New to the site, hopelessly bad parrot mom 😥

I've never been part of a forum before but I'm on the edye of a mental break down here. I have an 8 month WBC that I love but that I fear I can never make happy. I did a lot of research before getting a caique but like their active idepenedent nature, their size, 'tudes'and really everything about them. I brought my baby Molly home September 1st and everything seems great, she ate well, tried all sorts of new foods (minus leafy greens) and seemed to adjust well. I work a varied scheduled but she always had atleast 3-4 hours out of the cage daily.....
Starting in mid November she started barbering her feathers, on the nape of her neck, and a tiny bit near her crop.i observed that j
All the places she was barbering was where new pin feathers were coming in. I thought mAybe the days getting shorter started this so I got her a broad spectrum light that is on from 11-5 daily. I always made sure she had toys to shred made of different fabrics and textures. I also purchased a new much bigger cage which she loved. This along with extra bird goodness (bird booster vitamins) seemed to fix the problem. Then over New Years all the feathers that had grown back in got hacked off. She is completely naked on her belly and only ever wants to rip her feathers, she would prefer to do this than interact with me. The blood work came back all normal along with norml crop/vent and skin/final cultures.
I am so lost as overwhelmed I don't know what to do, I added a warm mist humidifier to her regiment along with backs rescue remedy but to no improvement. She won't play by herself or even attempt to play no matter how many shows I make out of how fun her toys are. She is only happy when on me surfing and biting my jacket. She is 100% bored in her cage no matter how many toys are available and only focuses on trying to get out of the cage to get to me.

I am so lost and overwhelmed I don't know where I went wrong or how to fix it. I didn't know one could fail so immediately at being a bird parent.

First of all, welcome to you and Molly.
Second, I do not think you are a bad parront at all! You are trying everything possible to make your baby happy.
I wish I had some answers for you, but I am hoping that some of the folks with caiques here on the forum may have some help for you.
I hope things get better soon.

Does she have one on one time with you?

Whenever I'm home she is out doing whatever Im doing even if it's folding laundry. I trying spreading her toys out and playing with her and her toys. I feel like all I've been doing (to my fiance's dismay) is spending time with her... But maybe it was too much?

Hey, hang in there, their is always someone worse! That's where I come in! Welcome!

You're trying a lot of different things to make her happy, I don't think you're a bad parront! I've never had caiques before but we have members here who do so hopefully they will chime in and be able to help you. Hang in there!

I don't have a caique so I may be wrong, but maybe focusing your attention on her the whole time you are at home with her is too much for her. From what I know about them they are a bit on the independent side, kind of like Amazons (I do have one of those) When it's safe Zilla is out of her cage and when it's not she is in it. She has options of where she wants to be, top of her cage, jungle gym, play stand, my shoulder, or even inside her cage. I kind of let her choose if she wants to interact with me, be with me, play on her own, or just be a perch potato.

That's what I was thinking and I too thought caiques were independent but she just seems crazy dependent on me, I would love for her to play on her Java stand ofR other play stand with her things but she has no interest in them and leans as far as she can off of the. The whole time trying to get to me.

Zilla definitely wants my attention when I first close my office, but after awhile she gets tired of doing laundry and dishes, vacuuming, etc... and wants to be in one of "her" places while I do whatever I am doing. I always start the afternoon/evening with her on me while I'm trying to get things done, but after an hour or so she would rather go do her own thing as long as she can see me.

Have you tried bathing her, maybe with a mist bottle? I know it's molting season and hormonal season for most parrots right now and daily or even twice a day misting really helps along with weekly soakings. I soak Zilla twice a week at least and mist at least once a day right now.

She's not a huge fan of water yet but will sit on my shoulder in the shower, I try misting her but she just seems miffed... I do it anyway. I let her rub on wet paper towels daily. She likes to chew those up as she rubs. And I mist her with "rain" spray daily. Does that all seem ok?

I'm so very sorry you and your baby are having this problem, but you are trying things I would never have though of, so I do not think you're a bad parrot at all. I really hope that someone with more experience than can give you some answers! Welcome to the forum and we are all glad you're here trying to figure this out.

