Q9550

Hi All, Thanks for all the great comments. I'm convinced she is now definitely eating the pellets. Her droppings confirm this. It has changed from greenish to brown. I have read online that seeds will give a greenish color vs pellets which is brown. @neoow I noticed she became a bit more interested in the pellets after i started adding the red palm oil to them. At first it was straight pellets but she wouldn't go near them. So i used her love of peanuts as an advantage. I would open a nut and squirt just a tiny drop of RPO on it and then give it to her(was done in front of her so she sees the bottle). I knew she would never reject the peanut NO MATTER WHAT so this allowed her to taste the RPO and get use to it. I then started with the pellets and would squirt a tiny bit on a peanut, then 1 full squirt into her feed bowl with pellets, mix well and then show her the peanut goes into the bowl. This made her hunt for the peanut while tasting the pellets + RPO. The rest is history lol. @SterlingSL i usually add some hot water to the remaining dust and mix in some seeds or some veggies. She enjoys that it seems. My theory is that if it doesn't go flying out the cage she enjoys it lol

My heart just melted when i read this. I really hope things improve over time. All our prayers are with you and Timber.

Hi All, Its been a while since i posted here. Been lurking in the shadows... This past weekend i went out to get some new food for my little girl Nonesense. I picked up her usual seed mix but next to it was the pellets. We have tried to switch her diet in the past with much resistance and no luck lol. She just will not eat anything unless it has sunflower seeds or peanuts in it. Peanuts are her absolute favorite and she will let us know when she wants one by shouting out "Nonesense peeeeeeanut" ,which is all the time!!! Anyway, I started giving her the pellets in her main bowl with a tablespoon of seeds and a squirt of Red Palm Oil every morning. When i get home from work the seeds are gone and the pellets have been crushed into a fine powder. So it got me wondering if shes really eating the pellets. So Tuesday afternoon i threw away the dust from the morning feed and i dropped in a tablespoon of pellets and put that in her cage. She immediately made her way down to the feed bowl looking rather excited and when she gets to the bowl she picks up a pellet in her talons and starts crushing it with her beak. She does this till all the pellets have become powder and then she retreats to her favorite perch. At this point i feel as if i just bought her a very expensive toy lol

1 signiture all the way from South Africa

Hi Erica, Welcome to the forum. Our grey Nonsense loves destroying things so i make her toys out of old tissue paper rolls or cardboard boxes. I just stuff with newspaper put some treats more news paper more treats until the box is full and give it to her, within 5 mins its gone. The best thing about this toy is its free

Thanks for all the ideas and suggestions. Still trying to source a few things. I can get the grate made up of S/S but its going to cost a lot more, so i'm going to save up for a bit and then get it done. Might be a stupid question but does the grate NEED to be painted if its S/S? The paint shops around here seem to be a bit clueless as to what "Bird Safe" paint means so i'm worried that one might say it is when it really isn't and then nonsense gets sick. I wanted to put the ladder up on top as well so will give that a shot and see how she likes it. @Greyness Nonsense like to shred EVERYTHING. You must see her attack her foraging toys i make up for her, gone in a few seconds. Newspapers, toilet roll holders, those cup holders from McDonalds, boxes she goes crazy for them all. I will try to get a video but she is very camera shy. @Timbersmom Nonsense is strange because she doesn't like being on the highest perch she likes the middle one the best. She likes being on the floor when she is in destruction mode and i have never seen her on the highest perch as yet but she is making use of all her toys so i'm happy about that. Have you guys seen how your greys sleep? I saw nonsense for the first time when she didn't want to get into her new cage and was perched on top of it. She turns her head around and places it on her back and pulls her wings closer to her face and then she falls asleep. Was quite fun seeing her do that. This is exactly how she sleeps: (This is a pic from the interwebs)

