Dave007

I'm glad that Dan posted about them. The only thing that Dan did that was wrong was that he held back on his descriptions of the Bozo Brothers. As far as the stick stuff, Dan is totally and completely correct and it's true. It's a terrible way to start off a relationship with new birds. As far as the macaw that Dan speaks of, that's totally true. What Dan didn't tell you was that there was more than just that macaw that was already trained. As far as the free flight thing that Dan talks about, well, so called free flight lessons shouldn't be included in any training material on the market even if it says not to *try it yourself*. Lets face facts..there's people out there that will try it no matter what the warning is. Dan is wrong about the 3 yr figure..it's been about 6 yrs that they haunted bird boards. How they pay for all that advertising on all sites beats me. I wanna add something else that many people don't know about Chetsky...About 2 yrs ago on a well known board located in NY the subject of his disks came up in a few threads quite by accident. People started getting angry about the content in those disks. There was no positive feedback from the people involved in those threads. People simply got angrier and angrier.Now on that particular well known board, authors Maggie Wright and Bobbi Brinker periodically post replies in threads that are serious. Yes, they're giving out advice but at the end of their replies, there's always their official website at the bottom. Of course you know what that means. So anyway, considering what board it was, Chetsky felt that it was important that he come there and publically apologise to people who were unhappy and insulted by his stuff. He then told the people that a few years back when he first started the material in his disks, he wasn't as knowledgable back then but had improved over time. This didn't satisfy people at all. As a matter of fact, it pissed them off even more. One other thing about Chetsky is that many unknowing people have purchased his material and a big complaint from these people was that they never received the disks after paying for them by credit card. People started asking each other whether they had also run into this problem. About 25% of people said yes. Others said that the material arrived 2 to 3 mts later. So basically, he's full of shit. I sometimes tell people to use a stick but only for the bird that is terrified of the human hand and only when it has to do with stepping up and only when the bird is on the floor learning how to step up. Gradually, the bird shows less fear of the hand and gets closer to the fingers. Recently, I showed Dan those sticks. In order to give him an idea of how small they were I put a pack of cigarettes in between the 2 sticks. I was telling him to use a stick but it had nothing to do with any training whatsoever. It was just a little aid that might help him do something more quickly. BUT, now I'm stuck with a big problem. I'm gonna have to teach Dan how to use more blunt down home street words when giving out descriptions of these kinds of things I'll be making a disk of my lessons and it'll be on the market soon and it'll be on sale for only $19.95 and I'm including the statement that the disk will be sent out within 2 business days. PS--Back then, Chetsky didn't have a picture of any bird on his shoulder. He decided to modernize. PS--another thing about that SOB. If a person clicks on the website, reads it and decides to close the page out, it won't leave the screen so the only way to stop that is to go offline and then get online. His page will be gone. Post edited by: Dave007, at: 2008/12/16 19:39<br><br>Post edited by: Dave007, at: 2008/12/16 19:44

I'm against clipping but I'll put that aside right now and speak of ratios and percentages """""Do you think the ratio of pluckers/chewers is different between flighted and clipped greys?""""" I do believe that there's a difference in the plucking ratio concerning clipped and unclipped birds. The reason that I feel this way is because the percentage of birds being clipped before they should be clipped contributes to the inability of the bird to develop proper strength in certain areas of the body that have to do with coordination. Many people go and buy birds from certain breeders or unknowing pet shops and are already clipped so those birds never get a chance to go through the proper process of strength development. Concerning pet shops who sell birds like that, I simply call it negligence because most of the time they didn't do the actual clipping. They get in and simply sell them. Concerning private breeders who do that, I call them cruel. They're thinking first about the customer, second about the bird. Screw the customer. People who sell birds have to do the right thing but many are impatient and want that dollar quickly. The customer has to be told that there's a right way and a wrong way to do things. They can't put up with that? Again, screw the customer. There'sa big chance that birds who were prematurely and then allowed to grow out their feathers may never actually fly. All they know about is falling on the floor and banging themselves off objects laying around. If they do decide to fly,the walls and curtains and other items will be a part of that bird's flying experience. Birds were meant to fly. That's why they have wings. Birds should be given the opportunity to feel the experience of flying. Confidence will lessen a bird's desire to pluck out of frustration. This is a fact of life about birds. You walk, they fly.<br><br>Post edited by: Dave007, at: 2008/12/15 19:11

