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So sorry you've had family member losses Karen -- that always makes the holidays harder. But so glad Timber is still doing okay. Wishing everyone a wonderful Thanksgiving! (Yes, even those across the pond who don't celebrate it -- eat something delicious for tea Katrina (and share whatever is appropriate with Alfie -- he'd probably love our pumpkin pie and candied sweet potatoes here - Snickers always did!) I'm up late tonight, just managed a shower while my green bean casserole cools enough to go in the fridge and mixed up a watergate salad (will mix in nuts tomorrow just before serving). Sister is doing the turkey and other sides this year. Mom is 81, Dad turns 91 in 2 weeks. A lot to be grateful for.

Well, last Tues. October 13 was Talons Hatchday! It's hard for me to believe it has been 21 years! AS I have stated on almost every hatchday of hers, I have had her since she was 4 months old. She is 21 years old! I can't believe how fast the time has gone. She is still a crazy comedian always trying to outsmart me by getting into every cupboard, closet & draw in my house, even tho she has a double cupboard all hers above the fridge in my kitchen..it's just not enough! Also EVERY cardboard box ( this is an empty waffle box) she can get her claws on as you can see in the pic! Happy Hatchday Talon! ❤️

I find myself praying that he outlives me (I'm 68) because I don't know how I'd deal with his loss. Yes, but how will he deal with your loss.. that to me is much harder as he will never understand where you went...:( That to me breaks my heart

My sincere condolences, You have been thru a world of emotions, ups & downs with him I can only imagine. What a sad beginning he had, but you loved him into the wonder he was. Thank you for coming back here for our support in this terrible time. God Bless you & I pray for healing.

My heart goes out to you. I never understood the connection that could develop between myself and an angry and terrified African Grey until I took Timber from someone wanting to rehome him because he wasn't "adjusting." The bond is indescribable unless you've experienced it. I find myself praying that he outlives me (I'm 68) because I don't know how I'd deal with his loss. I have no words, but my heart bleeds for you. God bless.

Oh, too kind, I’m not an owner, just a rescuer of fine antiquities LOL As Talon said, it would be almost a crime to let so much knowledge be erased. You guys are the owners. I just try and keep it running. Thank you all for years of knowledge and experiences put in one place. When I found this place it was basically one file database surrounded by bad infected code. I just cleaned it up. You also helped me save Mr. Grumpy bird from the other side of the planet in the badlands. It’s all you guys. Thanks. 🙏

Merry Christmas to all!

Merry Christmas everyone!

Yes it is scary how time flies. Especially when you are watching it in your children or your pets! I'm not fond of watching it in the mirror

I'm a bit late to the party but Happy Thanksgiving to all those who celebrate it! Appreciate the shoutout! Alfie is as spoiled as always. He's currently sitting behind me munching on his dinner whilst I catch up on a few things on the computer. Alfie will be 23 in April 2026. Scary how quickly time flies!

Happy Thanksgiving to you, too, Timbersmom! So happy to hear that Timber is doing well! That is something to be most thankful for!

Happy hatchday to Talon! And here's to many more! Alfie also loves a cardboard box. I dared to put a squash in his cage earlier instead of a box. He's currently eyeing it up but isn't impressed!

Happy Hatchday to Talon! Timber also has a thing for cardboard. Talon is looking good

Always enjoy your pictures from this annual outing! Happy for you and Alfie!

What a fun venue for you both! And look at Alfie's big haul! Spoiled birdie!

My Nilah will be 15 years old next month. She does not like to be filmed as you can see by the end, but I managed to get her anyways. Just wanted to share, she can be such a love, but also a brat at times..but we go with the flow in my house! She gets the upmost respect from us all when her moods arise..LOL 20230316_175111.mp4

Thank you guys. My friends understand to the extent that they're all animal lovers who have experienced their own losses. They know my attachment to my critters. They know about Phenix' odyssey. Some were his fans. If admittedly from a distance which was best for all concerned. None of them have had any birds though. I think to them it's kind of like I've had a long term relationship with a bad tempered albeit fascinating interstellar alien. The long-term thing is very hard now though. Too many rituals & reminders accrued. So the sting of this won't be going away for that much longer. In the meanwhile it helps to think of him playing with his dogs. He really did love them. He called for Wolf in particular for a surprisingly long time after he was gone. I have a picture of them all together now & no holds barred. I wished this on myself because I was afraid of what would happen if Phenix went to another home. He would have had to find a safe place to land -and- be sufficiently adjusted to keep from slipping back into the abyss. There was no way to control such a big ask. So I'd preferred to have spared him if I couldn't protect him.

I try and check in as much as possible but don't always have a lot to talk about. Will try and respond to any new posts but don't really have enough to warrant a new post of it's own. I'm glad it's still here though. This place has helped me out so many times over the years and it would be sad to see it go.

I just have the one- Alfie who is 22 years old- he'll be 23 in April 2026. I've had him since he was 11 weeks old. I have thought about adding another parrot over the years but don't have the time and space needed if they don't get on with each other.

