my african grey keeps pulling her feathers. could someone give advice?

Answer 1

There a a few reasons why this is happening. My Grey did this a couple years ago. Luckily you have caught it in time. The advice my avian vet gave me was.
1. make sure the cage is a good size
2.lots of toys and things to rip apart, paper shredds etc
3. At this time of year when we have the central heating on you should put a bowl of water beside the radiator.
4. Spray the bird with a fine mist 3 times a week and do it in the morning so that it has all day to dry b4 bed time.
5. Make sure that the bird is getting 10 hrs undisturbed rest at night. Cover the cage with a dark coloured cover that goes all over the cage and put where will not get disturbed.
6. Make sure there are no draughts around cage.
Hopefully if you follow these simple instructions your bird will recover. You can also buy a powder supplement to add to diet to give extra vitamins and minerals and but a feather condtioner solution to add to water when spraying.

Answer 2

The others are right. African Greys are one the most intelligent birds out there. They can have thousands of words of vocabulary and communicate with you, their owver.

Problem is, with this great intelligence, they need constant stimulation. Boredom WILL lead to behavioural problems like feather plucking.

You must be very patient for you to have chosen this bird as a pet - I know I do not have the time or energy to raise such a demanding, intelligent, gifted breed.

You'll need a companion, maybe get her a friend (African Greys are good with other equally intelligent birds (ie. Eclectus)) or start spending more time training/giving attention to the bird.

Answer 3

It may be bored or depressed, do you let it out of its cage and play or talk to it? I knew 2 people who owned African greys one had the exact same prob as yours it turned out it was as mentioned above, he let the bird out and talked and played witgh it and approx two weeks later it stopped pulling its feathers.

This may be your prob, I am no animal expert but only passing on what I know through past experience, good luck and get professional advice, call a vet if ur worried advice on phone is usually free.

Answer 4

Our African grey did the same, had no feathers around its neck and looked more like a vulture than parrot. He had loads of freedom, loads of entertainment but i believe it is caused by stress, how ours got stressed i would not know. He once managed to fly away and the neighbours found him and returned him to us, they then asked us if we weren't ashamed to letting him fly around looking like that. I eventually gave him to a chap who bred them and he still does the same there. Even though he lives in a huge aviary in Jhburg. Must be the crime stressing him. I am glad he is gone he hated my husband and was so two-faced. Used to say good-morning in the sweetest little girl voice and when you removed his cover he would snap at you and shout go away, go awayyyyyy, go awayyyyyy in a piercing high-pitched voice. We did not buy him as a baby but as half-grown bird . Never want another parrot again even though he was entertaining.:))

Answer 5

It could be a poor diet, stress, boredom, depression or a skin condition. Do you think it's any of the first four answers if not, it is most probably a skin condition therefore I'd take her to the vet to have her checked for a skin condition. I hope you get it resolved, it's a horrible thing to deal with.

Answer 6

This could be due to boredom or it could be a skin infection/condition - get the parrot checked over by a vet to rule out any underlying ill health before she pulls them all out.

Answer 7

Dude its completly natural my Green Cheek always pullls its feathers off but if it gets put pf hand then maybe you should see the vet. Maybe you can put that thing around his neck then s/he can stop pulling off the feathers. Hey its just advice!

Answer 8

sounds like she is bored when my parrot shows any sign of that I move him to a different room or put him outside its a bit cold just now tho put the tv on for her play her some music change his toys just entertain her basically.......talk to her......

Answer 9

don't feel bad its not neglect possibly just depressed but do take professional advice the vet willno when they see the bird

Answer 10

IT SOUNDS LIKE IT COULD BE BORED SO YOU COULD TRY GIVING IT ROPES OR PARROT TOYS TO PLAY WITH!! THEY ALSO LOVE CUTTLE FISH AND FRESH FRUIT TO PECK AT!!