Greytness

Whatever would be the 'easiest' fix for you, Kevin. I appreciate everything you do!

Oh no. This is so extremely sad. I remember when he returned for a short while as well. I recall that he was really struggling with some personal issues as well as having lost his beloved Ceasar.

My birds seem to readily chip away at the paint whenever they can. So frustrating. Wish there were alternatives besides switching over to all stainless steel cages. That would break the bank in my household, as we have 13.

I have those in my birds' cages, but quite honestly they haven't really worked for me. I actually found a bird groomer who makes house calls. Super convenient when you have 13 fids' nails to trim! I always love having someone else be the bad guy! Perhaps there's one in your area.

Clipping a flighted CAG negatively impacts their psyche. Flying also helps keep their cardiovascular system healthy. All birds love to land on 'perches' that are high up. There's not a whole lot you can do about it except to put something on top of it that may prevent her from landing there while she's out. All 13 of my birds, which include 3 CAGS, are flighted and not one of my birds has ever plucked.

Glad to see you here! Do you have any pics of Junior for us to see? There are some avian teas out there that help support feather growth from Greywood Manor. Did he recently start to pluck? Hormone or stress related perhaps?

If it's only one, I'd just keep an eye on things. She could have bent it weirdly and then chewed it off because it was bothering her. If you see more, then you'll have to delve into her diet, environmental stress, possible infection, etc.

That's a huge drop in weight in such a short period of time. I'd have her vetted to make certain she doesn't have an infection brewing or something else going on.

Happy Hatch Day, Corky!

I've heard people say good things about the full spectrum lighting for birds. I believe My Safe Bird Store carries them.

You're most welcome! Yes, our household is most entertaining. There are times we have to step outside in order to hear each other speak! I have to do all my business calls from my car!

My heart sunk when I read this on another forum. I'm so, so sorry. I can't even begin to imagine how devastated you are over the loss your beloved baby. I believe many space heaters have teflon coated elements. Sounds like yours must have had a short, which overheated those elements. I sincerely appreciate your sharing this information, as I know that it can help others moving forward. I'm so very sorry, Don. My heart goes out to you.

RPO is essentially vitamin A and fat. I put a half pea sized amount onto their food. Some of my birds (I have 13!) go right for it to eat first. The Sprout People have great sprouting equipment and supplies. You can certainly go overboard getting all their stuff, but the basic sprouting trays and their certified sprouts will get you going. It's all about regular rinsing and serving them just as it sprouts; not when they've grown long. If she likes any soft foods like sweet potatoes, you can hide so many nutritional goodies chopped up into it. My crew doesn't like the leafie greens, so they get finely chopped into the sweet potatoes.

The only thing I'm aware of is the need to bump up her calcium intake. If the egg was taken away from her, she could double clutch. Many swap out a dummy egg for the one laid. They'll nest on it for awhile before losing interest. It also helps to reduce the double clutching. Did she actually see the vet?

Sounds like you're on the right path! Start with steamed, but very slowly decrease the amount of time the veggies are steamed until they can eventually be served raw. Red Palm Oil is rich in vitamin A, which CAGS need. Low A can contribute to poor feathering for one. I buy Nutiva Organic Red Palm Oil (Amazon) because it;s grown on family farms, so it doesn't destroy the natural habitats. Many forests have been decimated through farming RPO. I cook my grains. Steel cut oats, tricolored quinoa, brown rice are great. I also sprinkle flaxseeds, chia seeds and hemp seeds onto their banana slice in the morning for added nutritional boost. Sprouts are super important to throw in as well. I sprout my own to make certain they are served super fresh.

Yes, her diet sounds like it hasn't been very good, and may be contributing to her poor feathers. Switching her slowly over to a raw diet while slowly reducing the other foods will be ideal. Her diet should primarily be fresh raw vegetables, some fruit, some nuts, a high quality pellet, and some seeds without the sunflower seeds and peanuts. Sprouts, organic grains, and organic red palm oil should be added to her diet as well. Does she like sugar snap peas? All mine adore them! They also really like yams into which I finely chop dandelion greens, kale and other organic leafy greens. They can't avoid eating the greens while they nosh on the yams. There's a Greywood manor avian tea called 'Pretty Plume' that might help her. I steep quinoa, steel cut organic oats and other wholesome grains in this tea.

Welcome! Wow! What a nice intro to your furry and feathered family! May I ask what type of diet she's been on before you and now? There may be some dietary adjustments that could help her moving forward.

You're right. The price of CAGS has gone through the roof in recent years. Love the idea of adoption!

That's great! Pictures???

Hmmm. Not sure about that one. Have you tried doing a Google search to see what comes up? I do recall seeing a chart of safe plants and trees on the internet way back when.

Their tail feathers are usually red, so it doesn't sound abnormal to me.

I have to agree with the above.

I can't even imagine having to make that decision. Can someone foster her until you return, or will you not be returning? Perhaps a sanctuary in the interim if you can't find the right person to care for her?

Oh, I feel your pain. One of my 3 greys, a rescue, is a non stop love machine to me, his bell and toys. It's 24/7. I just purchased a tea that's supposed to help lesson their drive, but I haven't steeped any for him yet. It's an avian tea product from Graywood Manor.

I'm so sorry to hear about your sweet baby. I know of another person who bought their gray in Dubai and it also had the same disease as yours did. She was told that it's common for places to sell sick birds there. As Timbersmom has said, this disease is extremely infectious. If you have any other birds everything needs to be cleaned and sanitized. Everything. The virus remains on surfaces for a long time, so please refrain from getting any other birds for now. Again, I'm so very sorry. You did everything you could. But, unfortunately, there is no cure.