danmcq

Yes, it is do to his young age. Enjoy all that cuddle time!! :-) It will still reducing in not to long in stages where he will venture out, want to sit on the play stand and preen and play etc. The tea is not good for him. A small sip won't hurt, itsn't advised, but if you get a cup of warm water, he will drink it while you can have your tea. :-)

LOL!!! Well I guess the good side are the additional nutrients and fiber the sauce will have.

LOL - Thats hilarious Jan!!! Thanks for sharing that. :-)

Hi Leia, I am glad you understood I was not addressing you. :-) Just to clarify what causes fatty liver disease. I is not from just sunflower seeds. Parrots suffering from this, are typically obese. The parrot species most commonly affected are the Amazon parrots, Quakers, budgerigars, cockatiels, lovebirds and Rose-breasted cockatoos. It seems that more females than males are affected and this may have something to do with hormonal activity in the reproductive hen. A diet HIGH in seed tends to result in obese birds, so sedentary seed eaters are more likely to end up with fatty livers. Seed diets tend to be high in fat and low in the nutrients biotin, choline and methionine. Over-eating (consuming more calories than are expended daily) can also cause fatty-liver. This means it is NOT just related to seed and nut being in the diet. Metabolic diseases (such as thyroid dysfunction, although poorly described and rarely diagnosed by specialized testing and diabetes mellitus) may also cause fatty liver problems. Toxin exposure (usually long-term) can also result fatty liver disease. Aflatoxins, found in some peanuts and other products, such as corn, can cause repeated insult to the liver, so if fed over time, these toxins may result in permanent liver damage or hepatic lipidosis. Hereditary factors may also play a role in liver dysfunction. Infectious diseases, such as Chlamydophila psittaci, and others that affect the liver, can cause chronic changes over time. The key is moderation. Also, African Greys are not prone to being over weight. Especially if you keep them active with lots of toy fun and being flighted means burning tons of calories and staying in tip top fitness.

Well, I can only go by what we do. If it hits around 68 outside in the winter and it's sunny. We roll the birds out on the pool deck for some sunning. :-)

Michelle4672 wrote: Yes, in that case DO NOT use the perch for a step-up. :-) That jsut adds fuel to the fire. As you already said, the trust is in need of reestablishing and then the step-up to your hand will come, as before. I know your busy when he got your toe for example. But, to avoid it, you almost need a 6th sense of where he is and make sure that whatever body part he is headed for, is not there when he reaches it. Those deep wounds do hurt, bleed a lot and of course induce some fear of another happening. I try to avoid those too, being the number 2 in most love in this household. But, I know they were my fault when they happened because I was not paying close enough attention at the time either. :pinch: I wish you good luck in working with him and look forward to hearing updates. :-)

GreYt photos and it looks like the outside cage is a big hit. :-) Thanks for sharing the first of Ben's first outing.

The others have given GreYt advice and information. The dynamics of your home changed 2 years ago and from Sammy's perspective, probably for the worse. Looking at it through his eyes, which is what needs to be done. He has lost the time he cherished, close contact and seemingly been banished from interfaction with the flock. He has know knowledge of why and resents it and I would imagine is quite jealous as well. This leads to additional frustration. He is at prime breeding age, has urges to find a mate and desperately needs attention and one on one time. Believe it or not, he can feel your fear now. YOu need to overcome this quickly and only approach when you are calm and not fearful or nervous. Watch his body language closely and learn how to avoid bites once you can see they are going to happen. The first step is avoiding the bites and it may include having to use a wooden perch for step-up as Spinner suggested. Some how you need to schedule in out of cage time and time with him one on one. If he is not already, he needs to be where the family is most the waking hours. If you don't have plenty of toys to play with and foraging in his cage, place many in it and change them out once his interest wanes. Another thought is diet. Keep his diet exciting and bountiful with plenty of veggies, a little fruit 2x a week, bean mixes, mash, birdie bread, seeds, nuts, drip some red palm oil on items like eggs, oatmeal and pellets and mix it or let it soak in. etc. I hope these things help and that you can work your much loved Sammy back into the household mix and continue to have decades of enjoy and enrichment in each others lives. :-)

Titch wrote: You could sprout an unprocessed sunflower seed, but the sprout would not contain the beneficial nutrients, protein and oils of the seed.

