lovemyGreys

Put some toy's in mark & have a play yourself show him your having fun,it may encourage him to join in

I agree with GusandGloria, it sounds like a night fright.monitor his balance over a few days just to determine that he is acting ok & not showing any evident signs of loss of balance on a daily basis..Keep us updated.

Personally if you are going to try & introduce pellets Emma i would go for Harrisons, here is the link for the UK site...Have a good read in the bird food room there are many threads on pellets http://www.hbf-uk.co.uk/articles.html

Lovely picture. You dont say how old Raven is ? From the pictures i guess still a baby. You say he is picking more ? More down or actually picking feathers out ? Baby / juvenile greys will often pick dirty/damaged feathers before their first molt & they do lose a ton of downy feathers,it's normal when preening themselves that the downy feathers come out.Grey's do scratch their heads to.From the picture he looks good to me. If your grey was truly stressed out by the homework situation he would be picking / plucking feathers out.Is he showing this behaviour ? Find other activities to inclued Raven in,or provided him with plenty of foraging toys.

Tari i am sorry to hear this sad new about Thor.As pet owners it is inevitable that at some point in our lives we are faced with this heartbreaking decision .I know from personal experience the sadness you are feeling.As hard as it is you know in your heart that you are doing the right thing for Thor.Be strong x

Thanks Casper <br><br>Post edited by: lovemyGreys, at: 2008/04/06 23:27

congratulations ,a great achievement ,as Talon said make sure you continue with the step up command everyday .It is one of the vital commands that we can teach our grey's.

she still is a baby,so now is the time to set the boundaries, she will push her luck to see how far she can go but as long as you stay firm & in control I'm sure you will succeed in establishing some rules for her .

Quote... At first we thought it was really funny and cute but now, its over powering... I often hear this from new Grey owners.so many people bring their new baby home,lavish them with attention & generally let them get their own way,Once this inital peroid is over problems begin to arise.Ground rules need to be put in place from day one.Always start as you mean to go on.Boundries need to be established. As Tari suggests you will have to return Midnight to her playstand repeatedly & give the command stay.It may take weeks,it may not,be consistent & firm.Even if she just stays for a minute & flys back,repeat the process.Always praise her for positive behaviour,but never for negative. To encourage her to play by herself provide plenty of foraging toys,hide small treats for her etc..

congratulations to you all, The pictures were all great Well done everyone.

There is always a reason behind the plucking & it can be so frustrating for owners because you have to find out what is causing it, before you can start to fix the problem.Has there been anything that has changed in your greys life recently which may have started him to pluck ?The list is endless but a few possibilities are; Frustration from long periods in his cage Lack of mental & physical stimulation Change of family circumstances/ environment Incorrect periods of light/darkness A poor diet, high in fatty foods Attention seeking

Hi frwheel16,why not post a new topic in the welcome room & introduce yourself. Here is a thread on Teflon.. http://www.greyforums.net/forums/bird-food/32353-teflon-coated-cookware.html#34727

Well done Mellissa

Grey's spend a vast amount of time preening,dont worry to much on that side.she will bit itchy,the aloe may ease this.Increase protein in your parrot's diet. Feathers are mostly made up of protein. Adding protein before and during molting can help her grow new feathers.

Yes let him have as much out of cage time that you can.Have you tried offering him a perch to step on when you get him out ? even if he just put's one foot on it,this is progress,praise or reward him for all the little steps he makes.It will take time & patience

Baby / juvenile greys will often pick dirty/damaged feathers before their first molt,she may well have been stressed because of the move.Is she continuing to pick at her feathers ? or has she stopped ? hopefully it will resolve itself with her molt.If she has stopped picking/pulling her feathers out i wouldnt be to concerned at present,continue to observe her for signs of plucking.

Good luck for tomorrow Lupa

Personally i don't like the towelling method unless it is absolutely necessary.I think it can often have a negative effect on a bird.Can you try getting him to step up on to a perch/wooden dowel & replace him to the cage ?

Hi Taylor, The first molt in an African grey will be the heaviest molt your bird has.The molting of downy feathers will be the most obvious of all the molted feathers.Expect to see alot of them.They normally start with the down feathers comimg out, followed by the smaller head feathers and nape feathers. The the wing and tail feathers are usually last.New pins will start to form which you will be able to see,They push the old feathers out.sounds very much as if she is molting.She may be a little grouchy at times,be sure to give her a good misting with some aloe juice.

Dan thank you for all your research & effort you have put in to this very informative article on lighting.It is very much appreciated & I'm sure it will be a very valuable reference thread for existing & new members.

congratulations,be sure to post some pictures for us

A lovely thing you have done,short suits you

nice idea Alfie,big brother to Freddie,He is the largest of my 4 greys,he is a mummy's boy loves to snuggle under my chin & have tickles.Nothing phases him, he takes life in his stride.The most laidback & loving out of my four. Freddie,well he is the clown of the flock,always into everything,loves climbing,plays with every toy in site,he is cheeky & full of confidence.Still likes a cuddle from mum. coco,well probably the most vocal of the gang,talks non stop,sings,whistles,a little performer,i swear if she was human she would be on the stage.Like's a head scratch & always regurgitates for me Kaiti my TAG, my little sweetheart,the new member of the gang,very vocal & has a sweet disposititon.Likes to ride around on my shoulder when im in the bird room,im sure to get at the other three ! she is a wonderful addition to my gang.

Dan, i must admit i have had to read it over to absorb all the info,look forward to part 3 .

:laugh: Are you sure that wasnt just an excuse Berna to get two more