danmcq

I just love cute baby grey photos. Thanks for sharing these.

As others have so well said. Do your homework and get feedback from others you may know that have gone to avian vets in your area. My first vet visit was with a well known avian vet that was familiar believe it or not with our breeders. That little bit of knowledge gave her an idea of what to do on this first wellness check. He took a poop sample, weighed him, gave him a close physical exam and it was done. If a bird is healthy and fit when your visiting at the breeders and is also after you bring them home, most the time and I stress "Most", minimal tests are required. The first visit at least establishes a baseline and familiarity with the vet and bird. Should anything arise down the road, they already have information and records on your bird.

100 Percent Aloe Juice that has been pressed, strained and distilled is not harmful at all to a parrot. It is great for their itchy skin and I have used since Dayo was a baby to mist him down with. It reduces the dander and keeps the skin nice and moist comparatively speaking. Most Avian vets promote the use of Aloe juice and gel on severe pluckers. Perhaps your vet is thinking of eating the plant itself as a whole, which is poisonous to humans and criitters. Just below the outer skin of the aloe vera plant's leaves is a layer of yellow juice. This juice, also known as the plant's latex, contains a natural chemical called aloin. Aloin is a type of anthraquinone glycoside, which according to North Carolina State University may irritate your skin if you have an allergy to latex. The skin irritation or allergy associated with latex is known as contact dermatitis, which produces a localized rash. The University of Wisconsin lists the aloe vera as a toxic plant and reports that aloe vera latex consumed in large quantities can lead to diarrhea. Serious bouts of diarrhea in young children and animals may result in loss of electrolytes and dehydration. If you suspect the ingestion of aloe vera latex by a young child or animal, it is important to call your local poison control center and seek medical attention immediately When applying aloe vera gel to the skin, it is a common practice to cut off the tip of a leaf and squeeze out the gel. This practice releases the toxic aloin along with the gel, resulting in irritation. Instead of squeezing, cut the aloe leaf at the base of the plant, slip on a pair of plastic, non-latex gloves and fillet the aloe vera leaf with a sharp knife. Once the aloe vera leaf is opened into two halves, scrape the top layer of clear gel from the leaf using a butter knife. Leave behind the lower layer of gel, closest to the skin. Store the gel in a plastic bag in the refrigerator and toss out the rind. Only the Layer of CLEAR Gel is used in 100% Aloe Juice or Gel. Thus it is safe.

Cute photo. It's wonderful you are getting the professional care he needs for that beak alignment issue. It sounds like you have a wonderful avian vet that knows others to consult with on this very rare beak issue. I am looking forward to the updates on this.

She is beautiful standing there under the water faucet.

Nice photo! Thanks for posting it.

Oh no! Hoping and praying for a quick reunion.

Lovethat grey, thanks for posting this. There are many teachers that certainly affected all of us during different years of schooling. You spend more hours with your teachers, than you do with your parents during those years of learning. Jeff - You are a shining example of what a good teacher does to help your students and they leave never forgetting you for the rest of their lives. Money certainly cannot never provide that feeling of accomplishment as you see them flourish. But, I truly believe Teachers are severely under paid for all the hours they work and the heavy responsibility they carry in that vital capacity. Kudos to You!!!

Nice photos of Kizzy outside. Obviously loving it. Thanks for sharing these.

They are both beautiful. The red factor can pop-up at various times in their lives as they molt and regrow feathers. Dayo has one that comes and goes..weird but it happens.

That wire mesh is fine and is what many avian enthusiasts use for outdoor aviaries.

Awwww, Thane is a beautiful baby CAG. Thanks for the photos. I look forward to many updates on him.

That was a very good video. It was a win-win for both the parrot and child. They learned neither was truly the threat and scary creature they thought the other was. Teaching a young child to analyze and overcome behaviors in creatures like this will be a valuable tool the rest of their lives. Thanks for sharing this.

Thanks Steve! I would rather have in audience with the next queen. Enjoy the 4th all!!!