Yeah i was also told that greys don't like being low down but i guess nonsense has a mind of her own, as do all our crazy greys. I put in a few light bulb boxes and a toilet roll holder, both stuffed with her treats so i hope that will keep her entertained for a bit. @Birdhouse Nonsense usually doesn't like much change that is why we were so surprised to find her in her new cage especially since her old cage was open and was next to the new one. I'm definitely going to do the same in future, just give it to her and let her choose if she wants it. I think us making a fuss about it made her nervous as well. I also cant wait to get it filled up. Just got paid yesterday so hopefully this weekend i can find some cool stuff for her. We do have a swing just need to get it fitted into the cage. Haven't seen a boing in any of the pet shops i have been to, will check if i can get it online. My girlfriend just placed the ladder there yesterday i also don't like where it is. Any recommendations of where a good spot would be? Im also trying to get a grate fabricated for the bottom of the cage. Any and all ideas are welcome

So this weekend we went out to the pet store and got her some perches and toys for her new home. We managed to find 3 nice perches and got her 2 new toys plus a ladder. She is still hesitant about going into the cage but she has climbed onto the new one. The problem is now she wont get off it and she wont even come down to eat. We had to leave her perched up there the entire night last night. Any ideas how we can get her to go inside? Before: After: EDIT: I was stressed about leaving her at home alone unsupervised and her being perched up on top of the cage for so long so i asked my girlfriend to go home during lunch to check on her, she works just down the road from home, and when she got home to her surprise nonsense was inside her new cage at last. She sent me a few pics and i couldn't stop smiling as a matter of fact i'm still so excited. I though this was going to be a long and agonizing wait for her to accept her new cage but she has shocked us both. Maybe all she needed was some alone time with her new cage lol whatever the reason is i'm still so excited she is now inside her new home. Girlfriend added the ladder:

Looking great alex i wish i had the space to do this for nonsense. Maybe i could send her there for an holiday with alex and rocco, im sure she would love that

+1 Would love to see a pic of the fox as well

She is a bit scared of it not terrified i would say. While in her cage, she comes close to the new one but then we can hear her breath a bit heavily and she goes into her little hiding corner. I also did add a few of her toys from her old cage into the new one so she knows its a familiar place. I was even playing with the dishes and toys in the new cage so it would look like a fun place to be for her although i must admit i felt a bit silly playing with a cage in the middle of the night but i have learnt a grey can get you to do all sorts of things you don't want to do lol I really like the idea of joining them with a perch i think i will get home and do that today as well as put her favorite snacks in the new cage. We definitely don't have space for two cages in our tiny flat and this new one takes up a lot of space in our lounge it makes the room feel a lot smaller but im so happy to get nonsense in there as soon as i can. At this point its all about getting her use to the new home she wont be able to live in it just yet as i still need to give it a proper wipe down and also need to get longer perches to fit the new cage and also TOYS TOYS and more TOYS. You swear i was a lot more excited then nonsense is.

Hi Fox, Welcome to the forum. You have definitely come to the right place. As birdhouse said feel free to ask any questions you may have and i'm sure you will find the answers here. You are lucky enough to get to know the pros and cons(meah are there really any) of owning a grey before getting one, unlike me, I didn't choose the Grey life the Grey life chose me hahaha but seriously i can't imagine life without our grey.

Im never going to give up on nonsense if all i will ever be to her is the cleaning guy thats fine in my books as long as she is happy and having fun and leading a much better life then previously. Thats always been my number one priority with her, im not gona lie and say i dont want that close relationship with her but as iv learnt from you guys here grey time = slow time. We take everyday as it comes and the smallest of improvements as like mountains moving for us. Like the other day when she was out her cage sitting on top i was walking by with some stuff in my hand and i accidentally dropped a light bulb box and it landed near her cage i went into the room and when i got back she was on the floor and the box was destroyed lol Now to you guys it might not be much but to us it was amazing to see her on the floor she has never been on the floor before that and even leaving her favorite treat (peanuts) on the floor she would not go down. I feel like she is trusting us more and more as the days go by but we still not at the level of trust yet. Hopefully one day i will be able to post a picture of nonsense perched on my hand exchanging birdy kisses lol

