[Oviraptor]

Hello!

A friend of my mother owns a severe macaw. She's absolutely beautiful, 28 years old, and was a wild caught bird.

For the past few years her macaw has had bad plucking issues. Except for her wings-which she has recently began to pluck-she is almost naked from the waist down. She began plucking when she started working full-time and it only got worse when she stated babysitting her 2 grandsons who are very hyperactive. She will admit that before these things happened the bird spent alot of time outside the cage with her. Now she lucky if he only gets an hour with her between the other birds. Also, the young Hahn's macaw she also owns is beginning to pluck too.

She has stated that she tried using a product called "Pluck-No-More" and it actually worked. However she stopped using it as her vet told her that the spray isn't good for the bird.

To my utter shock she told me a week ago that she is considering having her bird "put down". I suggested that she really should consider giving her up for adoption instead of doing this. Her reply was something along the lines of "Oh, no I couldn't do that! She'd die of a broken heart!" To me this seems that she can't accept the fact that her bird would probably be better off and much happier under someone elses care.

I know it isn't any of my business as the bird isn't mine, but I can't understand why she'd want to do this.

Am I wrong for wanting to do or say something to reach a better solution?