my grey seems to enjoy messing with his feathers, not really plucking just over grooming. what can i do?

Answer 1

They do that when they are bored. Either you are not giving him enough one-on-one time or he does not have stimulating toys to play with. If you don't fix the problem now, he will start plucking from boredom and stress.

Answer 2

FEATHER PLUCKING
It is true that Greys are notorious feather pluckers. There are some who maintain that Timnehs are less neurotic than Congos and are not apt to pluck or bite their feathers. This may be true. I have yet to see a Timneh who plucks for neurotic reasons.

Why do they pluck?
Greys pluck feathers for a variety of reasons. Sometimes boredom or not enough human interaction causes an African Grey to pull out its feathers. I have also seen birds that pluck because they get too much attention -- with the owner running over every time the Grey pulls out a feather. Others pluck because of dietary imbalances, or environmental problems, such as people smoking or the air too dry. Greys should have regular baths and exposure to some kind of moist air on a regular basis. African Greys who are emotionally abused by someone who bangs on their cage or routinely squirts them in the face with a spray bottle for discipline may pluck. A single frightening experience has caused Greys to become feather pluckers.

Any bird that plucks should first see a veterinarian. If the veterinarian cannot find a physical reason for plucking, behavioral problems should be explored. There is no question that African Greys are among the most intelligent parrot species. This higher degree of intelligence, along with possible incorrect early socialization at the breeders and not understanding the bird’s intellectual needs when it becomes a companion parrot often leads to neurotic habits -- such as plucking.

Why do Timnehs not pluck feathers as much?

Possibly because, until recently, they were not as popular -- having a duller color tail and smaller size -- as Congos. Therefore, they were not bred domestically in large enough numbers to record feather plucking behavior. Or, they may actually have a more stable personality than their larger cousins, Congo African Greys. Whatever the reason, Timnehs are now being bred in much larger numbers, so in a few years we should have some accurate data comparing Timnehs with Congo African Greys.

Answer 3

how old is your Grey????
feathers take a lot of work to keep clean and in good shape.. not only do the feather help maintain body temp, etc.. healthy well groomed feathers are needed for safe flight navigation....Grey's tend to be a little on the dry side.. and produce a fair amount of feather dust.... I would be hesitant to use the aloe mixture as this could make your bird a little too oily...
and
sometimes they do that excessive feather grooming to show off.,

what can you do??? enjoy the show.. and be grateful that he is not plucking........ Have you had your bird sexed so that you know he truly is a he????
I have a Grey,, Congo variety,, he is a known he.. and will be ten years old this August.. 2007

Answer 4

what you call over grooming is really the gray just oiling the feathers.
grays love to "preen" each other, without a companion, they preen themselves.

let it get a bath if it wants, that will help the feathers, also check for "feed mites". seems that all pet food is infested with these tiny critters. they look sort of like a platypus, and about 1/8 in long.

put a mite block, and keep the cage sparse of litter

preening is better than plucking !!!!

Answer 5

If he seems to be over-grooming to the point where he appears to be getting bald spots, it could be a sign of bordom and may need new toys added to his cage. If this does not help, try letting him watch tv or listen to music. My birds learned alot of talking from tv! I was a cockatiel breeder for years, and have done well with the help of some online information of which I will provide you a link to. Also allow him to bath regularly. If he seems to be preening alot and seems like his skin is bothering him, such as itching....mix half water with half aloe vera juice (sold in your local grocery store near the vitamins, and health supplies). Put in spray bottle and spitz your bird with it. This will help soothe his skin if irritated. If not irritated, its not going to hurt using it because it will keep his feathers in good condition. Use the link below for all of you bird questions. This is a talk forum and you get answers immediatly! They are a wonderful group!

Answer 6

Turn on some relaxing music. My friend had a grey that would pluck all of his feathers out on his belly unless you played some music for him when you left.

Answer 7

Try giving him new toys to play with. Also try giving him a bath. Birds groom a lot. If it continues being a problem, a trip to the vet may be in order to make sure that there aren't any underlying problems.

Answer 8

Since you have a very intelligent bird, he needs tasks to keep him engaged. Foraging toys are great. I cut small pieces of wax paper and wrap treats in them. I use empty baby aspirin boxes filled with a small amount of treats or pellet food. I also hide foods in pine cones and empty toilet paper rolls. He might enjoy adding machine paper refills to tear up. There are preening toys with strands of twine. Rotate his toys.Let him bathe once or twice a week in warm water. Flutter the water with your finger and say enthusiastic things. Being a flock bird, he will follow the leader (you). Have a tweet year.

Answer 9

Sounds like your parrot may be bored. Make sure that it isn't a health issue, i.e. mites or allergies, and then try rearranging his perches, adding or changing his toys, and giving him new foods to try, or take him to the bathroom and let him splash in the shower. Parrots thrive on diversity and get bored easily and are also very social, make sure he's getting enough attention from you as well.

Answer 10

Maybe you can give him some other things in his cage to distract him like a calcium bar ( or whatever it's called) and provide him with a shallow dish of warm, distilled water to take a bath in every other day or so.