Hi Guys/Girls/Birds Thank you all for the replies. I doubt you guys will ever know how much of a help you all have been. I have taken every comment constructively in order to make my decision. I finally went with the last cage i posted. @Acappella Yes, there is a grate top when the play top comes off so she will be able to get enough light when she is in the cage. I did check the castors and hinges and everything else and i made sure it was in the best of condition for our lil nonsense, after all if i wouldn't want to live in it why should i make her. The dishes also fit perfectly and there is no chance of her removing them or tossing them. They fit pretty snug and requires a tiny bit of force to be removed which is good and YES nonsense is a thrower lol she thinks its fun to throw her food out and make me clean it up everyday. The cage door is not the biggest but its pretty big i could fit myself through it if i try and its 100x bigger then her previous door so no complaints from me there. Overall i was quite happy with the cage. @Birdhouse I completely agree with the cleaning thing the door on her previous cage was so small cleaning it was a nightmare which was one of the reasons i want to desperately get a new home for her. Although i cant stand inside the new one the door is ALOT bigger so cleaning will be easier, well easier IF she lets us clean the cage she is extremely protective and its always a mission on cleaning day lol The wheels are quite sturdy for now and we do have castor suppliers here in South Africa so replacing/upgrading will not be an issue. The lack of a lower grate shouldn't be much of an issue i always try and change her floor paper every three days depending on how much she messes, also another trick i found that helps me is she has a favorite pooping spot so i lay down smaller sheets in that area and change them everyday so there is hardly ever any poop in her cage. Sometimes i feel like im a bit OCD when it comes to her and i like to make sure everything is perfect for her, the girlfriend often complains that i love nonsense more then her lol I don't really have a preference when it comes to flat/dome top, i went with the flat top because when nonsense is out her cage she loves sitting on top of it and i can make that into a nice play area for her so she doesn't get bored. I second you with regards to this forum, there is so much of knowledgeable people here and everyone has valuable input to give and the best part is EVERYONE is always willing to help. So thank you all for helping me get nonsense a new home she was really in need of one and now i feel so much better knowing she has enough room to do whatever she wants. This cage is really a lot bigger then her previous one and i think i am a lot more excited then nonsense is. Its a mansion compared to her bachelor flat she previously had. Acappella i need those tips you were talking about. Basically what i did so far was build it in front of her and made it look like fun (It really wasn't) and once it was complete i left it next to her current cage just to get use to it.

Okay so i haven't found something i like or something i think nonsense would like. I came across this cage and i think it would be our best bet as all the cages iv seen are too small or is in a bad condition and as much as id love to buy nonsense a NEW cage i just dont have the funds for it yet. Let me know what you guys think of this: Price: R1500 to USD $105

Hi Katana, Okay so not sure where to start so lets start with mum, She hasn't been in my girlfriend's life for a long time, family drama which i rather not get into, so getting her to help with nonsense will not be as simple as inviting her over for lunch one day to help us with nonsense. We dont have a relationship with her so that makes it difficult to get her to assist with nonsense. When i started this thread it was out of amazement that nonsense still remembered her and i was in shock at how friendly nonsense was towards her. So basically mum is not an option with regards to training nonsense. Nonsense doesn't have a problem with us and she isn't overly aggressive as when i first moved up, even then she would readily accept treats from my hand without fuss. I got her clicker and target trained with no issues and she picked it up very quickly. The biting is more of a game to her as opposed to a fight or flight reaction. I know this because she laughs after she bites you. I make it a point to always let her know when i'm walking past her if shes outside her cage and if i'm carrying anything in my hands i show it to her and tell her its nothing to be afraid off. I'm very particular when it comes to nonsense and i try to give her the best life possible, it may not be perfect but its alot better then what she was use to. I readily accept all advice for you more experienced owners and try to implement it as best i can, so keep them coming lol

Hi Acappella, I would never force her to do anything, an besides she will never listen to anything she is like a rebellious teenage girl lol So what i do is open her cage door and when she comes out i give her a treat i leave her to investigate her surroundings for a bit and clean her feathers once shes settled down on top of her cage i start target training her to walk around while she is on top of the cage. I then place my arm on the cage between myself and nonsense and i target her closer and closer to my arm, i never bring my arm closer to her i just wait for her to come to me. She is still not keen to step up but recently she has been coming closer to my arm and the last time was when she drew blood, but in her defense i don't believe she wanted to bite me she was just investigating my jacket and caught my arm, i just stood there and smiled at her. She normally never gets on the floor when shes outside her cage she just usually stands on the top and looks at everything. Yesterday i placed a small cardboard box next to her cage to get her use to it so i could put it in the caged for destruction lol and to our surprise the first thing she did when i opened the door was come out and shred that box to bits hahahah she is just too cute and i'm so glad she is becoming more confident now.

