Plucking or just preening? Plus some:P

[Gadejfan]

Hey guys! I got Tarzan! The bird i was telling you guys about that had a plucking problem because she was next to a male she didnt like. Well i got her home and she is soooooooo sweet. When i first took her out of the carrier she said "Ooooah" and stretched her neck to give me a kiss. She is amazing and so far seems to be taking the re-homing process rather well.

She makes tons of sounds in the morning int he morning to wake me up haha. Ill go over and talk to her for a bit. I get her out and she "hangs out" with me for a little while. After a little while of talking and kisses and noise making, I put her on top of her cage and she sits up there for a good while (btw should there be a time limit to how longs she is out?) while i do my usual morning routines and she makes her occasional noises. Well the first morning of having her, I looked over to see her messing with her feathers. I use the term "messing" loosely because i have no clue exactly what she is doing. So i took a video for you guys to watch and tell me what it is she is doing. The only reason i have doubts that it is plucking is because i see no feathers lying around in the cage or around it. Only two or three small "tufts" of feathers. I can't decide if i want to say she is plucking or possibly preening. Can you guys please tell me what you think she is doing? Thanks! -Chris

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=068rR9zqChY

 

-Also if it is preening, i have heard about overpreening? and i am worried that she may do it too much because she is constantly doing it.

-When she gets on top of the cage, she gets up there and does not like for me to take her off. She insists on biting me. What do i do in that behavioral situation?

-We just ordered a new cage for her because the one she is in from the owner is just horrible. Looks like it hasn't been cleaned in years and it is very rusty (which cant be good for Tarzan). So what do i need to do for her to be comfortable in the other cage? I know it will be hard because she is so scared of the new toy i got her and the new perch as well. Help please! And thanks again!

[judygram]

Tarzan is just preening in that video you shared so no worries there. One thing I want to stress to you is not to obsess about this plucking thing, if she does start plucking then just ignore it, if you make a big deal about it then it could encourage her to do it more for the attention she gets. They all do a certain amount of preening every day, a girl has to look good ya know, but don't worry about if she is overpreening right now, you have enough on your plate right now so don't add unnecessary items to the mix.

Please be aware that she may be on her best behavior right now, we call it the honeymoon phase when they first come into their new home from previous homes so watch out for differing behavior in the near future as she settles into her new home and her baggage is unpacked. She should be out of her cage for as long as you can manage it, a minimum of 3 to 4 hours a day and if she sits in one place for a while well that is normal especially for older birds.

From the sounds of it yes you did good in ordering her a new cage, rust is not good so as soon as you get it set it up and move her into it, put the new cage close to the old one and she will end up going inside to check it out, be sure to put some perches and hang some toys and let her see you put a treat inside the new cage as that will help entice her to go inside.

[kins2321@yahoo.com]

Also... looks like preening to me.Don't obsess. Whenever Sophie over preened, I would tell her to " stop!" I didn't know as a newbie, that they could overpreen, or pluck. I just felt she was a little obsessive.... and needed to focus on other things! I redirected her attention, not knowing I was doing a good thing. Nancy

[Gadejfan]

Thanks you two! I come home from work tonight to find a few small like chest or stomach feathers lying in the floor of the cage:(. I also have noticed that her skin is dryish loooking. She can sit on my shoulder and as she preens, scratches, and shakes, she gets flakes of dead skin all over my shoulder! I read that dry skin could be a cause of plucking. She constantly scratches and picks at her feet. I bought some stuff from work the other day by Natural Chemistry that's just bird bath thats supposed to help revitalize skin and feathers. I used it tonight in hopes that it would help. I know that i am supposed to use it at least 2x a week though right? Anyways.... what can i do about this dry skin. I hate to see her be all itchy!:'(

[Luvparrots]

Aloe Vera juice is a great thing to use on our greys for their flaky skin. Check out the Health Room for information on this great dry skin help.

[TINKERTONKER]

Hi all! I would like to say that I am going through the exact same thing and I was recommended Aloe Vera too. I think it is Dave007 that recommended it and there is a picture of the product too. Good luck on whatever you decide to do.

[kins2321@yahoo.com]

Aloe Vera seems to have been very successful for many birds! Sophie HATES baths, and I now only deliver one with unusual situations. She goes crazy in dog bowls water, she loves when I do dishes, and will climb on oneside of sinkl I spray her and make it a game. While Kiki and Sunny LOVE the shower... Sophie hates it. After just showering her, and telling her sorry... it just didn't work. She was hurt and didn't forgive me quickly. When making it a game... she gets wet, I get wet at kitchen sink... she's okay with it, because I got wet too! Shower is different! NOT going to happen. Nancy

[katana600]

Congratulations on becoming a grey companion Chris. Tarzan is probably freshening herself up a bit and loving her new home. I am so glad she made the transition to your home so well. You have been blessed and Tarzan has been doubly blessed.