phoebe plucking

[tanyab]

Hello.I just got my first ag about 5 weeks ago. at a bird show. I felt so bad for her sitting alone and scared to death. shes around 5 years old. The owner before me dont know much about her.Her owner died a year ago and shes been in about 3 to4 homes before me.Shes very sweet but she wont let me touch her anywhere but the top of her head. which is nacked also. she will bite me.she has pluck before me and now she has started again a week ago. she has no feathers on her chest.ive tryed the aloe spray but not working.I need help...plucking and how can i build more trust with her....

[judygram]

Hello Tanya and welcome to the family, so glad you could finally come in out of the IM window and join us and we look forward to hearing more about you and Phoebe.

 

I know you are having trouble with her plucking but she has lost her former owner who she was probably bonded to and then she has been in several more homes since before coming to you. Please give her more time to get more used to you and feel comfortable, she has been thru a lot and no wonder she has taken to plucking. Since she is around 5 years of age this will take time and much patience on your part, you cannot rush this process.

 

She has to feel comfortable to begin to trust you for at this point in time she probably thinks this is just another stop on the way elsewhere so allow her to do this in her own time.

 

Do not focus too much on her plucking, if you do she may take that as encouragement to continue further with it, just ignore it for I think it has a lot to do with being moved around and the loss of her bonded person.

 

There are many knowledgeable members here who have experience with greys that pluck and hopefully some of them will chime in with their ideas and suggestions.

 

You will also find lots of useful information in our many threads and do not hesitate to ask questions you may have and we will help you in any way we can.

 

We love pictures here so if you have some of Phoebe you would share with us, plucked or not plucked, we can see the beauty in her, we would appreciate it.