Greytness

Hughie is looking at you like, 'Really?'

The freeze dried fruits and veggies can be returned to it's original state by adding tiny amounts of liquid. It's much different from dehydrated fruits and veggies, even in its retention of nutrients (97%)

This virus is no joke. So sorry to hear that it slammed you and your wife down. Glad you're both on the upswing now!

I'm still freeze drying organic fruit and veggies goodies with my company: Bodacious Birdie Bites. Please let me know if I can help!

Very well said, Kevin.

I have 3 greys! Two get along as long as there are bars between them. If they're together outside their cages one will taunt the other while the other one tells him 'NO!' The third grey is a rescue that doesn't directly interact with any of our greys. All 3 teach each other sayings and actual behaviors. For example, Maalik knows how to swing himself on one of his perches. Fynn has been watching him do it for quite some time before he learned how to swing himself. Now they enjoy swinging together while simultaneously ringing the three hanging stainless steel bells. It's super cute to watch!

Hahaha! Look at those bright, happy eyes! She loves having you mess around with her!

Many cages made are simply wrought iron ones that have been powdered coated with paint. Uncoated wrought iron is susceptible to rusting.

I, too, visit daily. I hope that new content from new and seasoned members would infuse life back into this forum.

I wanted to let everyone know that I now ship to Europe and Australia!

If she loves fresh veggies, that's the best food to feed her. Chop some up ahead of time and refrigerate the extra to feed over the course of 3-4 days or so. A primarily seed diet is unhealthy and could contribute to fatty liver over time. Seed should be offered in small amounts, with the majority being a wide variety of fresh veggies with some fruit.

Does he gnaw on wood toys? That would help. Some birds require beak trims, best performed by your avian vet. The vet might want to look at his diet and draw some labs to make certain that the beak growth isn't due to liver disease. Is Timmy on primarily a veggie diet with some fruit, nuts pellets and seeds? All seed diets can contribute to beak growth issues over time.

On an instinctual level I believe these smart lil ones know when you are helping them. I, too, am pained feeling that I'm not doing enough for them. That it'll never be enough. Even so, my birds seem to be happy and healthy. Some came from bad pasts while others I've had since they were babies, and this is all they know. The ones that are caged day in and day out with little interaction and being given horrible food fills me with deep sadness. We owe them so much more.

It truly is, but exemplifies the plight of many birds.

Stumbled upon this YouTube video, which really tore me up just thinking about all the mistreated and neglected birds out there with no voice to make their worlds better.

Thanks for the update!

Ziggy has certainly gone through a LOT at such a tender young age. I know that aspergillosis can negatively affect their ability to talk. Was he tested for asper the last time you had him into the vets? It's difficult to say if he'll talk again. The fact that he once spoke makes me think that he will again one day.

Is your grey feeling any better now?

Happy New Year, Grey Family!

This article was written by our avian vet years ago. It's a lengthy abstract, but thoroughly covers plucking and self mutilation. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/11749494_Feather_Picking_and_Self-Mutilation_in_Psittacine_Birds

Using a fine misting bottle to spritz them down in between bathing. Since this is new behavior, he could have something else bothering him, whether it's a hormonal surge or perhaps an underlying infection or metal toxicity from beaking on cheap bells, etc.

How often does he bathe or have a spritzer bath? I'd bump up the baths for one. He looks like he's over preening his feathers. If he's feeling dry and itchy he might be messing with his feathers more.

If this is a change in behavior for him, then I would take him into the vets tomorrow. When they show signs of illness or lethargy, they are often pretty sick. Please don't wait.

None for us, either, I'm afraid.