I’ve been thinking a lot about what is helping me get Kokkie to stop plucking and shredding her feathers. I wanted to share our ongoing experience. When Kokkie gets anxious, she tends to shred and pluck. So the first thing I did was spend lots of time with her. Exposing her to the rest of the house, hanging out with her on my knee (shoulder privileges are rare), figuring out what she likes to do.
I stumbled on the fact that she loves to tear soft things apart. So I got easily shreddable toys mixed with hard wood pieces. She didn’t go for them for months but I was faithful to have them for her. Slowly, she began checking them out. Now she destroys things like normal grey. She is still learning how to play tho.
Also, by chance, I noticed she wanted to tear any cloth. I had old towels and watched as she began her artistic career in shredded art. I’ve been careful and made sure she wasn’t eating the towels. She shreds them to microscopic bits.
So I keep the torn towels and toys around. It’s distracted her enough to mostly leaving her feathers alone. I’m so happy! I’d rather her shred things than herself.
I also insist on baths which she hates. But being clean and having good food is part of the journey as well.
Love my little vampire. Vet thinks she may get some neck feathers after all. If so I hope she keeps her little red bow tie.
Parrots are work but keeping us busy is a kind of stress reliever as well for us the caretakers. It’s a win-win.