Boxoftwilight

Thank you to all the lovely advice. Greys don't like baths? Archie sits on that tap and I have the squirt bottle, ask him if he's ready and he bobs up and down and away we go until he is so soaked! He sings and cackles and its the best time we have together! I leave the water running which he likes. Yes I have tried cardboard, paper, wrapped treats, I have a log with holes that I stuff with all sorts and you name it. What I find is that he gets through it all in next to no time and then wants to know what is next. I am working on making toys that have a longer life span. Julia

I made a hanging toy with a "peat pot" only I think it is more of a fibre pot in the UK. I hung it in Archies cage filled with goodies. When I checked a little later it was GONE. He ate it! Now this could either be a great new toy making device OR a dangerous item so please can someone advise. Julia

I have had to teach him to play with toys but I now have a large collection of supplies with which to make foraging toys. He now gets the majority of his food this way. I am also trying to get him interested in non-food toys but this is more of a challenge. The difficulty is he is now so quick with tearing the cardboard etc apart I am going to have to get smarter!

Thank you for the welcome. I don't know his full story but the previous owners advertised him and when I went to see him he was in a sorry state, they used a stick to get him in his cage and he had no tail and one wing was severely chewed (I was told). That was in August and he has come along way: he is just starting to grow a tail and has his secondary feathers on the damaged wing, the primary ones came through but got knocked, bled and bitten off - ouch. He has gone from seed diet to Harrisons, has learnt how to forage and now likes to go "on your back" he says and talks up a storm. He also loves the kitchen tap. He is an absolute sweety. The problem is me! I work from home and he is so demanding and I have a hard time walking away when he is flapping his wings and "peeping" at me. I am not sure if his behaviour is because he is still very young or if that is just how parrots are. I wish I knew other members routines so I could measure my own by it. Now he is more confident he has taken to jumping off his stand (he can't fly) and climbing up the curtains to get my attention. If I shut him in the cage he would climb the bars and pluck his feathers. Last week I made a natural wood play gym for him but he is terrified of it at the moment. So, he is in his cage at night, he eats in his cage and the rest of the time he sits on his perch that I made out of an old lampstand and dowel. Oh, or playing with me on the sofa which is the only place he can't hurt himself. So essentially, I am constantly worrying about him, is he going to hurt himself, am I doing the right thing, is he going to pull his feathers out, how can I ever leave him? As much as I love Archie I need to know if I can relax a bit?! Also, if these early months are reflective of what he will be like when he is older. Julia

Just wanted to post introduce myself and Archie(bald). I have had him since August bought from an owner who wasn't very good with him. He is now still just 15months old. It has been quite a traumatic journey - does it get easier? We live in the UK and I would love to be able to find some moral support as I find this lovely responsibility very stressful!