Hi Jeff, Your right. This behavior change when they approach the two year old age is very common and takes place in the wild as well. It is the instinctual time they start becoming independent from the care and guidance of their parents and start fending for themselves. It does take us back at times, because they are still viewed as our sweet baby that relied on us completely for guidance and were totally dependent upon us. Greys are notorious for the sucker bite using that poker face and not telegraphing the lightening speed bite at all. It is good to hear no blood letting bite to your lips took place. My wife received a slight lip bte around that age from Dayo as well, which shocked her and truly hurt her feelings, since Dayo is her love muffin. She of course became much more cautious after in regards "Kisses". Greys become angry and upset just like a human when we somehow have slighted them many times without us even knowing we have done so. Just things like leaving them in their cage a little longer, moving a toy, taking something away, paying someone else attention, taking them some place they may not wish to be at home or at your parents house for example. They will act out like a brat teenager pissed off because it is NOT what THEY want. Gracie is becoming cage aggressive, which is normal for many Greys and other Parrot species. It is THEIR home and space, which they will defend many times just as if it were their tree hole in the wild. So you just need to accept it and be cautious accordingly. In regards the No Bites and other comments as you described being used with Gracie. They are fairly useless at this point as She is mocking you as she uses them back and delivers them anyway in defiance. Again, this is common and most the time as they mock, they are also telling you it is exactly what is going to happen. I cannot count the times Dayo will say Non, No, No as he walks or fly's to something forbidden and starts biting or shredding it. So, as you are contemplating, we have already put in to practice. We no longer say those words or phrases unless it is a bad thing already happening and he is either placed in his cage or we just walk away from him and ignore him until we can tell he can no longer stand the separation and comes saying he is "Sorry". This of coarse is a dynamic you will need to develop and adjust as you see how Gracie reacts to it. Each grey is different and more or less varying degrees of our responses and reactions will need to be employed. Taking Dayo to his cage for bedtime was a biting trip for months, but has now become a no bite situation and I don't even need to cup my hand over his back lightly to keep him from flying off my arm. Most times when it's bedtime we shut down the TV and speakers, go and tell him it's time to go to bed in a soft loving voice and wait until he lifts a talon. It may take smooth talking for 30 seconds or a minute, but he willing goes after that. Just be very observant. My thoughts on bites is to avoid situations that cause them, develop ways to interact on a level they are willing to go along with what is about to happen and be very consistent once developed. This takes a long time to do, but works with perseverance and consistency. In other words, you and Gracie will come to to an understanding mutually now that she is on her way to adulthood.

GreYt posts in regard treating our Greys and other birds like they are wild creatures, which they are. I know we must keep them in the cage for their safety while we're gone. But, when we're home and not doing something that could put them at risk of harm. They are out, fully flighted and have many fun landing spots with toys, boings etc. to just be themselves as they would be in the wild... well as close as we can duplicate in our home. Guests and some family members may think it's a little odd, but they just need to get over it, because we are not changing their privileges for anyone! Most company we have enjoys them, laughs at them and interacts with them.

Ditto Ray and Judy's responses. My Grey nor Conure will show any interest in a sleep hut. Conures normally do like crawling into small places and hiding or napping, but not mine other than a kitchen cabinet that we find him in after closing the door. . Greys for the most part want nothing to do with them.

Zooming in on this cage and also reading the Specifications, it does look like it is constructed for a small parrot at best. The wire spacing is 1/2 and it very closely resembles that of an oridinary cage you would buy for a parakeet. As Greywings said, your grey knows his cages! I have no doubt it can certainly do as a temp cage for now to at least improve on your being able to clean and also not have the worry of the old cage falling a part. I would start thinking about another cage though in the future that is grey size and build sturdy for the havoc they can wreak. Here is a decent Cage for a good price: http://www.birdscomfort.com/victorianparrot_bird_cages.html

Grey update! I am so happy they are both in a new and loving home that knows how parrots should be treated and taken care of. The red feathers you see are called "Red Factor" and some greys do have those feathers. I am looking forward to further updates and photo's as time permits. Right now, you all need some "Chillin" time.

I suspect it's looks like a very good nesting spot you have provided just for for him or her. Trying to nuzzle in or attacking? I am uncertain of the behavior once on your head?

Welcome back, you were missed. It's good to hear things are starting to normalize once again.

"He sees me in all sorts of outfits, hats, sunglasses, and large, brightly-colored gardening gloves and he could care less. Oh yeah, hair too--he doesn't care at all what I do to my hair--up or down or curled." Hi Chezron, could you put all these together at once and post a photo of yourself? I would love to see it!

I ditto the "Awwwww'. Very touching moments.

LOL Janet and Chelsea! The heat is crazy this week here in central California.... 110 yesterday and God knows what today except HOTTER! Thank god for AC, I can't take the heat like I used to cruising in my car with no AC and all windows down. Of course, today's teens are a bunch of wusses... Just kidding any Teens here.

I enjoyed this video and thought I would share it. It also drives home the fact that even our Greys are still wild and we need to treat them as such by giving them the best artificial environment in our homes as possible to meet their needs. Of course, we won't be releasing them to the wild and a grey flock though ...