Nychsa

OH my Christina!!!! That is a riot! Are they brilliant or what! You need to share some more of what she's saying - I love hearing grey stories ; Bella is only 8 months old, but she startles me with the things she says - it's usually always a sentance of sorts. I've concluded she must be watching our interactions around here and is putting it all together. Dream, my female greyhound walked away from her food this evening, and I asked Dream if she was done and Bella pipped in "I don't like it - blech blech!!!" That nearly sat me right down on my tush! I busted out laughing and when I laugh now she copies my laugh. I'm assuming she picked that up from either my partner or I who always fuss about the dogs being so picky with their food. What a riot!! Well do share some more! It sounds like your girl is quite a character. Cheers! Terri

Before I met Bella, I was going to name her Tashi (in Buhtanese it means "happy" and can be used for males and females). I thought it would go well with Jigme, my conure. Jigme is a Tibetan name. However, when I met Bella, I was so struck by her beauty, her name popped into my head and the only thing I could think of was Bella - Latin for Beauty. So, maybe some name will just come naturally to you and you'll say - "that's it"?

I've decided Bella is like having a two year old around! While Jiggy is totally content foraging around on his playtop, taking a snooze, playing with his toys, Ms. Bella is interested in EVERYTHING! Trying to keep her out of trouble is becoming a full time job :woohoo: Today, I took them both into the shower with me. Bella has a ritual afterwards where she sits with me at the cosmetic table and talks to herself in my make up mirror. Ah... but while I was busy trying to find something in my purse the little imp got hold of the shiney, flashy lipstick tube! I thought 'ah, she can't get that open' :ohmy: Doh! She sure did get it open, within seconds! I had visions of Bella smeared full of lipstick and raced over to get it away from her. We ened up in one heck of a tug-of-war, where that little imp actually growled at me for trying to get that away from her! I finally had to let her have the top and was able to take the lipstick part away. Just like a kid! Have you had some close calls like this? I thought they're suppose to be so shy about new things/toys???? She's interested in every thing around here, particularly the stuff she's not suppose to have Cheers! Terri

We play getcha feets, belly, tail, wings, and beak. Bella really gets into it and while she does get a little rough, if I say "ouch, ouch, ouch" she turns gentle really fast. She's started saying 'ouch ouch' now too, but I think she's faking it (mostly when Jiggy is around her). Cheers! Terri

raehamilton wrote: Rae, I second Judy's comment - that breeder should be turned in! How appalling is that. I would post a warning on Angie's list about that breeder and anywhere else. As for the foraging - I made an environemnt for Jiggy and Bella to forage in on top of their play tops. I have a layer of newspaper, covered by hay (which I bought at the pet store - I bought the hay they use for rabbits). Then I toss their mixed treats through out that - that consists of pellets, a few seeds, and dried fruits and peppers. I also hide walnuts and pistaschios in places around the cage. I bought a couple of those drift wood pieces they use for lizards and put those on the top of the playtops. That gives me a spot to hide things. I also have dixie cups hanging on their cages which I fill with goodies, I hang carrots or celery in various places. I created this little bush of dandelion greens and stuffed it into the crevas of their perch. I also have various toys that they have to cipher out and open to get to the goodies. When I let them out of their cages in the morning, they start foraging almost immediately. Jiggy forages all day long (he's a conure). Bella forages a lot, but mixes it up with play time of tearing up her pinatas, or her wood pieces or sometimes she just comes and sits with me and watches me work on the computer. So, I really get the impression foraging is a big deal for them. It keeps them really busy and they seem to really like hunting for things. Stay in touch!! Terri

Awesome Christoph! How did you take him in? Did you have him on the Aviator Harness?

The reciprocating from me is a part I worry about too BMustee - I don't want her to think I don't love her back because I don't do it back to her. But, I think I might not be giving her enough credit - I think she knows I feed her with my hands. This all actually started a couple of weeks ago. She loves to sit on my shoulder and snag my cub when I'm drinking juice. She makes it quite clear she drinks with me, but since it's a little impracticle for her to have her beak in the cup and me try to drink at the same time, I usually let her drink first. We had some friends over and everyone was watching, and she would fill her beak full of juice and then before I knew it she was dribbling the juice on to my lips! Everyone started laughing because it made such a huge mess! And the irony was she was taking my juice and "feeding me" with my own juice LOL!I think we're good to go on that one - I tell her we'll share now, so she drinks, and then I say "Momma's turn", and I drink and she watches me VERY carefully, and then she goes again. So, we've worked out those details. But the dry heaves looked scary! At first I was wondering if she was choking on something, or if she was trying to pop her ears, or something! And then when she pressed her beak to my mouth while she was doing that, that's when I realized she might be trying to regurgitate. I just wasn't expecting it, because I thought a bird so young wouldn't do that yet. See how much I know!! Cheers! Terri

