Dave007

You simply have to locate the feeding bowl to another area that's more difficult to perch on. Easy access to a food or water bowl is the only time a bird will do that. Usually, they're not even eating anything when they do it. They can't be trained to not do it nor do they care about not doing it. Can't move the food dish to another area? Simply go to a pet store, buy a food bowl that usually comes with a holder and attach it to the inner cage. Many people have to do that because when their bird decides to bathe in the bowl and starts flapping their wings, those wings get stuck between the bars of a cage and cause injury to themselves.<br><br>Post edited by: Dave007, at: 2009/11/12 20:09

Given that he's 2 yrs old, was owned by others, you'll need to find out whether you have the type of bird that will tolerate having a person sticking their hand in the cage be it with the hand or stick. Many greys and other species of parrots don't want their inside area being invaded by a hand or stick. Some will bite or squawk or run to the farthest part of the cage. It's nothing to worry abnout if he turns out to be a bird that wants his safety zone to remain that way. It's not uncommon and it also happens to people who are the first owners of a bird be it an very young bird ( 4 or 5 mts old) or an older bird and most people have to accept those habits. That learning process with your new bird may take some time and no matter what the final result is, it's nothing to be concerned about. It's simply the bird's personality.

It's extremely hard for birds to get ringworm. As Dan said there would be obvious feathers problems if a bird caught it. You can catch the fungus that causes ringworm in a variety of ways. Having direct contact with someone who is already infected is one way, as well as loving on your pet who has ringworm but those pets need to be on the ground all the time.. Yes, your pets ( domestic) can easily get ringworm and then pass it on to you as you pet them. They can also get ticks and mites and fleas. Ringworm is contagious and easily spread, especially among young children. You should avoid sharing combs, brushes, hats, and other personal hygiene items with someone who is infected with ringworm. There are several good over the counter treatments for ringworm available. A few of these include: Most all of them are over the counter medications. Even generic products are sold for that problem. Micatin Lotrimin Mycelex Miconazole works quite well Head And Shoulders works very well in treating ringworm of the scalp Selsun Blue is another good scalp ringworm treatment. Corticosteroids are very effective. One such product is Hydrocortisone cream is great for many skin infections. It definitely relieves the itching. All of these ringworm medications work extremely well in eliminating the fungus that causes ringworm. With treatment, ringworm should go away within 7 to 10 days and leave you completely healed. So, if you notice yourself with a red rash that is itching, don't get to upset. Get yourself one of these over the counter products for ringworm and get rid of it fast. There's even herbal medicine for ringworm.

You should have it done as soon as possible. The longer the nail, a lesser amount can be taken off because the blood in the nail also grows lengthwise. That also applies to dogs and cats. It's best that a stranger touch her rather than you. That way, the bird will hate the stranger, not you. Many people need to bring their birds to others that do that type of work. A vet is the best place to go.

Some birds won't touch new things because they're very comfortable with what they have, especially perches. Sometimes fantastic toys are introduced to birds and some of those bird will either accept it, ignore it or actually freak out when that item is around. As long as your perches are the proper size and she's totally comfortable them, there's no need for change. Some people get their birds some of the most beautiful and expensive cages and the bird won't go near it until he/she gets used to seeing it. That may be a short time or long time. Many greys simply don't like change. Some will say that it's a good idea to have the item laying around so that the bird can see it and get used to it. Most of the time, the bird will get used to it but when it's time to actually use it with the bird there may be a big problem because the bird got used to it as being part of the scenery.<br><br>Post edited by: Dave007, at: 2009/11/10 01:13

The US has very strict rules about importing wild animals into this country. A parrot is a wild animal and can't be compared to any domestic animal. You may need to have your bird examined in your own country so that proper official documented info can be supplied to the vets here that will perform another examination. Depending upon your particular situation, a minimum of 30 days can actually stretch out to 60 days. Extensive Vet testing must be done which is expensive. Parrots that need to be examined by vets in order for the bird to get a clean bill of health aren't allowed in any cabin area with passengers because of possible unknown health problems. You'll need to check out everything you need to do in extreme detail. Quarantine is the last thing a bird needs to go through. All of the testing comes first.

A few weeks ago, I told people that I would be baby sitting my son's dog for quite a while because of different situations he was involved in. I also said that I definitely knew there would be serious trouble as soon as my birds spotted the new dog. They're totally used to my dog. He's 11 years old and they've always seen him. Sure enough, trouble started, not with all the birds but just one. It will probably take me about 4 to 5 mts before he trusts me again after the puppy is gone. I'm the one that brought the dog in and he feels that I'm causing great difficulty in the routines. My method right now is to not be pushy with him and just leave him alone. He acts alright when out of the cage, lets me give him nuts or whatever else I give but he doesn't want to step up and squawks at me. I think you need to be patient and let him come around when he's ready. There's nothing that I can do with my bird because he's extremely angry but I expected it. PS-that bird is 10 yrs old and I've had him since he hatched.<br><br>Post edited by: Dave007, at: 2009/11/07 22:37

Some water is great from wells as long as wells are properly taken care of and the water wells are constantly filled to capacity. Other wells aren't very good because the level of water is low and sometimes neglected. That type of well water may contain trace amounts of arsenic In some areas tap water is very good. In other places, it isn't because of clorine that's added. Look at your toilet bowl and see if the water stains the inner walls periodically. If so, tap water isn't good and bottled or purified water should be used.

