Dave007

We've got posts about birds being or not being a shoulder bird. With some there's no problem. With others, there is a problem but a grey will start showing small signs that he shouldn't be a shoulder bird. Right now, one of those signs is the earrings. It shouldn't be you that will put up with your bird gdoing that simply because it doesn't hurt. You're not part of the solution just a part of the problem. Soon, it'll be the neck/hair area. Then, another part of the ear lobe. Then some jewelry. Then some clothing. Basically all areas will be less tolerated by you because of increased discomfort. So, as the bird gets older, it becomes more agile and likes it up there. It learns to go from shoulder to shoulder behind you. You want the bird off. You put your hand up there to have him step up. The bird wants to stay there. You try over and over and he goes from shoulder to shoulder. Finally, he's pissed off that you're annoying him and BAM, he bites the thing that's chasing him, your hand. Seen it a million times. Think about letting your bird get into the habit of being on the shoulder. Trouble could be brewing in that hot kettle.<br><br>Post edited by: Dave007, at: 2008/11/22 19:29

You're right about possible hospital visits. I've seen it happen and usually, when you go, since it's an emergency, you won't get to see a regular MD. Most of the time, a person gets to see a nurse practioner and bird bites aren't something they deal with very often. Just a tip..if your wound was between the thumb and index finger, expect it to take longer to heal and expect a little more pain than usual. That's one of the worst places to get bitten. Area is soft soft. beak can go a little deeper. I had a friend who now lives in Florida. He has a green winged macaw since it was 4 mts old. he used to do things with this bird and constantly took chances. One day, the bird was on his shoulder and for no reason he bit the guy's cheek and ear lobe. About 1 second apart from each bite. He wound up getting 2 stitches on his cheek and his ear lobe was almose detached and he had to be bandaged a certain way for a month before the skin started to reconnect on the lobe. So, that fits your description of "not expecting it........out of the blue.......BAM " He was left with a scar on the cheek. It's been about 7 yrs now but needless to say,he never let his bird go near soft skin again. So as Dan and I say, watch out for those lips. They're juicy, soft , shiny and very appealing.

It's probably nothing bad that's happening. They all do different things in different situations but one thing you should do is not let her keep taking things out of your mouth for 2 reasons.. 1--- your saliva is potentially dangerous to your bird and serious illness and infection can occur. 2---eventually that day will come when your lips are gonna be an inviting target to bite and a hole right through your lip can occur.

Well, first off, you got a bird that technically shouldn't have been sold because it wasn't totally weaned. Most of the time, that's the breeder's fault. So, if your bird was still back with all the other birds, there would be natural snuggling going on. So you've taken over that period of time concerning the natural snuggling. You're the one that has to provide right now. A bird will go through stages and a fully weaned bird will be more adventurous than an unweaned baby. Right now, it doesn't require much because all it's interested in is eating and snuggling and if you totally stop, that's not good. But you can gradually cut down on that right now so you can get housework done. The bird might whimper, look sad, be less active but that goes away as soon asthe physical attention starts over again. You'll see that as the bird gets older, one of the most important things that will be required is physical contact. That contact will naturally lessen as the bird gets older because that's the type of bird it is. Right now, it's in the snuggle mode. 16 mts from now, your bird will want to beleft alone because there's too many things to check out and build an interest in. An adult grey is not a snuggly bird.

Hi pugwash Welcome to our board. Glad you joined at this time. The different holidays are just around the corner and now we'll all know who to call when we need to order turkeys,bantams for those great holidays. They do come in different sizes, right? Many people here have large families and all will be visiting each other for those special dinners. You do take credit cards, right?

If he wants to go on that perch, that's also something nature is telling him to do. After all, he's a bird. To ease your mind, put a perch close to the bottom opf cage or whatever you now have him in. Maybe 4 inches from the bottom. Make sure it's stable and can't fall or collapse. Have some soft material around the bottom such as an old towel. If he falls, he'll be more surprised than hurt and will more than likely soon try it again in order to do what he's made to do. PS--Greys are persistant<br><br>Post edited by: Dave007, at: 2008/11/21 02:54

If he was eating the formula consistantly and there was no diarhrea then I wouldn't add baby food to it. It's always best to stick to whatever brand of formula you've been using if there's been no problems. Not to worry about the pellets. At his age all he can do is nibble at them and maybe break off tiny bits but it's not unusual for him to not eat them. If he's messing around with the pelletsd now, I can guarantee you that when the time does come to eat, the pellets is something he'll go after which is good cause in general, pellets have a variety of vitamins in them. Have some very dark green hardish veggies around like broccali and thick string beans or sugar snap peas. make sure they're very plump and green. Try things out. You're doing well and if you ask about things people will pass on their things that they did. No one will abandon you here. The internet just called back. They wanted me to tell you they apologise for giving you a hard time.<br><br>Post edited by: Dave007, at: 2008/11/21 02:11

