chickabee

You are so right one Joey needing time and doing it on his time. Today I got up and made all my feathered friends egg with broccoli it was a big hit with Rexley, Molly but Joey wouldn't try it. I left it for a few hours in his dish without any other food besides water. Then I took it out mixed a few of the pellets in and placed it back for him, he ate the pellets fast. About an hour later I went to take it out and he screamed so I walked away and went about my day. Much later I seen him eating and he did eat the egg and broccoli not all but a good try at it. I will try again tomorrow and see if he'll try it. You are also right about my past experience with birds as they are like night and day but just as I loved them being young I love them now. Where I live now I also look after wild birds as I have feeders all over my yard. I even feed a squirrel and have deer in my yard almost daily. I rescued Rexley, Molly and Joey knowing they needed a safe loving home with time and patience. I also knew they all had a hard start in life and may take months or years to overcome their fears. Joey is doing good for the short time he has been with us, Rexley has good days and bad days but loves to be involved with distance, Molly is and has taking the most time to trust and she is always scared but once alone she warms up. All of them have issues but are showing great improvement and how sweet they are. I am so happy to be able to give them a safe loving home even though I do have much to learn.

Thanks for the help I will go see if they will order some aloe in for me. I will get everyone to back down on the attention to see that Joey gets to relax. Yes, we took Joey to the vet before we brought him home and the vet did give him a shot to help him relax but said he was fine other wise. The vet said he needs a better diet as pellets shouldn't be all he eats and that with time he will be all he should be. I also have a follow up appointment in 6 weeks. What I mean about Joey eating other foods is besides his pellets. The pervious owner never feed him anything else so I am trying to introduce Joey to more foods. I have tried most veggies, fruit and eggs but he won't even try to taste them to see if he'll like them. I Just read the thread and keep reading all I can to learn. Growing up my mom had budgies, finches, lovebirds , cockatiels, dove but never a parrot so they were all seed fed. I think that's where my love for feather friends started but I also have a small dog I rescued as well and a cat my kids bought me 16 years ago for mothers day. Haha

I went to out Walmart and then our pet store looking for aloe juice and neither place sells it. Walmart told me they are down sizing on their pet supplies too. I was able to look closer at Joey today as he let me touch him more but am kinda worried. He came to me with his feathers in pretty bad shape so not sure if I should worry but I noticed today that he isn't letting certain feathers come in. On both wings along the ridge he keeps pulling out the new down feathers and both wings have small bald spots now. He has also done a small patch on his belly He is always grooming unless we can get him busy to forget. The only food he will eat from me or tastes is cantaloupe and nuts, everything else I offer he won't even try. I have seen some on the bottom of his cage but never really worried as I thought maybe its normal to loose a few as they grow back but now that I see bald spots it does. I don't want him to get in the habit of plucking so is their anything I can do to help this? My 2 Quakers came from a bad home and I too recued them but they were wanting to try everything I offered, took baths almost daily in their dish and needed love. The thing that took time was trust and still show signs of being unsure with us. They are a bonded pair that were neglected and used to breed without human love or attention so it has been a long road to get them to the place they are today. Today they talk, step up and ask for attention. They also call to me when I leave the room so I have a whistle that we use to let them know I am close by. Joey is hard to compare to them as he is already so different and has his own needs, wants and issues. I only want the best for all my little ones and worry I know so little to make it right. Thanks for all your help, support and understanding

Thanks for your help Today Joey just came out for the first time and is sitting on the chair showing my hubby all the sounds he can make. He also keeps spreading his wings, flapping them as if he might take off but holds on with his feet. I have gave him a mist shower and he wasn't sure about that but did sit and try to enjoy. it's hard to say wither a feather is bother him since he is getting new and loosing some too. My hubby says he looks better then a week ago but still a long ways to go. His cage we got him is about 5 feet tall and about 4 feet wide by 3 feet deep plus play center on top so he has lots of room. Looks like the scratching is just maybe a way he amuses himself since he keeps doing it. He has toys that he'll play with too but likes the corner to climb and takes one foot to scratch with his foot. The scratching isn't on him it's on the cage corner. Where can I buy pure organic aloe?