You may not be familiar with the specific facts concerning greys as opposed to other species of parrots so one answer to one of many you'll have is Greys have extremely dry and sometimes itchy skin. They need to be bathed frequently. Misting is one method, bathing is another. What you describe doesn't sound like molting. You would know when it's molting but also don't assume that a happy bird will not do what your grey is doing. Happiness has nothing to do it. Nervousness, tension, other pets, low humidity in the bird area and of course, the most common which is dry, itchy skin that is covered with dander. So, try the frequent bathing/ misting. After you get that down, you can purchase Aloe Vera Juice at many stores which when sprayed on a bird's skin will keep the skin soft and supple. PS--it's most important that a bird's skin must be soaked. No towel drying--no hair dryers should be used<br><br>Post edited by: Dave007, at: 2009/11/04 05:40

Spinach is a very dark green veggie and is packed with different vitamins that all different green veggies have. Corn has nothing valuable in it. That goes for any kind of corn. Many parrot mixes are loadeded with kernals of dried corn and many parrots ignore them or flip them out. Can't understand why there's such a debate going on. The trick is to get the bird to eat spinach or kale or any other leafy veggie. Some do, some don't. There's never any suggestion by people to feed corn.

All air purifiers work on the the principal of removing microscopic particals from a room/couple of rooms that people occupy. The purifiers are not made for birds. Purifiers don't have the power to pull in bird dust/ dander which is extremely heavy and won't remain floating around the air drifting towards a purifier. The dust that purifiers pull in are usually invisible to people and that dust floats around a room and stays airborne. That type of dust stays in the air and eventually gets pulled into the purifier if it gets close enough to the machine. When purchasing a purifier, it states exactly the weight of the dust that the machine is made for and all bird dander is much heavier and will land on the floor, furniture or cages. The different sized purifiers also explain and specify how much area it's made for because all rooms are different sizes. Some of that bird dust made stay in the air so the machine can pull it in but not much remains in the air. Purifiers are made strength wise to pull in microscopic dust that eventually gets pulled in if it floats about 3 to 6 ft from the machine. Any filters/purifiers that are used in a house must be used in a totally enclosed room otherwise the automatic shut off feature will never work because any microscopic dust coming from other rooms will continue to be pulled in never allowing the machine to shut off. People with breathing problems or people who want dust free rooms use air purifiers. Purifiers never purify a room that has a bird/birds near by. The dander of the bird is much heavier than .003 microns. So, if you want to greatly lessen the dust in a bird area, the best thing to use is an exhaust fan which is extremely powerful positioned near a window so that the heavier dander/dust can be sucked out. No matter what kind of machine is used, a bird area is never dust free especially with birds that are constantly producing dander which they flap off with their wings. PS--if a person were to paint a room in which strong odor remains, an air purifier will never pull the odor out of that room quickly because it's much too weak to do that. A strong exhaust fan will definitely suck out the residual odor much more quickly if that exhaust fan is positioned right next to a window because of it's extremely strong power.<br><br>Post edited by: Dave007, at: 2009/11/03 20:39

I recommend Charmin Ultra Soft afterward. True, Scott has more to the roll but in cases like this, better to use quality over quantity. You'll feel so much better afterward when you hear the bird's distinct chirp of satisfaction. Diapers really can't satisfy that need. After all, what bird would not want that softness. It'll get to the point where they will definitely tell you that it's *time*. They'll hold it in until you respond.

"""It is not impossible to become unweaned. """" You can give a bird anything that it will take, even formula --even in a very adult bird. That doesn't mean that it has become *unweaned* Weaning is the process of feeding a baby bird formula until it becomes old enough to want to start eating the proper foods for it's age. Formula has nothing to do with building up strength after missing food for a few days. Formula is used because a baby bird's digestive system will only accept fortified formula. It works on the exact same principle as formula for human babies. Lots of birds go without food for a few days. That doesn't mean it has to be given formula again. The only thing that's necessary for a bird that hasn't eaten in a few days is some food that it normally eats.<br><br>Post edited by: Dave007, at: 2009/10/29 21:14

What for? No, it's impossible to *unwean* any bird.