Cut the rest of it and you'll have the *spiked* look. put some gel on each spike ( doesn't have to be aloe gel) Then you can put different colors on each spike. Then you can get some black make up and leather pants and start a rock group. Hmmm, now lets see, your name, hmmm How bout TALONIZER

First off..SHOULDER. Your grey is one of those types that right now is attracted to your earlobes. Pretty soon, when he gets more agile and learns how to move around confidently when on your shoulder his interest will eventually extend to your clothes, any jewelry you may wear, your neck, your hair. Many greys are like this. There's other greys that won't do any of these things. One grey who doesn't do this is no better than the grey who does do this. It's their personality and their natural attraction to things that causes this to happen. You happen to own a bird that should never be allowed on your shoulder. Others here have the same type of bird and they too now know that shoulders are a no no. Another thing concerning shoulders.when he doesn't wanna come off, he'll be able to avoid your fingers when you try to take him off simply because he's gonna be on the back of your shoulders where you can't reach him. If you go out of your way to get him off, he'll eventually bite the item that's chasing him. Your fingers. If your mom is around the bird for longer periods of time than you it stands to reason that shes also doing other things that make the bird happy so it will take longer to get him to ease up with you. He sometimes doesn't like you? That happens frequently with parrots, not just greys. They have their moods and many times they don't want physical contact, ESPECIALLY GREYS. As a grey gets older, many become somewhat independent and wanna be alone. It's something that many people don't know about greys. That sweet cuddly little baby bird starts to grow and their natural personality appears. Greys aren't in general cuddly birds when they get older. For now, restart your relationship with him by giving him things that he'll enjoy like unshelled almonds. Eventually, they get the idea that a good thing is coming their way when you give the nuts. The big thing here are the shoulders though. If your bird will bite you up there, your natural instinct is to get yourself or the bird away. That may be uncomfortable for the bird because he doesn't wanna go. So, what does he do? he bites you, remembers that you gave him an unpleasent time and in the future reacts to that person who gave him a hard time and he does it by biting. I'm sure you'll have better progress if you stop the shoulder thing. It will take time but make sure you can see your bird in front of you all the time. Need some ideas about what your bird is doing in front of you? Go to Training secdtion here and read about BODY LANGUAGE of the bird. You'll be able to understand what he's up to and it'll make it easier to avoid the bird when he's in a bad mood.

I have a subscription to Serius radio and it has some real groove type music and other stuff on it so when I have to go out for a few hrs, i decide on whether I wanna play 50s, 60s, 70s, Watercolor jazz or disco music. They pretty much like it all except fot for the doo wop station. The music is too slow for them and all they wanna do is either get into guitar jazz or sometimes Led Zepplin or just just groove all day. The other day, I had to go with my son to pick up his new puppy at a breeder's house and my wife and I were gone for about 7 hrs ( long trip). I came home and heard all three whistling to George Benson who has those magic fingers.

Vets do prescribe that for various nervous, hypertensive situations and plucking. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't so as time goes on just make sure you're not just treating the symptoms instead of the cause.

