danmcq

Bless you for finding Cotay a new home. The photo tells it all of the previous home.

You are doing everything. Oscar could not have been rescued by a more perfect fit for his needs. I am looking forward to hearing constant updates, as it is so good reading of a poor abused grey's progress in a loving home with a knowledgeable parrot owner. Your posts will also give others in similar situations a good example and ideas. I like the word play on "VelOSCARaptor".

You will need to someone take care of your grey when you are gone. Make certain it is someone that already knows parrots and how to care for them or it is a person you have introduced and and gone over food items and correct feeding/watering times etc.

Age cannot be determined from dna.

Thats GreYt! Place the carrier down on the floor for him to view it and explore it. Leave the door open and maybe even place a towel or little blanket in there that may attract him ore or a small foot toy he likes as well. If he never gets on the floor, then move it up to a surface he hangs out on sometimes and let him get used to and explore it from there. Once in, just calmly stroll out to the car with him/her talking happily that your going for a ride in the care. Take a short cruise and see how he reacts. If he can be placed so he can see out a window even better. You have time to do this slowly and can leverage that to make it as pleasurable as possible for him. I personally use a small dog carrier I set up for car trips. Dayo will look out the metal door or through the side slots in the plastic housing. I use it for the car because it is more roomy than the pack-o-bird I use for outings.

Thats GreYt! Place the carrier down on the floor for him to view it and explore it. Leave the door open and maybe even place a towel or little blanket in there that may attract him ore or a small foot toy he likes as well. If he never gets on the floor, then move it up to a surface he hangs out on sometimes and let him get used to and explore it from there. Once in, just calmly stroll out to the car with him/her talking happily that your going for a ride in the care. Take a short cruise and see how he reacts. If he can be placed so he can see out a window even better. You have time to do this slowly and can leverage that to make it as pleasurable as possible for him. I personally use a small dog carrier I set up for car trips. Dayo will look out the metal door or through the side slots in the plastic housing. I use it for the car because it is more roomy than the pack-o-bird I use for outings.

To pull a feather out, you would need to towel him and get a pair of tweezers to precisely pluck the small feathers out. Knowing that you are trying to build trust with Alfie, rather than destroy it. I would take Alfie to the vet to have it done. Also, since you said in a previous thread you have never had him to one, it is a perfect opportunity to find a recommended avian vet in your area so you will get acquainted with them and they will be able to give Alfie a good check up while there as well. They will then decide which method to use i.e plucking feathers or getting a drop of blood. This will get Alfie on their "Books" and also have a baseline started on him should you ever need to take him there for an illness for example.

He does understand what the words mean or are associated with. In regards water for example, I believe at this point he has associated that phrase with going back to the cage, which is what is happening. To correct that understanding, you will just need to offer him a drink of water from a cup for example and then the word "Water" will get connected to the substance rather than returning to his cage. The phrase should be changed to just "Lets go to the Cage". If he then goes over and gets a drink of water, at that very moment tell him "Drink of water". The word poultry.. who knows how that was associated by his previous home. It could have been used in many ways. Since that is not a word used in your home, replace it with Chicken for example when you offer some chicken. They are amazing smart and will pick things up that you describe as you offer them. Always be consistent so they do not get confused. Yes, they love praise with happy tonal fluctuations in your voice and smiling face as well. They also will pick up emotions associated with words and those said with anger and a loud voice will almost certainly be picked up in a heart beat. Be careful what you say when angry. They are experts at reading body language associated with words as well and are very empathic. They know your emotions. One other thing you may not know about them talking. When they are just sitting and chilling out, they will go over words and phrases they know. When they do this, they really have no meaning, they are just remembering them and calibrating them to perfection. They also throw in a word or phrase in real time if they see or hear something such as a crow flying by a window view for example and may say "See the Crow?" This may sound like a load of crap to you at this time, but the term "parroting" used in association with birds is just wrong. They know what they are saying and why. Your grey is one of the most intelligent creatures on this planet. Always keep that in mind when interacting with him.

Wonderful update! you are making good progress in such a short period of time. As Timbersmom said, being trusted enough for zydeco to ever allow such a vulnerable situation with your hand or fingers coming over and/or behind to touch will take time. Some greys just never really want scratches or their back or wings touched.

LOL Ray, I would have been having a panic attack as well. I am certainly glad it was a false alarm and you did not harm yourself making a mad dash to get over to that tree.

Welcome Elliotsmon. It's GreYt having you here. I am looking forward to hearing more from you.

