ParrotPaparazzi Posted May 12, 2008 Share Posted May 12, 2008 OK so to cut a long story as short as possible: About 2-3 years ago we got an AG hand reared baby from becks bird barn (and judging by its rep from other people, I am guessing, bad idea?) and at first he was a family guy and loved the attention and fuss, then he started being mean to everybody but my mum, then he started seeming stressed and un-well so we went to the vets, they did the full examination with the bird in front of us, of course he hated it, he started being mean to everybody, he had the flight feathers taken out after he chewed them, we got him back, he still hated everybody after the recovery. He once again, started chewing feathers, the vets said its a behaviour problem, they left him with us, this time around my brother and dad took him in and then he started getting better and we worked on keeping him busy with things to sred etc (wood blocks, rope toys, old yellow pages (ink isnt poisonous), toilet rolls etc) and he started getting better with people but the last few months have taken a turn for the worst again - he dosent like anybody, he started chewing and plucking feathers again etc and we are puzzled on what to do now. Info about him: He's about 3-4 yrs old An only parrot His cage was 4 ft high, floor space 1.5ft x 1.5ft, then we changed to a smaller cage so he was at our level and he is much better but still mean. He is aloud out all the day but just sits on his cage (his feathers are about that bad that he can hardly fly, anyway) He is in the main room of the house so somebody is always with him apart from night time. and thats about it. A vet suggested maybe getting him a female friend and/or a bigger avairy outside. We are all puzzled now on what to do Thanks for any replies.<br><br>Post edited by: ParrotPaparazzi, at: 2008/05/12 14:14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovemyGreys Posted May 12, 2008 Share Posted May 12, 2008 Hi sorry to hear your having problems.Did you vet only do a physical examination in fron of you ? were any blood test done ? There is always a reason behind the plucking & it can be so frustrating for owners because you have to find out what is causing it, before you can start to fix the problem.Has there been anything that has changed in your greys life recently which may have started him to pluck ?The list is endless but a few possibilities are; Frustration from long periods in his cage Lack of mental & physical stimulation Change of family circumstances/ environment Incorrect periods of light/darkness A poor diet, high in fatty foods Attention seeking. At this moment in time i personally wouldn't suggest getting him a mate for company,but others may advise differently,plucking is often a behavioural problem that becomes a habit & is unfortunately one of the hardest habits to brake. This link is well worth a read... http://www.petparrot.com/ParrotCarePlucking.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danmcq Posted May 12, 2008 Share Posted May 12, 2008 Hello, Tracy has given good advice and a great link with great information. You wrote: "His cage was 4 ft high, floor space 1.5ft x 1.5ft, then we changed to a smaller cage so he was at our level and he is much better but still mean." The first cage was actually too small and you placed him in a smaller cage? They need plenty of room to fully extend their wings and also romp around in. Minimum cage size for a Grey should be 4 to 5 feet tall, 32 inches wide and 36 inches deep. The bigger the better. Has anything thing changed in the room you keep him in? Anything changed family or pet wise? Greys are very sensitive to change and the smallest thing can set them off. The more information you can provide, the better. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovemyGreys Posted May 12, 2008 Share Posted May 12, 2008 Good point there Dan on the cage requirements, im afraid i missed that :blush: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted May 12, 2008 Share Posted May 12, 2008 Both Tracy and Dan have given you some excellent advice. Why don't you introduce yourself in the welcome room and tell us a little more about you and your grey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParrotPaparazzi Posted May 12, 2008 Author Share Posted May 12, 2008 Was advised on that cage by the breeder. He has always chewed his feathers and never really stopped but it got better and now worse. I cant say much has changed really - but in the last few months, a few pets have been added but not in that room, the only one I could think would set him off is the rabbit, but he doesn't seem to bother with him at all. We are at wits end trying to find the problem, he has got a huge problem with jealousy though, if I sit next to his cage with the rabbit/ferrets/cat/guinea pig/owl he hangs from the top of the cage and screeches till I put the animal down, but he doesn't mind the animals themselves. He eats Harrison High Potency Course food (again, advised by the breeder) and gets veg and fruit daily, although we were told he was a bit over weight but since then he has lost about 8oz and we have been told thats fine. Thanks for the help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovemyGreys Posted May 12, 2008 Share Posted May 12, 2008 Well the breeder was becks bird Barn & i have heard some bad reports about them ! a small cage is ok for the purpose of just a sleep cage,but ideally greys should be provided with a large cage.Jealously may well be his issue & may be linked to the plucking,he may pluck to get your attention,i personally would refrain from sitting next to him with the other pets.Never react to the plucking as this will only reinforce the behaviour, give him plenty of baths/sprays with the addition of some aloe vera juice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted May 12, 2008 Share Posted May 12, 2008 One thing you might keep in mind is if he was there before the other pets you mention he might have a problem with being put first. Some greys need to be put first if they were there first. I have a sun conure and a grey but the conure was my first parrot so I feed her first and everything else first so she knows her place. He probably sees himself at the head of the flock with the other pets as part of the flock even though they aren't birds but in his mind he comes first so you may have to adjust accordingly. The plucking, if he has been doing this for a long time is going to be hard to break him of, they get into a habit with it and is almost impossible to get them out of it but we will help you with it all we can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParrotPaparazzi Posted May 12, 2008 Author Share Posted May 12, 2008 judygram wrote: One thing you might keep in mind is if he was there before the other pets you mention he might have a problem with being put first. Some greys need to be put first if they were there first. Hm ...well when he was younger like I said he was ok, thinking back now it seems about the time my aunties cat moved in and then gave birth to 4 kittens, we kept one and he is a little terror so maybe it is him getting jealous of animals. He is outside in his cage at the moment and I just went and cleaned the metal grate of the bottom put it back and he was being chatty (he has a very good vocabulary) so I started talking to him and he was being really nice, cat walked into the garden and he started biting me :blink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParrotPaparazzi Posted May 12, 2008 Author Share Posted May 12, 2008 lovemyGreys wrote: Well the breeder was becks bird Barn & i have heard some bad reports about them ! Well a friend works at our local vets and when we went there to get some frontline she had a macaw she said was from Becks and has the same problem... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyboop Posted May 12, 2008 Share Posted May 12, 2008 Sorry to hear this guy is having problems . Harrisons is a very good food , perhaps he is bored with it . Also I purchased from Dr.Foster and Smith a stainless steel skewer which I put apples, canteloupe ,celery , anything chunky on and it keeps my CAG busy for a long time . I also take squares of white tissue and tie with ribbon or cotton twine , inside I place treats and tie these all over my birds cages . They love foraging for the treats . It can be chunks of veggies , like carrots , celery , etc..Anything to keep them busy . Also you might try adding omega oils to his diet . I use flax seed meal , sprinkled on their food and a drop of olive oil daily . The Aloe is good but some problems start on the inside of the body..Also try sitting by his cage and reading story books to him daily for 15 or 20 mins. without other animals . I also sit with my birds at least an hour a day and talk to them , about anything ..In their face time . Rotate toys a lot , move his cage to another location ,just to break the boredom . Also do you use an avian light ? How many hours of in the dark , undisturbed sleep does he get ? At least 10?Always a daily bath ..... Just some suggestions , good luck and keep us posted . Bettyboop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParrotPaparazzi Posted May 12, 2008 Author Share Posted May 12, 2008 Yeah, he doesn't seem to be happy with it like he used to be so I'm trying to keep giving him a piece of apple or something just after to make it more interesting. Good idea with the tissue aswell, will have to try that with him, I'm sure he would enjoy it As for sleep - we all go to bed at 10pm, my dad wakes up at 6 am, goes out to work at 6:15am, then the house is quiet again from then till about 9am, we don't use a light usually in the summer, mainly in the winter he has a UV light on for a few hours a day. And finally - no he doesn't get a daily bath but he gets a quick spray with a bottle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovemyGreys Posted May 12, 2008 Share Posted May 12, 2008 Worth giving him a spray with the aloe vera juice,he may be bad tempered due to itchness,dryness etc from the plucking Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted May 12, 2008 Share Posted May 12, 2008 Have you tried taking him into the shower and getting him soaked that way, some greys love a good shower, mine tolerates it but it gets them wet and that helps with their skin. Then you can finish off with an aloe vera juice spray to soften the skin and feathers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyboop Posted May 13, 2008 Share Posted May 13, 2008 Oh I agree with lovemygrey and Judy , any bird who plucks needs a bath daily . He is probably irritaed and itchy , try the aloe and the shower . This guy needs a bath . Just move slow and be very patient and gentle with him , talk softly and explain this is a good thing to help make him feel better . Usually after a bath they are so calm and relaxed . When he gets upset , be very patient and kind , if you get upset , he will get more upset .Greys are basically water proof so if you are using a mister , it's going to take about 30 spritzes and then you still might not get to the skin , my bird has just started accepting spray misters and finally lifts his wings for a good soak , now he goes to his water bowl after the spray . Actually I think he has learned this from my Alexandrine .Good Luck , sorry I asked so many questions Mary (BETTYBOOP) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nychsa Posted May 13, 2008 Share Posted May 13, 2008 Foraging as mentioned above is a great activity. Mine love to forage and can occupy themselves for quite some time rumaging around for things to eat. On their playtop we have hay strewn about with treats hiding in the hay. In the cage I have various little cups with different things, and I make puzzles for them out of dixie cups that they have to open in order to get the treats. I also have many different things for them to shred. But as the others have mentioned, the larger the cage the better! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParrotPaparazzi Posted May 13, 2008 Author Share Posted May 13, 2008 judygram wrote: Have you tried taking him into the shower and getting him soaked that way We did a few times when he was little but now nobody can pick him up so we cant, I am getting him a bath sorted out for his cage and going to buy a new bottle (the one we have is a plastic one and it cracked yesterday :dry: ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyboop Posted May 13, 2008 Share Posted May 13, 2008 Like I posted before , the more time you spend with this guy , reading , talking offering treats , the better he will become . You can't pick him up because , sorry to say , he is running the show . He needs to be retrained . Just start all over , a bird that won't step up or allow you to handle is out of control . My Alexandrine was so hard to break from biting when she first came home , I had to just bite the bullet and show her she was going to step up , sure I bled a couple of times , but she does not do that anymore because she knows she is still going to step up. Just be kind and if he bites , show no reaction and sit him down and walk away . It may take a bit of courage on your part but this is sad that he can't be enjoyed . They are wonderful amazing creatures and it is us , including myself, who messes things up , not them..Be very calm and gentle and slow your energy down when you aproach him .He needs to be out of his cage everyday, and I don't think buying another bird will help . Kind Regards BettyBoop<br><br>Post edited by: bettyboop, at: 2008/05/13 15:08 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted May 13, 2008 Share Posted May 13, 2008 bettyboop wrote: He needs to be out of his cage everyday, and I don't think buying another bird will help . No, buying another bird will only result in having two birds you cannot handle. I think Mary gave you some excellent advice and if you can master that then you will have it made as they say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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