If you're sure that the only time the bird needs to be caged is overnight then go to EBAY Copy and paste this number in Item number: 250022350436

I can only tell you the symptoms and what you describe doesn't fit these symptoms----- Symptoms include irreversible loss of feathers, shedding of developing feathers, development of abnormal feathers, new pinched feathers, and loss of powder down. Other possible symptoms include overgrown or abnormal beak, symmetrical lesions on the beak and occasionally nails. Immunosuppression, rapid weight loss, and depression are also possible in later stages of the disease. Secondary viral, fungal, bacterial or parasitic infections often occurs as a result of diminished immunity caused by a PBFD viral infection. Additional symptoms not mentioned above including elevated white cell counts are generally due to secondary infections and may not be directly related to PBFD virus infections. I personally believe that your bird has had an stroke and what makes me believe that is the fact that you said it happened overnight. I also believe that you need another vet to go to because after a diagnosis of PBFD depending upon the seriousness of the problem, many treatments can be applied by the vet and we can't possibly tell you about those treatments because of how individual those treatments are. Your bird is extremely young and you do need to see a vet who has experience in dealing many parrot diseases. Even a stroke is dealt with in different ways. I'm sorry that we can't give you the information you want but compare it to a person who's had a stroke..it needs to be dealt with immediately and the cnditions of the event have to be dealt with depending on what kind of stroke it is.

When does he bite you? What's going on when he bites you. Is he in his cage or out when this happens? Are you doing certain things near him when he bites you? Does he go out of his way to try and bite you? has this been going on just recently or has it been a long term reaction to you? Did you get along peacefully with him in the past? You may need a totally different approach than your mother has. You have to explain in more detail cause there's loads of reasons why birds do that. He's also 2 yrs old and may have a temporary attitude change going on and that change doesn't have to be aimed at every single person in the house.

