, mechanical toys etc. I think it's important to provide as much distraction and stimulation as possible.

 

I don't think that housing him in the same cage as the sun is safe even if they do get along and I know some parrot owners leave their parrot out of their cage 24 hours a day but frankly I don't think it's a good idea at all. I think you're just going to have to try all kinds of different things until you find something that works for Beau.

[judygram]

Robin, if you do leave him out of the cage you will have to bird proof the room he spends that time in, no wires and such but I think you should just leave him out when you are there and when you have to shut him up in his cage provide plenty of foraging opportunities to try to keep him busy.

 

Maybe he doesn't like his cage, is it big enough, see if there is something about the cage itself that is contributing to the problem? He is awful young to have developed a plucking problem but maybe others will have some advice for you.

[particle77]

I'd be wary of leaving him out, when you aren't home. Houses, typically just aren't safe places for a parrot to explore without supervision. If you really wanted to look into that, you'd need to completely bird proof a room (which means nothing electrical to chew on), and close him in that room.

 

That said, I don't cage Earl at night. I have a playstand in my bedroom, which he can't get off of without flying. He's a pretty noisy flyer, so I'm pretty sure if he ever took flight, I'd hear it and wake up, but he typically just goes to sleep when I do.

[rbpittman]

I do have a room that I could completely bird-proof electrically, but it would be away from everyone and Beau would be by himself. It seems that Beau just can't stand his cage. I'm going to try an experiment of sorts - Dixie's cage is much bigger - and I'm going to see how he does in her cage (when I can take her out for a bit and put her in another room, but need another body in the house to supervise). I'll let you know if it's a cage size thing, and if it is, I'm off to the store.

[rbpittman]

well that worked about as good as a rock floating...hmmmm. Two seconds inside the cage everything was ok, two seconds later - climbing up the side, positioning himself to go for his wing. What is it with being in a cage!

[she]

I have a feeling that Beau started plucking as a result of the crop burn,it must have been so painfull and horrible for him. I then think he realised that plucking means atention so when he goes in the cage he fusses with his wing so you come for him and give attention.He is a very young grey and has been through so much.Ashe is so young this habbit should be curable.Have you thought of an animal behaviourist to give some ideas.

 

Regarding the room you can bird proof,can the bird he is friends with go with him to this room?It could be a very good idea enabeling this habbit to be broken and his wings to grow back.

 

I have a question purely out of curiosity,did the vet give an anasthetic to pull the feathers?

[Luvparrots]

Oh Robin I was so hoping that the removal of the bad feathers would help Beau. I have an Eclectus who hated being in a pet store, the noise drove him crazy. He plucked himself all the time. He is doing so much better now. I spray him with Aloe Vera juice daily and as our Dave007 said it would, Sully is doing so much better. It certainly must be the soothing properties in the Aloe Vera that cools the urge to pull the feathers. Have you tried the Aloe Vera?

[Dave007]

Rbpittman

 

If you're looking for a reason or answer to your bird's plucking/chewing, you can completely rule out any type of crop burn which only happens to unweaned chicks during handfeeding. If you're taking your bird from place to place, then I'll assume that your bird is fully weaned.

 

Check Avitech.com

 

Look for

 

 

AviCalm Calming Supplement

 

Feather-In AntiPick Treatment

 

Expensive but well worth the money.<br><br>Post edited by: Dave007, at: 2009/10/16 22:12

[rbpittman]

Dave,

 

Unfortunately, Beau is not completely weened. He won't eat inside his cage at all. He will sit on the desktop perch and eat all day or from a bowl attached to the side of his cage. All of his toys are very close to his cage He still gets an evening feeding and I monitor the temperature very closely - water is heated and then added to the formula with temp no more than 104. Other than that - he's only gone from his cage to his perches and swing that are in the same area as his cage and to the vet. Dixie's cage is in the same room and after I cleaned her cage I tried letting Beau use it to see if it was the size/color of the cage - no use. I recleaned just in case.

