Plucking during molting?

[VFR_Mayday]

Hi guys. A little update on mayday. As some of you know when I got him he was a plucked mess. Almost no feathers except for his wings. Everything was going well and he hadn't plucked a single feather since I got him. As his feathers come back in I've been noticing quite a few random feathers and down feathers everywhere. I understand that's normal. But the other day he was just sitting besides me and looks over at me and snaps a feather off. I'm pretty sure it was an old one but it shocked me none the less. I didn't make a big deal about it. His chest was about 70% feathered and now it's about 50%. This is still progress but everyday he looks worse Han the day before. I'm sure some of it is just my imagination but my question is: is it normal for them to pluck or snap feathers while they are molting? It seems we're undoing all the progress that has been made this far. I don't want him to go back to plucking and I'm trying to stay ahead of the problem. He is terribly terribly itchy and he's so afraid of the spray bottle most likely from his previous owner I'm afraid to spray him and have him hate me. Anyone else go through this?

[Acappella]

If he truly hates the spray bottle, try putting a big bowl of ice cold water somewhere and see if he'll take a bath in it. Also, how are you doing the spraying? Are you spraying him directly, or spraying the air above him and letting the water fall down onto him? This is often a more successful technique. Plucking is a hard behaviour to figure out/stop entirely. They often start it for one reason and persist out of habit. It sounds like your honeymoon period is over and Mayday is reverting to some old behaviour. You've got the right idea about not making a fuss when you see him do it. Provide him with plenty of chewing/grooming toys to divert him from fussing with his own feathers. The big question here is can you live with a nudist if the behaviour persists? Lots of our members here do. It's not your fault, it's not your failing.

[VFR_Mayday]

It sure feels like it. It feels like I'm doing something wrong. But he gets nothing but love and affection. I have tried all techniques with the spray bottle. Overhead, under, around the corner, let him fight the spray bottle till he thinks he's won. The good thing here is that it's the bottle. Not me. He tried to bite the bottle and got my finger. As soon as this happened he went submissive and stopped fighting immediately and said no. Like he knows he got my finger. So I put him on my shoulder and we both took a bath until both were soaked. Since o wrote my initial post I haven't witnessed anymore plucking or snapping feathers so my guess is he just got confused or tired of an old feather and got rid of it. He is in a heavy molt though as I notice more and more feathers coming off when he shakes from no coaxing of his own. And still, from when I got him first to now, he is probably 80% more feathered. So here's to hoping that he's just molting and doesn't know what exactly to do. His itching has also slowed significantly since incorporating pure aloe into his spray bottle.

[kins2321@yahoo.com]

Sounds like you are doing everything right... especially the aloe. Sophie would be insulted if you tried to spray her or shower. She hates water more than the wicked witch from OZ. We are lucky that she trusts us now, and the shower has to get done. NEVER a pleasant experience for her, but she trusts us.... so she is mad during the shower but recovers five minutes later. You are no where near that stage of trust... but it will happen! Keep doing what you are doing, watch the feathers and work on building the relationship. Molts suck... lucky Sophoie has never gone crazy with a molt. I too would be confused with molting and plucking if I didn't know her so well. Maybe others with more experience with molts and plucking could give more info! Nancy

[VFR_Mayday]

There is no hard feelings after the shower. Right back to kisses and needing to be with me. But it is very early in our relationship and the last thing I want to do is make him fearful of me this early on. So things that need to be done will be done. But only after I think long and hard about how it could upset our bond. So things may have to wait till down the road and he knows that nothing will hurt him. I can do anything and he won't be mad. However, my wife is somehow intimidated by him and he reads this perfectly so if I ask her to put him away she says she will get bit and it happens every time. Only with her.well he doesn't bite but he nips. She is very experienced with birds but for some reason Greys have always intimidated her. We're working on this daily haha thanks for the help guys. We'll figure this out one way or the other.

[Dave007]

There is no hard feelings after the shower. Right back to kisses and needing to be with me. But it is very early in our relationship and the last thing I want to do is make him fearful of me this early on. So things that need to be done will be done. But only after I think long and hard about how it could upset our bond. So things may have to wait till down the road and he knows that nothing will hurt him. I can do anything and he won't be mad. However, my wife is somehow intimidated by him and he reads this perfectly so if I ask her to put him away she says she will get bit and it happens every time. Only with her.well he doesn't bite but he nips. She is very experienced with birds but for some reason Greys have always intimidated her. We're working on this daily haha thanks for the help guys. We'll figure this out one way or the other.

 

Fear, Intimidation, Being leery of----------

 

A grey can sense when a person has any of the above. The most common thing that happens is a nip or a bite or a bad bite. Hundreds here can tell you stories about what's happened in the past concerning family, friends, visitors.

[kins2321@yahoo.com]

You have to get your wife on board like yesterday! We all had our fears, but worked thru them.My oldest was nine when Sophie came home. He called me ten times a day while I was at work. " what should I do about THIS behavior" We worked together as a family, ALWAYS being on the same page. A TON of work, ALWAYS off her cage. Now Ryan is 24, Sean just turned 21.Sophie loves them both. She only gets to see Ryan once a year, but she runs out like it was yesterday. They skype all the time.

Greys LOVE to be one person bird. Our goal, was always to have Sophie LOVE the entire family. We are there, and truly enjoy Sophie being a " special" member. Nancy

[VFR_Mayday]

Ok. So here's an update as to what I've noticed. First off. My wife is no longer intimidated. Or at least acting intimidated. Mayday doesn't seem to care about anything she does. She was petting him a couple days ago and goes oh my gosh he's letting me pet him...well duh. He doesn't really mind anything lol. So now they are getting along swimmingly. He hasn't plucked at all. The only thing he was doing was biting feathers. Random feathers. As if his itchiness was driving him to the point of just reacting and biting feathers. I have never witnessed an actual pluck which leads me to believe he is just confused. Yesterday he got a complete soaking with 100% aloe juice. I mean complete complete soaking. I haven't seen him itch since. He figured out how to growl and this could be heard for hours as he was drying off. No biting, no anger or hard feelings. Just growling. I didn't l ow how to take that. Now everyone is friends again. The growl continued into last night. As he was perched on my chest as he does every night, he was eyes closed and still growling. But was happy as could be. Getting scratched and cuddling up as usual but I swear that growl is the initial formation of words. It's more of s purr to me. I know it could be a warning or sign of contentment but there's no secondary's of annoyance. He just learned to do it.

 

Today it's business as usual. No growl, no purr, like nothing happened. And feathering up like a mad man. Hopefully it stays this way. He looks much better when not parading around in his birthday suit. Thanks for all the help guys! Will attach pictures later.

[kins2321@yahoo.com]

Remember too... look at the eyes! Eye pinning can also indicate a very unhappy bird! You will learn your birds " I'm MAD!"

After having Sophie now for more than a decade, I know when she is mad or frustrated! She doesn't have to say a word. She also knows when I am mad or frustrated, and we just work it out. NEVER go to bed mad! LOL! Nancy