Training your bird can be somewhat easier if you understand what your bird sometimes tries to tell you what's on his/her mind at any particular moment. Greys can project visual signs which can help or hinder the process of training. It's commonly referred to as BODY LANGUAGE ====================================================== Many times you may hear an experienced bird person say that it was their fault that they got bit. That's happened to me because I simply wasn't paying attention or was just lazy at that time. If you are a novice, you may wonder about that statement. What that expert is talking about is reading birdie body language. All birds have it. And all display it. It is our job to read and understand it! Of course, like us, all birds don't display their feelings in the same way, but there are some generalities. Here are just a few that may help you out as you interact with your feathered friends: Beak Grinding This is similar to the sound of grinding teeth at night. It is a result of a bird scraping the lower mandible against the upper mandible. This means that your pet is feeling secure and content. You will often hear your bird do this as he settles in for the night, right before he drops off to sleep and sometimes during sleep. Sneezing Birds sneeze for the same reasons we do: dust, nasal irritation, small bug or down feathers up the nasal cavity. Some birds will sneeze if this behavior has been positively reinforced. If the sneezing is accompanied by nasal discharge, your bird should be seen by an avian vet. 'Pinning' Pupils Flashing, dilating pupils can be a sign of aggression, excitement, nervousness, or pleasure. Pay close attention to other behaviors that accompany flashing (usually called "pinning") pupils in order to correctly determine why the bird is responding in this manner. If your pet is also exhibiting additional aggressive behaviors such as tail fanning, growling, raised neck feathers and rocking this behavior means "Back Off!". If you, or the offending item/person/animal doesn't leave, the bird will continue to display aggression and may attack anyone in an attempt to relieve its tension. Barking Even in a household without dogs, some birds will "bark" in excitement, during a "chatter" session, or in an attempt to display their dominance over their cagemates or other birds in the household. Regurgitating When your pet does this to you or another human, it normally means that the bird has chosen you as it's mate, and wants to feed you! This action is also sometimes performed on a favorite toy or other object. Bonded birds show their affection for each other by feeding one another, and accomplish this by regurgitating food. They do this by bobbing their head up and down to bring up food from the crop, and depositing it into the mate's mouth. This is much different than being sick and should not be confused with such. Chattering Loud chattering or crowing is usually heard at dusk, when bird(S) are settling down for the night. It is believed to be an attempt to make their presence known to other birds, or possibly to re- establish relationships among the flock. Soft chattering is often how a parrot amuses itself, and is normally a sign that the parrot is feeling safe and content. This muted chatter is also heard when a bird is practicing speech; words and phrases can sometimes be heard if you listen closely. Head Snaking With this action, the bird will "snake" his head from side to side in a fluid motion. This appears to indicate excitement, a quest for attention or be a display behavior. It is often an invitation to play with an owner who will respond, too! Lowered Head A bird who is pulling his wings in close to his body, has his head lower than the perch and sometimes bobbing slightly, and is leaning forward with quivering or flapping wings is getting ready to take flight. This behavior is often displayed when a bird is begging for attention, and will often attempt to fly to you if you do not give them the attention they are seeking. A bird that is standing still with his head lowered or tucked in front of you, with head feathers puffed out, is probably asking to be scratched! As opposed to the similar aggressive posture (see "Crouch Stance" below), a bird that wants to be scratched or is asking for attention will be relaxed in posture, whereas the aggressive stance will be distinguished by a tense body and raised nape and back feathers, but not the head feathers. Crouch Stance A bird that is crouching with his head down and pointed forward, tail feathers flared, body feathers ruffled or "hackles raised" and with dilated pupils is one angry bird! DO NOT go near this bird! He is saying as plainly as possible that, "I am big, mean, and mad . . If you come any closer I will bite you!" Wing Flipping This when the bird makes a sharp, flicking movement of one or both wings and is usually indicative of annoyance or displeasure. Another cause of wing flipping could be that one of the feathers is out of place, and the bird is "flipping" the wing in an attempt to realign it before preening. In this case, holding the bird aloft on your hand and slowly dropping your hand a few inches will encourage the bird to flap its wings, and will assist in realigning the feather. Wing and Body Quivering Quivering wings usually indicate fear, nervousness, uncertainty, or distrust. If your pet is displaying this behavior, you should be speaking to him softly with a reassuring tone of voice before attempting to initiate contact. A quivering of the entire body, and especially the abdomen where you can see the abdominal feathers shaking, is usually a normal attempt to adjust to a marked change in the temperature of the environment. Preening Bird conducts this activity to keep their feathers in top condition. It consists of running feathers through their beaks from the base to the tip to straighten and clean them. Some birds have oil glands at the base of their tails, and will take some of this oil and run it through their feathers, creating a "sheen" and protectant that repels water instead of absorbing it. Preening is also a social activity - birds will preen one another to remove feather sheaths that they cannot reach by themselves. Birds may also attempt to "preen" their human's hair. You should feel much loved if you pet enjoys grooming you. Although not intentional, there are times when your bird can hurt you when he/she is preening and pulling your hair. Avoid having your bird do that to you. Better safe than sorry. Wing Drumming Wing drumming/flapping is often observed when birds are released from their cages after a long period of confinement or in the morning when first taken out of the cage. Often they will stand on the top of the cage at the front edge and drum their wings, sometimes so strongly that they elevate themselves a few inches or even take flight. In some species wing drumming is also a warning that the bird is protecting its territory. Invading birds that ignore this warning are often chased by the "drummer" with his beak open and ready to defend it's surroundings.

