Baby_Grey

I appreciate the feedback, I was curious, the article I found isn't professional, I just looked for a quick link. 3 different vets in the past 10 years I've seen have said to stay away from it, can cause a large amount of problems for dogs anyhow. I was just trying to get info after reading a different post I'm making home made toys today so I came to check them all out on here.

I had to ask after reading an older post on here, because I got Greyson some sweet potatoes baby food today, it brough back memories of him as a fuzzy baby He preferred the syringe to the spoon though, he almost ate half the serving!!!!!! Are you guys serious about the rawhide? I mean like cow rawhide (the cows skin)? I ask because a lot of research has shown that it's not recommend for dogs. We have not given our 2 dogs rawhide ever, just because I had heard of this years ago. (each to there own, I'm just asking regarding greys) Here is an article why: http://dogs.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Dog_Bone

That last post hit the nail on the head, that's how I'll try and work with him, I lean to him and kiss him when he's on his cage, also if he doesn't want to be adventurous and try food I'm offering him, I give him it from my mouth, for some reason he always takes it that way, as far as bread, I always get nervous to give him that for fear it can hurt him. Time and patience is what he needs, and that will be what he gets. I do plan to possibly get him a new larger cage and some fun new toys out of my taxes too, so maybe that will cheer him up some. Dave thanks for taking the time to educate me on here, I really are thankful for it.

Dave, what you say so does not irritate me, I'm very happy with what you're telling me, it's reassuring for me more than anything, I just didn't want to put him on any medications/sedatives, I know how that goes for me as a human and it's not nice. I'll try what you're saying, I'll let him learn about human gestures while we watch 'Lie to me' :laugh: Honestly, thanks for your advice I'm open to good advice from anyone who has exp' as I don't have too much, I'm still very much a noobie as far as Greys go.

It's been some time since he's been back home, I raise my hand to rub his beak because he puts his head down like he has in the past to get petted and kissed etc, thats why I'm confused. If I go around his cage and he is in or out, he goes to the edge where I am to be picked up, I know this because he says 'step up' and raises his foot for me, so I pick him up. I'm so confused, I know for sure he is, I just feel like a bad person, not knowing what he ultimately wants from me/us. I'll give him some more time, I think it's around a month and a half looking at the vet bill since he was in the vet so maybe time will tell.

I'm sure most of you will know that I had to get Greysons chest stitched up a little while back due to an incision on his chest area. I'm actually worried about him, ever since I picked him up from the boarding bird store who came highly recommended here in town, well basically his behavior is worrying me dearly. I actually tried to contact the same birdstore a few weeks back to find the number invalid, upon driving down there the other day as I was in the area, they have closed down, building is up for lease... The behavior: I've always been able to pick up Greyson in the past and pet him, kiss his face etc. Since picking him up he squawks and shivers madly, he doesn't bite be although he acts terrified, I've tried all sorts with him, letting him sit on my shoulder for a few hours a day etc but still he acts like I'm going to hurt him, why? I cook for him, talk to him and whistle to him etc, I never leave him for excessive periods of time, yet he still acts very afraid of me, he will step up no problem but he is deathly afraid when I try and touch him, if I raise a hand slowly to pet him, he tries to fly away, resulting in falling off my hands and banging his chest, I know he lands hard because he squeaks slightly when he falls to the ground. I contacted the vet where I got him stitched up and they asked how he is when alone, I told them he talks, plays and whistles away, they suggested a light sedative, I'm unsure this would work though, it seems like something I've done, he recently (4-5 weeks ago) took a liking to my girl, he lets her pet him when he is inside his house, but not outside, he almost always breaks her skin when he bites, never done that to me. Could some male person at the boarding place have hurt him? Making him dislike men? I cook for him as I said, I put calcium in his food and give him fresh water daily, his diet is seeds in one bowl and pellets (more pellets than seeds). Anyone have any advice? I want my little grey back how he used to be, I don't want him to be afraid of me or anyone else...

The wound looks really well already, she said there would be no need for a check up unless I feel his wound looks infected or his behavior is off still. He lets me kiss the side of his chest again now too, so he must truly be on the mend.

