kinGreyDad
Moving in
Hello all,
My family just adopted a new Grey and oh boy is this going to be a journey. He is a Congo and he is gorgeous, with loads of red factor showing through. He has always had the same coloration (at least for the last 20 years) so hopefully it is not a sign of any issues. The problem is, he is plucking. And he has been doing it for years according to the previous owner. Poor boy. We have to get it under control. He will be making his first appearance at the vet in a couple of weeks, but I would like to try to give him a little relief in the meantime. His diet has been a little questionable, as we were told about all of the things he likes to eat, which were not all wonderful (lots of salty snacks, fatty beef like steaks and hamburger, and loads of sweets). He is on a good food, though, not just seeds and nuts. He likes fruits, and I have already started giving him new veggies and greens to try. He is extremely dusty, but there is no way I am going to be able to give him a shower until he gets more acclimated to his new environment. And he won't take a bath on his own right now, he's just too nervous. He is not aggressive, but he is definitely stressed. He will grab my fingers, but not bite down. I don't react. He steps up fine, and pants and whines like a dog when I'm holding him (the last owner said he is gay because he only likes men ). I'm concerned that he may be very old, as the last owner had no clue what his age was when they got him, and they had him for 20 years. He has had very little stimulation for the last few years and was very neglected, unfortunately. He does have a very extensive vocabulary, and the multitude of sounds he mimics is amazing (like an old Nextel phone ringer from 20 years ago that sounds completely authentic and amazing). On the 4-hour truck ride home we stopped and picked up several bags of toys for him, and he is terrified of all of them. It's so sad. Most people would say he was not worth all of the money we spent (and will spend) getting him and getting him healthy, but as soon as I saw him I knew I had to help him. I want the rest of his life to be wonderful, even if it is only a short time, and I'm going to do whatever is necessary to make sure that happens. I hope he is not as old as I fear, and we can have many wonderful years together, but it may prove to be impossible to tell. Any ideas? Thanks in advance.
kinGreyDad
My family just adopted a new Grey and oh boy is this going to be a journey. He is a Congo and he is gorgeous, with loads of red factor showing through. He has always had the same coloration (at least for the last 20 years) so hopefully it is not a sign of any issues. The problem is, he is plucking. And he has been doing it for years according to the previous owner. Poor boy. We have to get it under control. He will be making his first appearance at the vet in a couple of weeks, but I would like to try to give him a little relief in the meantime. His diet has been a little questionable, as we were told about all of the things he likes to eat, which were not all wonderful (lots of salty snacks, fatty beef like steaks and hamburger, and loads of sweets). He is on a good food, though, not just seeds and nuts. He likes fruits, and I have already started giving him new veggies and greens to try. He is extremely dusty, but there is no way I am going to be able to give him a shower until he gets more acclimated to his new environment. And he won't take a bath on his own right now, he's just too nervous. He is not aggressive, but he is definitely stressed. He will grab my fingers, but not bite down. I don't react. He steps up fine, and pants and whines like a dog when I'm holding him (the last owner said he is gay because he only likes men ). I'm concerned that he may be very old, as the last owner had no clue what his age was when they got him, and they had him for 20 years. He has had very little stimulation for the last few years and was very neglected, unfortunately. He does have a very extensive vocabulary, and the multitude of sounds he mimics is amazing (like an old Nextel phone ringer from 20 years ago that sounds completely authentic and amazing). On the 4-hour truck ride home we stopped and picked up several bags of toys for him, and he is terrified of all of them. It's so sad. Most people would say he was not worth all of the money we spent (and will spend) getting him and getting him healthy, but as soon as I saw him I knew I had to help him. I want the rest of his life to be wonderful, even if it is only a short time, and I'm going to do whatever is necessary to make sure that happens. I hope he is not as old as I fear, and we can have many wonderful years together, but it may prove to be impossible to tell. Any ideas? Thanks in advance.
kinGreyDad
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