Although we have many decades of tradition in keeping companion birds in aviaries and as pets,we, as the owners, have often failed to meet the basic needs of these animals. Sometimes, the words *basic needs* are misconstrued. The nature of most birds leads them to be adaptable to almost any circumstance, even those that fall far short of thoughtful, humane care. Although these tenants of humane and compassionate care might be self evident, the following list should serve as a reminder to all of us acting as owners. Although our caged birds may appear tolerant of conditions and traditions that defy logic and common sense, we have a responsibility to define and deliver a standard of care befitting these wonderful creatures. THE RIGHT TO A CLEAN, SAFE ENCLOSURE A clean safe enclosure is defined as one that can safely house a particular species. Pet birdcages used inside should be constructed of materials that can not be damaged or eaten by the species housed. As birds will often chew their enclosures, materials used in construction should be nontoxic. Galvanized materials pose unacceptable risks to cage chewing birds. Bar spacing should be appropriate for the species and should not allow for the bird’s head to fit through the bars. Cages should have a grate on the bottom to allow fecal material to pass to the cage floor. The cage floor should be far enough below the grate to prevent access to waste. Absorbent materials should be dust and pathogen free. The cage floor should be cleaned daily. Minimum cage size should allow for each bird to fully extend its wings. Outside aviaries should be partially sheltered to furnish protection from wind and rain. Wire size should be appropriate for the species and should offer protection from pests and predators. Galvanized wire should not be used for species that are at risk to ingest it. THE RIGHT TO EAT FOOD THAT WILL PROMOTE HEALTH Years of experience and clinical research have shown that there is a huge difference in meeting a bird’s caloric need and feeding a healthful diet. Many different species with unique nutritional needs are kept as companion and aviary birds. Formulated diets are preferable to the tradition of seed. The practice of feeding a seed diet which is rooted in tradition, continues to result in numerous syndromes of gross malnutrition. Formulated diets are recommended. Fresh vegetable and fruits, should be prepared and offered daily Ask others how to prepare simple things if you're new to doing it. The practice of feeding cooked food should only be employed if uneaten food can be removed within one hour. The risk of food borne illness increases with cooked food. All dishes should be clean and maintained Lories, lorikeets and other nectar eating birds require fresh unspoiled nectar replaced often. Yes, it can be messy but understand that their diet is their diet. THE RIGHT TO CLEAN WATER All animals require access to clean water. Water dishes should be washed daily and replaced when worn or pitted. The dishes should be made of an inert, nontoxic material. A water source left unattended will grow potentially harmful microorganisms from dunked food and possible dust and droppings. THE RIGHT TO FRESH AIR Birds have, as their unique adaptation to flight, a very effective method of respiration. This adaptation renders them very susceptible to dust and pollutants in the air. Dust, debris, household chemicals, smoke and volatile toxins pose a special risk to birds. Years ago,the common canary was used in unexplored mine shafts because it would succumb to fumes before humans noticed a problem. Indoor air-pollution from many sources will cause sinus problems and respiratory disease. Often these problems can slowly develop into serious medical conditions. Birds that are covered at night should only be covered in a clean cage, with a clean cover. Confining a bird to a small, poorly ventilated airspace can predispose to serious disease. Many birds like cockatoos and African grey parrots produce a lot of feather dust and debris. If allowed to accumulate, this dust and debris can cause respiratory problems not only for the bird that produced it, but other birds and animals in the immediate vicinity although many people don't believe that An attitude of being more safe than sorry benefits the bird and possibly saves the owner some hefty Vet bills.. THE RIGHT TO EXERCISE Birds are some of nature’s greatest athletes. The are designed for flight. The physiologic requirements for flight make the bird unique in many regards. Although there's debates about wing clipping, the need for exercise remains. Bad clipping prevents that. Most healthy birds will instinctively find ways to play vigorously. To maintain cardiovascular and respiratory health birds need to exercise. The only way to develop healthy bones and muscles is to use them. THE RIGHT TO INTERACT Most of the species kept as companion and aviary birds are intelligent and social. Although the bird’s brain is very different from other intelligent mammals, research has proven that the capacity to learn and be creative is astounding. In the wild free-living bird must learn to recognize hundreds of different plants, socialize with an organized flock, build and use nests, raise and train their young and recognize and avoid danger. It is essential that our companion birds learn to interact successfully with their environment. Just as young birds in the wild learn survival skills from their parents, so too must our companion birds learn to relate to different people and learn to interact with their surroundings through toys, playing and vocalizing. THE RIGHT TO BATHE Despite the long-standing traditions of protecting our companion birds from the elements of nature, our birds need to bathe. Many birds have little or no experience with water for bathing and may seem fearful. Regardless of that, we owe it to our birds to introduce them to showers, water misters, spray bottles, hoses and birdbaths. Just as it is with other species, a bird must bathe to maintain its health and vigor. Ignorance is not bliss in this case, as a bird’s plumage requires a huge time commitment in the form of preening and bathing. THE RIGHT TO EXPERIENCE SUNLIGHT, WIND, RAIN AND THE ELEMENTS OF NATURE Despite many “old wives tales” to the contrary, birds have evolved to live outside. The notion that moving air, in the form of drafts and wind, can kill birds isn't ltrue. Fresh air and good ventilation are essential for birds. Birds in the wild rely on the breeze for cooling. Experienced birds in the wild may rely on the wind for information about weather changes and seasonal events. Birds with healthy plumage are very water-resistant. In fact, the exposure to wind and rain promotes healthy plumage. Many of the dustiest companion birds rely on their “dust “ for waterproofing. Many of our caged birds rely on a regular recurring cycle of day and night (photo-period) to trigger seasonal physiologic events like molting and breeding. Most caged birds are diurnal species. They get up at dawn and settle in to sleep at dusk. Exposing companion birds to artificially long days with household lights and TVs can not only sleep deprive them, but may alter essential physiologic processes but variations in that time line may be necessary. The basic thing here is solid sleep done as a regular routine There may be arguments concerning the validity of what's being said above but there's nothing above that will harm birds because I make sure that only basic common sense things be explained here. I hope it may help people in the future.

