danmcq

BirdTalk is the best in my opinion also. The articles are always very good, the photos/centerfold excellent and great articles each month on a topic that always brings out a point or two you may not have known or researched before.

Awww, thats a cute photo. I have often wonder, if in the wild with their hole in a tree with nice padding if they don't lay down and sleep. I have watched my Grey walk into a box, peek in after a few minutes and he will normally lay down with his feet sticking out backwards. I would imagine it feels good not have to perch 24/7 and gives the legs/talons a rest. Ours will rarely lay down unless we have been in the living room for example for a long time and he will sometimes settle down on a towel draped over the back of the couch and lay down. But, as I said, it is very rare and only happens maybe once in a month or two. Thanks for sharing that photo. :-)

Welcome Bobbi and Zoo!! Wow, do you let the neighborhood kids come over and charge for admission? ;-) You have a HUGE flock/Pack of critters. Looking forward to hearing more from you and seeing photos when you get a chance. :-)

Welcome John and Flock!! It's nice having you here and looking forward to hearing more from you. :-)

I agree with Dave on this. The Grey will never stop being a bird or going Poop wherever it may need to go. It will always require atleast 3 to 4 hours a day out of the cage enjoying the flock it lives with. Placing the Grey in another room by itself would really border on inhumane psychologically for such an intelligent bird that needs challenges, love and companionship. With that said, Search your heart deeply, talk to your husband truthfully and sincerely and decide if the bird is in it's forever home that will maintain it as a family member. If it can not be kept as such, the best thing to do would be to sell him to a very compassionate person that knows what parrot ownership requires and can provide that Grey with a good forever home while it is yet a baby. :-)

Welcome mary__bird!! It's nice having you here, even under the distress you are obviously going through with your Grey. It seems you have entered the terrible two's and your Grey is definitely showing it's drive to have some independence very strongly. I would suspect this has been becoming more pronounced over the last 4 to 6 months and did not just "Pop-up" overnight. As Judy suggested, a vet visit would be a good idea, just to rule out any underlying health issues. When your Grey bites you or someone else, what do you do? Most find it very effective to say "No Bite!" sternly and put the bird back in the cage for a time out for a while and leave the room. The feather plucking could be a few things and the vet visit will rule out any medical issues that may exist. Boredom could also cause it as well. The more information you can provide us would help greatly. But, please do get a vet visit scheduled. :-)

Oh I am so happy to hear your mom is cancer free and on the way to recovery!!! Now that a room I could spedn a few days in, but with the surgery or pain of course. ;-) It's also good to hear you left your Grey with lots of stuff to shred and have fun with. I'm sure you were missed, but he had plenty to keep him busy during those hours you were away. :-)

Baxtermom gave good advice on the change in diet you should try to make. There are tons of things to give your Grey rather than just seeds and fruit. Oatmeal, scrambled eggs etc. with other stuff mixed in like red palm oil, bananas, honey ...get creative and your Grey will love it especially since it's warm and tastefull. Lots of chopped up veggies like kale, mustard greens, broccoli, carrots, pumpkin, sqush etc. Fruit should be limited to small amounts and only once or twice a week. Links for pellets like harrisons or zupreem: High Potency coarse is reccomended for Greys. http://www.harrisonsbirdfoods.com/products/index.html Zupreem - Fruity or uncolored is fine and they have several different selections: http://www.petfooddirect.com/store/dept.asp?dept%5Fid=136&brand%5Fid=118 Informational on Diet: http://www.zupreem.com/animal/bird/learn/index.shtml

Oh, I understand your situation. :-) Your brds should be fine, since you are ensuring they have plenty of food and water for the 24 hours you will be gone. I should have known you would not have someone over if you knew someone you even only barely tolerated to look in on them. ;-)

Congratulations on going to select your baby Grey this weekend. Looking forward to hearing more about him/her and seeing some photos. :-)

Oh I am so happy to hear that your vet has zeroed in on the issues your Grey is experiencing and resulting in his plucking. You have a great reason to be happy in knowing the problems and how to treat them. Believe me, we are happy for you too!! Sometimes plucking starts for no apparent reason and even a vet at times can find nothing wrong other than to diagnose them as neurotic and prescribe meds like Prozac to try and stop the plucking. It's GreYt having you here and I hope you will stick around and keep us posted on your Greys progress. :-)

redkim wrote: LOL, great story. It seems you have a self-rewarding Grey on your hands. :-)

judygram wrote: Kim, who's that? :ohmy: :whistle: :laugh:

There is a variance in the shade of Gray depending on the origin of the parents (CAG's). The Greys that came from the Cameroon region are a larger bird ranging upto 650 grams in weight and are a much lighter shade of Gray. Greys that come from the inland regions generally are a little darker shade of Grey and weights run from 400 to 500 grams on average. They are both CAGs, just a little difference in size and they are the same species, unlike the TAG, which is much smaller, has a maroon colored tail and a bone colored beak and weight is on average 280 to 380 grams.

Thanks for the update mollysmum. It sounds like thing are slowly turning around for your Grey. Looking forwrad to future updates on molly. :-)

I agree with mistyparrot. Being unflighted puts him in much more danger and very vulnerable to those dogs. Being Flighted he will have a way to get higher than the dogs. You know they are agressive towards him, so why risk the death of your much loved grey? Can't the dogs be put in the bedroom for an hour or two when you wish to spend time with our Grey in the living room?

Welcome scousemouse!! You just never know how it may work out. We have several Grey owners here with more than one. Depending on the level of "Bonding" you may be worried about, it should not really be a concern. They may become tolerant of one another or even like each other enough to sit next to each other and have some fun. However, it will not mean they would just not interact with you any longer. Your present Grey may become jealous, you just never know. Either way, if you wish to have two Greys go for it. If you wish to have things exactly as they are with no possible threat of a change in relationship, don't get the other Grey. It all boils down to if you are wiling to take in another Grey and provide love and a forever home for it regardless of how things may change. :-)

I haven't. It would be nice if you had a friend that could atleast go over and make sure all is well, say hi and change the water in case pooped in and give some fresh food. I'm sure others will chime in as well. :-)

Welcome Tiger!! It's GreYt having you here and looking to updates on your baby and maybe some photos if you get to visit before bringing home. :-)

Nice photos or Omar and Ozzie. You have had them a long time. It's too bad they have never really become atleast sociable from a distance while being out at the same time. Thanks for sharing all this. :-)

Nice photo of Charlie. he is one healthy and happy looking birdy. :-) It's wonderful to hear that he was as anxious to get out and interact with you as your were wanting to so badly with him. Looking forward to reading your posts in the other forum rooms now. ;-)

Every Parrot is different. My Grey for example loves sunflower seeds, but if given a human grade shelled peanut, he enjoys crunching and shredding the shell, then just lets the peanuts fall.......

Oh what a sweet TAG Ana Grey is!! :-) Thanks for sharing these photos.

If their in a nest and your pair is sitting on them, they are fine. You could candle the eggs, but I doubt you would want to disturb the nest at this time.

I don't move perches at all. They are setup optimally for each cage. It might have some positive aspect if your Grey was just left in the cage constantly, but that is not the case at my house. Also, no I'm not going to move my furniture around either unless the boss (Wife) of the house tells me I must. ;-)