Pendragon Posted July 16, 2008 Share Posted July 16, 2008 Hello everyone. So my wife and I are rescuing a grey from a girl who has just been neglectful of her little, now unfeatherd friend. He's a thirteen year old, and has began to bite and pick his feathers out. I don't think she has been abusive, but she doesn't have time to take care of him with her new job. She raised him from chick-hood, and knows that he he can be very sweet and cuddly. She says he'll be real easy to rehab. So as we are pet people, we put in a bid to take this little guy into our home. Apparently he is a biter now, and has started plucking his feathers out. He hasn't started screaming yet however, which is a plus. Can we get some tips on how to help our new little friend? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovemyGreys Posted July 16, 2008 Share Posted July 16, 2008 "She says he'll be real easy to rehab" If he has been neglected over the years then you may have a long road ahead of you im afraid ,it's not as easy as the owners quote above.Patience is the key word here,im sure you are fully aware of what your taking on but changes are going to take time.The grey will need time to adapt to his new owners & environment,he needs to gain your trust so you can build on a relationship with him. The first thing i would suggest is a full exam with an avian vet to determine his health & if there is any medical reasons for the plucking,if he hasnt had time spent with him it may be due to bordom,lack of stimulation etc..if you do a search you will find many threads on plucking. Do you know what kind of diet he is on ? Again a poor diet can lead to health problems.We have a bird food room which has various topics on diet,so worth popping in there & having a good read. As for biting greys bite for a reason,it may be fear,aggresion,instinct,attention seeking etc.. You need to find out in what situations he is biting in,then we can work on resolving them. Many of our members have taken on older greys so will be along with their advice,it may be a long road but given time & patience it is very rewarding taking on an older grey & as a forum we will endeavour to help you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted July 16, 2008 Share Posted July 16, 2008 I doubt it will be easy but it can be done, this grey is set in his ways at 13 years but with a lot of time and much patience you can form a trusting bond with this bird. The plucking may be another problem, sometimes once they start it is hard to get them to stop but never give up and be willing to love and adore an oven ready bird if it comes to that. Like Tracy said a vet visit is in order to make sure no physical problems are contributing to the plucking and to get an idea of overall health. Be prepared to travel a long road but the rewards can be great if you are willing to spend the time to make it happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pendragon Posted July 17, 2008 Author Share Posted July 17, 2008 Yeah we've accepted that it's going to take a while. My wife and I want to get another bird after this one but we think it would be better if we waited for this fellah to be a happy healthy bird. We wanted to get another grey, or maybe an eclectus just to give the first one a buddy to talk to and play with. From what we understand, since birds are flock animals, they like company. So the first thing we'll do is take him to the vet. I need to talk to the current owner and get a kind of "Day in the life" of his, and then I'll update this thread. Thanks guys, your help will be very appreciated. ~P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 Yes greys are flock animals and want to be included in family activities so the more you can include him in your day to day life the better for him. I would want to talk to the current owner also to find out as much as you can about him, it could be a great asset to helping him to adjust to his new home. I look forward to an update real soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pmaholm Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 Thanks for this topic! We're in nearly the same situation, we have a couple other things we're working on. One our CAG named "Refund" had been hit by his first owner and he is blind in his right eye, also he had been in a breeding situation for the last several years. We're just taking it slow and feeling out for what he likes and what he's used to. We've both got a lot to learn being first time bird owners(aside of parakeets and cockatiels when we were younger). We've noticed he doesn't pluck nearly as much since 1, he's gotten used to our home and 2, we started misting him daily with a water/100% aloe vera juice mix. -Patrick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 I am horrified to hear of such abuse from an owner of your grey Refund, how anyone could do such a thing to one of these precious creatures is beyond me.:angry: Patrick I am glad you have taken on the task of giving him a new home and I am sure with your love and attention he will eventually flourish. Why don't you introduce yourself in the welcome room and tell us a little more about you and Refund. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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