Bigwick70

He's such a show off. I've discovered that he knows how to give kisses and my wife figured out that someone had taught him to whistle when you say "Pretty". Like, "Am I pretty Wilbur"? He will whistle lol. He is a Cracker Jack now :cool:...

For those of you who remember our Grey "Wilbur" I have a cute little story I wanted to share with you. And those who do not remember him, I'm sure you will love it too. First, He is still doing fine and our relationship is doing Great, (Me and Him that is), although I think he still remembers me squirting him with the spray bottle when we first got him. Poor Wilbur! Let me add for new Grey owners, "DO NOT DO THE FIRST THING YOU READ!!! :confused:" I did and it nearly destroyed our bird's already damaged ability to socialize with people. There is a lot of Mis-information out there! He so much wanted to be a part of our family as we wanted him to be. If you are here, you are in the right place. Our son Jeremiah is still his favorite person. Ok, on to the story. I have been noticing Wilbur sitting in his cage, especially late at night when making a trip to the restroom, watching the 2 Oscar fish we have in a 55 gallon tank beside his cage. I thought at first that it was just the movement of the fish swimming he liked. These 2 fish are kinda big, Like 4-6 inch's long. At first it was that Wilbur would start talking and climbing around in his cage when he saw us going to feed them. He would just do things out of the ordinary, like he was all excited and stuff. Then I noticed he would throw things and it looked like an anger thing. Now He will climb all the way out to the top, over to where the fish feeding is going on, reach and pull at the fish tank lid trying his best to rip it off. LOL. At fish feeding time you better keep your body parts away from him! I know you're probably thinking "Just close the cage door", and we do now. Our birds are never locked in their homes because I don't want them feeling they cant get out should they choose to do so. Anyway, the point to my story is, I think Wilbur thinks they belong to him. As a toy or something lol. He does not like his things messed with lmbo. Wilbur has become a valued member of our family and I cant say it enough how truly grateful we are to "Grey Forums" for their expert advise and members willingness to help others. You guys are the best! Oh, and he still doesn't like our Male Mustache Parakeet lol, but that is another story in itself...

I'm working on getting some more. Wilbur is very clever and He usually gets quiet when he sees the camera. But I will trick him

These are old pics. From back around 1 year ago. Hard to believe we have had him that long...

Wow just found this and remembering those days lol. Wilbur has a lethal beak and he really knows how to use it. I read the their day that they can apply 1000 to 1500 pounds of pressure with their beaks? any truth to that?

OMG, I got to tell this one. I'm sure you all know by now how much Wilbur loves our son Jeremiah. I just heard Jeremiah yelling to Wilbur saying "Get off dude! Quit that!" So being the good father I am I went to find Wilbur taking a bath slinging water all over my son who was sleeping on the couch, ROFLMAO. Wilbur is sitting there making his "What, or more like Waa" noise that he does and looking like "What did I do"... I think he does these things to amuse himself I swear. TOO FUNNY";)

"ROFLMBO" They crack me up!

Thanks :cool:... He try's his best to do the Theme to The Andy Griffith Show, but he get it mixed up lol. Sometimes he's pretty good at it though and gets close. As you can see he loves his bells too and you're sure to get the Beak if you touch them...[video=youtube;pYqx-xx_EWo]

Yes We try, Wilbur and I ... He sure is something else and has changed our lives in a positive way. I just noticed you we from the "Rockies". I always wanted to visit them, being from the hills myself lol. Ours aren't quite as big as yours though. Were from the Hatfield and McCoy part of the country lol. I bet its beautiful there. Might take Wilbur with us when we go lol...

Yes, he does that often. He knows his name well. He also calls my wifes name sometimes in my voice lol. He has quit talking now for the most part. Think hes just lazy lol

I notice, come to think of it, that when I cover Wilbur's cage that it kinda freaks him out. I usually cover his cage when we stay up late and the lights are on, so he can rest without the light shinning in his eyes. I often wondered why he would freak out like that and I got to thinking maybe (IF) he was caught in the wild in Africa that maybe the captors covered the cage causing him stress. Might just be my imagination going wild cause he might have been born in captivity, not sure, but I just thought? Maybe? I don't cover him anymore because of this... I don't mean to seen crazy, of pesty asking all the questions and commenting on stuff alot but im trying to learn as I go ...

Thanks and I will...

If anyone knows of an unwanted or abandoned African Gray that is for sale PLEASE contact me 304 664 9752... My Aunt Sharon recently saw a 2 month old Grey that her mother-n-law bought in Ocala FL, and she instantly fell in love and was interested in getting one. She is like me in her love for critters and would take great care of him/her and I told her it would be best to try to rescue an animal first. I had no idea that there were so many birds being neglected and abandoned till recently when I saw a video on this Please let us know if you do. I will put you in touch with her. Call me anytime, day or night:) Thank you...

