One step forward, two steps back

[Sheeji]

So an update on Leo's plucking:
He's stopped chewing on feathers and started plucking the whole feather out. It's one or two every day. He's not doing it all the time but when he preens he does so very aggressively.. It's takes everything I have to ignore it.

I bathe him everyday at least once if not twice but the problem is he doesn't like me doing it, he prefers that my daughter gives him the shower, for her he'll spread his wings, turn around and everything but she's not always available. I know I'm not supposed to force him but I do chase him around the cage with the spray bottle once he has some water on him perhaps he likes it he would sit still and let it happen.

He's getting good at flying around the house, does anyone know if harness training motivates them to stop plucking?

He's a happy bird, I notice nothing that would suggest that he's stressed. Seems that he's just picked up a bad habit.
Someone suggested making preening toys out of his own feathers I have been collecting them should I just attach them to an existing toy?

 

[SilverSage]

You can also buy preening toys that are not feathers; I'm having some luck with my adopted plucking Eckie. Plucking does not start as a bad habit, it usually starts because several things are very wrong, but if left alone long enough it can BECOME a habit. The fact that he has just now switched to plucking suggests that if you can figure out why, you may be able to eliminate it

 

[Sheeji]

He has several of those and so far the only thing that seems to be working is keeping him busy and showers.
I did figure out exactly when he started. He was going through a molt and we travelled for 10 days. Although my husband was here he was at work the entire day. After we came back we noticed his entire chest and back was covered in down feathers which we thought were new feathers but now I realise he had been plucking. Then there was an incident with kids from the neighborhood after we came back it scared him and he ended up plucking so bad he drew blood. After that there was no question that this is indeed plucking.
We have cancelled any future plans of travelling for now. He is busy and happy. He eats well. But everytime he is left alone he does start preening quite agressively even if he doesn't actually pluck anything out every time.