 

The vet didn't believe there really was a crop burn, he could find no sign of it. He pulled the 22 feathers on his right wing to aid in regrowth and remove the irritation. He believes that Beau is sick and won't know with what until the blood work comes back on Monday.

 

Thanks for the info - I'll look into it immediately.

 

Robin

[rbpittman]

I've just ordered the recommended treatments for Beau.

 

I put him in his cage before I left to pick up my son. I did so 15 minutes before I left so I could watch him from outside. For the first 10 minutes he chewed 3 feathers. Confirmed when I returned home. After that he was fine. In fact he's still inside his cage, and I'm right next to him, and he's perfectly fine. I don't know what it is about that first few minutes of being right inside his cage that causes this. The minute I open his door to feed him this evening I know he's going to lunge for my hand/the door to get out. He's done this every time.

 

Robin

[rbpittman]

First - I want to say thank you to everyone who has supported me while dealing with Beau's feather chewing behavior. You don't know what it means to me to have a support group of friends like I have from here. Not to mention the expert advice, while you may not consider yourselves experts, you are, you truly care and to me that means more than words can express.

 

Second - an update.

 

My anxiety was obviously being transferred to Beau. I would put him in his cage, full of fear that he would chew more feathers, and that's exactly what he did. I have over reacted in more ways than one. After reading and researching every possible thread on this forum regarding feather chewing/plucking, cage size, behavior and with great personal advice from several on this site I feel we have finally turned a corner. Unfortunately things did get worse before they got better, but things are definitely better.

 

Dave has recommended aloe gel and aloe juice misting for the irritated skin and feathers on Beau's wing. I took this to heart and have been misting him twice a day for a week. Results from the gel seemed more instantaneous, but the misting itself has proved remarkable. I've noticed Beau's skin looks better than it did a week ago. A beautiful pink color! With the misting we have had an increase in actual preening and a dramatic decrease in feather picking.

 

I've also changed Beau's cage. After reading Barron's The African Grey Parrot Handbook on behavior's and with advice from my AV we have changed everything that could possibly remind Beau of his time at the bird shop. Since his plucking and chewing started at the shop, he was put into his "home" cage at the shop, and only chewed while in the cage (this behavior would start the instant he was put into the cage and would stop after he had chewed a few feathers).

 

As with many toys, we show our birds how to play with them, or with foods we eat some first and then they want them, I removed the grate and pan from the bottom of the cage and crawled inside and sat on the floor. Yes it's a large cage...lol. Beau was sitting on his swing just outside the cage, but could easily reach the cage. I guess curiosity got the better of him and he joined me. I spent twenty minutes sitting inside Beau's cage holding him, talking to him, and hoping he could see that it was a safe, happy environment.

 

Two days into a new cage, continuing the twice daily misting, I'm experience a baby who is now eating inside his cage more frequently. Going into his cage without chewing more feathers (he went from his right wing to his tail of all things!) and a change in my own approach to caring for Beau. No longer do I put him into his cage full of fear. If he chews, he chews, if he doesn't even better, I love him just the same.

 

This morning, we had a same routine, breakfast, playtime out of cage, flapping exercises, and aloe juice bath, and then back to cage for afternoon nap. This time is spread out from 8:30 to 11:30, and across 4 birds. To my surprise, Beau drank a little water, ate his treat and climbed up to his swing perch and is happily napping, no chewing!

 

The moral of this saga, consistency, great attitude, great support group, great advice, and lots and lots of love. Dave's quote says it all - Happiness is a state of mind, not happy, change your mind. Thanks everyone.

[JillyBeanz]

Robin that is such good news! I am over the moon for you (and GBG)!

 

Now that you've managed to mist Beau with success - when his little feathers come back he might think "hey - I want that feeling on my skin again" and fluff up!!! Bonus!

 

Thanks for the update - like I've said before - he's a lucky little chap to have such a caring lady as his mommy!