GCC Behaviour

[Lwalker]

Update: Cricket flew to me today for the first time! I took him to the vet for his blood test and then we popped in on my parents. He was on his travel perch and I walked to the opposite side of the room and he flew right to me. I heard the whoosh so I turned and held up one finger as a perch and he landed right on it! After that it was game on! He did it five more times. Perfect landings each time except for one awkward head landing. He earned a big grape and a nap for all his hard work. I was so proud!

[Wolf]

This is wonderful news and a perfectly good excuse for at least a small celebration. This was a big step for Cricket and it shows you how much he wanted and wants to be with you. He just had to figure out if he could trust you and this shows that he is well on the way to that trust. You just can't make a bird fly to you, it is something that they will only do if they want to and it is a wonderful feeling to know that they want you.

[Pajarita]

Awwww, how wonderful is that?! Baby flew to momma... and I bet your heart just melted!

[Lwalker]

It really did! I am surprised at how emotional I was.

[Lwalker]

Oh no! After all of the progress Cricket has made, he plucked another batch of chest feathers during the night leaving only the grey down. I went out for three hours in the evening but have been off for a week, making sure to leave for four or five hours a day so he wouldn't be too thrown off when I go back to work tomorrow. We have looked at food and more sleep and the vet gave him a clean bill of health. He can fly to me know when he wants. He is out for an hour in the morning and three to four in the evening and most of all the weekends. I wondered if his cage was too far from the window. It was opposite the window in a corner. When I take him to the window he makes these lovely soft trilling noises and seems to like to look out so I moved his cage to the corner with the window today. There is still a shady portion of the cage. I was worried that the chill off the window would be a bit much but it is not bad. I will get a curved cover for a nearby air vent to make sure it is not a problem. While he can fly for exercise, he doesn't seem to choose to often. Should I be gently tossing him up (that doesn't sound good but I am sure you know what I mean) to encourage exercise? I have considered getting him a mate bit know that could bring on more issues and is not as simple as it sounds. The other thought I had was a companion in a different cage - would it help him while I am at work to have a budgie friend nearby? I have cats and a dog but as far as I know they don't bother him. The last question (sorry for so many....worried mom here) is should I get him a sweater so he can't pluck? Hopefully since he is young the behaviour can be halted?

[Pajarita]

I have never used sweaters for plucking birds but I am beginning to consider a collar for Linus (a 25 year old cockatoo that plucks something terrible -he came to me that way some months ago). Linus doesn't only pluck his chest, he plucks his entire body and chews on his primaries and secondaries as they are coming out so the only good feathers he has are on his head.

Plucking is a VERY complex issue because it could have several causes although, in my personal opinion, it's almost always frustration or anxiety that causes it. This 'attack' could have been from taking him out to the vet and visiting your parents (strange people and places do cause them anxiety). Do you have a humidifier in the room where he is kept? Dry skin and plumage does contribute to their plucking... And sexual frustration seems to be all the way up there on the list, too.

A doubt a budgie in a cage nearby would make that big a difference to him and it would not be kind to the poor lonely budgie, either. Personally, I am all for giving my birds mates or, at the very least, companions and I have never had trouble with the little ones but there is a member on this board that hasn't been successful so far in getting her male GCC to bond with a new female. My GCC is bonded to a male peachfront conure and they are very happy together...

[Lwalker]

I guess I will see how the cage by the window goes. He has been looking out the window all morning and trilling (so I think he is happy?) and took a bath in his water dish shortly after the move. Where I live we usually have to use dehumidifiers so I think we are okay with that. I am mostly worried about his age for finding him a partner and I don't want to breed. I would rather a same sex friend but don't want to deprive him of partner bond. The vet was two days ago. I wish he could tell me what is going on.

[Pajarita]

Plucking birds take a looooong time to get better and most never actually stop altogether although they can all improve. It's not only that it becomes a difficult-to-break habit (like chewing one nails), it's also that what is usually recommended for it (diet, solar schedule, good lighting indoors, exercise, baths, enrichment, etc) are not solutions that would show immediate results. It's one of the most frustrating problems we have with parrots...

[seagoatdeb]

I have never used sweaters for plucking birds but I am beginning to consider a collar for Linus (a 25 year old cockatoo that plucks something terrible -he came to me that way some months ago). Linus doesn't only pluck his chest, he plucks his entire body and chews on his primaries and secondaries as they are coming out so the only good feathers he has are on his head.

Plucking is a VERY complex issue because it could have several causes although, in my personal opinion, it's almost always frustration or anxiety that causes it. This 'attack' could have been from taking him out to the vet and visiting your parents (strange people and places do cause them anxiety). Do you have a humidifier in the room where he is kept? Dry skin and plumage does contribute to their plucking... And sexual frustration seems to be all the way up there on the list, too.

A doubt a budgie in a cage nearby would make that big a difference to him and it would not be kind to the poor lonely budgie, either. Personally, I am all for giving my birds mates or, at the very least, companions and I have never had trouble with the little ones but there is a member on this board that hasn't been successful so far in getting her male GCC to bond with a new female. My GCC is bonded to a male peachfront conure and they are very happy together...

I have seen some plucking parrots who have to wear sweaters or jumpers, as soon as they start to pluck again because nothing else worked. If you can solve it the first time plucking starts, it is usually easier, and the cause can sometimes be found. Once it it habit, it is hard to break.

[seagoatdeb]

I guess I will see how the cage by the window goes. He has been looking out the window all morning and trilling (so I think he is happy?) and took a bath in his water dish shortly after the move. Where I live we usually have to use dehumidifiers so I think we are okay with that. I am mostly worried about his age for finding him a partner and I don't want to breed. I would rather a same sex friend but don't want to deprive him of partner bond. The vet was two days ago. I wish he could tell me what is going on.

By the window is a really good thing, there are so many things to look at, it will take a lot of the time he might be plucking into watching instead. i have seen moves by the window solve all kinds of problems for parrots.