So lets see, you wanna bring home a bird that was an unsuccessful breeding bird to another bird who was also an unsuccessful breeding bird and these 2 birds just happen to be the same pair that were living in the same cage, were bonded and were unsuccessful at breeding. """"We don´t want them to breed """" Obviously they might be unsuccessful breeders because it was proven that they were unsuccessful. People who are trying to make a pet out of one breeding bird will have much more trouble doing that because naturally, that bird is used to another bird as opposed to people. """"Well today me and my boyfriend went to look at Mandla and I was right it was Nökkvi´s friend.""""" The 2 birds were much more than *just friends* Breeders have a much deeper relationship than just being *friends*. MUCH DEEPER. """""They got along really well so I was wondering how it would be when they meet up again, will they remember each other? They have been apart for some months now. They were in the same cage when they lived together, would it be possible again?""""" They'll remember each other within 1 week and will be extremely interested in each other immediately. VERY INTERESTED. Same cage?-----not unless you wanna cause all sorts of problems between you and the birds. You want them to be pets? Then you need to deal with them as pets and accomplishing that is gonna take quite a long time even if they're in separate cages because they were the original pair and you'll need separate cages for sure. Hypothetically, if it will take you 1 year to make major headways with that male breeder, I guarantee you that it will take 2 yrs to do the same thing if both are around each other in separate cages. You would stand a better chance if neither bird knew each other but you should realize that you're putting 2 former cage mates back together again. They may have been unsuccessful breeders but they were successful cage mates. Having a clutch of eggs isn't necessary in order to create a close connection. """"""We don´t want them to breed and were thinking that since they got along before it would be good for them to have each other and of course it would be good for them but.... we want them as pets.""""" You're dealing with wild animals, not domestic animals but since you're gonna do this, expect that you'll be doing double the amount of work with only 1/2 of the desired results that you're looking for. PER BIRD By the way..concerning that *unsuccessful breeding*, did it ever occur to you that the reason for that is because they're too young or aren't mature enough to be successful?? There's loads of books that give out the approximate age that greys should be before they're able to successfully breed but that doesn't mean that all greys who reach that age will automatically be interested in breeding or whether they will be successful. """""Is there someone here on the forum that has more than one grey that are good friends but still bonded with their humans? Is it perhaps more likely if the birds are handfed? """"" There's many people who have one than one grey and those greys are friends or aren't friends and those birds are somewhat bonded to their human owners. The thing is, they're not former breeders who were split up and then put back together again and then kept separately. AND, the fact that they didn't despise each other when they were together makes your success rate vey low. To another statement here """"So where is the problem?? """"" Deal with breeders and you'll see the problem and many more that you don't even know exist. PS---were both of these birds or even one of these birds ever brought to an avian vet in order to find out if there was anything physically defective that may have existed concerning their capabilities of breeding? People who own pairs of breeder birds make visits to a vet at least twice per year as much compared to people who own pet greys. Post edited by: Dave007, at: 2008/12/11 01:30<br><br>Post edited by: Dave007, at: 2008/12/11 01:36

