sandra902

THANK YOU for rehoming this fine birdy! 12 years old too...yes indeedy give him lots and lots of time. i know i say this to everyone, but i've learned Parrot Time is next to the Eternal. they do not seem to be on the same timeline as we are. what is the story on your zuri? that could make a difference in your decision to bring in a baby that needs so very much attention. our merl really started to shine when we brought in a couple more birdies. it was as if he started to learn to be a bird from the others. he is fascinated in peetey's flying and he has learned from miss milly that i am not in fact the Devil's Daughter. so for us, the care-ful introduction of more birds worked very well. peetey came months and months after merlin, and then milly months and months after peetey. of course merlin is #1 King...

well, whether right or wrong, we just jump in with both feet. what we do is keep all cages closed the day the new member comes and we also spend a lot of time in the room that day (don't know how we can spend MORE time in there but we do). we also have very soothing music playing such as the new age channel or light classical. big daddy maintains the birds prefer the blues channel but we all know that is his big fat bias not ours! when miss milly came home, merl was far more interested in her than she was in him. only now does she take notice of him but only when he is on the floor playing near 'our' desk. but you have done this before, no? you seem to have a couple birdies there. we are also careful to be sure cages are placed so no bird can reach the others' from their cage. merl will try and reach over to milly but he can't quite reach. but then there is little peetey who will stir the pot and fly over and sit on the others' cages. verboten!

howdy neighbor! i'm just between milw & chgo. lots of good parrot societies in mdsn! whaddya taking up? my sister lived for years and years in mdsn. she moved up there for college and never came back. great town that's for sure! welcome to the boards. -s

superlotto i see from your profile you are in the UK. we have lots of members on this board living in the UK and take a look at the map on your profile, several are near you. UK members! calling you out to welcome superlotto to the forums! keep up the good work and welcome to mr jasper as well. can't wait to see your snaps. -s

superlotto, welcome! firstly THANK YOU for rescuing that fine birdy! we'll need his name and some photos if miss judygram hasn't already asked for snaps! (judygram, yer falling down on the job missy) animal rescue is so rewarding although sometimes heartbreaking. but for us here at the monkey house, it has been overwhelmingly rewarding. our merlin is a plucker too, although it has diminished a bit since he came home to us a year ago. i accept that he will always pluck although that may change which would delight me. but we love him dearly just the way he is and we work on the issues that we believe caused the plucking in the first place: over caging and under stimulation. plus ensuring a good good good diet. there are threads on here that address the merits of aloe vera juice ($7.99 in the pharmacy at walmart) spritzed undiluted on your birdy to help alleviate the itching that comes along with the feathers growing back. the spray bottle has not worked so well with merl, but we will keep trying. there was a lot of fright at new things but his confidence has really grown in the past few months so we will try again. the one thing i would like to mention, perhaps the most important lesson i have learned along the way, is that Parrot Time is next to Eternal. just because you would like to hit a certain goal in 6 weeks means little to nothing in Parrot Time. but knowing that has really helped me enjoy each day and moment with merlin which is a good lesson also. again, THANK YOU for enriching your life and that of your parrot by rescuing him. you may want to keep a journal which will help to encourage you along the way if you should be discouraged at any point. i know i expected merlin to step up after 6 weeks (haw haw haw) and a year+ later he still does not. but that does not suck the joy out of all the other wonderful milestones we have hit together! we look forward to a long and happy association with you here on the boards. -s

jadewolf, as far as the legalities of pursuing action against your breeder, i would contact local rescue. the canine rescues i have worked with in the past are very well versed in what the law can and cannot do, and have inside contacts with the local authorities and can help get things rolling with and for you. for this reason i looked at your profile and based upon your locality, did a quick search and got these two results (and noticed the gabriel foundation is right there as well!): Colorado Parrot Rescue Organization - www.coloradoparrotrescue.org This club is for people who want to learn more about parrots. Come for speakers and discussions about training, nutrition, behavior problems and other topics. New parrot owners especially welcome! Our official name is actually Colorado Avian Resources, Inc. We've been meeting in Denver for several years and have just this year started as a Meetup group. Visit our website at: http://www.cari-bird.org/ these are organizations you are probably already aware of but i just thought i'd throw these out to anyone else who might be in a similar situation. as long as there is a demand for a "product" there will be unscrupulous people who will exploit both the product and the public desiring it.

