Trip and Plucking

Welcome to the Grey Play Round Table African grey Question and Answer Board. Maggie Wright, author of the Barron's Grey pet manual and creator of the Grey Play Round Table African grey newsletter/magazine, and Lisa Bono, African grey behavior expert, will be the two moderators to answer your questions. Please check out the areas that have already been dealt with... and submit your new questions.


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PLEASE send me your questions... we REALLY want to help you!!! merlin@AfricanGreys.com.


Wishing you GREY'T Blessings!
Maggie Wright

Moderator: merlin

Trip and Plucking

Postby Ann » Sun May 27, 2007 8:11 pm

Maggie, Have been meaning to write you ever since we got home. I finally decided not to take Bobbi with us to Florida. He hated being in that small cage and it was such a long drive that I decided to leave him here with my severe macaw. My daughter came over 4 times a day and visited with them and she would call and I would talk to them over the speaker phone. He would always whistle back. Their cage was open the whole time and he loves to sleep on his cage. They were both fine and he was very happy to see my. He would not step up for a couple of days though.

I was reading about Luna plucking. My ducorp cockatoo started about 9 months ago. I have tried everything except a collar. It really started after she laid an egg. I finally started giving her a 1/4 spoonfull of Red Palm Oil that you can get at the Health Food store once a week. Am also misting her with water and aloe vera juice mixed in. I do not know if it is the Palm Oil, Aloe Vera or being in a different house for two weeks but she seems to have stopped plucking. Her feathers are all coming back in. Before she looked like a little plucked chicken. She may start back, but for now she seems to have stopped. I also have an aviary in our back yard and my birds love it. I have not put Bobbi out there yet since I have not had him that long. He will probably join the other two before long. I do hope Luna stops her plucking. Ann
Ann
 

Postby Maggie- » Sun May 27, 2007 10:56 pm

Ann,

Thank you so much for your comments and help. The red palm oil sounds good, as does the water/alo vera juice. I have also heard that giving them 1/16th (tiny amont) of organic coconut oil from the spoon or in the MASH has also stopped some. The Pluck No More too has helped a lot of birds. For that to work, they also need to be sprayed 4 times a day with water and the formula, plus in drinking water. So, there are many remedies that help many Greys. Therefore, the thing to do is to lay out a plan and try the different things until one seems to work.

I'm SO glad your trip worked out well. I think your calling daily helped a lot. Congratulations....and thank you!

Blessings,
Maggie-
Maggie-
 

Vacation

Postby Penny » Sun May 04, 2008 6:32 pm

Hi Maggie,
I am going on vacation next week and have been unable to find anyone to watch Sassy. She is a 3 year old CAG. She is out of her cage most of the day and sleeps in our bedroom each night.
My daughter has agreed to come over once a day to feed and water her and I have an in home business so, my assistant will be here for 8 hours M-F but, not on the weekends. We will be gone for 18 days.
My daughter will not come over to take time to get acquainted with Sassy before we leave. My question is, as much as I don't want to, should I leave her with a place like Petsmart? I am scared to death to do something like that. I keep thinking that leaving her in her large day cage where she is familiar is the best thing.
Please, advise.
Thank you,
Penny
Penny
 

Postby Maggie- » Mon May 05, 2008 4:22 pm

Penny,

That's a very hard one. Why won't your daughter come see her? Will your daughter even know what to do? Will you be teaching your daughter what to do or how to handle emergencies? Could you pay the assistant to help and stick around for a little while at night? Daughter could come too. 2 1/2 weeks is a long time to leave her like that.

Do the PetSmart people take birds? I would not take her there without at least taking her over to PetSmart a few times before being left there... and then finding a specific person that may bond a little with Sassy. Is Sassy used to being around lots of barking dogs and so on? You would really need to check that out before leaving Sassy there and then help Sassy slowly bond with someone there or at least get familiar with the place before you leave. Otherwise, you could have problems.