I'm still paranoid, the wound looked like a very very tiny cut, but after she removed the surrounding feathers it's way more obvious how bad it really was, of course he would let me no where near him. His mood is still odd, he still leans back and wants to try fly away (he's clipped) sometimes, and he's very jumpy until you get him out (still doesn't bite or even have a go at me ) then he seems semi normal with me. She said if he still freaks out in 2 more weeks she wants to put him on a very low dose of Haldol (Thats actually a human psych drug, I know it's used for Bi-Polar disorder as I've had it as I'm Bi-Polar and it just makes you lethargic) which would calm him down although I don't like that method, I believe he is on the mend and it will just take a bit of time, and some baby steps again from myself to bring him around again. Thank you to all of you for your shown support, I have no regret for being sad, I love him so much and nothing can every replace him, it's taken me a long time to bond with him the way we are and I get a kick out of been the only one that can kiss his face and cuddle him I'm a proud dad.

Ok as promised, here are 3 pics I took in the Vets, sorry about the quality they are off my iPhone so not the best. Getting Weighed The Laceration All stiched up =)

Sorry to keep you all in the dark, I was over run with Thanks Giving, but Greyson is good and well. I guess the incident I gather happened when he was boarded for 3 days when my Family visited from the UK we went to Disney Land, maybe they went to feed him and startled it a little bit which maybe caused him to jump and bang his chest. Well as far as the vet goes, we just got home (They couldn't see him yesterday as planned) 30 mins ago and I feel sick to my stomach still. She checked him out and removed a few feathers on his chest and exposed a pretty darn good size laceration I do have a picture of it that I took with my iPhone that I will share. Anyhow she said I could leave it and it would take around 4-6 weeks to heal with Antibiotics, or she could stich it up and give him antibiotics and it would be almost fully healed in 2 weeks. I swallowed hard and got a lump in my throat, looked at my girl and questioned her (She's an RN) she looked at me and said 'Stich it' - I swallowed again hard took a second to get my breath and agreed to stich it. I don't care how man you are, I had tears in my eyes and thought I was going to throw up. She numbed it up and cleaned it then looped 3 stiches into his chest and closed up the cut, he didn't go crazy he just muttered a little bit. Took her about 50 mins total from getting inside there, when she stood him up he stumbled around and came straight towards me, I put down my hand and he stepped up and I could feel he was very weak and very warm (Probably due to stress?) we gave him 2 mins to cool down in which he twit twoo'd me a few times and said 'it's ok' to which I told him it was! then misted him down with water to cool him some, then headed home. Now he's in his cage dancing and eating scrambled eggs... B)

Thanks Caroline, yeah I looks like his breast bone if that makes sense straight down the middle of his chest, halfway down, I would take a pic but he's already jumpy enough, I called 30mins after the innitial posting on here and got him in this morning. Thanks for you help.

I really could do with some advice from some of you veteran grey carers... About a week and a half ago my grey (Greyson) started acting all wierd out of the blue, I heard him fall off his perch a few times to the bottom of his cage to which I noticed he had some white on his chest, looked like a young feather, he wouldn't let me near it, but about 2 days later I noticed it was more like a bone to look at and looked to have a small amount of blood on it. He is out EVERY single day, he sings and plays cheerfully until I go near the cage, until now he always rushed to the front of his cage to step up on me like a dog would seeing a ball, but he now rushes to the back of the cage and when I try to get him to step up he freaks out on me. When he is left alone in his cage he is fine and happy it seems, but when anyone approaches him he goes mad like I said, he doesn't bike or attack me, he just trys to jump away, it makes no sense, did he fall out with me? Is he sick? Should I take him to an avian vet? Sorry if I repeat myself over and over, I'm confused and stressed. I really hope this is something simple, or maybe like a seasonal thing, this little guy is everything to me! Thanks in advance to all.:dry:

Yeah Greyson is only like 13 weeks now, I tried the upside down swinging thing and he didn't take to it too well, I even cupped his back to support him at first but he went biting crazy hehe. Could it be possible that he is shedding? I have noticed a few feathers the past few days, the really fluffy ones hanging out of his wings a little, just the odd one here and there.

About 3 days ago my African Grey began biting my wife AND the kids when they tried to interact with him, he was fine with me until today when I got home from work, he was at it with me too, I think he was trying to cause pain I ignored it and didn't flinch I let him go at it then placed him in his cage and have left him in there for a while. I read some other posts about saying "NO" in a firm voice and possible putting my hand up in the stop position... It just doesn't seem normal, he is normally all over me trying to kiss my mouth and stuff. Does anyone have any suggestions to this, I know he is still very young (12 weeks, I said something different in another post but I just got his birth cert) and maybe this is just a phase, but I want to fix this ASAP so he knows it's not acceptable. Thanks in advance, Lee

Thats cute, I remember only a few months back when Greyson was like that - So cute!