I got Timber (TAG) in 2012. He was "thought to be" 6 or 7 when I took him. I'm not sure how many previous homes he was in, but at least two. So, based on assumptions, he would be about 20 now.

It definitely keeps me busy, but I have a good routine in place. I have my morning coffee while chopping up their fresh veggies. It's my time to mentally plan my day. In the evening is when everyone gets let out of their cages. They're all flighted, so I decided to make evenings their time to get out and fly/exercise. I have 10 fids. Like you, I stress over what will happen to them once my time is up on this earth. My family are not into birds, so I'll likely find homes for them if my health goes south. If I go suddenly, then I have a notebook of wishes,etc.

I have a young flock: Gizmo and Niko: dusky conures, age 13. Gizmo was my very first bird, and we got Niko a month later to keep her company Harley: Panama amazon, age 12 Maalik (12), Fynn (7), and Sydney (19)-all CAGS Shaylor-miligold macaw (11) Dexter-scarlet macaw (9) Teak-lesser Jardine's (11) Chloe-meyers (9)

Merry Christmas to all my bird loving friends from Timber and his family/staff here. I hope you all have a joyous Christmas season and a prosperous New Year!

Merry Christmas to all & a Very Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas to everyone here!

Happy Thanksgiving to all my friends here from Timber and myself. It's been a hard year with the passing of a couple of very close family members, but there is much to be grateful for. Timber had his annual checkup at the avian vet and everything looked good. His meds are controlling his seizures, and his weight is stable. Wishing you and years a blessed Thanksgiving and a joyous upcoming Christmas season!

Timber will be 20 soon also, at least if we were given the right age when we got him (6). I really have little in confidence in that, not really knowing how many previous owners he had. I just go with it though since it's all we have. We celebrate his hatchday on July 4, since we don't know that either.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! Sorry to hear of your losses Karen. It is always harder during the holidays as we miss those who we have lost. It is great to hear from everyone here! Glad to know I am not the only one checking in! Bless everyone here & especially their babies! @ of my greys turned 20 years old this year! I cant believe it, I got them both when they were very young..seems like yesterday!

Alfie eats pumpkins seeds from his bowl that are in his regular food mix so I'm hoping he'll eat the seeds in the pumpkin if he ever breaks through that far. If I manage to get him another one before the shops get rid of them (they're never there long) then I might cut it open a bit more than I normally do. I normally only take a small piece off to get him started.

I stand corrected- I left the squash in his cage a few days and he did eventually have a go at it. He didn't quite get as far as the seeds but did pick around the top. I removed it as I was worried about it going bad. He now has a small pumpkin his cage which he had picked a little bit- but again not as far as getting to the seeds. I'm going to leave it a couple more days before removing it.

My parrots love the squash, getting the seeds out, but only if its on the counter here they can throw everything off onto the floor! Haven't done pumpkins in a long time, but maybe time to try it agai!

I love this video -- no idea if someone else has already posted it. 12M views · 111K reactions ｜ I could watch this over and over and over 😍😂 ｜ Kitty Sandy (533299491473569).mp4

He has quite a following on YT!

Thanks for sharing this, I haven't seen this for a long time! I always think of Amazons as the clowns or jesters of the parrot world. They can be so entertaining!

Hadn't seen it! Amazing really.

I've seen this guy & his amazon in a few videos! It's super cool to see!! Thanks for posting!

You may have seen my previous posts about this- but I visited the Think Parrots Show again this year. It's the fourth time I've been, the third time I've taken Alfie with me and the second time I've stayed in a hotel over the weekend to break up the driving. It was on Sunday 7th June so I drove on the Saturday and came home on the Monday. Alfie was unfazed by the car journey, the hotel stay and LOVED all the attention he got at the event itself! I spent way too much on parrot goodies for Alfie- he has been well and truly spoiled this year! As well as all the stalls there were three "master classes" run by some parrot behaviour specialists and they introduced a "Feather Factor" talent show this year too which was quite entertaining. Loaded up and ready to go! Home for the weekend Adventures round the room Ready to go and showing off his wheels! Exhibition hall with all the stands Masterclasses More from the exhibition hall/stalls Back at the hotel after a long day! Alfie's haul of goodies! Back home! Info about the masterclasses Bonus photo- Alfie checking out his new friend!

