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Pistachio, our Ringneck parakeet has moved on to a better place. Here's a current and original post explaining how we rescued Pistachio and Buddy. (Maggie here)...Pistachio and Buddy have always shared a cage together and often at night when checking on them, tiny Pistachio would sleep with larger Buddy under his wings. I fed both this morning and they were great but when I went to check on them a little later, I found Pistachio on the bottom of the cage (passed on) with Buddy protecting him. At that time he would not let me near Pistachio. When I went back in a few minutes later, Buddy was on his perch and I moved Pistachio. As I left the room, Salsa flew in and landed on their old cage and sat with Buddy for a few minutes (she never goes in their room). Buddy squawked and made a ruckus for about an hour but he seems to have calmed down a little...We have had them since 2010 and they were together before that. We don't know how old they were when we got them. Really concerned about Buddy because he was more psychologically damaged from his previous life and still has much baggage. Pistachio let us touch him and pick him up when he landed on the floor but Buddy has always been like a lion in a cage...Fly free now over the rainbow... Posted November 15 (edited) Posted July 6, 2012 (edited) [Pistachio] Did you find it? Yeah Buddy, it was easier then we thought, I watched Spock do it. How ya feeling Buddy? Okay, had a anxiety attack last night but okay now. At least they don't happen as often. These Big-ones won't hurt us like the other did. I know, I just can't forget. They blew that foul stuff at my beaker and I'd go crazy and fling myself and it hurt...I still hurt! I know Bud but things have been good for a while. You haven't bitten the Big-ones for a long time. Yeah [lol] you yell out "NO Buddy don't Bite". Hows your back Pistachio? It don't hurt hasn't for a long time. I heard Mama Big-One tell Papa they played like I was a daisy, pulling the feathers out one at a time saying "I love him, I love him not". After the first few times, it hurt so bad I just can't remember any more. Then I just started pulling them out of my chest myself because I hurt so bad. I wish you weren't afraid to fly Buddy. When I go into the other room, there's these big birds and they are majestic and they let me fly with them until I get tired and have to land. Mama Big-one gently picks me up off the floor and brings me back to you. You know she always brings us good food and that wet stuff she sprays on me makes my skin feel so good. Do you want me to preen you, okay Buddy? That feels really good! Buddy, why do you call "Kitty, kitty, kitty". There's no kitty here.... Hehehe...it sounds good...Anyways, that little black thing without wings comes running into the room. Once I pooped on his head and he likes the little treats I throw down for him. There's good feathered friends here......

Hello all, We have had our delightful little CAG (Larry), for around 4 months now, we bought him at 11 weeks so he is approx 7 months old. Things we going very well - he was picking up a few commands / tricks step up etc and potty training. We decided against having him clipped and soon enough he was flying around the house and with the exception of a few crash landings was settled very well. However there has been a slow decline in almost every aspect of him. We started to notice he was pulling his black flight feathers out and he seemed to prune almost non-stop to the point where he pulled out so many feathers he has stopped himself from being able to fly. His behaviours changed slightly whereby he would refuse any treats (which he absolutely loved such as pumpkin/ sunflower seeds), and his overall energy seemed to decline - in the sense that a CAG his age should be investigating everything / being very active - however he seems to just want to perch on our shoulders or in his cage. After taking him to 3 different vets - last guy who seems extremely knowledgeable was very concerned about the fatal PBFD (Parrot beak and feather disease), and we are currently awaiting the results which will come this Monday for blood tests. He was extremely concerned at the colour / texture of his feathers and the fact he has plucked many - and he was particulaly concerned about the red feathers over his chest (which he has always had since we bought him). We was told the red feathers over his legs and chest means he is classed a "King African grey"? You can see these in the pictures below - the red feathers over his body and there is a photo from behind showing all the black flight feathers he has pulled out. Has anyone else had anything similar? Its a waiting game until Monday but we are devastated it could be PBFD. The vet said it could only has contracted this from the breeder as he hasn't been in contact with any other birds let alone Parrots. We did so much research and feel like we have let him down. Could anyone please share information they have regarding the red feathers and the behaviour i pointed out earlier? Thank you so Much. Photos below. James

People sometimes think about what they don't have, but I submit to you, think on those things you do have. Friends, Family, Health and a myriad of things I could list here. As an example, I thank God I have sight, and hearing and just the ability to walk around as a normal human everyday. Be thankful for what everyone takes for granted. The place I returned from, most folks don't have that luxury. Be Thankful for the time you have to spend with the folks that are alive and you still have the time to make amends, for one day you will not. But most of all give thanks to God for giving you one more day to do the right thing. I pray for the ones we lost, I hope their families can find a way to be thankful for there efforts in keeping everyone safe as can be. And most of all I am thankful for each and everyone of you for helping me get Sukei home.

