Dave007

<br><br>Post edited by: Dave007, at: 2008/11/07 03:06

It's very possible that he really doesn't wanna be recognized by the common people in the area. He may want more privacy. People probably spot him in his colorful harness and know that he's a well known figure. It's best to purchase a set of custom Christine Dior Sunglasses.

The feather will stay angled out from the rest of the wing. The feather is now cracked and because it's sticking out , if it gets caught on something the feather can crack in another place on the shaft. Blood will always stay in a wing feather and can drip out with slight disturbances. That's why they call them blood feathers. Look, relieve your mind and have it done. The anesthetic that's used will raise the prce of the visit. A broken blood feather is a minor injury which can be taken care of very easily. Just don't let the vet talk you into getting a million other tests just because you're there. If you had to go to the MD because of a serious cut and you were given anestheic because stitches have to be used, would you also get yourself checked out for cancer, liver disease, ear infections, gall bladder problems?

I'm not going to argue with your vet but I can tell you that I've taken out broken flight feathers many many times. It happens to my birds periodically. The feather needs to be gripped at the very base where the feather goes into the skin. The area is held firmly and a quick pull and the feather is out. There is a bit of blood which stops when different powders are used. I"m not saying that you should try this but I'm just saying that it's very unusual that a vet would want to use any anesthetic at all. The process takes about 15 seconds after the feather is grabbed. Will it bleed again? More than likely, yes if Charlie catches it tonight. One way or another, the feather has to be removed.

Your bird is one of those that are talked about frequently. The type of bird that gets on a shoulder and as soon as it gets older and more comfortable, he starts to avoid you when it comes time to take him off. As he gets better at avoiding you, he'll go from shoulder to shoulder when you put put your hand there. You can't see the back of your shoulder but he can and he can also scoot around to avoid you. Eventually he'll bite you if he feels that he doesn't wanna come off even though you do. Stop letting him hang out on the shoulder because when or if he decides to bite you, it'll be in an area that you can't protect. Many people have no problems with birds on the shoulder but many others do and there's no way to stop a bird from scooting around you to avoid you. Pretty soon, the shooing away won't work cause he'll fly away on his own and come right back.

There's many different things in combination with eac other that can cause different problems. 1-- there might be only one thing causing a problem/problems. 2--there might be a number of things not connected,that are causing problems --many different combinations. 3--there might only be a problem in certain areas of which you mention which cause other reactions in other places. The single cause or the many causes that might be occuring are to numerous to list and more importantly, it's all guess work when posted on a board. You have a visual. You know what's increased as opposed to the way it was in the past. Now is the time to go to the vet and have this combination of reactions checked out. It should be done quickly because things seem to be getting more frequent. There's many different ways that a person can get a sore throat and a cold. At that point it's really not important to find out the many, many different possibilities of why that person got that sore throat and cold. It would the time to go to the MD to get checked out and get medication to fight the human infection. The MD can tell the person the possible reasons that he/she got sick. The itching and dry skin are normally related to each other but for now, the other problems that you can't see should be looked at.<br><br>Post edited by: Dave007, at: 2008/11/05 18:02

Just my feelings here. If I may make a suggestion---it's wonderful that you're considering adopting a grey which more than likely, will be an older bird but if you've never had a grey or other medium sized parrot before, you should think about getting a baby bird, the reason being that some of the things you would like to achieve with an older parrot may not happen the way you would like. An older grey has some habits, be they good or bad habits that most likely won't change. The past living situations of older greys may have been complicated. So, think about your choices. Ask about the differences between an older bird and a younger bird. Many people have had success with adopted birds but many people haven't.<br><br>Post edited by: Dave007, at: 2008/11/05 02:03

Any fruits or vegetables that eventually change their consistency from when they were first put in the fridge should be finally dumped. As far as lime juice having an extra effect as far as length of time in the fridge, I have no idea. BUT, when veggies start to go bad in fridge, they first start to lose color so adding something to make the veggies keep their color make create a false reading.<br><br>Post edited by: Dave007, at: 2008/11/05 01:16

