Maydays plucking SOLVED! (It's long)

[VFR_Mayday]

Hey guys. Long time no talky. So let's see. Where I left off was I though gut I had solved may days plucking problem. Turns out I hadn't. He continued to snap his feathers and I was at wits end. I continued with the pluck no more and kept my routine the same. One day I came home and mayday heard the sound of my motorcycle. He came to his cage top as fast as he could and I stuck my hand out and he jumped. I juggled to catch him, caught him and he jumped again. Same thing he bounced around in my arms and eventually hit the ground with a thud. I immediately picked him up and tried to console him. He was mad. I sat with him and tried to pet him but he wasn't having it. He screamed and dodged my every move. If he was on my shoulder he would beep really loud then turn around and snap a nice new feather out of fear. For the next week nothing changed. He was angry because he thought it was my fault. I basically had to snap him out of it by forcing him to be pet. Once he realized I meant no harm he relaxed and all was good.

 

Then it dawned on me. He was plucking because he was scared and frustrated. When the plucking was at its worst was when he had taken a fall shortly before. It wasn't that he wasn't loved or fed the right things or was bored or didn't get enough attention. He was scared. I think this stems from his previous owner abusing him when he was bad or bit Or something. Instead of picking him up off he cage I turn my shoulder into him and let him get up at his pace. No more falls no more picking WHATSOEVER and no more fear. His personality has come out as he is relaxed and now knows he will be safe. He whistles and mumbles, hangs upside down in his cage and can't take his eye off me anywhere I go. Every night he comes down off his cage and sits in my lap and goes to sleep or wants to be pet.

 

I have kept up with pluck no more, and lots of toys and attention. I am not crediting pluck no more with the victory but I do believe it has helped him remain much calmer. And here is his pic where we are today. We're almost there!!!! Thanks for the support guys! Will post when he makes a full feather recovery!

 

Ps. I also tried a sock buddy a couple months ago and that set us back a few weeks because he pulled every feather he could get to and did nothing to help the trust issue.

Edited September 18, 2015 by VFR_Mayday

[Luvparrots]

Congratulations MayDay!!!!! Wonderful update on your grey. Enjoy!

[VFR_Mayday]

Thanks. The focus now is keeping it this way. It seems something simple or upsetting could start it all over. But I have a few safeguard in place to prevent further trauma. Poor guy. But he is one happy bird now. OH!! now he lets me spray him with no issue and the other day in the rain we went outside under our awning and he was running and playing in the wet grass bathing himself! It was hilariously adorable. Probably 20 minutes of straight laughter.

[SRSeedBurners]

Excellent work Mayday for finally getting through to your hooman!

[Elvenking]

Wonderful news. My Grey, Isaac, had a pretty bad plucking problem just before I had appendicitis and I still am not really sure why he chose to pick. I think he is pretty sensitive though. I know that he needs his peace when he sleeps, cause if there is bustle and such after hours, I think it scares him a little. He has been doing really well! Looking beautiful lately. I had tried the Pluck no More and recommend saving your money, but don't quit it on my account. I just realized that there was virtually no difference with Isaac after I had spent hundreds of bucks on it.

 

Anyway, this is a long and emotional road that I can intimately identify with and I wanted to say that I was happy to hear you had some discovery!! May your baby continue to be happy and feathery. The best advice is to work it out in your head to not be too concerned with it "emotionally"...it does nothing but harm to be stressed out about it. I have had the greatest measure of success just loving him up and creating an atmosphere that nothing is wrong. May you continue to have such fortune with Mayday!!

[katana600]

Congratulations for figuring out a way to make Mayday feel more confident and less afraid. It really does affect their need to chew their feathers off in fear and frustration. We are going through a period of really awesome trust and breaking some barriers but it comes at the cost of feather barbering in a nervous kind of way. That is when I know it is time to back down and give her some space. It is so good that you can read Mayday and are reaching an understanding.

[kins2321@yahoo.com]

Yay for Mayday! We are so happy for you! You have taken time and patience, to develop the trust. Now start slowly introducing a routine. Greys thrive when they understand expectations.