I always repost this each year. Our much loved Dave007 posted this on this site about 4 years ago and thus I am posting it again this year for all to enjoy. Only Dave could write something like this. Ingredients: One turkey Corn pudding Green beans Stuffing Sweet potatoes Mashed potatoes with gravy Cranberry sauce Hot rolls Relish tray Pumpkin pie Whipped cream Hot coffee Get up early in the morning & have a cup of coffee. It's going to be a long day, so place your Parrot on a perch nearby to keep you company while you prepare the meal. Remove Parrot from kitchen counter and return him to perch. Prepare stuffing, and remove Parrot from edge of stuffing bowl and return him to perch. Stuff turkey & place it in the roasting pan, and remove Parrot from edge of pan and return him to perch. Have another cup of coffee to steady your nerves. Remove Parrot's head from turkey cavity and return him to perch, and restuff the turkey. Prepare relish tray, and remember to make twice as much so that you'll have a regular size serving after the Parrot has eaten his fill. Remove Parrot from kitchen counter and return him to perch. Prepare cranberry sauce, discard berries accidentally flung to the floor by Parrot. Peel potatoes, remove Parrot from edge of potato bowl and return him to perch. Arrange sweet potatoes in a pan & cover with brown sugar & mini marshmallows. Remove Parrot from edge of pan and return him to perch. Replace missing marshmallows. Brew another pot of coffee. While it is brewing, clean up the torn filter. Pry coffee bean from Parrot's beak. Have another cup of coffee & remove Parrot from kitchen counter and return him to perch. When time to serve the meal: Place roasted turkey on a large platter, and cover beak marks with strategically placed sprigs of parsley. Put mashed potatoes into serving bowl, rewhip at last minute to conceal beak marks and claw prints. Place pan of sweet potatoes on sideboard, forget presentation as there's no way to hide the areas of missing marshmallows. Put rolls in decorative basket, remove Parrot from side of basket and return him to perch. Remove beaked rolls, serve what's left. Set a stick of butter out on the counter to soften -- think better and return it to the refrigerator. Wipe down counter to remove mashed potato claw tracks. Remove Parrot from kitchen counter and return him to perch. Cut the pie into serving slices. Wipe whipped cream off Parrot's beak and place large dollops of remaining whipped cream on pie slices. Whole slices are then served to guests, beaked-out portions should be reserved for host & hostess. Place Parrot inside cage & lock the door. Sit down to a nice relaxing dinner with your family -- accompanied by plaintive cries of "WANT DINNER!" from the other room. Happy Holidays!! --------- Dave

It`s not easy with the loss of a loved companion. It takes time to get over the loss, Some times it`s a long time.

Great progress so far! Keep the photos coming, this is an awesome project!

You've done the right thing by taking him to the vet. I'm afraid I am not a vet and I have no experience of this type of problem so can only say that I feel for you and please keep us updated on any progress.

Make no mistake, I know im new even after a few years, and ill have to earn yall's respect, but the site was dying and we just saved it. I wish there was a few computer guys here, I could share the code with, that was backed into this place and could understand it. Google understood it and marked the place. Now everything is HTTP encrypted, and is not at much risk as it was. Make no mistake, no mater how good you are, no matter how many security protocols you put in, your still at risk, however, its like car thieves, if the door is locked they move on to the next one. Soft targets. I hope the protocols we put in here will stop this kind of crap. But as I said, Im thankful for all of you for helping me get Sukei home. Ill be forever grateful.

Best of luck. when you say sunflower seeds are treats, presume he is on a good diet generally. He looks like a trooper too. :-) surely you doing the the right thing, as we here are more fans than vets!

It`s good that you have taken him to the vet as we are not veterinarians. There are many things like emotional and nutrition issues that can cause plucking. I hope your vet is a bird vet as the have special needs with their health with their health issues. Taking them to your vet is the best thing you can do for your Grey. As to the red feathers on your grey, It`s called red factor grey so enjoy them as sometimes they out grow them and molt them out. Pleas let us know how things turn out.

WELL SAID !

Walls and roof are fully enclosed on the 'littles' room as I call it. It's trimmed out on the inside but still needs some finishing on the outside. Also waiting for the tiling tie-in and then it can be painted and the door put on. Inside: Outside: And the Greybie GreycieMae's room. Did I mention that working with insulation is an itchy job?