Please keep me posted and ask any questions you need.
Maggie-
Maggie-
 

Vacation

Postby Penny » Mon May 05, 2008 5:39 pm

My assistant is scared to death of birds so, she is fine with Sassy as long as they are on opposite sides of the room. She once gave Sass a treat with her in the cage.
Stacey talks to Sassy so, at least there will be a familiar voice.
I do not know why my daughter won't take the time to get to warm up with Sass. People have been telling me to take her to places that babysit or sell Parrots but, I really think keeping Sassy where she is comfortable is the best.
Sassy knows my daughter a little but, has never warmed up. She also knows my Mother and Mom will be coming over but, does not want the responsibility.
Penny
 

Vacation

Postby Penny » Mon May 05, 2008 5:43 pm

The hardest thing is people say "it's a bird," "it'll be fine."
"You just need to put food and water in the cage."
Penny
 

Postby Maggie » Tue May 06, 2008 2:30 pm

Then you do NOT want these people near your bird! You will need to find someone who has a little more compassion than that.

Are there places in your area where they work specifically with parrots? I suggest that you contact your vet and a local bird store (that is good) for any recommendations...or a bird club. Do you have a friend that has parrots that could take Sassy in?
Maggie-
Maggie
 

Vacation

Postby Penny » Wed May 07, 2008 1:46 am

There are a couple bird stores and I believe they offer babysitting services. Wouldn't that be too tramatic for Sassy? A new place, left in a cage she isn't familiar with?
Penny
 

Postby Maggie- » Wed May 07, 2008 5:45 am

Yes, it would be traumatic. That is why, if you did that, you would need to introduce her to it BEFORE you go away.

It also is a problem to leave her with people that see her as "just a bird in a cage." What would or could they do, in the event of an emergency?

If you could find a situation where she is well cared for in your home, that probably would be best. Even then she needs to have a relationship but it sounds like your daughter doesn't particularly want to know how to handle her.

The ideal for the future is to find someone who privately sits birds, either in your home or theirs. Even then, you would need to work on helping Sassy feel comfortable with the person well before you leave.

Maggie-
Maggie-
 

Postby Jeannie » Wed Aug 20, 2008 6:12 pm

I know these are old posts but just wondering what Penny ended up doing with and for Sassy and how it all worked out???
“One cannot look deeply into the eyes of an animal and not see the same depth, complexity and feeling we humans lay exclusive claim to.”

Dr Jeannie Thomason
Job 12:7-10
http://www.naturalbirdcare.org
http://www.aunaturalbirdnotes.blogger.com/
Jeannie
 
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed Aug 20, 2008 6:07 pm
Location: California

Postby Maggie- » Fri Aug 22, 2008 1:09 am

Thanks Jeannie!

It would be great to get some activitry going on here. THat's why the Q&A is here.

Penny, how's Sassy now???
Maggie-
Maggie-
 

Postby Guest » Fri Aug 22, 2008 1:15 am

Great! I actually have some time to be on forums at the moment and would love to see a lot of activity here!

Maggie, do you have all the members emails that we could contact them and let them know the Q&A/forum are back up and running again? If not, I know you can send a mass email from this phpbb to the members.
Guest
 

Maggie

Postby Maggie » Fri Aug 22, 2008 11:22 pm

I will have to do it publicly.
Maggie Wright
Maggie
 
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Jun 12, 2008 8:49 pm

testing posting without logging in

Postby Heather » Mon Aug 25, 2008 6:14 pm

this is a test
Heather
 

Postby Jeannie » Tue Sep 16, 2008 4:30 pm

Heather,

Your test worked! lol

I would so love to see this forum active and lively again, where is everyone?

Let's talk Greys!
“One cannot look deeply into the eyes of an animal and not see the same depth, complexity and feeling we humans lay exclusive claim to.”

Dr Jeannie Thomason
Job 12:7-10
http://www.naturalbirdcare.org
http://www.aunaturalbirdnotes.blogger.com/
Jeannie
 
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed Aug 20, 2008 6:07 pm
Location: California

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