danmcq

Welcome Kevin, Dorian and Flock!! It's GreYt having you here and looking forward to hearing and seeing a lot more. :-)

Welcome Tom and Ollie!! It's GreYt having you here. :-) Looking forward to seeing those photos and hearing a lot more about Ollie.

Welcome Scotty! It's GreYt having you here. :-) The others have given good and correct information. They will always end up liking one person, much more than the other.

Thanks for the comments everyone. Now I am hoping Jake will eventually get into the mix and start a dance line. I need to get more birds though....

Dave - Dayo has a problem with the guitar. Trying to hold it with one foot and using his beak as pick muffles his voice to the point he no longer sounds like me, oops I mean Johnny Cash. Plus, it's so small it sounds like a kids toy Judy - Yes that was Bentley growling at Chloe. She had walked into view and was doing her best "Come over here Big Boy moves" and he was telling her not know...I gotta headache from this annoying bird. Ashley - I am glad to hear Grumpy was interested. Most Greys do pay attention to videos of others. :-) Jill - Thanks! Now I ignore his "Cracker" requests. Since giving him one the other night when he so annoyingly asked, he is using it almost non-stop!! Now I just say "No Cracker", then "Come here, wanna scratch", which he then ignores. <br><br>Post edited by: danmcq, at: 2010/01/18 13:31

There is no guarantee that a grey will get along with another. Since you just recently got Ollie at 3 years old and he is getting used to the new home and flock. I would at least wait and see how he progresses and becomes a true full flock member. Another grey at this point would take the attention you are giving to Ollie and be redirected at the new baby or adult grey you would bring home. This could seriously damage the relationship you have started building and slow it down tremendously.

It is normal Grey behavior and most do it. Basically all bird scratch to forage the ground. But, this act as you describe seems almost like an enjoyable thing they like to do for whatever reason there is behind it. :-)

Dayo, as all Greys will just sit, relax and start going through some words, phrases, sounds etc. for no reason other than to practice and amuse themselves. This video is 8 minutes long and has a lot of stuff in it. At 5:45 he sings an itsy bit.

Erika gave good comments. They breed 2 times a year and winter is one of them. At 5 + years old, he could definately be hormonal and the body language you are describing certainly sounds like he is in the mating mood. Add some winter molting and the itchiness that goes with it and you have one mature grey you need to treat as such. The best advice is to just avoid the bites be watching his body language very carefully. As Erika said, if you do start to encounter a bite, of course remove your hand before a wound requiring stitches happens. He could also be a little protective of his cage zone as well.

ramsabi wrote: I agree with you one hundred percent on this statement. The reality is, Karma can be high or low regardless of knowledgeable or contributory a member here is. None of us know why members karma might be high: 1. Just well liked. 2, IN the "Click". 3. Most experienced bird person on here giving expert level advice and help. 4. Etc. None of us know why members karma might be low, respectively: 1. just doesn't come on often. 2. Is not in a "Click". 3. Gives terrible advice. 4. Gives good advice, but some people just don't like them. 5. Etc. I always put more value in a person, their personality and their contributions, rather than viewing their karma to determine it. I determine that myself, not a voting group for me. :-)

Thanks for the clarification of your intent Acappella. :-) I believe most took it as a lighthearted whimsical topic and responded as such. Plus you even put a sideways smiley. I would be GreYt if everyone treated all critters and humans with the same love and respect we see promulgated here on the forum towards all Greys owned by them. :-)

Hi Christina, Dave has given great advice in delaying the vet visit to make it less stressful on Marvin. He's had a hell of a life up to this point, is 5 years old and not showing any signs of illness. I understand you are wanting to have a check up just to ensure all is well. But, right now could just be bad timing in the series of events that has taken place in his life. After going back and reading your threads. Marvin sounds like a very terrified grey, yet wants to be close so bad. Your description of him wanting to lean against you and have you constantly talk to him is such a HUGE indicator of "He wants to know he is safe". No hands needed right now, but just let me snuggle against you and hear your comforting voice. It's been six months, but at 5 years old he has a ton of baggage it is taking a long time to unload. Your doing a wonderful job in helping him out of that shell and I would hate to see him slide backwards from a stressful incident of trying to perhaps towel, cage and take him to the vet at this time. I hope you will reconsider your time frame for a vet visit. :-)

Man, I can feel a BBQ coming along with a lot of "Fellow-Lipping". :-) Looking forward to reading of the event and seeing tons of photos and videos.

Welcome Anthony and Flock!! It's GreYt having you here. :-) I agree with your statement regarding all critters. They are sentient beings and do exactly what they were designed to do and act the same. Looking forward to hearing lots more from you and seeing some photos when you get a chance. :-)

Jill and Judy have given good comments and advice. Are you just gone during normal working hours or is it unusually extended periods?

It is wonderful to hear how Grumpy is blossoming under you and families loving care. He has certainly responded rapidly considering his age and previous experiences. Thanks for the update and keep them coming!! :-)

Fly free and high there on the other side Spikey!! I am sure you have 17 years og great memories Jill and so does Spikey. :-) We never forget all our much loved critters we have had the honor of sharing life with. :-)

I'm glad you are enjoying this story. I KNOW all you other parrot owners experience this type of thing as well be these manipulators. But, you gotta love em. :-)

Welcome Sarah! The others have given great comments regarding how to properly get your Grey interested in speaking. Just as in the wild, they learn sounds and words linked to items and actions that have meaning and help them to survive in a more abundant manner. Most of us do leave TV or radio on while out during work hours to provide background noise and make the home feel less empty while we're out. But other than that, they don't pick up much if anything from devices playing in the background. Looking forward to hearing more from you. :-)

Dave has given expert advice and I have nothing I could possibly add to his advice. I hope this helps you and all goes well with the vet visit. Looking forward to hearing an update on this. :-)

The others have given great comments. I hope we hear an update from you. :-)

Welcome Mark!! I know it's getting a little later in the evening there. We do have many members in the UK and I am sure when they see this, they will give you some great recommendations on Breeders. Look around and ask all the questions you wish while waiting. :-)

Hope Ya like it.... :-)

As you all know from the many posts I have made on talking and the importance of using words linked to item and actions. I thought I would share this story from last night. We were watching a movie and Dayo was sitting on his T-Stand in the living room watching along with us. About 20 minutes into the movie, he starting saying "Cracker? Cracker? Hello? Hello? Hellllooooo! Cracker? Cracker? Cracker!!". So I go and break off an eighth of a Ritz and give it to him. Which he lavished and consumed in about 20 seconds. Then it stared again... "Cracker? Cracker? Hello? Hello? Hellllooooo! Cracker? Cracker? Cracker!!..."Cracker? Cracker? Hello? Hello? Hellllooooo! Cracker? Cracker? Cracker!!". So I went and got another eighth of a Ritz so he would shut up!! I wanted to watch the movie!! He ate that in about 20 seconds, then stared it again and I finally just told him "No Cracker". Then he would ask again "Cracker?"... me "No Cracker"... this went on for a good 5 minutes. So what does he do, uses my weakness for Banana Nut Bread... He switches to "Banana Nut? MMMmmmmmmmm Banana Nut!". Well it worked. I paused the movie, got 3 slices of the Banana Nut bread. I put one slice on his side of the plate and 2 on my side. What does he do? He reaches over and starts surgically removing the walnut pieces from MY slices!!! I tell you, sometimes I wish I had NOT taught him to speak with coherence!!!<br><br>Post edited by: danmcq, at: 2010/01/16 21:35

At dark and very early morning before dawn. I can hear these little buggers flying over and screeching. It alarmed one of my Dobermans as we were outside around 4 am and thus I thought I would share a little about this cute, yet effective nocturnal hunters. During the breeding season (November), courting Western Screech Owls may keep up a constant chatter of calls that sounds as if the birds are harmonizing. They may start calling in the winter. They will often respond to imitations of their calls. Their ear tufts are relatively short and spaced apart like those of the Great Horned Owl. The tufts may be held erect or flattened depending upon the situation at hand. The real ear openings are located on the side of the head and are slightly offset from each other. This positioning enables the owl to use triangulation to trace sounds and locate potential prey at night. This is a small Owl at only eight to nine inches tall,with a wing span of about 22". In most of its range, the Western Screech Owl nests in cavities in dead or live trees or stumps. The chicks start fledging at around only 28 days old!!! If the first try is unsuccessful or they just fall out of the nest. The easily climb right bak up the tree to their nest using sharp talons and beak. Here is a clutch being measured and weighed by the department of fish and game. They were placed back in the nest after data was logged. How big is that beak? Hey lets just check one at a time please, you'll all get your turn! Now thats better! Finally, fully grown... WHOOOoooo is it? <br><br>Post edited by: danmcq, at: 2010/01/16 14:28