If anyone knows of an unwanted or abandoned African Gray that is for sale PLEASE contact me 304 664 9752... My Aunt Sharon recently saw a 2 month old Grey that her mother-n-law bought in Ocala FL, and she was interested in getting one. She is like me in her love for critters and would take great care for him/her and I told her it would be best to try to rescue an animal first. I had no idea that there were so many birds being neglected and abandoned till recently when I saw a video on this Please let us know if you do. I will put you in touch with her Thank you...

Have any of you guys/Gals ever had the problem of your bird learning the word "What" in a family members voice? It's quite confusing if your in another room trying to explain something to someone else and you think they keep saying "What"... LMBO

Yes he is. Sometimes he also does a turkey clucking plus a number of other electronic devices that i'm not familiar with lol... He cracks me up sometimes... I thought it was hilarious where I told him he wasn't a chicken and he was like "Huh", as if to say "i'm not"? like he was shocked to find this out... Thank you...

Me, Wilbur, Thelma Jean, Mocha, Whitie, And Polly...

Wilbur the chicken, Or so he thinks lol

Nancy, No we never tried this before but We will. The previous owners said he was around 10. Thanks for the complements on him and me, makes me feel like a good Dad lol. There's not alot of room in our house but we will try this. Reminds me when I first got him, He could fly great, was the landing he had trouble with lol. He would take off and go till he hit something . I was scared to death he would hurt himself. He would try to skid across our tile kitchen floor usually so he could slide in gently against the wall LMBO. I still see him doing that in my memory. Too Funny... He's since gotten good at it, turning corners in the house in flight till he lands where he wants. No doubt it was where he never had exercise on the patio in his cage constantly. My Son lets him bite his fingers but Wilbur never bites him hard. Wilbur gets so very excited when he sees my son (Jeremiah). He will flap his wings and move his head back and forth like an Egyptian lol. He totally Adores our son and if he hears his voice he has to get out to go to him. I usually test Wilbur to see if he wants to step up and come to me. If he doesn't, he will lower his head to block me, and if he does, he doesn't hesitate to raise his head and a leg to climb up. He does this when he feels like it though, on his terms. My Son can reach in and get him anytime though and not get a nip even...

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Thanks everyone for the advise on our Wilbur. Yes I have figured out that it is his way or the highway LOL. If I notice something that is a problem I try to address it to make his life easier but I am really still ignorant as to their care, as you can see with me taking him outside without a harness. He is as our Child and we really let him by with anything. His cage door is never shut unless he is in "Timeout" and that's not often. To be honest, I cant bare to think he was neglected some way and punish him anyway. Broke my heart when I found out I was hurting him with the spray bottle thing... What got me taking him out without a harness was, my Mother has a friend that has an "Amazon" and she said she would let her's go out as he wished. She said her friends would tell her about seeing him out in town in Logan, WV, perched on a telephone line or something lol. Although I never intended to let him have that much freedom. Not such a good idea I guess... Feel free everyone to give us all the advise you wish. It is GREATLY appreciated...

I cant put my finger n it but I since something that troubles Wilbur. He doesn't talk alot and he likes to be in his cage most of the time. He likes to intimidate too. The previous owners just put him outside on a patio and forgot about him I heard. I heard somewhere that isolation like that will make them antisocial. He just doesn't talk like the small bird. He will say "By, I love you" in my voice if he sees us leaving, sometimes, and sometimes he will answer the phone if it rings with "Hello", But mostly he doesn't say anything. He makes alot of beeping microwave oven noises too but not often. The small bird you cant shut up lol. I would hate to think something I could do is preventing his happiness? Really my son is the only person that he messes with...

Me and Wilbur have had so many arguments that I think he likes to fuss with me and I notice him luring me in and playing like he wants to bite me, then he will lick me or barely nip. But, the slightest hint of a nip and my hand is out of there! He can and has really caused me to bleed bad at times. Over all though, I know we got a great bird who needed us just as bad as we needed him. Especially after hearing some of the horror stories on here. lol... I swear I think he enjoys it... He climbs all over my son though and nips at his nose and eyes and he lets Wilbur bite him and he doesn't hurt him. He can reach right in the cage and take Wilbur out and he doesn't try to bite at all. I just cant trust him like that now. My nerves wont let me lol... They are really powerful birds if they want to be. My son says its where we are afraid of him. He says "Just grin and bare it". I'm like "Yea right dude, not into letting a vice with a punch clamp down on me lmbo... Looks like a murder scene when he's done with me lol...

I never dreamed these birds were so intelligent. Like little ornery children sometimes

Yes I love this site also. This is the greatest. My and Wilburs relationship changed over night it seemed when I found this site. LOL he still wont go near water though and id say he has flashbacks thanks to me...Poor Feller...