Hello My family has 2 African grey parrots. A male and female. Both rescues. We have had them for many years, and fed them mainly on a seed mix. They also now eat some Harrisons and a little parrot chop. But not very much parrot chop. In fact they are eating so little of it that my parents (Who's birds they actually are) are becoming reluctant to continue it. Mostly on account of messiness and perceived wastage. I have been trying to convince them that the chop was a move in the right direction, and not to take a step back. Could I ask for opinions on parrot chop? and what you feed your birds. We are currently giving a little chop in the morning and a little seed in the evening. In the morning they also have Harrisons pellets. Ideally we would like to know how best to feed them, and how to encourage them to eat more of the chop and waste less. I am not going to pretend to know everything, or be an expert, so please come at me with whatever you will and feel free to ask questions. Many Thanks Emily

Every 2 months of so, using frozen veggies, I cook up a bunch of different types, add some cooked rice or cooked pasta, mix it all together in a huge bowl, then pack it in small tupperware containers & freeze them all. I have 3 parrots, so I take 1 container out per week & feed a little to my parrots daily . I have an extra bowl I put it in when I go to work. I know someone else who freezes the same type of thing in ice cube trays & take them out & use them that way, 1 per day. My parrots don't like "chopped veggies" they prefer bigger pieces to grab with their foot & hold to eat for some reason LOL .. There will always be some kind of waste, but I just give less, or dump it out at the end of the day. Some days they eat more, others barely any. Good luck & keep us posted!

Yeah he is so good in the car and completely unfazed by it. He sometimes gets a bit worried when being wheeled around in his wagon (particularly over bumpy ground!) but generally settles really quickly. The exhibition hall is always really busy, fully of people and quite loud but he took it all in his stride. The masterclasses allowed him to chill out a bit and he was busy preening himself and relaxing whilst those were going on before we went back to the exhibition hall. Yes he was well and truly spoiled this year. I use it as an opportunity to stock up on everything he needs as a lot of the vendors offer slight discounts at the show but I'll admit I did probably go a bit overboard this year! However, it'll all get used/destroyed! 😂

She's so pretty!

For those of us that are still here & hanging on...I think we should re-group & remind all of us our fids & their ages..I could go back & do a search, but I thought it would be cool to have a place to just look at for the few if us left. I'll go first: My first grey (actually it was my son's but I inherited her) Talon Timneh Age: 20 years My second: Rikki (rescued from a member here) Congo Age: 20 Years Nilah Amazon Age: 16 Years

Give yourself a big pat on the back Kevin, you have done this place right & really kept us up & running when the cancer we had was running ramped here..it would have pulled us under if it wasnt for you & all your dedication & hard work. ❤️

Boxes are Timber's favorite thing in the world. I have a hard time keeping enough of the right size to stay ahead of his shredding addiction. Love the pic. Typical sibling behavior!

Good to see signs of life! I try to check every day. I'm sad that this forum, which provided so much support and information to me, when I was a first time parrot servant, is now so inactive. It is what it is there. I'll keep hanging in there as long as I am able. Sorry to hear you are still playing the bite game. They certainly have minds of their own, and Timber's behavior at times still baffles me, though I'm sure he'd tell me he has good reason. Recently, He took a swipe at me for no reason and out of nowhere. That hadn't happened in a few years. I actually thought of the problems you had expressed and though "uh oh" but it did seem to pass. I don't post often because things are much the same as ever with Timber and I don't have as many questions as I once did.

Wow, you started this in December, and there are 3 different reply’s. I hate social media. LOL. But I’ll go with it. 😃 I have Sukei. I think everyone that has posted knows Sukei’s story. He is a Middle East refugee African Grey. I’m guessing he is about 13 now. He was about 8 months old when I got him. He is still a bird living out on the Lam. (Fish and Wildlife say his import papers were not correct when he arrived at JFK for quarantine.) So one day we’re going to have to go to court and get that straight. When I retire in 5 years we are going to do so in the Philippines and I’ll need proper documents to get him out of the country. They used to be real big into bird smuggling. But it’s a long ridiculous story. They got all there money. Anyway he has become grumpy in his old age and likes to bite as some of you have heard the stories and seen the pictures lol. I let him out and some days are ok. Other days we play the bite game. (See if I can keep from getting bit) LOL I’ve got quite good at it. I work from home so he isn’t lonely that’s for sure. I hope a few more people post, there are a few I see that log in, but haven’t posted.

With my 3, I work full time, so the very minute i get home, I immediately let them all out of their cages for the remainder of the evening until bedtime. The weekends are their time out also, ALL day no matter what on Sundays, Saturdays they get out as soon as I am done with my morning errands. My 3 don't really like each other that much, they tolerate each other, so they keep their distance. Rikki is the biggest & she is the queen of the totem pole, next is my amazon Nilah, then last is Talon she is the smallest. Talon will occasionally annoy NIlah and chase her thru the house, I think they do it for fun but when Nilah has had enough she flies to my shoulder for safety...sometimes NIlah will try & take Talons space, but I have a spray bottle in case they get in a tuffle over that. I wish had more time with them, but I try & make sure the time I have I pay alot of attention to them .

I've thought many times about getting another. I have the space, but time? Timber wants my undivided attention. I can't imagine how he'd react if I introduced another bird to the household. And, I'm 68. As others have mentioned, there is the concern about what till happen to any birds I may have when I level up.

I am so sorry..how tragic..Do you have any currently? I am 65, so my bird life started late as well.