danmcq

Oh Barbara, I feel for you. Your situation is a tough one and very emotional at the same time. With flare ups taking place in the family, it just adds fuel to the fire, due to all critters being highly sensitive to them and react to them differently from one pet to another. Your sick Dogs health is #1 to you and your taking the right stance on that issue. The others have all given great advice and comments regarding your situation. You obviously take the responsibility of caring for your pets VERY seriously and expect support when needed by other family members. Only you know how much you can cope with for a prolonged period of time and how much strength both physically and mentally to continue. You know we are all here for you anytime you need an ear or helpful advice. Consider us a lifeline, if and when needed. There's always someone here 24/7 that will help or respond.

Yep, that grey really tore that cup up. :-) Thanks for sharing it Judy.

Wow Empera, you HAVE really done your homework. :-) It sounds like a great plan. Merlin is a good looking Grey, thanks for posting the photo.

Welcome Margieb!! Dave always gives GreYt advice. :-) One thing you might want to consider to get your new baby under a little more control, would be to stop her from getting on your shoulder. Just offer your hand and if she doesn't accept it, just sit by and talk to her and interact with her. If she does get on your hand, block the upper path of your arm to your shoulder so she cannot get up there. Get her used to just being on your hands and forearms for now, if you can. The problem with the shoulder area, is you have no control over the bird once it's there. They can run back and forth, bite your fingers/hand etc. You really have no control in that position, they have complete control barring another person coming up and getting them off you. Looking forward to hearing more from you. :-)

Yep, it's pretty much molting season for all our pet parrots here, as others have already stated. :-)

Testing metals is not easy if your looking for specific results. A magnet is handy if you want to confirm something is stainless steel. Stainless is non-magnetic. Other metals can be obvious be sight. If a wire down through the toy is dull, it probably contains zinc as well as washers, screws etc. used on the perches and mounting food bowls on cages. The best bet is to just go to the hardware store and purchase stainless steel washers and screws as well as the quick links etc. for hanging bird toys. If a part is shiny as if chromed, it is normally safe for your parrot whether it contains zinc or not simply because it is a hardened and very smooth surface that your Parrot will not be able to flake off even trace amounts. Also, if a parrot is a non-metal chewer, it of course is not then an issue either.

Congratualtions Mark and it's GreYt haning you join this Forum!! When you get a chance, why don't you go to the welcome room and formally introduce yourself so all will know we have a new member? :-) It's wonderful you have read a book in preparation of bringing your new baby home. There are tons of questions you are going to have, that the book may not have prepared you for completely. Never hesitate to ask those questions. It's normal and we enjoy helping all who ask. You will find we love photos and stories of others Greys, so don't hold back and posting them. :-) Looking forward to hearing more from you soon.

Yes, that all sounds normal and a very happy and content young Grey. Enjoy those baby moments and return the affection. :-)

Hello Empera!! It's GreYt having you here. :-) You sound like a very responsible person when it comes to pets. That is evidenced by your researching online for information regarding African Greys and reading posts on our Forum. Thats is unusual for one your age and still in High School. I am sorry to hear that you are at a difficult time in your life. But, know that at your age, it's natural to have strong feelings of wanting to become independent, struggling to find "Your Self" and become the individual joining the rest of the adult society soon. :-) I believe you would make a great Grey owner, but timing is always a consideration, as well as money. There are a few things to consider about the next few years of your very rapidly changing life. First, you will be graduating in another year, are you also planning on going to College? If so, will it be a local community College the first 2 years and then on to a University to obtain your higher degree? If so, what will become of your Grey or any other pet you may have? Secondly is the money aspect. Are our parents willing to lay out ~900 for a Grey, ~ 300 for a cage and around 50 a month for food and don't forget the toys that are pricey and the Greys destroy in a month or 2. Third is the space for your Greys large Cage. Would you have room in your living area or would your parents be receptive to having that in a common living area like the living room? I am not trying to discourage you at all, but just want to put a few realities out there for you to consider. It's great having you here and I hope you post often, ask tons of questions and become an active member here where you will find everyone very interesting, helpful and friendly. :-)

Welcome to the forum!! No, they chose whom they wish, regardless of sex. They will also sometimes switch their "Favorite" as they become sexually mature. There are no 100% guarantees either way. Looking forward to hearing more from you. :-)

Awww, you got that right!! :-)

Alfie is a fine and healthy looking baby Grey. Thanks for sharing these photos. :-)

The silence after 24 hours is killing us, is your Grey ok? :dry:

Judy hit the nail on the head. Let him remove it naturally as they would a damaged feather in the wild. It does drive them crazy until they get it worked out of the socket. You know how meticulous they are when it comes to grooming standards. :-)

Well Heather, what was the outcome? You know we are all waiting to hear if you took Pumkin and if so, how it went. :-)

Penny - Hopefully it was a good one for you. ;-) :-) Our Day went exactly as Dave described, which we were prepared for and expected, like last year. It was a GreYt time with family to included the Parrots of course. I was actually shocked at how friendly Dayo was with a few family members that he acted as if he had known them since a chick. My Brother thought it was really cute as Dayo enjoyed a new zip-up string tied collar sweatshirt he just paid $60 for. He didn't realize that in the first 2 minutes, Dayo had stripped the clear protective ends off his string ties and bent his zipper handle in half. :-) He then asked me to remove Dayo, then he went and took his sweat shirt off and wanted Dayo back!! I was shocked to say the least at his reaction. I think I have atleast one family member that is now interest in becoming a Parrot owner. They were also highly amused as Dayo sat perched on my shoulder for the Thanksgiving meal and politely helped himself to my plate and as the gentleman he is, very eloquently used my sleeve as a napkin when he need a beak wipe. :-) I hope all other forum members that celebrated it had a wonderful day also. :-)