Hi, you poor thing - it sounds like both of you are suffering terribly. Have you had an opportunity to consult with an avian vet? I think that's what I'd do, particularly if you're doing all the right and good things that seem to be common remedies for plucking. I don't really have a lot of experience with greys, but in part of the literature and educational videos I've been watching about parrot care, I did come across one that showed birds that were plucking very, very severely. They were rehabilitated by given foraging opportunities. I was heart broken by the pictures of these poor birds, but it also showed how these birds stopped plucking themselves when they had an opportunity to do what is natural to them, namely to forage. I have no idea if that would help for your bird - either way, if it were me, I think I'd consult a certified avian vet. I imagine skin infections could occur from so much trauma to the skin. Good luck, and I hope you stay in touch here. Don't be alone with this kind of pain. Best to you Terri

BMustee wrote: Oooh, now that's a great idea! I certainly don't want to discourage her, but I did kind of find myself getting a bit queezy at the idea of "sharing" her food like that! LOL! She's doing dry heaves, so nothing has come out yet, but she sure is working on it! My partner was sitting next to me and thought she was sick to her stomach! I tried to explain to him that I think she's trying to tell me she really likes me, and he turned a little green in the face too :sick: LOL! Well I certainly am quite honored that she feels so strongly - I certainly do too. Cheers! Terri

Hi there Goosie, I have a similiar situation going on here. Bella, my grey growls at my partner all the time. He's only here every other week, and we thought it was that, but then she was fine with my daughter and her husband and they are here maybe every other month. We've been able to narrow the growling down to a couple of things - first my partner is very "concerned" about Bella's beak and is tenuous, and jiddery when giving her a treat. Bella can tell when he's unsure of himself and she leverages that like a champ! I think she enjoys power trip she gets from it :laugh: The next thing we've figured out is that he does not project a very calm energy. He is usually hyper, very animated, talks with his hands a lot, and that agitates Bella. We have made head way though - actually through my conure Jigme. Jiggy, also known around here as "Alexander", LOVES playing with my partner - they have this game going every evening where they play tug of war with a pillow or a piece of paper. It can go on for quite some time with Jiggy doing a good deal of acrobatics and fun noises. At first Bella growled at my partner if she felt he was being too rough with Jiggy, but after watching this now for a while she's accepted it (but she still makes sure Jiggy is safe LOL!). Then he plays with my greyhounds, and my male, Doc is Bella's favorite (she flies to him for refuge if she feels a need for protection). When my partner pats Doc on the ribs and it makes that patting sound, Bella growls at my partner as though she's saying "keep your hands off him!". But, since Doc shows great affection towards my partner, Bella has adjusted to it, and accepts it. So, it looks like they're working towards a truce - he gives her treats, and sits next to her cage - and she's ok with it - and she's ok sitting on the couch with him. And they're both ok not touching each other lOL! It's taking patience and work, but we're working it! So - my advice - leverage things your grey cares about and bring your partner in on it :cheer: Cheers! Terri

Hannah_Rae wrote: Oy - I love her too - LOTS! But I am wondering how can I gracefully get outof this "honor" as I'm not sure I'm too - how can I say this - uh - eager to "share" her digested food!! :woohoo: :sick: Ah - thanks! LOL! Terri

Bert that's hilarious!! Bella hangs upside down and attacks her toys, she ambushes them upside down. But I've never seen her put her head between her legs like that LOL!

Greetings everyone! I have a very strange question for all of you Grey Mom's and Dad's in the know....: Bella and I have a very snuggly evening routine. She sits with me, her head tucked under my chin, or she rubs her face against mine and of course scratch the neck over and again. She coo's and makes lovey gurggling sounds. Lately she does this thing that looks like a long yawn, but she does it over and again, and then it looks like she's gagging something up. Today she did it and then she put her beak right on my mouth. I have no idea if she's attempting to regurgitate or she's just making strange faces! She's only 8 months old, so I don't know if regurgitating is age dependent. Either way, it looks odd and I'm not sure I want her to regurgitate on my mouth! :sick: Does your grey do this? Have you figured out what it is?? Thanks!! Terri:side:

Makena wrote: oooo Book marked and will order tomorrow! Looks like they're in now! Thanks Makena!!