If you want to continue having a good relationship with your bird, putting foreign objects in his cage such as baskets and boxes is not the way to continue that good relationship. Many greys are afraid of boxes so it doesn't surprise me that he was terrified. It could have been worse. He might have fallen down and hurt himself by being so frightened of those types of items. It seems that you feel that your bird is cold. What signs has he given you that he's cold? You've been given a rough temperature chart to follow. Whatever you decide to do will take the bird a long time to accept and should be done very gradually and whatever you do should be done with your bird having a constant visual of you which will give him a sense of security and it shouldn't include foreign items like boxes and baskets unless you've checked out whether these items are used with parrots. He may not like the color red but the basket was what frightened him first, not a cover. If you decide to put a cover on the cage, that should be the only item that should be used. You can try a very bland colored cover such as beige and that cover should only partially cover the bird until he gets used to it and that might take a few weeks, not days. After he gets used to it, more of the cage can be covered. Many things introduced to CAGs take a long time for that bird to accept. New cages, new toys, new perches, new bowls, new playstands etc.

I can tell you temperatures in Farenheit in the house, the temperature can be as cool as 64 or as warm as 72/73 (approx). If the house keeps a steady temperature a grey or other similar parrot can handle that very well even if the temperature is as low as 64. if there is any temperature change it should be gradual, no quick up or down temperature changes. The cage should be kept away from drafts because drafts are colder than the house temperature. Right now, there are some parts of the US where snow or very cold weather has already arrived. Everyone is now wearing coats outside and my winter here will last for about 5 to 6 mts.

You came here and only asked for 2 things.... 1--the Grey I want has to be able to handle car rides, walks and bike rides( motor bike in the woods). 2--A breeder`s contact info would be great but i`m willing to consider adoption of an older Grey.. ----------------------------------------------- This is a parrot community. All different types of parrots are owned by the members. All the members put the welfare of their birds #1 on their list, rightly so. When these people spot certain posts that will definitely harm a bird, red flags go up all over the place. Why do red flags go up? Well, in your situation the magic words *has to be able*, the emphasis being on HAS. You're not a parrot owner. You've never been a parrot owner. You have no idea what parrot ownership is all about. You have no idea about a parrot's needs. You have no idea about what #1, #2, #3 is on the importance list of a parrot's needs. You read material and see pictures and fantasize about yourself on that motorbike scooting through the woods with that bird. You haven't asked any questions about what it's like to own a parrot, how to clean out the bird's shit in a cage, what diets are used, what parrots are capabile of, what parrot training is all about. All you want is a bird to keep you company while you scoot through the woods or ride in your car. You really think that type of bird can actually be gotten. Sort of like something being made to specs. Because of some of your short *cute* responses, I can see that you're irresponsible at the least. If you intend to achieve something for yourself, leave a live bird out of that goal. There are stores where you can buy a stuffed doll shaped like a parrot and you can tie it on your scooter and have a good old time. Some of those toys actually have a voice box in it and the doll will squawk on command or maybe, even talk. If you won't respect the fact that the parrot people here who are much more experienced than you, are telling you the truth about your crazy intentions and consequences, simply don't visit here anymore. People have enough to think about concerning legitimate situations concerning their birds. """""riding a mountian bike with him is not insane as long as the proper safety precautions are taken."""" What precautions would those be? """"The new environments may even be stress releasing and calming """"" And what happens when stress is drastically increased? What will happen with the bird when and if these things you want to achieve don't work out? He will need the indoors then. He'll need a cage too. Will you be sad while zipping through the woods all by yourself?<br><br>Post edited by: Dave007, at: 2008/11/03 05:19

Shanlung and Tinkerbell are quite well known in the parrot world. He's already written enough material about his travels all over the East, some of which included Tinkerbell. He's a specialized trainer and also works with other species of birds. I may be wrong but I think Tinkerbell is no longer with him. Shanlung has another grey and I assume that he's going to start his unique training all over again. So, don't be fooled by what you see in pictures. Tinkerbell was very successfully worked with for a very long time by Shanlung. He never tells anyone that what he's done with Tinkerbell can be easily copied. Go to our search forum area above, type in Shanlung and everything is there about he and Tinkerbell. Shanlung is also a member of this board as well many others.