I agree with he others comments on additional perches. Perhaps you could put one or two in the cage while Oscar is in the carrier I presume you will briing him home in. It sounds like Oscar has been in a non-loving terror filled environment with that young child acting like one that is undisciplined and we know how child can be around critters if not corrected. I am impressed with the methodology you used in your first interactions with Oscar. Based on your description of that, it sounds like Oscar realized you were different and interesting enough to communicate back to a little. I hope you are able to get him home soon.

Birdhouse gave good comments and advice. UGH, just had a thread about previous owners never being allowed to see their Grey at the new owners home. It normally leads to a change in the grey's behavior. As already mentioned, it's back to square one for your wife with time and patience to get this straightened back out. Thank god you were not home as well. Otherwise the visit would have been associated with you probably as well.

Congrats and thanks for the photos of him. Your description of his interactions with you are certainly exactly how a baby acts... they must touch, feel and test everything. Of course, the reason he is flying to your head at first is because it is the highest and easiest spot to land on. They are so much fun and so much work to keep entertained and worked with at that age, it wears you out like a human toddler that just started to walk and is everywhere getting in to everything. A few things that may help. Wobble your head when you know he is going to try and land on it. It will quickly teach him it is an unstable landing area. Hold up your arm horizontally that he may consider as a stable landing spot. For the nibbling on everything (which is normal for learning textures and hardness) gets some small foot toys and offer them for his beaking pleasure.

Oh that is so sad. You have my condolences on the loss of echo.

Welcome and thanks for the photos. He is a nice looking Timneh.

Thats GreYt news! You are patience and understanding is really starting to pay off. You set a good example for all rehoming a grey that is frightened and reclusive due to previous experience.

The UVB output is fine. Five percent is pretty much the "Norm" in the avian lighting industry. The key is using the distance recommended by ZooMed. Too close an it would be too much, too far and could be significantly reduced or no UVB could be reaching Tango at all. The UVB increases or decreases exponentially as distance shortens or increases respectively. One thing on any specifications is trying to determine which numerical representation a manufacturer uses. They can say 5 % not using any decimal places or .05 % which is 5 percent. For example .10 would be 10 percent etc. until reaching a value of 1 being 100% UVB. I run in to these issues all the time in looking up electronic components and their specifications. They do not all use the same numeric standards sometimes, so I must be careful in assuming things or I could end up with a component that will not function according to our design specifications.

Well said! I am so happy they will take payments and prefer you over another interested "never owned a parrot" person. Hopefully those sleepless nights will end soon with you and Oscar starting a life long relationship together. You both deserve this from what I have read from you.

That is wonderful for you in terms of jelly bean's attention now.

Ok, now your bringing tears to my eyes. Of course they remember! I am not saying this to be mean to anyone. But please, if you have to rehome any creature, do not go and see them later unless there is a very high possibility they will return to you. I have seen this happen to dogs and parrots. Most will become depressed and slothful for days and sometimes hard to handle for the present people they live with. Again, I do not intend this to have been mean. It is so you will understand how the parrot, dog, cat or any other creature feels when you walk out again perhaps never to be seen again..

You are so right, they never forget. Thank you so much for sharing this story. It would be heartbreaking at this point in my mind, for Odie not to be returned to you. She knows your still alive now and will wonder if and when you will come back, take her with you and live as the happy flock as you once were. I hope she has not fallen in to a depression now, which some do after seeing a previous loved one. Please keep us updated. I have prayers and high hopes for you both to be a family again!

Welcome KateLyn! Looking forward to hearing more and seeing some photos when you get a chance.

My birds cages are only about 12 feet from the kitchen stove and oven. There is no problem with that. Of course you do need to be careful of never letting something get to the "Burnt" point in a fry pan for example that would produce smoke. Which we have always been careful of. Who the hell likes to smoke up their house? We placed the birds cages in the family room which is an extended portion of the one huge room that includes kitchen and family room which is as you seem to have as well. There is a sliding glass door looking outside to our backyard which they enjoy looking at and even being rolled out in their cages when weather is warm.

Paleale and Jay gave good comments and thoughts. I personally prefer a more outgoing and inquisitive creature of any kind. Just because the one baby you see at the breeder seems to be a cuddle muffin now, does not mean it will be in 5 years. The same is true of the baby that has a zest for life and wants to explore everything. It may well end up more independent than the other. But it will still certainly want time with you as well. As I am sure you know, they interact on different levels with different people based up on their preference for a male, female etc. I don't know what you mean about monster stories you have read, but most of those I would presume are rescues that had terrible owners and experiences that caused them to hate humans and rightly so. That is not the greys fault, it is the humans. Much like the anger and abused human child holds inside and distrust of others. As Jay said, you will be the one forming a baby greys view of humans and the world we provide them. Only you can make the decision of course on the grey. But, what you see at just a couple weeks old is not going to be what the grey is as an adult.