We have had our Congo African Grey Henry for a few years now. He is 15 years old.
Last year around this time, he started chewing his feathers for the first time. Just around his crop, and it didn't get bad until January when we thought he was dying and rushed him to the vet because he had chewed so many off. At the time, I didn't realize that that's what had been happening, and I thought maybe he had some weird disease. Turns out, he was in perfect health. After a couple of months, it stopped and his feathers all grew back. Everything was fine.
Well here we are in November again, and the bird has lost his fool mind. He's starting with the chewing again, though not too bad. But I don't remember his behavior being this insane last year. He does this thing when he's throwing a fit where he leans forward and flaps his wings. I call it "Pretty Winging". He'll do it when he's hungry for dinner or when I'm cooking something and he wants it. After a while, he usually flies to one of us (my husband or me) and all is well. But lately, he's doing it all the time. It's like a never ending fit being thrown. We have bought him almonds to snack on and new toys and ropes to chew. He's still sitting there throwing a fit all day long. Usually it's worse in the evening the last couple of hours before bed time. He likes to do this thing where he "angry chews" on one of his toys. During the rest of the year, it's peaceful chewing and gentle. Well lately it's like super insane ANGRY chewing where it's almost like he's being aggressive towards the poor toy. It's odd.
I noticed some blatantly hormonal behavior as well, where he tries to regurgitate when I'm hand feeding him, and he seems to always want to be on my husband's chest (in his snuggle spot). Throughout the year he will do the regurgitate thing once in a great while, but lately it's been increasing.
Edit to add: One other odd thing this year... He's climbing to the floor, where he is not allowed to be. He's never done this before, and we can't seem to keep him off it. Why would he be doing that? It's very strange.
Is all of this behavior just hormonal? It's odd that after 4 years, it's only now getting really bad. Our lesser sulfur crested cockatoo has been a little bit whinier than normal lately, but she isn't acting nearly as insane as Henry has (she is 11). His bad behavior has been bad for a few weeks, but it seemed to spike right after the daylight savings time change drastically.
I've been giving him a little bit of extra sleep lately. Mostly just because he's too big of an pain after 7pm to keep up any later. Is that extra sleep ok? That puts him at about 13 hours a night, rather than his usual 12 hours.
Please tell me that this will pass.
I love him so much, but he is literally making me insane. Is there anything I can do to make him more tolerable? Is there anything else it might be? I hope I'm not the only one, and maybe it's just something going around. I also always really worry when he feather chews because I'm afraid it will become a permanent habit. last year he was completely naked on his chest. I was so glad when that finally stopped and he grew his feathers back.
Last year around this time, he started chewing his feathers for the first time. Just around his crop, and it didn't get bad until January when we thought he was dying and rushed him to the vet because he had chewed so many off. At the time, I didn't realize that that's what had been happening, and I thought maybe he had some weird disease. Turns out, he was in perfect health. After a couple of months, it stopped and his feathers all grew back. Everything was fine.
Well here we are in November again, and the bird has lost his fool mind. He's starting with the chewing again, though not too bad. But I don't remember his behavior being this insane last year. He does this thing when he's throwing a fit where he leans forward and flaps his wings. I call it "Pretty Winging". He'll do it when he's hungry for dinner or when I'm cooking something and he wants it. After a while, he usually flies to one of us (my husband or me) and all is well. But lately, he's doing it all the time. It's like a never ending fit being thrown. We have bought him almonds to snack on and new toys and ropes to chew. He's still sitting there throwing a fit all day long. Usually it's worse in the evening the last couple of hours before bed time. He likes to do this thing where he "angry chews" on one of his toys. During the rest of the year, it's peaceful chewing and gentle. Well lately it's like super insane ANGRY chewing where it's almost like he's being aggressive towards the poor toy. It's odd.
I noticed some blatantly hormonal behavior as well, where he tries to regurgitate when I'm hand feeding him, and he seems to always want to be on my husband's chest (in his snuggle spot). Throughout the year he will do the regurgitate thing once in a great while, but lately it's been increasing.
Edit to add: One other odd thing this year... He's climbing to the floor, where he is not allowed to be. He's never done this before, and we can't seem to keep him off it. Why would he be doing that? It's very strange.
Is all of this behavior just hormonal? It's odd that after 4 years, it's only now getting really bad. Our lesser sulfur crested cockatoo has been a little bit whinier than normal lately, but she isn't acting nearly as insane as Henry has (she is 11). His bad behavior has been bad for a few weeks, but it seemed to spike right after the daylight savings time change drastically.
I've been giving him a little bit of extra sleep lately. Mostly just because he's too big of an pain after 7pm to keep up any later. Is that extra sleep ok? That puts him at about 13 hours a night, rather than his usual 12 hours.
Please tell me that this will pass.
I love him so much, but he is literally making me insane. Is there anything I can do to make him more tolerable? Is there anything else it might be? I hope I'm not the only one, and maybe it's just something going around. I also always really worry when he feather chews because I'm afraid it will become a permanent habit. last year he was completely naked on his chest. I was so glad when that finally stopped and he grew his feathers back.
Last edited: