Acappella

Happy Birthday Pat. Hope the flock gives you a pleasant evening.

Poor Gabby. First a broken feather, then the vet, now a diet.

For all the similarities you see between GilGirl and Dorian I'm in little doubt about one thing. Gilbert is smarter than Dorian. I've said for years that Dorian is 'More Densa than Mensa'. I think it has to do with just being locked up for the first years of his life with no enrichment playing or toys. He just had a couple of acrylic toys that his owner liked because he couldn't destroy them. He's never solved even the simplest foraging puzzles, like watching me put an almond in a small paper bag and hanging the bag in his cage. He has what I'd call mischief intelligence, like figuring out how to climb off his cage past the seed skirt, but he's often a perch potato. I think Gilbert has more understanding of the purpose of language, while Dorian is a mimicker. He's happy as a clam when he's hanging from a toy hook destroying a box I've attached to it. I have a feeling that once GillGirl has finally let go of her past and embraced her life with you completely she'll keep you jumping and there will be days when you look back fondly at the old cage-bound days lol.

My CAGs name is Dorian, from the Oscar Wilde story "The Picture of Dorian Gray".

Dorian took my "gonna go get a drink of water" and "gonna go do laundry" and turned it into "gonna go get a drink of laundry"

I think it's the reaction that he's obsessed with. What's better than finding something that makes mama jump!?

Dorian, sweetie pie, please leave mamas iPad alone! Your obsession with it is why you lose your desk time. Also, I love that you're getting out and exploring around the floor, but please stop touching my feets. Mamas feets are ticklish!

I love my Dorian with all my heart, but he is too nervous to be trusted on my shoulder. I don't think he'd really bite in anger, but if something startled him he'd absolutely try to find something to hold onto for security. When he first started to perch on my hand he'd persistently try to climb up to my shoulder. I had to be more stubborn than him in not allowing it. It took some work and consistency but now he doesn't even try to climb up.

Yep, many's the time I've searched my home calling out for a hidden Dorian after something has scared him into flight. The worst one was the day I found him clinging to my grey herringbone winter jacket after 40 minutes of searching. Talk about camouflaged! This was another day he flew into hiding. I don't know why it's upside down

Steven, if I could I'd give you a big hug. No one doubts that you have given Issac an ideal life. I know you've tried absolutely everything possible to stop his plucking. We all have bad habits, now so does Issac. They're such complex little souls. You may find it therapeutic to write him a little letter in the new sub-room here I'm moderating. I still get the feeling you're blaming yourself for this. Maybe writing it out will help you let go of it. Again, sending psychic hugs your way.

I realized I left a few things out of my previous post to you. I need to tell you more about what I love about our journey together. When you came into my life you were in the pet store of a friend as her personal bird and sort of store mascot. I was immediately drawn to you and would visit the store obstensivly to visit my friend but really to interact with you. I was curious, having never been close to any type of parrot, so I found a wonderful place called greyforums.net and started learning about you. Unfortunately the more I learned the more I realized you were not in an optimal circumstance in the store for you to thrive. Long story short, my friend got sick and you ended up coming home with me. I was determined to improve your life and to expand your universe. Unfortunately, you weren't going with the program. You viewed everything new as a potential parrot killing device. Having your cage door left open turned you into a shaking mess : forget about actually coming outside! I bought you all the enrichment toys I read about here and they sat around collecting dust and birdy dander. Well, it's been a long road, but how far we've come. You step up virtually every time I ask and accompany me around the house. You even climb out of your cage on your own sometimes to go on a 'walkabout'. You immediately check out new toys when I introduce them, even if only to beat the snot out of them. You talk up a storm even when I'm in the room with you, and sometimes in front of other people! You chill with one foot up, beak grinding, content as long as we're together. My one big hope for you is that you learn what your wings are for and truly become the birdy you were meant to be. We have had a few occasions where I suspected your flights were on purpose, rather than in response to something startling you off your perch. I've even thought about buying you a little birdy brother or sister to model flying for you, but don't want to upset the delicate balance you me and the kitty have going here. I love you buddy and I'm glad you're in my life. <3

I don't know what happened to your long reply. Hopefully the moderator will check into it. Would there have been, by any chance, new pictures included in that? I love those fluffy baby pictures with the little butt feathers starting to peek out.

I'm flattered that my little idea got such a response. I hope more members will come here and 'talk' to their birds. I think it's good therapy lol. I'll try to learn how to moderate this sub room. Thanks for the vote of confidence.

Is he getting another Grey? Make sure that Maggie is still treated as 1st bird. First to get out, get fed, get attention. Otherwise she might get jealous of the newcomer. They may never be buddies, but there's a better chance they'll tolerate each other this way.

Walking in to that would have scared the poop out of me. Once Dorian broke a blood feather and he wouldn't let me hold him and get anywhere near it with clotting powder. It seemed like all the blood in his body must have been on the cage bars, but I knew logically it was only a tiny amount. It was in the winter so a vet visit would have been problematic. My heart was racing long after the blood stopped flowing. Did the injury slow Gabby down at all?

Wow,she's already chillin, outside the cage, one leg up. That's greyt!!!

Maybe the name will come once the DNA is done.

Welcome to you and Peatree. Thank you for taking on a grey with issues. You will have to put a lot of time, patience and effort into this new relationship but you will be very rewarded. People who are not experienced with birds think it's nuts that it took a couple of years before my Dorian stepped up for me, but that was how long it took before he got up the nerve to take that leap of faith. A lot will depend on what Peatrees lifetime experience has taught him about people. It will also depend upon how naturally resilient he is. Just let him observe his new home and flock and let him have a little control over his life as far as how he interacts with you. I'm looking forward to hearing about your journey together.

Welcome to our forum. Your baby is a cutie pie. Congrats on your educational plans as well. The world needs more Avian vets! Don't suppose your lifelong dream is to move to Ontario Canada after you graduate? Lol

I hope Gabby is ok.

Congrats and thank you to you and all the others who work so hard to make this the best forum on the www.

To be fair to King O, the humans weren't much more tuneful than he was lol.

If you could 'talk' to your grey and have a few moments of perfect understanding between you what would you say? Here's a 'letter' to Dorian. Dear Dorian, First, I love you and I'm so glad you live with me and the kitty cat. Having said that, I have a few things to say. Why do you dunk all the yellow pellets from your seed mix. You don't eat them so I know you're not just trying to soften them up. Why don't you just toss them? I know you know how to toss food because, hello, have you seen your room?! You're making your water gross and I worry about it when I have to be away for the day knowing you don't have fresh water. You're supposed to be smart. Please cut it out. Y'know how you like being on the desk? Y'know how you hate it when I pick you up and put you back in your home? Well, you have the power to stop that. When you hear me telling you you have bad desk manners, that's a clue that I'm about to run out of patience. Take the hint. When you ask someone "Whatchadoing it's polite to wait for an answer. FYI When I take you outside it's a good thing. The small cage is not your enemy. We live in Canada bud. Take your outdoor time when you can like the rest of us. On a related note, I'm sorry you're scared when I have to put you in the small cage and take you in the scary car to the scary people who put you in a towel. Sometimes your beak and feets need someone to take care of them. Thank you for not holding a grudge against me when I have to do this. Also, when I go away to visit Toronto please don't bite the Shannon girl. She has your food. You're supposed to be smart dude. Again, I love you lots. You don't have to prove you loves me by trying to feed me every morning. I'd rather have a good old fashioned scritching session, if that's ok with you. Well, that's what I've got. You may now return to your random destruction and littering of our home. Love, Mommy

Congrats on your new baby. Do you know for sure if it is a he or a she?

OK, not to be bossy, but you've got to find some way of getting this on video. It sounds too cute. Woohoo GG.