danmcq

Yes, at that age and this time of year, I would expect you to start seeing a lot of down feathers on the cage floor. It's good to hear you have already been misting with Aloe. That will help get the skin supple and much less itchy.

Hahahahahahahaha! Whats a Headache? Wifey never used that on me. ;-)

Stunning Bernie!! Thanks for posting this. :-)

Your Grey has only been with you a little over 3 weeks. It is still settling in, getting used to new surroundings, people, routine, food etc. The biting is not the problem. It is teaching the young ones to cautiously approach and how to watch your Greys body language. Most Greys do not like younger children. They are also protective of "Their Toys" and what they may consider to be "Their Space". If you are the most favored presently, then you can interact with the Grey at an entirely different level than other "Lesser Ones" of the flock. Birds bite because outside of body language, it is how the communicate that you just crossed a boundary and they don't like it. If no blood has been spilled, it was a firm grasp, not a true bite out of viciousness. Please explain this to your children so they don't receive a more severe bite. All birds pick and choose their food when eating by nudging through and tossing what they don't want. Offering something this instant, hour or day, does not mean they will not eat it tomorrow if present in their bowl. Try many different types of veggies, cooked, raw etc. They each have their own preference and some will eat cooked quicker than raw, some will eat both just depending on what they feel like having that day. Pellets are something you must work at to get your bird to eat. Harrison's website has very good articles on getting your bird to accept pellets. YOu can also do a web search for parrot food, get the contact numbers and call and ask for samples. Most will send samples and you can determine which your bird prefers over another. In regards talking, it sounds like he is just mumbling in his new home whcih is normal when they are still uncertain of any threats that may be around. CD's that are supposed to "Train" your parrot to talk are worthless and just background noise to a bird. Just turning your tv on will have the same results in producing background noise. Parrots learn sounds and words because they link it to an event, action, item description or they just like the sound etc. Your bird will pick up new words by you using them when you are are something and describing it or doing something and describing. Things like "Apple" each time you offer a piece of apple or saying "Lets make coffee" while your making coffee. They will watch, listen and learn those things that they wish to be able to communicate back to you. The book "For the love of Greys" by Bobby Brinker is a good all around generic book on Greys and how to care for them. Your more specific questions as you asked above will only be found on a forum such as this with many owners having experience in what you are asking.

I suspect he is molting and touching that "Picked" area with little pins is a no-no due to the prickly pain he feels when touched. Drenching him with a 100 percent Aloe Juice mist from a spray bottle 3x weekly would help. It's good to hear you are going to see another Avian vet just to ensure there is nothing more serious as the underlying issue.

WOW! Beautiful photos of Cocoa, family and scenery. I always enjoy these excursions you share with us. :-)

The others have given good comments. It's good to hear you have a possible spotting of him and the area he may being hanging around. Whatever you used to call him at your home, use that and loudly. A lost bird is frightened and will normally remain totally silent to hide it's location from predators. My experience has been that no sounds were made until the bird heard my or my wifes voice and that was not until the first 24 hours had passed. The first 24 they are too frightened to even respond back to there flock. Walk the area, stop, call, listen, walk a little more, call and listen. If he hears you, he will know your voce and respond or may even try to fly to you. Your bird will hear you and see you long before you will him. So keep your hearing as #1 input to monitor for the slightest recognizable call you would recognize and triangulate on. Your bird could be straying in a tree, bush or covey hole. It will be where he has found the most safety in his mind. I do hope you find him today before all the new years eve craziness starts that could drive him much farther away if he is the bird spotted in your area. Still praying for you both.

August Rush - Freddie Highmore, Robin Williams, Keri Russell, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Terrence Howard I have seen all the movies listed so far.

You have been missed Pat!! It is very reassuring to know you are ok and it's your PC that is ill. I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and have a safe and sane new years eve tonight. :-)

He loves attacking it....Enjoy...

What a GreYt mental image that story creates Jay. I would have loved to see a photo or video of that scene. :-) Thanks for sharing another wonderful story. You always keep us entertained with your writing flare. Karma to you!<br><br>Post edited by: danmcq, at: 2009/12/30 14:06

The links you provided are the type of perches many parrot owners use to keep the nails file down and provide a non-uniform perch simulating tree branches. They may or may not work depending on how much your grey perches and walks around on them. One thing for certain, they will help. :-) We simply use a woman's emory board nail file that looks like a large pop sickle stick. It is not minded by him and he seems to enjoy it. We were using a dremel, but it required toweling and was an unpleasant experience for our grey.

Welcome! I would take your grey to an avian vet to have it looked at. From what you describe, it is not normal and something is going on in that area of the beak. Here is what a normal picture of that area looks like: I hope to hear more from you. :-)

Welcome eternalnewb! It's GreYt having you here. :-) You are on the right track in keeping her in the present cage. Simply place it next or near the new cage if possible so she can become used to it, venture on to it when interested and leave the door(s) open so she can climb in to it. Find out what her favorite treats were like grape, apple, almond etc. and pace some in clear view of her when she is showing interest in the cage. Place new toys at a distance from the present cage and watch how she reacts to them. The most important thing to do is take it slow and easy letting her come out of her shell at her own pace. Greys are very cautious birds and you do not want to lose trust by trying to force her in to something she is not ready for. Thanks for taking in ta grey in need of a better home and I hope to hear updates and see photos as you get a chance. :-)

Oh Boy, sorry your baby is hurt and needs vet attention. There are many "Plastic" balls out there that are not made for parrots powerful beaks. They can easily break those plastic balls made for cats. Always use the thicker acrylic balls made specfically for parrots and that should not occur if you chose the correct sized ball for your grey or other parrot. I have used these for years with no mishaps and not one cracked when bitten hard. They love those things, especially with bells in them. YOur experience serves good notice for others in selecting correct balls for parrots. I hope your baby heals quickly. :-)

Yes, your grey could survive in the cold and wild. There have been other Greys that have and some were found and at least one other Grey I know of (member of this forum) Grey has chosen to remain in the wild and visits their yard for food they leave out at night. Never give up, as you obviously haven't. It is also possible your Grey finally decided to contact humans for a better life than in the wild. It's is good to hear you have another and yet still pine for Chez. :-)

Yes, Dayo destroyed several bells until I started purchasing large bells that he could not get the clanger out of. You can find them round and square in pert stores and online. The link you provided is a good bell as well, but maybe not as fun, not sure I never tried one like that. They do love to bat the hell out of them!! :-)

Excellent information Dave! Thanks for posting this. :-)

Geronimo!!! Hahahahahahahahaha, unfortunately I can relate to that also. Thanks for sharing these videos of Emma. They are always entertaining. :-)

The others have given good comments. One thing you might try also. Is to get several toys that closely match the toy type she is used to in different variations. This will be something familiar to her that should not induce fear. Most also like foot toys that you can pace on the bottom of the cage like acrylic 2" balls with bells in them, those bong type toys that looked like what dogs play with, they have elliptical shaped holes in them and are about 4 inches long, wood blocks, cotton short toys with plastic beads and small wood blocks etc. As you slowing change the toys to different variations, slowly start selecting types that are even less like the one she is used to. It takes my grey up to 3 weeks to accept a toy that does not appear like anything he is not already used to. It is common for them to be very cautious, unlike new world birds like conures and amazons.

Awww, poor baby. He will blossom under your loving care. :-) Perches that are not smooth and round will give him better grip, as Jesse mentioned. The nails once grown out will also help tremendously. It is advised to never trim the nails too short and just knock the needle tips off when they start puncturing your skin. I know your not the one that did, but just thought I would mention it for future reference. Thanks for sharing these photos.

Welcome Redderick!! It's GreYt having you here. You are asking the right questions before going and getting a Parrot. The others have given good comments regarding a parrots needs. They are highly intelligent and become a loving member of the home flock with time and patience that ensures them they are excepted and in no danger of harm or abuse. Please do consider it a life long commitment, as these birds live very long life spans up to 80 years for large birds like Macaws and Greys average around 35 to 50 depending on exercise and diet. They need a large Cage, plenty of wood chewing and foraging toys to keep them busy and happy while you are gone at work. The most important thing is out of cage and quality time with you when you are home. You do need to know, that friends will not view your parrot, for the most part, as a family member. Most will view it as a menacing loud and nippy creature they would prefer you keep caged due to their fear of it. There is a ton of information on this site regarding parrot care, training, diet etc. You can easily find topics by simply entering a keyword search. Please watch this video as well that explains very briefly of how intelligent these sentient beings are: Looking forward to hearing more from you. :-)

What a wonderful video explaining what it is to keep a parrot. All people with or considering getting a parrot should see this. Karma to you sunnybird!!

Congratulations Jay!!! You are the perfect person for moderating this room. :-) It's wonderful you accepted this mission beyond where any man has gone before. Just watch for tribbles and it should be OK.

Welcome Jimmy and Parront!! It's GreYt having you here. :-) Sorry to hear of the loss of your Too. It's good to hear settling in is going nicely. Has a vet check been done yet? Not, sure what the Too may have died of, but a vet check is always a good idea when getting a new bird to ensure it is healthy and not in need of any vet assistance. I assume you've been DNA'd a boy. :-) There is a ton of information on this site yhou can easily find doing a search using keywords. Of course, we are all more than happy to answer any questions you may have as well. Looking forward to hearing more from you and seeing some photos when you get a chanhce.