Overpreening

[Devin Corso]

My Korra girl has always been an overpreener. I got her as a baby and she is now 3 years old. I never see her pink skin, but her super fluffy small grey feathers are always showing; instead of the longer more flat grey feathers. It makes me upset and nervous because she preens SO SO much. Her tail is a bit raggedy too. I have her out for hours everyday (at least 4). I have been reading around the forum that a humidifier and misting is good. I got a spray bottle and turned it to only mist, but she is SUPER angry at it and tears it apart. She bites it super hard (or the finger holding it), her pupils pin and feathers puff up. I tried tying it to her perch so she can get used to it not moving, but she rips it off and throws it. :rolleyes: I'll put on a humidifier, but I was wondering if there is anything else I can do? I'm trying to get her into the shower, but she is scared of the mist that bounces off my head and the shower head itself.

 

How do I get her to:

-stop overpreening

-enjoy the mister

-enjoy a shower or bath (shallow & safe)

*As an edit, I just saw the thread from Dave called "Bathing--possible method 1." I'll try that for a few weeks and get back to you guys on how that is going. The overpreening is still an issue though.

 

I know she is such a pretty girl, but she could be so much prettier! I want her to be happy. She takes all of her convert, and contour feathers out of her wings, belly, and legs. I only see down on her belly, and patches of down on her wing. She also picks out a lot of bristles, semiplumes, and filoplumes.

 

I used these pictures for feather information:

https://www.google.com/search?q=parrot+feathers&rlz=1C1NHXL_enUS688US688&espv=2&biw=1242&bih=580&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj-wb6CjszQAhUO62MKHf51DfgQ_AUIBygC#tbm=isch&q=parrot+feathers+types&imgrc=B8AS3XtAbYkC1M%3A

 

https://www.google.com/search?q=parrot+feathers&rlz=1C1NHXL_enUS688US688&espv=2&biw=1242&bih=580&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj-wb6CjszQAhUO62MKHf51DfgQ_AUIBygC#tbm=isch&q=parrot+feathers+types&imgrc=K5MS0rARtOs8uM%3A

 

 

This is Korra today, as you can see her head has normal feathering.

I give her many toys to keep busy. I also give her water bottles and cardboard to pick at (hopefully instead of her feathers).

*she has bigger thicker perches

Edited November 28, 2016 by Devin Corso

[birdhouse]

Bathing is a very tough thing w/Greys, idk why. You watch the wild birds in the mud puddles or the macaws & zons & you'd think birds love water. But many Greys never got that memo apparently. The only thing you can do about bathing or preening is keep experimenting. We all want a quick fix. But it's all about trail & error.

 

I have found with my guys that the bottle, spray & rhythm of the spray all make a difference. I have gotten some bottles that have scared the crap out of one or more of the flock & had to be re-assign for household duties. I have found where certain colors sent them over the edge. And with my ekkie in particular, I need to use a nice slow deliberate rhythm. Otherwise, she's going to start running away & she's not going to stand for a bath for that day, at least. About the only thing they all agree on is that they'd prefer a misting vs spraying and with room temp water.

 

Another thing you might try, although it's no more of a quick solution, it baths. Will Korra play in a water dish? In the sink? Maybe if the water is trickling. How about if you up-sized the water dish in her cage, maybe?

[Greywings]

Sometimes running the vacuum cleaner gets my birds bathing in their water bowls. When you mist do so over them not at them so it falls gently over the bird.

[Devin Corso]

To birdhouse: I'll try that! What color do your parrots like? I got a green spray bottle, but can return it.

I'll also try giving her a bath in the sink or bathtub.

I have tried giving her a big water bowl (dog bowl) on the bottom of her cage but she won't go near it. Korra poops on it to show her enthusiasm. :rolleyes: Yoshi used to LOVE playing in her water dish. She spread it all over her like a cat with cap nip, but it seems like she has lost interest for the time being.

 

To Timbersmom: I will try the vacuum method. Do you have any idea why that would calm them? Korra is scared of our vacuum moving. I think she thinks it's an animal running on the ground. She looks down at it like it might pounce at any moment, and Yoshi does her "I don't approve of what's going on here" screech. :rolleyes:

Edited December 6, 2016 by Devin Corso

[Acappella]

Dorian's "I don't approve of what's going on here" sound is the beep of the smoke detector needing a new battery. He's not afraid of the vacuum, but it doesn't make him want to bathe either. He mostly starts to bathe in his water dish when it's freshly full of fridge cold water. The smaller the bowl the better, apparently, as most baths start in his playstand's water dish. Most greys do seem to prefer cold water. Some even like ice cubes in the water so you might try that. Once he starts in bathing on his own I'm allowed to help him out with a spray bottle. The finer the mist the better. He doesn't seem to care about the colour of the bottle. Good luck with your little overpreener. She's still very pretty.

[Devin Corso]

Oh Korra does that too when I leave the room! It's like a "Where are you going?" noise. I'm going to try using cold water and ice cubes, it sounds great. I'm also going to try the fine misting bottle. Thank you so much for your compliment!

[Devin Corso]

UPDATE 12/7/16 - 10:00am: I gave both my pretty girls some ice cold water in their water bowls with ice in them as well. I sprayed both of them with cold water which needless to say they hated! Yoshi crawled to the back of her cage, and Korra went "Woo!" Pinned her eyes, and did her "I'm in a naughty mood now!" dance. I let her out to stretch her wings (and hopefully preen nicely). I put her temporary perch (her bigger one won't fit through the door in the new house :rolleyes:) near a open blind (for light), closed window (no draft), so she could look outside and hopefully get inspired by the outside birds. *She just burped and cleared her throat.* She is playing a bit rough with her toys to let out some anger which is a good sign. I'll update again. Thank you all for your help, she's soaked! ^^

 

Being naughty too:

Edited December 7, 2016 by Devin Corso
added video

[birdhouse]

None of my guys ever take kindly to a cold spray bath. Even if it's 100 in the shade. Even though Dorian does. And even though somewhere SterlingSL posted a vid of GreycieMae in a Pyrex dish having a ball and fending off Toby who can't wait for his turn swimming w/the ice cubes. Sometimes I just have to throw up my hands & laugh. Our fids can be so similar in some ways & so different in others.

 

In the end things just come down to trial & error &/or plain dumb luck. Oh, & btw, just when you think you've got it, they may very well go & change their minds. What can I say...? Welcome to life w/a Grey parrot.

 

I can go thru the very long list of what bottles didn't work w/my flock. But, again, there are specific personalites coming into play. Like Phenix will die if he's ever too near anything that's transparent, florescent yellow or orange (yah, don't even try)!

 

Instead I'll just say that I've had pretty good results w/my chemical sprayer (from Walmart?) that's always been dedicated purely to bird bathing. It pumps up then mists for a long'ish time. So long as I don't wave the wand around like a stick they'll usually be more likely to maybe sit still for it, sometimes.

 

I also have a small, clear bottle that works surprising well. It's small enough to fit into my fist & get pumped w/my thumb. So really, they don't hardly see the thing. Which I'm going to guess is part at least of it's success. It has got a nice mist & is pretty quiet which I think may also help. But again, just a guess why they're less likely to rebel when I use it. Always qualified, don't you know. lol