Can anyone describe what they do in their one on one time? Maybe I'm not directly interacting enough

When you are away during the day, do you have a radio playing, and her cage near a window that she can see out of?

One on one time is spent target training, trick training, whatever kind of training you might want to do with her. Anything where your attention is focused on her and her attention is focused on you.

I usually spend about 5 to 10 minutes of one on one time then an hour or so of whatever, then more one on one time. Parrot attention spans are not very long when it comes to training, they tend to be a bit OCD and want to go do something else after just a few minutes.

The in between or "whatever" time can be her hanging out on my shoulder while I watch TV. Or she loves to be on my shoulder while I'm in the kitchen chopping veggies or unloading/loading the dishwasher, as long as I'm not cooking or around anything hot or dangerous to her I let her "hang" with me if she wants, but I always give her the option of jumping off me onto her cage or play stand if she wants to.

Usually my fiancé will put on the relaxation pandora station for her and that will play for about 4 hours. She has a corner cage with the 2 short sides facing walls and the front rounded one looks out to the TV room, the big glass sliding doors to the outside around about 10-12 feet across the room from her. Should she be closer to the windows?

Amanda, your description of the time u spend with your parrot seems like what I do with Molly. We sing and wash the dishes and then try dropping a button in a cup for a walnut. Or we are in the bathroom getting ready and shredding tissues ..... I will have to look up for info about target training and try that. Thank you.

Mollysbird14 said:

Usually my fiancé will put on the relaxation pandora station for her and that will play for about 4 hours. She has a corner cage with the 2 short sides facing walls and the front rounded one looks out to the TV room, the big glass sliding doors to the outside around about 10-12 feet across the room from her. Should she be closer to the windows?

Click to expand...

How does she act when by the window? I have Mango's cage right in front of a window. He can see my truck when I come home. I always see him looking out the window whenever he is in his cage, if he's not doing anything else. He genuinely loves to watch the ongoings outside.

Mango121913 said:

Mollysbird14 said:

Usually my fiancé will put on the relaxation pandora station for her and that will play for about 4 hours. She has a corner cage with the 2 short sides facing walls and the front rounded one looks out to the TV room, the big glass sliding doors to the outside around about 10-12 feet across the room from her. Should she be closer to the windows?

Click to expand...

How does she act when by the window? I have Mango's cage right in front of a window. He can see my truck when I come home. I always see him looking out the window whenever he is in his cage, if he's not doing anything else. He genuinely loves to watch the ongoings outside.

Click to expand...

Zilla's cage is half in front of the window and half by the wall so she can "hide" from the world if she wants, but I hardly ever see her on that side during the day, only in the evenings after dinner when it's dark out. She loves to watch the other birds and the people walk by with their dogs and things.

Hello and Welcome to you and Molly! You don't sound like a bad parent at all, in fact quite the opposite. There are so many reasons for plucking, sometimes it takes a lot of detective work to find the cause. It sounds like Molly has a wonderful home and she's lucky to have such a caring mom.

These are just suggestions, but I think at this point, I would discontinue the extra vitamins, at least temporarily, it's possible to over supplement. If you're still using the rescue remedy, I think I would discontinue using it, Molly may be having an unusual reaction to one or more of the ingredients. An organic diet and vegetables rich in vitamin A might also be helpful. Daily showers or mist baths in plain water are fine. I wish you and Molly the best. I hope you are able to resolve this soon.

I'm very glad you joined the forum and I so hope you are able to find some answers for your sweet girl.

A big warm welcome to you and molly!! You sound like a wonderful parront!! Molly is very very lucky to have you!!!
I have a BHC and though hes never plucked, his skin has been very dry since the cold winter has set in and the heaters have started to work in the house. I also went out and bought "rain" its helped immensely! The humidifier is also a great idea! I only adopted my Mr. Big as an adult so im unaware of how to care for an adolescent. ..what does molly eat at her age? Could maybe this be a factor? If all blood work is coming up normal at least you can have piece of mond knowing that it isnt an infection or something more serious. I would take a look at diet, temperature and stressers. Maybe some low music in her room while your at work?

Mr. Big hardly ever plays with the abundance of toys he has in his cage either, hes also much more interested in interacting with us.
Sorry i couldn't be more help...I wish you all the best with molly