Hi there Tracy! Thank you for the tip on the freezing - we will look into it. If the babies love them that much, it's got to get on the list!

Thanks Tari! How sweet these little ones are with Mom! Book marked as well, and karma to you! Cheers! Terri

oh wow LOL! Now see, I didn't think to look at the date on the posts! I just saw that it popped up as "new" and figured it was a new discussion. I'll pay more attention :laugh:

Very nice Jimmy!! Thanks for sharing - I could look at grey pics all the time, I just love them. Cosmos looks so content on your shoulder - it really looks like he's hanging around with his best friend :cheer:

Well thank you everyone for the ice cube suggestion. Bella absolutely LOVES ice cubes in the water and dunks her head in it and tries to put her feet in the bowl :cheer: I would never have guessed LOL! She eats the ice cubes too :blink:

Els wrote: Really Els? Hmm.... Bella's diet is so diverse, I really couldn't say what she is most accostomed to. She eats a different mix of fruits and vegies first thing in the morning, often with 1/2 of a flax seed waffle with soy butter and blueberry fruit spread or strawberry spread (no added sugar just real fruit). The frusits run the entire gammet - papay, apples, blueberry, blackberries, rasberries, pineapple, oranges (we have a store that chops up organic fruits, mixes them and sells the mix - it's awesome for the birds!). The vegies include yams, dandelion greens, brocoli, cabage, carrots, celery, kidney beans - usually anything that's available fresh in the store that week (aside from the 'no, no' vegies like avacados). I top her breakfast usually with a dash of soy cheese. During the day she forages, and that includes walnuts, pistachios, pre-mixed parrot food such as Ecotrition and Zupreem and millet. In the evening, she usually eats with me, from my plate LOL (my diet has gotten quite healthy with this routine as I'm worried about what she eats so I eat well LOL!). Yesterday we had Isralei couscous and NY strip steak. I thought for sure she'd be all over that couscous and initially she was. But then she reached over and snatched a piece of my steak, and after that - she left the couscous to me and she was all over the steak!! Go figure!! She was WILD about that steak! When we watch TV in the evening, we enjoy some fruit, like an orange or apple. When I peel the orange she paces back and forth on her table top perch excitedly until I finally am done and give her a piece. She snatches from my hand as though she hadn't been fed all day! She drinks from my cup usually as well - and that is usually juices, like orange, apple, cranberry, or pomegranite juices. She also really likes my lactose free milk. So, that's a VERY wide range of foods that my grey eats! In fact, I think there are very few things Bella doesn't eat. So, maybe some greys are focused on only a very narrow selection of foods, but I'm not sure that can be said universally. Cheers! Terri

MityWiznut wrote: Ouch Mitzy - Well, my conure had a strong preference for junk food as well. I used to get this treat mix that had some sunflower seeds, corn and peanuts in it. When I saw him forage exclusively for those things and leave the good stuff out of his diet, I simply stopped feeding them that treat. For a couple of days he ignored his fresh fruits and vegies, but eventually he become hungry enough and ate the good stuff. I've now substituted that treat mix with fresh walnuts and pistachios (unsalted everything) which I leave a bit in the shells so they ahve the fun of picking the fruit out of the shell. Cheers! Terri

Bella absoutely loves cheese, but I give her low sodium soy based cheese (I'm lactose intolerant as well, and love cheese too, so we have soy based products all over here LOL!). Maybe that might be an option for your little guy? I think eating too much cheese would cause a loose stool, and if that becomes chronic that could be very dangerous. Cheers! Terri

Ok - I know this is the Grey thread, but those conure pictures are awesome BMustee! I do love Conures! Even though Jiggy is a Dusky Headed Conure, he is SO cute! And that personality - I mean - do they get any crazier!He's always on my shoulder too and then he sits there chirping away. My parnter, and Jiggy have regular evening matches now - he lets Jiggy chase a pillow or paper towel around and he does so with a vengance! Jiggy then hides behind me, pokes his head out and then returns for more attacks on the pillow or paper LOL!

Bella actuall bit my tongue Jimmy! Imagine how startled I was!

MazyAK wrote: Oy yes Bruce, we do the blow dryer too. Bella in fact stands over the heating vents in the floor and lets the warm air blow under her wings :cheer: Wel, I'll give the ice cube a try LOL!