DeRita Update and photos

[Nakiska]

Hey everyone!

Been a LOOOONG time since I've been about the forum, sure do miss it, but having a blast in life!

My spouse and I decided to tie the knot officially on July 30th! Couldn't be happier!

We had an outdoor wedding in our back yard and DeRita was in the tree above us...quiet as a mouse, which was a bit disappointing for us as we really hoped she'd belt something out during our ceremony! Hahaha!

If anyone remembers her story, I don't know, but here's a quick recap...she was owned by a truck driver who passed away and the widowed wife hated his bird, as a result, DeRita went into a deep mourning and plucked herself naked on her body.

I was soo scared taking her on at first, but now...I can't imagine life without her! Unfortunately because her plucking is an emotional issue and we are doing everything we can to get her to stop...she seems to pluck only at night when she is not directly with us. We are also working with our vet, but reluctant to give her sedatives...or a cone..because aside from her nakedness...she really is a very happy girl now!

We keep her well entertained, she does just about everything with us and we hope one day she will totally stop plucking. Our vet said it could take years... She has been with us almost a year in October.

Anyway, I wanted to post some pictures of her...bless her heart I tell ya! She is NOTHING of Amazon we thought we would get, she is kind and loving and cuddly and funny and LOVES to be outside and go bye bye and her appetite is voracious!

Anyway, I know this is quick...I hope to type a more detailed update in a couple days...however, I think the pictures speak for themselves.

Have a good one everyone!

Toni and DeRita

 

[Nakiska]

Oh also, the picture of myself and my horse...that is my mare Nakiska, she is 28 1/2 years old and has been with me for 22 1/2 years!

And of course the other picture is my husband Kevin and I.

When we were told about DeRita, we were told she only likes males..but she and I have a super special bond, she equally loves my husband and I...she also really loves my son in law! Went right to him one day when they were over visiting.

She talks some...and it's hysterical sometimes how she yells...MOM!! MAA!! HELP! RIGHT NOW!! RIGHT NOW! And then she laughs like the wicked witch in the Wizard of Oz! Sooo Funny!

Her nakedness is really part of her charm. We are very out doorsie people, hubby has her on his shoulder mowing the lawn, working in the bob cat...De Rita LOVES back up beeper! hahaha! She hangs outside for bbq's...she'd rather be anywhere we are doing anything we are doing..she helps weed the garden and clean horse pens and has her favorite tree in the whole world in our backyard that she also spends a lot of time in...supervised of course!

We are soo blessed to share our home with such and amazing parrot...soo blessed!

Anyway, let me see if I can post a couple more pictures...I have sooo many, it's hard to choose only a few. Sooo...a pic of our little dog Snickers and my husband just before our ceremony and DeRita playing "Eagle" hahaha! She's soo tough!

Enjoy!

Toni

 

[Terry57]

First of all, congratulations on your wedding! You are a gorgeous couple and I love your wedding photos! I also think DeRita is beautiful and she looks so happy. I also have a plucker who does not wear a cone and he is very happy as well. I do hope her feathers come back in, but her happiness is the most important and she is obviously so very happy and loved.
I'm so glad you came back, I have been wondering about you and DeRita

Editosted at the same time! I love how you included Nakiska and Snickers in your big day, you have a wonderful feathered and furry family

 

[wrench13]

Congrats, you look so happy. Good on ya for taking on Derita.

 

[SirEdwin89]

Congratulations! Marriage is a wonderful adventure! Full of tears, and sorrow, and frustration, and anger.... and.... and.... uhmm.... Welcome to the club!!!!

 

[RavensGryf]

Congratulations Toni such beautiful pics! I'm glad you stopped by to update us on DeRita. She really looks happy. I love how all your beloved animals were able to share in your special day.

 

[Printer bird]

What a charming parrot! Congrats on your wedding too! Looks like it was a fun day!

 

[chris-md]

Aw I'm so glad I got to see this. I've been thinking about derita a little bit lately wondering how she is. Congratulations to you and your husband, that's wonderful news! And how so precious that derita was there hanging out in a tree for it all. This just lifted my spirits a bit, thank you so much for updating us all!

 

[Jeans]

Congratulations! I would love to have my horse in my wedding. DeRita is beautiful nonetheless!


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[SailBoat]

Congratulations! So surprised that DeRita was quiet during the Wedding! I would have guessed that she would have joined in on the event! That's just part of the Wonderful World of Amazons! You just never know.

I remember DeRita's story and so very happy that all has continued to go and grow so wonderfully! She has clearly found her Forever Home and knows it!

Best Wishes to you and yours! May happiness be with you all the days of your life! Well that goes without saying, you're an Amazon Household!