Today Joey doesn't want to come out and he seems to not want attention at all. Joey has been doing a new thing too " he sits on his perch and starts flapping his wings fast and hard" Joey has been doing this several times today and has even lost his grip and fell. Joey also goes to the corner of his cage climbs and starts scratching with one foot. I thought it was his way of saying let me out but was wrong. I tried step up several times and he goes to bite so I have the door open for him to decide. Joey keeps doing both these actions and hasn't wanted to even attempt to come out. Is this a normal actions for them? :confused: Joey lets us scratch, talk, touch and takes nuts but don't try to get him to step up today.

I am so glad that you all are here to help. I was scared to use this if its not recommended from you. Even though the pet store here said they use it on their birds doesn't mean its safe or good. I read once that tomatoes are harmful so I never offer them to any of my feathered friends. I tried to tell the pet store what I read but they more or less told me I don't know what I'm talking about. It bothered me as I see them always offering them to their store mascot Candy a Cockatoo but looks like she is smarter then them as she throws them instead of eating them. I did look at the ingredients in the spray " Isopropyl Alcohol, Water, Sucrose Octa Acetate, Bitter Orange Extract, Aloe Vera" I won't be even trying this and it has hit the garbage. Thanks again for your help

Right now Joey is on the couch eating nuts He is loving them too and when he is done tries to taste the couch He has been making so many noises that makes me wonder where it came from. He growls and then laughs when your back is to him. He seems to like our busy home and shows off for everyone a few times a day. I think at times he gets carried away and ends up falling to the bottom of his cage. The whole family have grown very attached to him even when he seems to think morning starts at 6am so he starts waking us all. You all have been great with helping me and both myself and Joey thank you

A friend of mine brought me a gift today that she thinks will help my Joey so he isn't always wanting to groom. It's a spray from Ultra Care called Cease Anti-Feather with Aloe Vera. I have never used this or anything like this and am not sure if it is safe even though the bottle says it is. Has anyone heard of this or used it?

Today Joey was more than willing to be picked up and if I put him down on the floor perch he ran to my foot to climb up. Joey also puts his head down for me to tickle his neck but if you try to go near his back end he shows its a no way. Joey doesn't make as many noises when he is out but if he is in the cage he sure does to say pay attention and let me out. bed time he always has to be told enough its bedtime and then has to get the last word before he will go to bed. Joey also had a small taste of corn and some nuts today but only if its on my finger to lick it off. I am so happy Joey is warming up to us and showing so much trust. I have held off on trying to bath him as I don't want to scare him and have what trust he has gone. I know with my Rexley & Molly they hated baths or spray and I scared them by trying so they lost trust for days. Now they bath in their water dish and seem to be happy with it.

I found out that if Joey refuses to try the food and I then give it to my Quakers, Joey then wants to try. I might have to take advantage of this till Joey eats it when offered. I must say that since Joey has arrived my Rexley and Molly (quakers) have been quieter which is not such a bad thing as they do get carried away. Rexley, Molly and Joey still are not sure about each other but they do watch what the other is doing. I think once my house is back on more of a routine and all the company is gone I think Joey will be more relaxed.

I wish that Joey would let me spread out his wing so I could take a picture. He has some more feathers on one side. Some of his feathers look stripped as in no feathers on but still have the quill, some look bent or broken and some are just gone on both wings. His tail is almost completely gone but has 2 quills with about a cm of feather and some new fluffy down ones coming. Joey's back is almost all new down feathers too. Joey is always busy grooming and making noise. The vet said he looks bad but is other wise healthy. He did give him 1 dose of something for stress but said he shouldn't need more and will be fine. He loves the attention and is showing us all the different whistles he knows. Today he took an interest in a string so my hubby played with him. Joey seems to be happy with all around him and enjoys trying to be louder than the kids. At supper we offered him corn but he wouldn't even taste it so we'll try again. One question I do have is can he have nuts, like the mixed ones we buy around Christmas in a shell or can he not open them?