There are no differences concerning what you mentioned. Like it was just said, it all has to do with personality of each bird. All are different. A young bird should be handled in a certain way by the owner to become a family bird. No one can tell you if a bird you might get is gonna ride on a bike. A bird is usually put in some type of small cage when in the car. Again, the owner must work on getting the bird used to the car. Walking--well, that's not difficult. Many people do that. The only thing that's necessary is a bird harness that has a strap. Then the bird can be walked around the same way as a person walks a dog around. I read your profile. If you mean motor bikes in the woods, forget it. It takes an experienced bird handler to do that. In the woods the bird sees the trees. Need I say more?<br><br>Post edited by: Dave007, at: 2008/11/02 23:00

Not all greys talk. People or stores who sell greys should tell customers about those things. Some greys specialize in sounds. Some greys take quite a long time to talk. All greys do talk in parrotese and eventually the owner of the grey understands exactly what the bird is saying by verbal sounds combined with body language.

Maybe you should try the visuals using yourself at the star. Eat or pretend to eat things that you want him to eat. Many times, curiousity wins over.

Casper--aka Caroline, is the new moderator here in The Nursery and I just wanted to welcome you and I hope you enjoy yourself. It's nice to have you on board.:lol: :cheer: :laugh:

How often is she doing this? How many times in one hour? Is she doing this constantly all day long? When did she start doing it? Has there been any change in the solid food she's getting. It might be a light once in a while thing that she's doing which would be normal for her age or she could have something stuck in her throat. Let us know what's going on. Better still, since it's Saturday make a quick appt. with your vet. Explainthe problem. He might want you to bring your bird in.<br><br>Post edited by: Dave007, at: 2008/11/01 20:12

You can't use pesticides around birds. If you don't have hundreds of roaches, the best way to handle the problem is with roach baits. One of the most popular is Roach Motel. This is some information on it. Also look up the product on your PC to check it out further ================================================ "The Original" Roach Motel® Best Use: Control light to medium roach infestations in your home. Insects Trapped: German cockroaches American cockroaches Smokey Brown cockroaches Palmetto bugs Water bugs Spiders Crickets Scorpions Benefits: Hides dead insects from view. Pesticide Free and Child Safe. As with all products in the Black Flag Motel™ product line, you may use this product safely and easily without concern for children or pets. Traps continuously for up to 60 days. Use Tips: Place Roach Motels near walls or corners, under sinks, in cabinets, or behind appliances such as your refrigerator and other areas where roaches live and breed. If after 3 days, you have not trapped any insects, move Roach Motels to a different location. Roach Motel will tell you if you have a roach problem and how bad it is. If a Roach Motel trap is filled with more than 50 roaches within 24 hours, you have a heavy infestation and should consider calling a professional exterminator.

If it isn't bleeding anymore, there won't be a problem. If you have any olive oil, put a very, very thin light amount on the bruise (just a dab). If not, put some aloe gel on it. Don't let her fly around tonight.

The scenerio you describe can be compared to people. Some people have sons and daughters and one day, other family members come to visit. One of the kids gets all excited and talks and plays and gets real wired with all the company. The other child is a bit reserved, quieter and a bit shy. Now comes the time that the visitors leave. The kid that was excited all day now becomes quiet cause all the excitement is gone. The kid that was quiet all day now becomes a little chatterbox and starts to talk and get excited about what went on when the house was full. Is George showing off? Impossible to answer. Excited? Yes. Happy? Yes. Shy? No. When your son and family leaves, he becomes quieter and slows down and relaxes. It's strictly the individual personality of your bird and all parrots have different individual personalities. More than likely, this was the way he was before you got him and there's nothing unusual about the way he is. Many greys will do just the opposite than yours does and many people are disappointed when Chico doesn't say anything or do anything when people come over. That too is just another kind of personality showing through. Just by you observing these things is allowing you to see what your bird is all about. In the future, expect to see loads of new things. Probably, more things than others have seen because a bird's total *bird to human* personality can't totally surface when mixed in with loads of other birds. One other thing--I just wanna say that you're a good person for deciding to give that adult grey a chance to develop that type of personalized relationship with you and your family. He'll make you happy in more ways than you imagine. Everyone here is rooting for you and George. Remember..slow and easy, patience, patience and most importantly, there should be no time limits on things that you think he should be doing. It'll take time cause he's an adult but it already sounds like a good beginning. That biting will even lessen as he gets to know you, your family, the new environment, the daily habits and routines o of your house. Slow and easy. Patience, patience PS--I should have also mentioned this important thing.. There are loads of people on this board who have adopted older birds, even older than George and many can share experiences and methods that worked for them and could possibly work for you. I'm glad george is with you. Post edited by: Dave007, at: 2008/10/31 07:39<br><br>Post edited by: Dave007, at: 2008/10/31 07:50