Damn!! Obviously there's no table etiquette. No desire to make small talk. Makes a terrible mess. Wipes his mouth on a table instead of a napkin. He's obviously one of those back of the building alley way type of birds who never had a proper education. Grew up and the only rules were the rules of the tough streets. Look at him!! He learned that style when he was in the alleyway waiting for Luigi's Restaurant to dump the evening trash that contained all of the leftover meals. By the way,ask him how the veal was. I gotta a hot date this Saturday.

What's *just adopted*? How long have you had him home? If he was living in a pet shop he had the opportunity to yell all he wanted and no one would have paid any attention. This could be a habit he's taking to your home or more than likely it's a reaction to being in a one family home with freedom, no kids trying to poke at him, pet him or in general, just being annoying to him. Many people here can tell you about the multitude of different things that took place when they first brought their birds home. These different things took a while to subside( the bird who had lots to say) or increase ( the bird who was withdrawn, frightened and extremely quiet). If you've only had the bird for a few weeks, he'll need time to get into a routine. Once that's established, things start to calm down. He sounds like the type of bird who was involved in unintentional neglect which many pet store animals go through. The bird is screaming out his happiness with you. You've been doing good by him and he wants to make sure it doesn't go away. In the past it went away or never really was there in the first place. I feel that the situation will lessen but it will take some patience and maybe a decent set of disposable earplugs that are now on sale at Ace Hardware for Xmas. When you have him with you be affectionate. For that he'll keep quiet. Just before you walk away ( not after you come in)from him, leave him a little part of you behind--give a nice almond or some other treat. Gradually, a bird will know what to expect when you walk away. Make sure the almond is not shelled. Slightly crack it and give it to him. It's gonna take a while to take that nut cover off but eventually he'll know that what's in that shell is what came from you. Try it out. There's other things you can try but first you gotta turn the know before the door will fully open for you.<br><br>Post edited by: Dave007, at: 2008/12/09 03:59

No one is saying that you did a wrong thing concerning your post. Of course you're not trying to intentionally upset people. I have no idea how long you've had a grey/greys but please inderstand that the same videos you're speaking of have been in circulation for at least 2 yrs on the net and most people here and people on other boards can't help running into them especially on You Tube and other similar websites. Many people on many grey forums have seen those videos and reactions are terrible. You may go to You Tube just to look for a grey or other parrot who's dancing or talking and so many times the add-on videos on the right side contain those exact same videos you speak of so it's not unusual for one person to warn other people that the videos are graphic and disturbing. Some people won't even let their kids watch those videos. But anyway, thanks for your posting. It's appreciated. I just wanted to explain the situation in more detail.

No, the micro won't hurt your bird but if that makes you worry, just make sure that the bird is away from the micro although I know it won't unless it's face is right near the door. Micros give out radiation, not fumes. Metal will spark and flame in a micro. The*metal browning top* is not metal. It's the same material that paninis sit on in a microwave. It looks like aluminum but it's not. I doubt that you'll find the words *metal or metalic* on a microwaveable pot pie or any other item that's microwaveable.

Dan, use a stick --about 1/2 inch thick, maybe a little thicker depending how big Dayo's foot is and let him hold on to it. Each nail will be easy to lift from the stick while the rest of the foot stays around the stick. The stick won't allow him to squeeze his foot shut.