Joey seems to be happy in his new home:) Joey is making all sorts of whistles and can say hello to grad attention too. He goes crazy in his cage shaking the bars and making noise when he wants out. He is not sure about food other than just plain pellets so we will work on that. Joey has sad looking feathers, no tail and looks messy but we love him just the same. I am not sure how long it will take or if he'll even grow all the feathers back. I do notice he keeps grooming and has even looked like his balance is off. Joey still thinks he should be able to fly and has ended up learning he can't. Lucky for him I am always close and caught him on my arm. I watch for signs he gives to let me know he wants to go some where and then I move him. I will probably never know the real reason he looks like this but I do know I am going to do my best to make him feel safe and loved.

Hello, I am not sure how to add the pictures here for all to see Joey but was able to make an album on my profile so you can go there to see.

Thanks for all the support Joey and I are going to need it. Joey seems to know when to get my attention he starts shacking his bars and doing all kinds of noisy to say let me out. He isn't sure on anyone touching him but seems to warm up once he has time to choose. I have been offering foods but he is like a kids turning his head or running away from it. He won't even try to taste the food but today I did get him to try some cantaloupe and he came back for another taste. He seems to be scared of touch yet he wants it and once he gives in he takes more. He has to be watched when out as he thinks he can fly and will jump to where he wants but he can't and will end up hurt. When he is out I am right there to watch and if he seems to want to jump I move him towards there. I sure hope his feathers do grow back so he has better balance and won't feel the need to try and look pretty. I am not sure how to add pictures so if you could tell me how I'd love to show him off.

Thanks for all the great advice I do have 2 Quakers so pretty much have the same rule with the food as I would with them. Joey seems to be eating and happy even with his feathers looking messed up. I am not sure how or what really happened to him as I have to go by what I was told or heard. The pervious owner said he left the patio door open as he was cleaning the snow off the deck and Joey got out and landed into the knee deep snow. The little girl started to tell me how the dog played with him in the snow but was redirected fast. Joey hasn't had his wings clipped as they were waiting till he learnt how to fly first but he looks like they have been hacked out. Joey's feathers do look like more than a simple molt from stress and that is why I took him to the vet that very day. He has many that the shaft is there but no feather on them, some look broken and lots are just gone. The vet said he will look like a new Joey several weeks from now and needs TLC. Today he is trying to interact with us and lets us pick him up. The moment I saw him I knew that he needed to come home with me as my heart sank thinking how hard his short life has been. I will try to take a few pictures in the next few day so I can show off my sweet Joey.

yes the closest avian vet is 2 hours away so I wanted to make sure he was ok before I brought him home. The vet told me if I have any concerns to call but other wise he seems to just need love and a good diet. To me and the vet it doesn't look like a simple lose of feathers from stress it looks like they have been broke and pulled out. If I was to guess I'd say maybe one of his dogs got to him when he landed outside. I was so happy with that as I do have other feather kids to think about too and I can deal with it. I just have to watch that he won't become a plucker as he tends to want to groom all the time. Joey needs to let the new feathers come without plucking. Joey seem to be happy today he woke up making the same sound a smoke detector makes when the battery is low that beep, beep sound. I have offered a few types of fruit but he won't even try them and same with the veggies I tried last night. It looks like he is not going to be easy to except other foods as he only knows pellets.

Hello, I am new to the forum and the new mommy to a 12 month African Grey named Joey I have so much to learn and many questions too. Joey has come to me looking pretty messed up with no tail feathers. I hope it is as the vet said and just stress from his fall into the snow a few weeks ago at his old home. He looks like he is also molting as I am finding small amounts of feather on the floor. He seems happy and likes to eat too. I have to get him eating more than just pellets as he hasn't had other foods introduced before. I have only had him for almost 1 day so time will tell. Any help with Joey is welcome.