Fixing different foods for him is fine as long as they're not harmful. We have a section called BIRD FOOD. You'll find just about any type of info concerning different foods, how to prepare them, feed them, amounts, recipes etc etc. Right now, put the sprouting aside. It's not important at this time. put your energies into organizing a feeding regimen for him. Dark green veggies are good. Many fruits are good. Some parrot mix is good. Pellets are very good. As far as pellets, there's different brands. basically, they all contain just about the same things but birds prefer different brands. When getting a bird back into a good feeding mode, just remember that no bird will starve itself. That's doubly true with your bird and the pellets. The reason is that the bird used to eat them and got tired of them. They can be given all by themselves with no other food around and eventually he'll eat them. Then the next day you can do the same with another food. Then on another day yiou might wanna combine 2 foods. Just remember that all of these things take plenty of time. If you try to accomplish to much, you're simply getting ahead of yourself. Also know that things that concern all areas of parrot ownership will take longer with an adult bird who hasn't had personalized relationships. Keep asking questions. People here will definitely help. As BaxtersMom says, there's no silly questions. Questions can be major or minor.

""""I can only get him out of the cage if he is towled. I really don't want to do that I'm afraid that he will be even more upset than he is.""""" You're right. he might not like you doing that but it's only 2 weeks and that's not enough time for you to have learned all about him and his personality and visa versa. You don't know if he's one of those birds that won't tolerate your hands in the cage to get him. There's lots of birds that are like that. Your bird came to you with a history of habits and likes and dislikes and it'll take time to learn about those things.

You're not ignorant. It's good that you never heard of the hair dryer. Unfortunately, people do use it. It's wonderful that you're not squirting him in the face. You're right, birds do dry themselves. George is an adult and has lived with many other birds. Being with so many other birds should tell you to locate that vet immediately because there's no way of knowing about the health of the other birds even if you were told that they were fine. It's called a *well check* visit. Your bird might have an area in that wing that was damaged or had serious irritation which never totally healed. The skin might have turned dry and remains that way. You say that the bird only plucks that one area. A classic plucker goes after many different areas. I can tell you that the small area that you speak of is out of whack. I assume that the flight feathers on that wing are still there? There is a way to treat the problem but because he bites, you would need you and another person. One to hold him while the other lifts the wing to expose that area. The area needs a moisturizing gel that will soften the skin in that area and make that area less irritated. The item is called aloe vera gel. it can be gotten in a drug store. That area has to be lightly coated with the gel and the gel will sink into the skin. Because he bites, be prepared for him to bite when you try this. When misting the bird change the nozzle so that a stream comes out. Use 1/2 sqirts and aim at the crease between the wing and body. It's not waterproof in that area so the water will get in and wet the inner area of the feathers and skin. Constantly do this even if he gets angry. Try to mist that area often. There's another item that you can use for misting. It's called aloe vera juice and it's mixed with water in the mister. It's very good for the feathers. You said that some of her birds have bad habits and more than likely, having so many birds hampered her from making sure that all were in top health. So, look into the vet asap and moisten and mist until you see him. He might prescribe some topical Baytril but it's important that he sees the amount of area that's affected. For all you know, there are no more quills there and the skin is simply itchy and irritated. The vet will tell you about it. Post edited by: Dave007, at: 2008/10/31 05:25<br><br>Post edited by: Dave007, at: 2008/10/31 07:53

There's lots of information about plucking all over the place. But most of the information has to do with 2 things 1--plucking that has nothing to do with a medical condition. 2--plucking which is related to a medical condition. #2 is diagnosed by a vet. It entails having some tests done if the vet sees something that warrants a test. We'll go with #1 Some information is needed though 1--how old is he? 2--how long has he been plucking? 3--is he plucking anywhere else? 4--do you bathe him regularly? 5--if so, do you towel dry him or use a hair dryer?

"""""The only thing I worry about now is him pooping down my back """"" Well, you could always use this stylish item when the the bird is on your shoulder. More than likely, the poops will add to the ultimate beauty of the garment. The beauty in the garment will allow you to clean it less frequently. You don't want to lose your customized design? The poop pattern will be created by your designer grey. Good luck in today's fashion world. PS---feed your grey some multi-colored pellets and you'll have multi-colored poops. Stylish to say the least. <br><br>Post edited by: Dave007, at: 2008/10/30 22:24