Judy Normally, going to a vet with the problem you're having which really isn't a serious problem, a vet won't really have much to say. There's nothing they can do but if he suggested a colar, you'd be making a huge mistake. Collars are used on birds that mutilate themselves on many different parts of the body. Your problem will take some time to correct itself but there's loads of birds that do what your bird is doing. That type of item may allow certain areas to grow back but if a bird simply wants to do that, it will after the collar is taken off and a worse scenario is that some birds actually chew up the collar while it's on.

I think Judy hit the nail on the head. As she said, at that age a grey, CAG or TAG is starting to change. He/she starts to feel it oats, does nip more than usual, is a bit more obstinent and at times, more aloof and also shows it's spunk. Don't worry, next week all will be fine Congrats and good luck with your new baby.

This subject has been brought up a few times. I've already said that the feathers would grow back unevenly. I also said that some new feathers would start getting old by the time more new ones took their place would die. Instead of getting opinions about what happened to others here concerning wing feathers, you need to ask a vet about doing such a drastic thing. You can't go by what others say concerning their problems because you don't know if the problems are or were the same as yours. You have no idea about certain areas where feathers would never grow back. A vet can answer that question. You have no idea about growth because you can't see into the shaft to tell what feather is popping out within a few days and which feathers are gonna take a while to grow out. You have no idea about the evenness of the new growth. You need to see a vet and get a medical opinion.

It might be. It also can be from some sudden dryness in that area, a bout of nervousness or a temporary hormonal change during this time. Lots of reasons why but the best thing to dois watch her and see if she continues. In the mean time, keep that area moist in case it has to do with dryness. Light misting is good.

Look around for that syringe tip. A bird would have a hard time swallowing 3 inches of any tubing plus they wouldn't generally find it tasty. OR go to a vet.

The rope and leather needs to be discarded because both harbor bacteria which can't be easily removed and leather is primarily used in cages for a bird to chew on. The rope can get chewed on and there may be mite larvae in the rope if it's been outside. The birds grip tightly on rope and foot mites aren't pleasent. The wood perches can be washed with soap and hot water with a rough edged sponge then washed down with vinegar until totally dry. If the wood you're talking about has to do with toys and you can't thoroughly disinfect them, throw them away. The acrylic toys can be boiled in water. Outside atmospheres ruin many bird products both cheap and expensive.

<br><br>Post edited by: Dave007, at: 2009/10/27 22:45

There's many people who are successful in putting diapers on their bird. Whether they're still using them, well I don't know. """Also, can an aviator harness fit over the bird diapers?""" In all the years since the aviator harness been out on the market, you're the first person that has asked that question. My opinion is no it can't. Most birds don't like flying with diapers on them because the huge majority of feathers that are covered by diapers are needed for flight, not just the wings. If you don't want fecal matter on your shoulders but you wanna take your birds out to fly, just keep your birds off your shoulders. In your home, if you had a bird that sat on your shoulder and decided to constantly bite your earlobes or clothing or break jewelry or pull at your hair or nibble on your neck, would you still allow that bird on your shoulder?

Chelsea ""This is intresting, at what age should you stop petting/scratching their back & pits? """"" """thinking that touching all these parts will make him easier to handle as he matures."""" Stopped by at least 6 or 7 mts old. As long as lower vent above and below isn't touched plus lower breast area isn't touched plus under the wings next to the skin isn't touched, then there's little problems. He won't be easier to handle as he matures if those areas continue to be touched. . He'll expect it. he'll associate it with sexual stimulation and when you stop doing it, there's a chance he'll bite simply because he's pissed that you won't do it. There's a big difference in attitude between a 4 mt old bird and a 1 yr bird. That's the time they start to change from the cuddly stage to the semi-independent stage.

I'm very sorry about the loss of your bird but there's a chance that he can be retreived, because he does have wings. I can't guarantee it but there is a chance. There's just something that you've said though and the other thing is a possible correction concerning parrots. The subject of wing clipping has been discussed so many times here. Most people have made their decisions no matter what advice and opinions has been given but I'll just repeat one very important thing----- Clipped birds can fly and escape all the time. People here will verify that. There's more of a chance of them not making it and being vulnerable to the elements because they can't fly high enough to avoid trouble. If they do manage to get high enough, they have no ability to fly downward. The other thing you said was --- """""First thing I did was clipped his wing.""""" I just hope that this was a mistake with the *his wing* Even though I disagree with clipping, when clipping is done, both wings need to be clipped, not just one wing. That practice was stopped years ago because of constant serious damage to the bird even when flying short distances.<br><br>Post edited by: Dave007, at: 2009/10/24 19:02

Not really. The type that's used for reptiles also has UVB and UVA content and the UVA in those bulbs has to do with mercury. Although both types of bulbs do the same thing ( Vit D3 ), the reptile version must be kept very close to them to provide extreme warmth because reptiles are cold blooded animals and the lighting for birds has nothing to do with warmth and should be not kept extremely close to them. It's the spectrum of rays that benefits a bird. Most reptile UVB bulbs are made so that they can sit on fish tanks which can be kept warm.