At least if you ever you need a file shredder you know who to call. Its similar to what our floor looks like after we give nonsense her seed mix for supper lol Shells everywhere followed by things she doesn't eat. I think its her idea of keeping her cage clean...

Hi Guys/Girls/Birds, I just wanted to share my experience here on the forum. Although its been a short while since i have joined i cant express how much i love this forum and how friendly and helpful everyone is. No matter the issue or problem there has always been numerous replies to my threads and all helpful information. This forum has made me grow more confident that i am doing a good job with nonsense and also keeps me going on even when there seems to be a set back with her. I have learnt so much from all you experienced guys and im positive its just the beginning. There's just ONE problem with this forum: I get so jealous seeing and reading about all you guys and your birds and the relationship that you guys have with your pets. I'm envious when looking at pictures of birds stepping up and getting head scratches etc I really hope one day i would have the same relationship with nonsense as many of you guys do with your birds. Thanks to everyone who contributes to this forum and makes it a special place for those of us who struggle a bit. Keep up the amazing work!!! Kind Regards

Great advice Katana600, I actually plan on using it as well. I feel like this was exactly what we needed to help train nonsense and get her more comfortable with us and other people in general. However there is this fear in me that it could also make our relationship worse in that she would refuse us and only want to interact with my girlfriends mother. Latest battle wounds 4-0 to Nonsense Those were giving to me while trying to get her to step up onto my forearm while using a long sleeve shirt and a woolen jacket. She still had no problem drawing blood. I held my composure and took it silently but damn it was PAINFUL!!!

Thanks for all the replies. It definitely was a sad moment seeing her being so accepting to someone else but i will not give up and will continue to try and build a good relationship with nonsense. Im happy that nonsense had that opportunity to associate with a human touch she seemed happy so anything that makes her happy is always welcome. Hopefully one day i can have that same connection with her. Until that day i'm going to vent out my frustrations here lol

Hi Guys/Girls, Okay so as the title describes, something has happened this weekend that i don't know how to make sense off. My girlfriends mum came to visit us over the weekend. Everyone who has read my welcome thread knows that nonsense isn't my bird, she belongs to my girlfriend. My girlfriend use to live with her parents with nonsense and its been 3 years since she has been living alone. Her mum paid us a visit yesterday and she hasn't seen the bird for 3 years and she was talking to nonsense and then she decides to put her finger to the cage and i immediately tell her not to because i know nonsense is capable of drawing blood, she ignores my warning and she sticks her finger into the cage and to my surprise nonsense is actually playing with her finger and i'm like WHAAAAT!!! There's no sign of her being aggressive or wanting to bite or anything of the sort. She then opens the front door of the cage and puts her hand inside and nonsense immediately steps up onto her hand and starts playing with her. I'm standing there with my jaw to the ground trying to figure out what the hell is happening here, can this really be the same bird that i know or has she been swapped out with a another? So if anyone can explain to me what happened i would really appreciate it. If i tried the same thing or even my girlfriend for that matter we would be left with out fingers.

http://www.gumtree.co.za/a-birds/boksburg/big-bird-cage-witch-accessories/1001692270210910378926809 http://www.gumtree.co.za/a-birds/randburg/bird-cage/1001693466360910979617509 http://www.petmaniaonline.co.za/index.php?route=product/product&path=57_80_174&product_id=1638&sort=p.price&order=ASC http://www.gumtree.co.za/a-pet-accessories/other/parrot-cages-avairies-for-sale/1001688929720910966651309 - A few cages here, im looking at the medium one. I would love to get the very large one but space is an issue. http://www.gumtree.co.za/a-birds/northern-pretoria/parrot-cage-for-sale/1001676826410910351512109 So if you guys can have a look at these other cages i found. I really don't want to rush into buying any cage i want something that is right for her and that she will enjoy.

Thanks for all the replies guys. Is the 3rd one not a bit on the small side? Maybe i still need to search a bit more....

Thanks for the speedy reply. Which is the ferret cage?