Don't apologize. just wanted you to know what area was called. As far as timing at 8 weeks, start with 5 hrs. If he refuses feeding go up to every 6 hrs etc etc. The only thing you'll lose is some of the extra formula. remember that when he refuses that particular feeding, it means that his body is refusing the feeding and nature is the one who's telling him that. If he's acting good, playful, is active then every thing is good. As the bird gets older, you won't see the crop fill up as much. That's only obvious when the bird is taking large amounts of formula as a very young bird such as 4,5,6,7 weeks old. Sorry the net is giving you a hard time. We'll have a meeting here and tell the net to be nicer OR ELSE!!! PS--just remember to let the bird decide when to decrease the feedings, not you. Some birds take longer to ease off on feedings. That's an important thing to remember. Have fun.<br><br>Post edited by: Dave007, at: 2008/11/21 00:27

Well, he's not doing any thing unusual. That'sthe way they act. Just go slow and easy and always ask about things before jumping into something that you're not sure about. Loads of people here will guide you and put you on the right path. For now, just let relax cause soon, he's gonna take a nap because of all the excitement. PSD--look at the NURSERY area. You see many interesting thing there.<br><br>Post edited by: Dave007, at: 2008/11/21 00:00

That's a question that doesn't have a set answer. Some will eventually change, some won't, some will eventually like both sexes, some won't. It's a matter of having the bird in your house for quite a while and learning all about the bird's nature. Maybe he preferred males in his other house but will change in this house. Maybe he needs to be around a woman more than he has. An older bird has some situations that have developed and it takes time for slight changes to happen. If the bird is gonna be slightly neglectedbecause he might not like you, it's best not to take the bird both for your sake and the bird's sake.

Welcome to the board Congratulations. Hope you enjoy him. if you need any help or just wanna talk about your bird or send pictures in, feel free and I hope you have some fun here.

What do you mean* internet makes me feel I'm doing something wrong*? If you're hand feeding and he refuses to take anymore at that feeding, then he's had enough of that feeding session. You should continue hand feeding until he refuses one of those feedings consistently. That means that you lessen the formula feeding by one and continue to give the same if not more of the other food you're giving. You can''t overfeed a bird. They will simply stop eating. The area that fills up is called crop, not crock.

I totally disagree about taking your bird away from his cage especially since he's only been with you for a week. If there's any place that will help a bird get used to things, view things, check people out, see what goes on surrounding him/her, see the activity and speed of the activity around him, it would be from a cage which is the safest and most secure place to take all of these things in. Trying to train your bird to do different things right now such as stepping up isn't important.That can be done in the future when the he/she feels like he's totally part of the household and is familar with the people in the household and what they do. Letting the bird get used to the interior and exterior of his home which is his cage will make the bird feel secure. Even your bird knows that now. You approach him with objects that shouldn't be used on baby birds and he immediately goes to the safety of the one area that he knows will be safe. Sticks are used on birds that are older and very obstinent and have developed a fear of being physically touched and are sometimes aggressive. Any touching right now and in the future should be done from the hand to the bird even though the person might get bitten. That's part of owning a parrot. The only item he has to show his feelings with is that beak. You wanna give him peanuts? Fine. Giving him peanuts and simply walking away shows the bird that you're a friend and all he has to do is be there in order to get those nuts. Lose the stick especially if you don't know the whole process of using a stick and having a bird graduate to your body.

I agree with BMustee. I've gotten cages through companies that advertise on EBAY for years. As she said, there's no name on the cages but just checking the attached descriptions will tell you that there's no difference in them and the cages in chain stores. There's plenty of styles and sizes for just about every type parrot that exists and they come with guarantees.

Look at it this way---you'll be doing somethiong good for the environment. You'll be fighting the big corporations. Just get a little box, put your vinegar and onion in the box and make sure you tell the neighbors that YOU know how to wipe the bird's sh*it away without the need to use your hard earned money which will eventually go into the coffers of Big Brother. Don't just tell your neighbors, SHOUT it out to the whole city. I can Wipe cause I can Swipe, I can Swipe cause I know the art Of the Wipe.

Simple solution to get 5% tears of joy----have an onion nearby. An onion will last and allow you to use it over and over again-----and an onion is cheap too.

Don't need that much 30% vinegar--65% water--5% tears of joy at the experience you're about to have.