there is a picture in the recent bird talk mag of a grey giving merry hell to a stack of legos. looks like an epidemic! call the CDC! -s

what a sad and awful state! i am so sorry you went through all of this simply due to a breeder's negligence. please do pursue the matter as far as you can. the local authorities will want to know and probably already do; your voice and testimony will help greatly. are you in the US? who is the authority that deals with birds? is it the USDA? wouldn't hurt to contact them as well. did you cross state lines to get this bird? that might very well attract some attention too. maybe it would be a good idea to prepare a nice statement with the chronology of each thing you encountered along the way. it would be good for your mind and heart and will be useful to present to any authority you might be contacting. then you can go through your experience once very carefully and thoroughly and everyone will have the same information in the same format. your case will be much stronger. this might not be the time or place to suggest this, but there are many worthy birds in rescue that could benefit from your knowledge, attention and affection. when the time comes please do consider it. we thought our little milly had heavy metal poisoning when she came home to us so i know how frightful it is. what a dark cloud hung over us until we got her clean bill of health. we thought we were going to have to make some tough decisions. thank you for being an advocate for our little ones, although it is heartbreaking the circumstances that brought you there. we are all rooting for you and are watching with great interest as this will unfold.

i have a bucket of k-nex which is a plastic little tinkertoy sort of thing. i must say i am approaching obsession as well and will heed your advice. the same thing happened to me with drinking straws, whiffle balls, twine and pony beads. so do beware, this condition can strike under all sorts of disguises! edited to add: oh boy you do have a problem. you better get gryph to the avian vet. i see he is playing with the legos and the bell is still intact. that is a sign of a Very Big Problem.<br><br>Post edited by: sandra902, at: 2009/01/03 22:09

luvparrots, you could ask this question on july 1st and i'd be happy to answer it with no thought to the holiday or the new year! SO here goes. i never had a birdy before merlin came home to me. i have cats and dogs. but my heart is in animal rescue, and i got turned on to birds over the years and was encouraged to consider a rescue bird. well conventional wisdom being what it is, one would not think a person with no bird experience whatsoever should take on an african grey, let alone a rescue bird with who-knows-what to contend with! but here i came in blundering about like a friendly labrador, and was welcomed with open arms (or wings if you will) and given care-ful advice and a warm welcome. now i am very very familiar (sorry to say) with the snapping and the snarling that can take place in animal rescue and so i latched on to this site with a white-knuckled grip knowing i had found The Site from which i would learn what i needed to in order for merlin to blossom into the fabulous fellow he is and will be. and i stay here because as i learn and grow my knowledge, there is a place for me to offer what i have to give on the path along the way. so a blessed solstice, and a healthy & properous new year to all!<br><br>Post edited by: sandra902, at: 2008/12/30 05:03

i will miss judygram. while i'm thinking of it may i ask if anyone can refer me to a good FL parrot rescue? i have not had much success with an internet search, BT magazine does not list rescues (they SHOULD and maybe i shall send them a letter on the subject). i have contacted the MN rescue that blessed me with merlin and am waiting to see what they say. i figure if they can get me as far south as they can, i can zig zag my way south til i hit FL. but then again, this little male might be just the match for my friend. fingers crossed!

miss rosie, i have a friend in pensacola looking for a grey. he is well qualified to own a bird, he is a very loving pet owner and has done his research well. with your permission i will send this link to him and see if he is interested. he is very committed to animal rescue and i have not had much luck finding parrot rescue in florida. please feel free to PM me when you read this. -s

oh my gosh even miss milly is laughing!

it's the same thing - i'm a waitress and i serve the entrees with a cloth napkin to protect my hands. i always tell the guest as they reach for the plate, "please do be careful, the plate is hot, i will land it for you." and they INEVITABLY have to touch the plate as soon as it is in front of them and express their surprise,discomfort and distress at the hot plate! people people people...

