Thanks for this resource!

serenity · Dec 26, 2019

Hello fellow parrot parents! I've lived with a Congo Grey named Junior for 33 years since she hatched. (We thought we had a male for 10 years until one day "HE" laid an egg--and it was too late by then to change the name!) According our Avian vet, she's in perfect health and will likely outlive me, and maybe my kids too!

I joined your forum today in the hopes of getting a question answered: I'd like to know if there's anyone out there whose chronic feather picker stopped when given a same-species companion of the opposite sex. Heading over to the species specific area with fingers crossed!

Scott · Dec 27, 2019

Welcome to the forums, thanks for joining!

Excellent idea to post within the species specific forum. As general consideration, there are many reasons to acquire (or not) a second bird as companion for Junior. Absolutely no guarantees they will bond or even tolerate each other.

Laurasea · Dec 27, 2019

Feather pickings is a complex problem, and they become addicted to the endorphin high they get from plucking...

Now with africy Grey's there has been aink with low calcium.and lack of exposure to sunlight bit filtered from a window.

I have a mild pluck quaker, sometimes she stops for awhile , then she starts back up.

As such smart and active and social critters. The advice is usually the same. Increase activity, and exercise, provide something everyday that they can easily destroy, like shredding old paperback books, cardboards, increase foraging activity, a healthy diet with lots and lots of veggies, increase time out if the cage and social contact, when weather permits role the cage outside , or take them out in a travel cage sitting under a shade tree is fine they don't need to be parked in direct sunlight to get the benefits.

Welcome to the forum!

serenity · Dec 27, 2019

Thanks for the replies. Unfortunately I employ all of the above on a daily basis with no improvement. (Living in Southern California allows her year-round sunshine.) She particularly enjoys attacking paperback books, which horrifies my bibliophile friends! But after a bit, she goes back to attacking herself. <sniff> Acquiring a male for her is my last hope, but I'm afraid it might not work, or even have the opposite effect. It would be encouraging to hear from people who had a successful outcome.

noodles123 · Dec 27, 2019

serenity said:
Thanks for the replies. Unfortunately I employ all of the above on a daily basis with no improvement. (Living in Southern California allows her year-round sunshine.) She particularly enjoys attacking paperback books, which horrifies my bibliophile friends! But after a bit, she goes back to attacking herself. <sniff> Acquiring a male for her is my last hope, but I'm afraid it might not work, or even have the opposite effect. It would be encouraging to hear from people who had a successful outcome.

Did you read my post on your other thread (oops---had "threat" originally LOL) (in which the same question was posted)? Just in case, I wanted to draw it to your attention.
http://www.parrotforums.com/congo-timneh-greys/83467-i-have-question.html

Flboy · Dec 27, 2019

Welcome! A second bird can be the best move you ever made! Or it could be the beginning of a nightmare!

Thanks for this resource!

serenity

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Scott

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Laurasea

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serenity

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noodles123

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Flboy

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I brought home a blue and gold macaw

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