- Joined
- 11/24/12
- Messages
- 68
Do you have any suggestions for helping my African grey deal with the death of her chosen person? It's been a long hard few years as his condition deteriorated, but then he passed quite suddenly of a heart attack in December. She was in the room when he fell, and while where the EMTs tried to revive him, and of course, I (her caretaker) haven't been exactly stable since it occurred. She began plucking occasionally, mildly, a few years ago when his condition deteriorated. In the past 2 weeks her plucking has grown worse.
I'm trying to get in a better place myself to help her. Mostly I am.
When he first passed, she huddled in a corner and didn't move for a day. Then she gradually came down and out to her playstand and has gradually resumed her normal activities. Well, as normal as they can be without my husband. She used to chatter with him all day. I'm trying to fill his role as much as I can. Hopefully she'll warm up to me. Do you think the plucking will stop once I'm in a more stable place?
I'm providing enrichment (toys and birdie burritos of rolled paper with treats tucked inside, which she'll work on all day). And we do talk some. It's hard to be cheerful, but I manage it sometimes, and I'm trying to be encouraging.
I'm going to have to wrestle her into the shower for a bath to help the plucking, and I'm concerned because that won't help her trust me. I didn't mind being the bad guy when my husband was here - he was her chosen person and she was happy to bite me if I got in reach no matter what I did. But now I'm all she has, so I hate to be the bad guy. But she needs that bath. She will happily bathe in a dish, but barely wets the front of herself, so a shower is needed. She freaks out when I use a spray bottle. So the shower has been the best option.
Do you have any suggestions to help her? With, well, anything.
I'm trying to get in a better place myself to help her. Mostly I am.
When he first passed, she huddled in a corner and didn't move for a day. Then she gradually came down and out to her playstand and has gradually resumed her normal activities. Well, as normal as they can be without my husband. She used to chatter with him all day. I'm trying to fill his role as much as I can. Hopefully she'll warm up to me. Do you think the plucking will stop once I'm in a more stable place?
I'm providing enrichment (toys and birdie burritos of rolled paper with treats tucked inside, which she'll work on all day). And we do talk some. It's hard to be cheerful, but I manage it sometimes, and I'm trying to be encouraging.
I'm going to have to wrestle her into the shower for a bath to help the plucking, and I'm concerned because that won't help her trust me. I didn't mind being the bad guy when my husband was here - he was her chosen person and she was happy to bite me if I got in reach no matter what I did. But now I'm all she has, so I hate to be the bad guy. But she needs that bath. She will happily bathe in a dish, but barely wets the front of herself, so a shower is needed. She freaks out when I use a spray bottle. So the shower has been the best option.
Do you have any suggestions to help her? With, well, anything.
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