I understand your concern and reasons for wanting to take seeds out of your Grey's diet at this point. However, I would recommend monitoring the weight daily and carefully first thing each morning after the first poop. I have never heard a vet to advise a person to just give pellets and wait up to 4 days for your bird to eat some of them. Most vet's would recommend a slow transition while monitoring the weight. With that said, I just want to point out a fact about Parrots and why they have a hook bill. The evolution of the large and powerful hook bill can be explained primarily as an adaptation to opening and consuming seeds. All true parrots except the Pesquet's Parrot employ the same method to obtain the seed from the husk. The seed is held between the mandibles and the lower mandible crushes the husk, whereupon the seed is rotated in the bill and the remaining husk is removed. A foot is sometimes used to help holding large seeds in place. Parrots are seed predators rather than seed dispersers, unlike other birds that consume seeds whole and many are undigested. In many cases where parrot species are recorded as consuming fruit, they are only eating the fruit to get at the seed. All Parrots go through food "Favorite" stages, just like people. The problem with a parrot, is they will not control themselves, like a human will (well sometimes we don't control ourselves either). The point is, you can safely "moderate" any food for your bird and in fact you must to ensure your parrot does have a well rounded diet. To accomplish this, you must rotate what is available, when it is available and yes even down to how long it will be available in minutes perhaps. A bird fed only a 100 percent pellet diet, is not a healthy parrot, regardless of what pellet manufactures may claim. In fact, I may get flack for this, but I believe it is cruel and health detrimental over a long period of time to do so. The only thing I see a pellet diet doing is for "Humans", not the birds. Is it is very convenient for those lazy people that just like to pour some pellets, give fresh water and their done with the feeding chore. You see this in keeping of all pets, like dogs, cats, hamsters, rabbits etc. It is not truly healthy for any of them. Now before everyone that feeds pellets (myself included) goes crazy thinking I am calling them lazy, I AM NOT. :-) I believe and know for the most part. That all members here and most Parrot loving people provide a very rich and bountiful dining experience for their much loved parrots. They spend hours cutting up veggies, fruits, cooking up great bean, oat, quinoa, barley etc. mixes and keeping their birds diet exciting and varied all the time. My entire point of this response. Is to ensure all know that a parrots beak was and still is designed for eating those seeds and nuts they run across in their daily foraging travels that includes and mixture of seeds, nuts, veggies, fruits etc. So let's try and duplicate as best we can, what they eat and experience in the wild. :-)

Welcome Michelle, Rose and Skittles!! It's GreYt having you here. Nice photos, thanks for sharing them. Looking forward to hearing more from you. :-)

Congratulations Judy, how exciting!!! :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: Karma to you for taking in a Grey in need of a good and loving forever home. So now you have a Male and Female Grey ....hubba hubba Can't wait to hear how the first 24 hours went and seeing those photos. :-)

I use "Resolve" with oxyclean spray bottle. It works great. Just spray thoroughy, let sit 5 minutes then blot with towel using foot pressure, then rub dry with clean towel.

Oh Boy, that is going to be a big change for Indy. I hope he does get on well with your fiancee once he realizes your not going to be home for a while. The important thing is your fiancee be very patient and understanding that Indy is going to feel abandoned and lonely. Others that have gone through what you are about to, will hopefully chime in with their experiences. Good luck and congratulations on landing a good job. :-)

It's too late to introduce bathing to them in any way that works. It sounds like you found a way that was comfortable and enjoyable for her. It's always a big plus if you can find a way that they are at least not completely freaking out. :-) GreYt job!!!

Thats wonderful and exciting Jill, Congratulations!!! Thanks for sharing this special moment with us. :-)

The cuss box is a GreYT idea!! We had a few occurrences of Dayo swearing, which he picked up from our Son and wife coming over during the day and we're not home. WE of course KNEW he had picked it up from them. So we just advised NO MORE CUSSING and it has taken a while, but Dayo now says the "Replacement" words (95 percent of time) which sound VERY similar. Dayo now says "Shoot" and "God Dangit", instead of the other cuss words. Well, 95 percent of the time. :-) You have to nip it in the bud very quickly or they will become a permanent item in their vocabulary.

What a GreYt photo and update on Gonzo and Camilla!! Thanks for sharing this. :-)

Loved the photos and especially the flight through the slightly opened door shot. That was some awesome and fast flying. Thanks for sharing these and you should be (I know you are) busting at the seams over Eckos' capabilities. GreYt job on the potty training!! Karma to you.

It's good to hear you got her in and the Avian Vet is on top of it. One thing is for certain, your Grey could not be at a better place right now. I hope and pray it all works out well. I know how waiting is miserable, worrisome and well just troubling. Hang in there. If the vet said what they suspect, please let us know.

It is indeed a day for reflection, remembering and respectful sadness for all those affected. Thanks for starting this topic. :-)<br><br>Post edited by: danmcq, at: 2009/09/11 16:25

Welcome Teaka and flock!! It's Grey having you here. It's always wonderful to hear of someone taking in a rescue. It sounds like you hit a home run with her. Looking forward to hearing m ore and seeing photos when you get a chance. :-)

GreYt fight shoot!! Love the punch by punch narration!! :-) What a twosome. Thanks for sharing this. Mocha is such a beautiful birdy.

Leia wrote: They are in fact healthy for your bird in moderation. Seeds and nuts are a staple of all birds diet in the wild. The key here is moderation. A little seed and nut mix is fine each day. But, the biggest portions they eat should be veggies, bean, oat, barley etc. mixes and a little fruit. Add pellets to that and your Grey will be eating a well rounded diet. Basically, the idea is to try and duplicate all the different foods they would eat in the wild each day :-)

Congratulations David and Shanti!! What a wonderful and exciting moment. Thanks for sharing it with us. :-)