I am so sorry to have missed getting to know Rhea while I was having my own wing clipped. I will catch up on my reading. It is a sad day to lose any of our friends, formerly feathered or otherwise.

Now she can soar!

She might have been oven ready but she was so loved, may she now rest in peace.

Yes, she was such a happy little soul. Loved that lil birdy.

Happy Thanksgiving!!! And remember to return the parrot to the perch - haahaaahaaa!!!

Love to read the first post of this thread every year. Thank you Dave007!!! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!!!! Humans and parrots, EVERYONE ENJOY your family!!!!

...because Lisa asked & because it just wouldn't be Thanksgiving w/o it. Happy Turkey Day all!!!

Absolute truth. I didn't understand myself until Timber came to live with me!

Your parrots are like your kids, no one else likes them like you do. Except I am different with other's birds - I do like to see other people's birds. Their kids - not so much. I can tell when my mom or my mother-in-law and her husband come around they put on the good act around our birds but we all know they couldn't give a crap and can't figure out why I treat my birds like little playful children.

Bluedawg, I have finally realized that what others think really does not matter. They have no idea the joy our feathered friends givea us, and that is OK. We know we wouldn't want it any other way!

Bluedawg! Never fret what people think! Most people don't have a Clue when it comes to our fids Edit to add, Their Loss not yours

P.S... This post is important to me because it reminds me that I am not alone. Most people seam to look down on me for living with my fully flighted and uncaged parrot (Not Parrot people of course) - In fact my sister and her husband would not come to my house for thanksgiving because of it. I always feel a twinge of shame when people ask - "don't they poop?". While my mom is not a big fan at least she is a good sport about it although I am sure if she had seen Miss Dayo fall into the stuffing bowl and quickly sink up to her neck in Dry Bread cubes she would not have eaten the stuffing!

I Just read this for the first time. OMG - this is exactly how I spent yesterday (Thanksgiving) except in the end Dayo had a place at the table and sat at her bowl and enjoyed the feast. OK a few times she started to wander to my mom's plate but mostly she was well behaved. At 4:00 after all the feasting was over I noticed her eyes at half mast just like mine I weighed her this morning and where she is always right around 400g (She's a little girl) This morning she weighed in at 435g.

We ate out for Thanksgiving (the humans) but we prepared a lavish feast for the fids and other critters. Funny how I hate to cook but enjoy spending hours in the kitchen preparing food for them. LOL

Omg!! That is hilarious!! Thanks for bringing this up, my first time reading this, thank god I just finished my coffee or I would have spewed it all over :Do Happy Thanksgiving to everyone

Looks like someone should dust off the GF "tradional" Turkeyday thread for Dan this year. So from me & mine to all of yours Happy Thanksgiving!!

Maverick is trimmed right now (my breeder trims all babies while they're very young and before she allows you to take them home) and I assure you, they do not stay in one place still. Even though he is trimmed he can can fly/glide a fairly good distance.

My first time reading this too, how true with 8 month old Alfie every day is like this sadly we still have to return to cage as he has not got his wings clipped and can out do my attempts at keeping him away from food every time, never want to have him clipped but every day I think how nice it would be to put him in one place and he would stay there just for a while!!

This is AWESOME! I want to make it into a plaque and hang it in the kitchen!!!

Hahahahahaha! This will be my first Thanksgiving with Maverick but judging how typical dinners go around here, this sounds spot on!!! Thanks for the laugh!

omg that was my first time reading it as well ................ FUNNY!!!!!!!!!!!!! love it!

I am sure they hope they are as delicious as they hope to be.

I love this story. It never gets old. If it has one moral though it is that if you are going to choose a Grey or any parrot for that matter as a companion you absolutely need infinite patience! Happy Thanks Giving to my friends across the water and I hope your turkeys forgive you! Steve n Misty

This is my first time reading it, and it was great! Enough truth in it to make it really amusing

YES!!! I always look so forward to reading this. Now it is officially Thanksgiving Season.

Wouldn't be Thanksgiving without it!

Lol, sounds about right.

I enjoy this each year Note: I have to tie cage door closed because parrot knows how to unlock cage.

For those of you like myself who have fallen in love with and have been following Rhea, the naked bird. She passed away a few days ago. How sad, but she was given the best possible life she could have from her owner. I will miss her daily posts on Facebook, and Instagram. RIP Rhea❤️❤️❤️