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They are so particular sometimes! Alfie doesn't really care what his bowls look like- so long as they have tasty food in them! He reacts differently to different toys. Some have to be introduced very slowly whereas others are no problem and are accepted before I even take the tags off. I can never tell what will be accepted or not until I bring it home and try it. He seems to have his own set of rules!

I've found it difficult with Alfie because parrots aren't a usual sight in houses so people tend to be wary or scared of him. Admittedly I failed to socialise him enough when he was young but my family all backed off and were scared of him after he bit them as a youngster. My mum tried the most but my sister is very fearful of him (and I don't even think she went close enough to get bitten). My dad is not interested. After I moved out my two housemates didn't really like him all that much - mostly indifferent but also a bit scared. I've never found anyone close enough who has enough of an interest to try and get to know Alfie. My current housemate is Alfie's favourite person (even over me). It has taken YEARS for them to get to this stage and they both had to get used to each other. Alfie will let my housemate give him scrtiches and and will even follow him around the room to be closer to him. He will join my housemate on the sofa or sit on his knee and ask for scritches. Sometimes you have to socialise the human with the bird as well as socialising the bird with the human! Alfie never used to make a peep if other people were in the room. He's never been particularly noisy anyway but he would clam up completely when others were near. Nowadays he is a lot more content to make some beeps and whistles at people and will say 'see you later' when he thinks they are leaving (or thinks it's time for them to leave!)

LNCAG, I like to think that our birds will bond with someone else when we are gone. I am Timber's third (at least) owner. It was a long road, but we bonded.

You just never know! These guys are quirky, to say the least.

Well, we’re making changes, and I think a big one is allowing read only. It was thought that by forcing signup to read that might do it, but it had the opposite affect. Folks went right back down the road they know so well, Facebook lol. So being able to read again, and the new software being html friendly, we should get a lot more google hits about grey questions. Were going to keep at it as time allows. Thanks for being here.

Thanks for keeping it going this long. I notice it doesn't seem that busy here, yet it's a really nice forum with some great and helpful members here. Grey owners should have a safe & friendly place to read anecdotes, share stories, teach newbies, warn about dangers (non-stick cookware, certain foods to avoid) etc..

Snickers doesn't like anyone but me. And he has bitten others (or lunged at and tried to bite them if they were too quick for him). I've always tried to be upbeat and positive (since he draws off my emotions) but no go. Hates everyone -- even people he's seen a thousand times. He even hates my Mom who has fed him when I was on vacation. She told me she has to quickly toss food in his dish and close the food door FAST because he lunges! Wish I could socialize him better -- I won't live forever. My plan, thus far, is for him to go to a local sanctuary upon my demise. But I've wondered if I was gone, if he'd then choose to like someone else he's met before (someone he perhaps only really disliked because the weren't me -- but yet someone he is already familiar with). No idea.

My grey has rejected his new replacement stainless steel bowl -- it was too "shiny." Won't get within 3 feet of it. Back to the old dull dented ones. Today, as a treat, I approached him with his jar of almond butter and a spoon; but because my foot heel hurts (Plantar fasciitis), instead of standing there for 20 minutes while he licked the spoon, I just dropped a dollop into his bowl. He was not amused. Took one taste (and he knows he loves this stuff)... yet he decided to punish me by not eating it from a bowl. smh

In away they are a lot like us, each is a individual.

LOL nothing replaces the spoon. I've had exactly the same experience. When trying a new food, I always start with me standing there holding the spoon, which is annoying, but he loves it for some reason. He will often eat things from a spoon I'm holding that he won't touch in the food bowl. As to the shiny bowl, been there done that too. I always have to set any new thing close to his cage for several days (sometimes stretching to a week or more) before he will tolerate it. I'm retired now, and sometimes I wonder when I found time to work!

Timber loves butter beans (the big lima type bean). Than again, beans are one food he will eat cooked, so I guess that is no surprise. He isn't as fond of limas, but will eat them once in awhile.

I have avoided giving my CAG cheese. I remember too well one Bird Talk editor who editorialized her story of giving her 'tiel so much cheese that the vet had to remove cheddar cheese from parrot's crop's due to a severe/dangerously blockage of cheese. The cheese just didn't "digest" or move along digestive track (or something). (Probably an article from the 90s of Bird Talk). I mostly remember her commenting that seeing all that cheese being removed in reverse was SO gross. I will research and then reconsider certain cheeses in VERY small amounts..... It would be nice being able to share food dishes with my CAG containing cheeses. As is, I have to offer some other treat to my CAG in order to eat a cheesy meal around him.

Snickers (CAG) just discovered lima beans (frozen/thawed for him) and seems to enjoy them. I never thought to offer limas before. I am more of a pizza and subs eater, so I have to buy "healthy" food just for him and the bearded dragon. Anyway, limas were a huge hit! And this from a CAG whose middle name is "Skeptical." lol

I just checked and it was me and 18 guests. (Unless other members were incognito, of course)

Afterthought: I am very active on Arachnoboards -- a very busy forum! How is it possible more people want to chat about their tarantulas (which are pet rocks, not an interactive pet, and certainly feared by most people) and yet a wonderful grey forum like this one isn't that active? It just seems that for every tarantula owner there should be thousands of grey owners, yannoe? Greys are so loving, cuddly, interactive, intelligent, independent, creative, etc. -- tarantulas just sit in their enclosure waiting for food drops. If older members are willing to commit to more content here, then I can certainly try to post/respond more (and not just lurk and read). Lurkers don't really help a forum grow. I suppose I never posted much here because there aren't always a lot of threads I feel I have something valuable to contribute to; and the threads I start tend to not get past page 1. I do remember being so excited when I first discovered this forum --C'mon -- a GREY FORUM? What's not to love?

It’s a good thread......

I have hidden things inside plain coffee filters inside a cardboard box but I let them watch me wrap the treats so they understand the presentation of something into their cage. Have also gotten sterile sand and hidden almonds in the shell so they have to dig.

Timber eats foods with cheese, and loves a bit of sharp cheddar once in awhile as a treat. I honestly hadn't heard of anyone having the problem the bird talk editor had! Wow. I have to wonder how much cheese she feed the bird?