Just make sure that the vet uses a towel on you so you don't get nervous and have a heart attack. The vet has no nitro glycerine in the office and he isn't licensed to treat humans. Seriously, stop worrying. The whole process is no big deal. Probably, right after the whole thing is done in the office, he'll hop onto your hand and just stare around the room. Then just take him home, give him some nuts and act as if nothing happened. I do that all the time in my house and none of them give me any trouble. Just a lot of squawking.

That's the proper and usual way that claws and wings are done at the vet. It may stress him out for a few hrs after getting home but that lasts a very short time ( a few hrs ). Other birds don't get stressed out at all. the important thing here is that your bird will direct his pissed off attitude towards the people who are handling him, not you. Many people who go to the vet are glad that the bird isn't angry with them. If he's a good vet, it should be over quickly.

I'm a little confused here. You have 2 threads here that have the the exact same title. In the other thread is that your husband talking and asking the question??

At your home 24 hrs. Just came from a shipping experience----it's not the best way for a bird to go from one place to another although it's sometimes necessary . Disoriented---of course it is! New home, new people, new surroundings. Expect that to only subside, not quickly stop. You say he's supposed to talk alot--everything about living with new people is much more important to him than behaving like a bird whose been in a new place 24 hrs. Birds don't talk quickly, even if they know how. Birds really aren't interested in talking right away in new environments. Some do but many don't and that's what you should focus on because of your confusion and feeling bad. Expect talking to start gradually and don't expect him to speak his whole vocabulary. Won't eat normal foods that he's used---why should he? You should only give him the types of items that parrots can't resist. Let him know where good things come. My mother fed me good foods when I was a kid but I really loved it when my uncle came over with homemade italian honey balls that had sprinkles on them. My wonderful aunt made them. The hell with the good food. """Also, does any one have experience with a bird that has been rehomed getting comfortable enough to speak again."""" That was already addressed and talking should be the last thing on your mind cause it isn't important. Birds talk all the time in parrotese. That's their natural language. """I want to transition his diet away from just pellet "pretty bird" to organic pellets and vegetables and things like rice, beans, etc... all the good things but I'm wondering if anyone who has rehomed a bird knows has a sense of how long I should keep things the "same" and when I should start making changes.""" That was partially answered already. Changing foods should be done in the future when the bird feels like it's in it's permanent home and that may take months . He's not a baby. He has set attitudes. He's lived in a different environment for years and it will take longer to accept all the changes.<br><br>Post edited by: Dave007, at: 2008/12/08 18:25

Hi Stefanie Welcome to our board. Also when you get a chance, give Malcom our regards. Lots of TAGs here that he can play with or just have a good ole chat with. Forgive the question but what's Sunflower bread-- I'm behind the times. It's the age. I'm sure you'll understand.

Conures are the type of bird that need to be totally left alone until different situations such as yours are totally completed. They're become very nervous and certain species of conures become very agitated. What's going on right now is typical of Sun, Jenday and Paatagonian conures. Contact with your bird should be casual. Hand training again should only start after the normalcy of a new house sets in. Yes, he's scared of moving and will be scared of you if you impose on him. If he has a certain spot that he's feeling safe in, just let him hang out there. It takes a while for certain conures to resettle into new surroundings. Certain conures who've been for sale in pet shops but wind up staying there for quite a while will also feel uncomfortable moving to a new owner's house. Whatever is his favorite treat/food, give him pl;enty of it and don't make him think he has to do something for it. Put it in his bowl. Talk to him alot. Sit near him frequently. If you're the only one that takes care of him and you go out alot such as school, it may take a bit longer for him to settle in. Now that he's in his new home, you need to quickly decide where his cage will be kept permanently and immediately put it there. Moving cages around constantly does'nt make for a happy conure.<br><br>Post edited by: Dave007, at: 2008/12/06 18:30

You're talking about budgies not greys, right?