Just use white vinegar mixed with water. It's the most popular, cheap and """Imagine my shock when they were just as easy to clean with water then with Poop Off."""" I can guarantee you that you won't be shocked as you watch the poopies dissolve and slowly fade away in the folds of your rag. Actually, The shock will be replaced with joy and happiness and have a new outlook as you stare into the sky from your poopless window. No fuss, no stain, no mess. Just bliss

It's not abnormal. You don't need to worry about the female in what you describe but there are other areas where you should be extremely worried.. It's not abnormal that he's snapping at her either. He may not wanna mate with her simply because he doesn't know how and there's no guarantee that he ever will because he's a pet. Both of these birds were raised as pets and should remain that way. She was laying eggs in her previous house with no male around? That's not good because if she's overproducing eggs, more than likely, any fertile or infertile eggs she may have in the future may very likely be thin skinned and will easily crack. There's also a chance that if that happens, it'll happen near her vent when the eggs are exiting. Every time a female lays eggs, she uses up much needed calcium which has to be replenished before laying another clutch. Females who are overproductive egg layers aren't used as breeders. Having a nestbox around is only stimulating the female to lay eggs, not necessarily mate. Males will perform sexual movements/dances with other birds whether they're male or female. My opinion is that these 2 birds shouldn't be used as breeders for a few reans.. 1--Both had attachments to human owners and that type of bond shouldn't be interfered with. 2--The female is not a prime candidate to be a breeder because she produces eggs without a mate around. 3--The female needs to be taken to a vet to make sure her internal system isn't injured from the excessive egg laying. 4--Your male is showing signs of something that's been discussed over and over---the loss of a relationship and bond to the human owner by putting one pet bird in with another pet bird for breeding . Another bird is in there with him and he's starting to nip when you get too close. Those are the beginning signs. If this action gets worse( which it will) by keeping them together than you can say goodbye to your relationship with your bird. Concerning the breeding of greys after the chicks are born, if they're born.. Do you know how to handfeed baby birds? Do you know what to do if the female rejects the babies immediately after birth? Do you have an incubator to take care of the eggs in case she decides not to sit on them from the beginning? Do you know how to test eggs in order to check for fertility? Do you have a brooder which is also needed? You'll need about $2000 dollars to start off with concerning Vet visits, equipment, extra small sized cages etc etc. Think about what you're taking on. It might be overwhelming and also bad for the birds personality wise.

All of the charts and methods are located at the beginning of this thread. All the food amounts are accurate as far as feeding a grey. Where did you get this bird? If it was a breeder, didn't he give you any idea about feeding? He/she shouldn't have sold you an unweaned baby. I'm surprised you don't know the exact age of this bird. You'll need to give us more info about your situation but because the bird needs regular feedings at the same time every day IMMEDIATELY, just go up to the chart at the beginning of this thread and do as it says. If you have no formula go to any large pet store and purchase KAYTEE Formula. It also has a chart on it and will suffice as a formula food. Please do all of this quickly. Also give your bird some parrot pellets ( multi-colored). They have vitamins. If the bird won't eat them soften them a bit with water. Feed some very green solid veggies such as broccali and string beans frequently. Have food around the bird at all times in the cage, not just at certain times of the day. You can't overfeed a parrot.<br><br>Post edited by: Dave007, at: 2008/11/19 00:37

Congratulations I hope you enjoy your new position as the *man* of the house. No whips, chains or dog collars please.

Stop being so nervous. You're gonna give me a heart attack. Greys will periodically pull out 1 or 2 tail feathers during the year but there's no set time in that year in which they'll do that. The same exact thing applies to their flight feathers ( longest feathers of wing area). Normally, when there's trouble in the tail area, the bird usually chews off the feather, not pull them out. You may see 1 or 2 more during the next few days. Another reason that the tail feathers are looened has to do with the bird rubbing it's preening gland very intensely. The first place the top of the beak hits is the tail feather area and that action sometimes loosens a tail feather and the bird pulls it out. So, go and have a hot chocolate and relax and calm down.

I don't know where you read this but the only droppings that indicate trouble are those that are totally watery all the time 24/7, with very little color to the urine with no solid part to to the actual dropping. Also with no color. This indicates intestional a intestional disorder. The other type of droppings that are bad news are those that come out and obviously look like blood. Please don't confuse the color of blood with the color of a bird's red droppings that are caused by eating red food pellets. There is a difference and it's obvious. That's a sign that the reproductive organs have been damaged. Both situations can be corrected by a vet. Just the fact that your bird's droppings turned to a diffent color the next day say's that there was no problem. Why was it green? Can't tell you that. Too many reasons. I can tell that birds that are on a parrot mix diet alone will have green droppings all the time. Recently, we had another thread about droppings and it turned into a fun affair with all the posters in the thread. I wish I could remember where it it but anyway, nothing to worry about. I know that thread would make you feel better so if anyone here should post that link, please read it. That link is also good for the future.<br><br>Post edited by: Dave007, at: 2008/11/18 18:07

Be very happy with the affection that the bird is showing you. Sometimes it takes a grey a while before they start doing what yours is doing immediately. Cheeping, chirping is what they do when they're in the right warm spot. You can't overfeed him. If they're not hungry, they simply won't eat so just make sure that when you feed him, it's the proper thing to feed. Judy is right about the shoulders. Some birds are okay up there and others aren't. As she sid, check the nursery board here. Lots of info about very young birds and what should be done when they first come home. Also, others will direct you to sections that specifically deal with birds on shoulders.