good for you becoming a vet! certified avian in your plans? i hope so - around here one has to drive 45+ minutes to reach a certified avian vet. imagine that! and i am right between milwaukee and chicago. yep we have a happy houseful also. 1 german shepherd, 2 cats, 3 birds. one more kitty on its way needing a re-home then that should be it!

empera i am glad to hear you got your merlin (good name by the way! tee hee hee) into the avian vet. i am mystified at the owner's reluctance to take him in. even if someone had no empathy for another living creature you would still expect the person to protect one's investment. keep up the good work and who knows? maybe merlin was meant to come home with you. is that open to discussion?

and miss judygram, there was a wonderful bird show at the animal kingdom. of course an african grey stole the show! it was wonderful to have my friends introduced to the magic of a grey and they were very patient with me as i was delighted out of my senses. this was just before merlin came home that we were there so i was really hard to be around. enjoy your trip, we are planning to go back this coming october. i shall put in my request after the 1st of the year for my absence here. but then again, i do stay online whenever i leave town anyway. -s

"each one reach one"

"each one reach one"

wowee how disturbing! just to give you a point of reference, my merlin (rescue birdy) has been here a year late october and he still does not step up, he will give me a good snapper if i am not wary. we have a deal that he will sit on the top of the cage whilst i am cleaning it but today he thought he'd be funny and sit on the door and preen my hair while i was changing the paper. rascally wabbit! things move very slowly in merlin's world and it was tough for me to accept that. but we humans are very trainable and merlin has been very patient while i learn right from wrong. please continue to be patient, your little guy will move forward at his own pace. i ask merlin every day if he wants to step up. when he backs off, i say 'all righty maybe tomorrow' and that is one of the things he will say during talking time. 'hey merl wanna step up? okay maybe tomorrow.' he also knows 'merlin. no. no bite.' and will say that after he tries to give me a snapper. he will also say 'whoa-oh!' or 'verboten' after giving me a snapper the darn guy. he'll approach me now, and take things from my hand, and allow a stroke of the beak and a smooch only through the bars. and that is after over a year here. we have other little games that we play together and we have a lot of oodling and cooing that we answer back to each other. so things are happy here and one day he might actually accept my invitation to step up. he sees little milly step up and climb all over mamma without being executed so i am hopeful he will continue to follow her lead as he has done so far. does george have a playstand that is separate from his cage? or can he be lured to the top of the cage during cleaning time? i have to be careful as milly is a little cage aggressive. she does not like her cage touched while she occupies it but will happily sit on my shoulder during cleaning time (and supervise) yikes! look at the time. gotta suit up and get to work.

my merlin has a very strong preference for Big Daddy (my husband) as well as our daughter. I have been the Devil's Daughter to him for the past year but we have been making great strides lately since it is apparent that i am the biggest part of his day and am not going away. we interact very happily but with carefully set limits. he will allow me to touch him now, but only through the bars or i will get a pretty good snapper. no touchy feathers yet, just a stroke of the beak or maybe a little smooch on the beak. but that is leaps and bounds from the trembling little fellow he was a year ago. you will hear 'time and patience' on this site until it becomes a mantra. and i can tell you parrot time is next to the eternal. things change in parrot time very slowly indeed. but they do change. start keeping a journal or a log and you will see as time passes the changes that will take place with time and patience. good luck! and keep us posted.

welcome to the site and THANK YOU for considering parrot rescue! i myself am a big fan of animal rescue and recommend it highly if that is what you are called to do. all of the inmates here at the monkey house are rescues and they add a dimension of joy and wonder that is difficult to describe. but your grey, no matter its origin, will add a dimension of joy and wonder that only a fellow grey owner will understand. again, welcome to the site, and keep us posted on your progress. i'm rooting for rescue but that's just me; i'm shameless in that regard. -s

here is the link http://www.realmacaw.com/pages/footpref.html

oh man! i was just going to write something up on that! i noticed merlin is a lefty and was ruminating on what that could possibly mean. i shall have to look up the p snyder link. -s

this is my favorite holiday of the year. my entire family is together, sisters, husbands, children and of course my highly revered mother who presides over it all. never a cross word, always happy voices, we are a very blessed family indeed. long year, tough year, but we're all still standing so happy year. have a happy day no matter where you are! -s