 

[Nakiska]

Thanks everyone...it was a GREAT day, this a 2nd marriage for each of us...however we were highschool sweethearts, he saved every letter I ever wrote him, I saved our first date concert ticket stub and various other items...we had lots of old memorabilia that we displayed in flower pots as table center pieces...everyone just loved...I took parts of some of the letters I had written him back in the 80's and copied them and put them on the backs of photos of us.

Kevin and I have been together for 9 years. Now that my kids are raised I decided it was really time to give up their last name and move on. LOLOL

DeRita is very interesting...she is clearly soo very happy, well engaged, fearless, active in our daily lives and she will go a couple months and a bunch of her "floofies" will grow in and she will leave them...then for no particular reason in the middle of the night, we will hear her...when she plucks, she makes a dog snarling sound...If I hear her, which I usually do...I get up and of course tell her DeRita..NO! NO PLUCKING! And she growls at me or sometimes she acts all innocent...and so very sweetly says..."Hellooo" Sometimes when I hear her and get up...It's like she's in a trance at...DeRita! She will pluck another..>DE RITA! NO! Pluck another...then I open her cage door and she's like...Oh..oh Hello...

Then I will see there in the bottom of her cage are her "floofies" she pulled. Breaks my heart!

She will be having another vet appointment here in a couple weeks...because her plucking only happens at night time...I am hoping we can find something to help her. I have tried making her little fleece collars to slip over her head the first 2 she ripped to pieces all sorts of mad...the 3rd one she just took her foot, grabbed it and slipped it right off...I thought it was fluke at first..but nope...she is very good at removing them so I gave up. I hoped she would just learn to "go with it" but she said..Nope..I refuse Mom...watch this...Taaa Daaa! As she holds the material in her foot while giving me "the eye". It was a total game for her. Hahaha

I had such high expectations...I really believed that we would be her saving grace...that our love for her would win her over and she would stop the plucking and look better than ever...well...we have definitely won her over...she is amazing! But...sadly all we are doing isn't enough yet... she still holds pain in her heart. Poor girl. :-(

Anyway, its hard for outsiders/non bird people to understand sometimes...people are curious, I always have to tell the story and even still, I can tell...some people walk away thinking I am abusing my bird.

Oh well...it is what it is.

Anyway, thanks again all!

I hope to stay more involved in the forum as I do enjoy the company and support here.

Have a great day!

Toni

 

[SirEdwin89]

My first post was entirely in jest, so this time I'm gonna make a 180 and have one that is entirely serious. I've never had to deal with plucking, between being new to the avian world, and being fortunate, it simply isn't one of the issues any of my flock has encountered. That said, I did have a scare that caused me to do massive amounts of reading on the subject.

From what I've read if I've understood it properly, when a bird becomes a habitual plucker, even if the situation that caused them to *start* has been fixed, some can become essentially addicted to the endorphin rush that results from pulling feathers.
And quite frankly, I don't think you are giving yourself nearly enough credit. You say that everything you are doing isn't enough yet, and from what I can tell, I think you are beating yourself up, because it seems to me like you are providing an amazing and loving home for her.

This isn't directly bird related, but it's a lesson I was forced to learn doing wildlife rehab that I think is fitting here. Not every problem has a solution, no matter how much we want it to, or think it should. It's easy for us to beat ourselves up because as responsible animal lovers we feel like it is our obligation to provide the best home possible for the animals. That feeling however doesn't take in to consideration that most animals are individuals themselves (especially true in the parrot world) and just because WE think something is a problem, doesn't mean that THEY think there is a problem.

Just some food for thought for how you are viewing the situation yourself, because I'd be willing to bet if she could communicate as well as we can, she would sit you down and say "You have turned my life around, and made me realize how great my life can be. However, I learned how good the endorphin rush from plucking feels first, and while the problems that made me feel like I needed to do it emotionally are gone, physically it still feels good, so, ya know, i'm gonna do it still".

Kind of like smoking for those who do it. I mean, every smoker out there knows how unhealthy it is, and almost all of them will tell you that if they could go back, they would never pick them up. But, once the addiction is there, many simply view it as an acceptable health risk that they aren't willing to give up. Plucking could just be her form of Nicotine.

TLDR version: I think you sound like an amazing parront, who has done a world of good for a bird that needed it, somethings are simply outside of our control, and those are the things you can't beat yourself up over.

 

[Nakiska]

SirEdwin89

BLESS YOUR HEART!

I think I needed your post more than I realized. You truly enlightened a new point of view to me that I really hadn't considered.

I never considered her plucking to be like an addiction to her. Hmmm....definitely food for thought.

Of course we love DeRita no matter what she looks like, we consider her "nakedness" part of her charm.

Thank you...really...thank you!

Toni

 

[SirEdwin89]

It's absolutely my pleasure, i'm really glad I could offer something of use.