Happy Hatch Day Dorian!!! Dorian will not tary very long before jumping into the BIG FUN of enjoying that new playstand. That is a great Birthday gift. :-)

Congratulations!!! Whens the ETA? I'll bet you are excited and time has now slowed down until that special day arrives. Looking forward to an update and hearing how it progresses. :-)

Welcome SPTN!! It's GreYt having you here. To be doing research BEFORE obtaining your Grey is always the best practice and it says tons about you in doing so. One of the best things you can do when searching for a new Grey, is to try locally first. This gives you and the Grey to select one another through interaction BEFORE the day he/she is brought home. If you go the breeder\baby route, you will have some weeks to let a Grey pick you and be buddies before he/she comes home. This always make s the new home transition easier for the baby coming into a strange environment and meeting a new flock. If you decide to explore the rescue/Adoption route, the same holds true, except you are now dealing with a mature bird that has baggage you will need to deal with. Looking forward to your continued questions and good luck in finding just they right Grey for you. :-)

Thanks for posting this Dave! :-) We do care about each and every person and their birdy on this forum. Every Parrot owner IS family instantly. The people of the world do not understand Parrots or their Owners and thus you can not talk to them or get any good feedback in regards your Parrot. Thus, the minute someone identifies themselves as a Parrot owner or thinking about getting one, are Family. :-)

Thanks for starting this Carolyn and a happy Thanksgiving to all others here that observe it. :-)

Please let us know the outcome of the vet visit. Having his breast bone exposed for a week had to be very painful and also left him open for infection.

Those are normal healthy looking Nostrils. If you stare at them intensely, they do look large. :-)

This thread is over a year old. We have not heard back from Christoph since.

First, I want to wish all in the USA here a Happy Thanksgiving. I also wish the others in countries that do not observe it well wishes and happiness to you on this day. It is a time to reflect on the most valuable thing in our lives. That is our Family, Friends and loved ones. When you strip away everything else away you may have in life, it is these people we love dearly that is the one thing money or possessions can not fill the hole in our hearts that only they can and of course our extended human family members, namely our pets of all kinds. What a lonely and sad world it would be, if you had all the possessions and money one could wish for, but have no one to call "Friend" or "Family". With that thought in mind, I wish Dave a very happy Thanksgiving, as he helped us all through last years with advice only he, the "Guru of all Guru's" when it comes to helping us with our Greys and other Parrots. Dave wrote this last year at this time and I wanted to resurrect it. It is just to valuable not to re-post it again. We have printed it and posted it on our refrigerator for guidance today :-) Happy Thanksgiving - A meal prepared by Dave and what the rest of us to expect this morning: ""Ingredients: One turkey Corn pudding Green beans Stuffing Sweet potatoes Mashed potatoes with gravy Cranberry sauce Hot rolls Relish tray Pumpkin pie Whipped cream Hot coffee Get up early in the morning & have a cup of coffee. It's going to be a long day, so place your Parrot on a perch nearby to keep you company while you prepare the meal. Remove Parrot from kitchen counter and return him to perch. Prepare stuffing, and remove Parrot from edge of stuffing bowl and return him to perch. Stuff turkey & place it in the roasting pan, and remove Parrot from edge of pan and return him to perch. Have another cup of coffee to steady your nerves. Remove Parrot's head from turkey cavity and return him to perch, and re-stuff the turkey. Prepare relish tray, and remember to make twice as much so that you'll have a regular size serving after the Parrot has eaten his fill. Remove Parrot from kitchen counter and return him to perch. Prepare cranberry sauce, discard berries accidentally flung to the floor by Parrot. Peel potatoes, remove Parrot from edge of potato bowl and return him to perch. Arrange sweet potatoes in a pan & cover with brown sugar & mini marshmallows. Remove Parrot from edge of pan and return him to perch. Replace missing marshmallows. Brew another pot of coffee. While it is brewing, clean up the torn filter. Pry coffee bean from Parrot's beak. Have another cup of coffee & remove Parrot from kitchen counter and return him to perch. When time to serve the meal: Place roasted turkey on a large platter, and cover beak marks with strategically placed sprigs of parsley. Put mashed potatoes into serving bowl, re-whip at last minute to conceal beak marks and claw prints. Place pan of sweet potatoes on sideboard, forget presentation as there's no way to hide the areas of missing marshmallows. Put rolls in decorative basket, remove Parrot from side of basket and return him to perch. Remove beaked rolls, serve what's left. Set a stick of butter out on the counter to soften -- think better and return it to the refrigerator. Wipe down counter to remove mashed potato claw tracks. Remove Parrot from kitchen counter and return him to perch. Cut the pie into serving slices. Wipe whipped cream off Parrot's beak and place large dollops of remaining whipped cream on pie slices. Whole slices are then served to guests, beaked-out portions should be reserved for host & hostess. Place Parrot inside cage & lock the door. Sit down to a nice relaxing dinner with your family -- accompanied by plaintive cries of "WANT DINNER!" from the other room. Happy Holidays!! --------- Dave""<br><br>Post edited by: danmcq, at: 2008/11/27 15:01