For us, bedtime is at 800. We start with reading a book together at 745. ( cloth books are amazing!) ie: Thomas the Tank Engine, is Sophie's favorite!( 15 years of reading the same book!) LOL! As I know it by heart, she notices when I don't turn the pages correctly! You guys are doing just GREAT! We are always here to help and support. Nancy

[VFR_Mayday]

Thanks you guys. It really is the most frustrating thing in the world. I already have anxiety so when he would pick and barber It would really frustrate me. It's the worst. I would blame myself and dwell on it for a long time. One thing I noticed is that when he fell I would be so upset and frustrated with him that he almost seemed to read my emotions. Like he knew I was upset with him. One day he jumped and I thought it's ok. I'll love you the way you are, he snapped out of it in record time. So strange. He has fallen a few times in the past couple weeks since I discovered the root of the evil, and when I approach it relaxed and calm he gets over it in a matter of minutes instead of days. It seems that when he jumps his brain goes into "be afraid of everything" mode. Including me. Thank you guys so much for the support and kind words. Having people that know exactly where I am really helps. you guys are amazing! Will post more stuff later but I tend to write a book each time I get on here. Hehe sorry

[danmcq]

GreYt job! Thanks for the update.

[neoow]

They are REALLY good at picking up on our emotions. I don't know how they do it but they are really good at reading us. Alfie knows when I'm upset and will do his best to cheer me up. They do seem to react to emotions, even when you don't think you are displaying them!

[Acappella]

Congrats on figuring out what was triggering Mayday's plucking, that's huge! I also have a high-strung grey who is afraid of his own shadow at times, although he's improved leaps and bounds over how he used to be a few years ago. It does get better. Like you discovered, our own emotions and reactions play a huge part in their reactions. You can help him become a more confidant fellow just by reacting in a more confidant, it's no big deal, way yourself. They look to us for cues more than you'd ever think, it's part of their flock mentality. WTG Mayday, you're doing great!

[judygram]

Thanks for the wonderful update on Mayday and glad you found the cause of his plucking.

[Elvenking]

Congrats on figuring out what was triggering Mayday's plucking, that's huge! I also have a high-strung grey who is afraid of his own shadow at times, although he's improved leaps and bounds over how he used to be a few years ago. It does get better. Like you discovered, our own emotions and reactions play a huge part in their reactions. You can help him become a more confidant fellow just by reacting in a more confidant, it's no big deal, way yourself. They look to us for cues more than you'd ever think, it's part of their flock mentality. WTG Mayday, you're doing great!

 

It is so true. They take on the behaviors of their owners for sure. So I try to be what I want to see in Isaac.

[kins2321@yahoo.com]

VFR__Mayday.. My son, also has an anxiety disorder. Off at college now. He has always been the " bird whisperer", in our family.We have had birds of different species, rescues, babies, adopted AND open cage concept.We could not have done this without him. Just develop trust, love and expectations. It all falls into place, no matter how anxious you get. Birds also understand your needs once the trust is there. You are gonna be a GREAT parent, and have the most amazing bird that will support you, as much as you do them. Nancy

[VFR_Mayday]

Just a little picture update. Still doing fine. No more falls. He has a couple flight feathers now on both sides so he can glide if necessary. Whoever clipped him before did a horrid job. They butchered his flights. I'm going to retain a mild clip so he can't generate life but can still fall with style. He was about as aerodynamic as a potato.

[Acappella]

Just be careful. Even with a butchered clip he could still get some height if something startles/frightens him enough.

[VFR_Mayday]

Oh absolutely. His stand area is nett d in outside so he can't go anywhere and nothing can get in he's been startled a few times but he can't do anything. One side is in and one side is not so he's like a helicopter with no tail rotor. Just spins in a circle. We are going to probably trim first 3 flights and see what he can do with that. His ungrateful falling really upsets him. And he hits pretty hard. I have no idea why mi pictures are sideways but here's another!