Acappella

I also get to hear wild bird calls indoor at CAG volume. Dorian also makes the high ear piercing sound anytime anyone unfamiliar walks into his royal presence, sometimes to the point where people will question my sanity for having him. I'm standing there like "he makes other sounds, really, he does, just not in front of YOU, the possible enemy." Lol

Hope you get a quick response from the vet. Does Isaac never get into his water dish and try to have a splash. Do you maybe get home and see signs there's been water splashed around? When Dorian does this, it's the only time he's truly open to the idea of bathing. If I keep changing out the water with fresh cold stuff, he'll let me spray him with a fine mist, also cold. I keep a sprayer full in the fridge for this at all times so I'm ready to go when he is. It is good news that's he's barbaring not plucking, so far as damage to the folicoes goes, so cling to that. Here's hoping it's "only" hormonal (although, try saying that to most women and see how far you'll get). Love to you and your little guy.

On Christmas Eve Dorian had several night frights, and I heard what I thought was sheets of ice falling off my roof, after two ice storms in a 24 hr period left thick sheets of the stuff everywhere. (Thankfully, I never lost power). In the morning though I looked and no ice sheets on the ground around the house. Well, I just heard on the radio that we had several Cryoseisms here that night. They're also called ice quakes, when water deep in the ground freezes suddenly and causes the earth to quake. I'd never heard of them before, but they sure scared Dorion. He's holding a grudge against his sleeping perch, as if it's to blame for the fright because he was on it when he was scared. Poor guy. Neither of us got much sleep that night.

Well, I paid for Dorian with a monthly payment, and she let me bring him home before he was paid off. If she truly loves Lilly won't she want what's best for her? Maybe you could do a "keep Lilly Home" fundraiser amongst her fans. Lol. Anyway, hugs to you. I know how the money thing feels, and it ain't good.

Django sounds like he's got your family wrapped around his talons. Welcome to the forum. Where in Holland are you from? My dad was from Scheemda in Groningen.

Beaker is a cutie. Welcome to the grey family.

They do love it when they figure out something that makes us laugh. Dorian has finally mastered my cat Jacs meow. Jac has given him plenty to listen to, as I'm trying to change his food, and he spends the day following me around the house telling me how inedible the contents of his dish are. Anyway, now Jac meows, Dorian meows, and then, in my voice, tells himself and the cat "Oh stop it". Then he laughs like me, if I don't beat him to the punch. I love how this thread has shown people exactly how much a fid with baggage can turn around if you let them unpack at their leisure, and show them understanding, love and consistancy. I was wondering, with people there calling her Gilbert, what is she calling herself these days? Is it confusing her, or just her humans?

Glad you were there. Maybe you could wrap some vet wrap around that part of the cage so it won't happen again?

Nearly made me cry as well. Your little girl has everyone wrapped around her talons.

This isn't a story of destruction, but it is a "I can't believe that was a bird" story. I was working in the garage a few years ago, and my dad came out and, with some drama, exclaimed "I've been talking to you for 1/2 an hour!!!!" He hit the wrong key on the tv remote, and the screen went snowy. He thought I was in the basement so he went to the top of the stairs and yelled, Marguerite, could you come and fix this TV? "I" answered "Coming upstairs", so he went back and sat in the tv room to wait for me. This happened three times, with my dad getting more and more annoyed with me. Then he heard the circular saw start up in the garage. That's when he realized I was in the garage, and he'd been talking to Dorian all along.

Dorian likes his scritches at night night time, after all but the night light are off, so pictures would be tough. Actually, I think it's just a way of putting off bedtime, like a kid asking for a glass of water. Love the pictures of forum members and their fids.

I know what you mean about the electric bill. I'll put on a sweater, but Dorians' room has to be warm. A couple of times last week he showed signs of wanting a bath too close to bedtime. With him a trigger is a fresh bowl of clean, really really cold, water, so I took out the cold water and replaced it with room temp water. He stopped trying to bathe. Then the next day (after towels were down) I presented him with a nice big bowl of ice cold water, and the splashing and spraying began! This is how I stop him from going to bed wet, and give him time to dry naturally.

Can you take a picture of it for us? If it's very fine, they can get a talon caught in a chain. Large links are best.

Sounds like you've taken on a handful of a rescue situation. Thank you for giving these greys a new home. Just take it gently and slowly. We're here to help, advise, and encourage. Put together the new cage in front of them so they see it come together, and don't be surprised if they're attached to their old awful cage, it's their safe place right now. If they are a bonded pair it will be difficlut to turn them into pets, but you can still improve their lives dramatically. Welcome to the forum.

Hi. Welcome to the forum. Is Peter flighted or clipped? I'm only asking because I'm wondering if he can explore your home under his own steam or if he needs to be transported from place to place. If he's not flighted, I'd just open the cage door and let him decide when to come out. Don't ask for a step up from inside the cage. That's his safe zone, especially right now in a place that's still unfamiliar. When he hesitates, like JeffNOK said, just shrug, say OK maybe later and walk away. Let him decide. He'll feel safer, and trust you faster, if he feels he has some control. Keep food, water and treats inside the cage so he has to go back in for them. That way he won't associate going back into the cage with being locked up every time. You're still in what we call the "Honeymoon Period", so don't be surprised or hurt if he regresses a bit after the first couple of weeks, it's totally normal. Sit beside him and talk. They are very good at reading our body language, so you have to learn how to read theirs. There is a thread here somewhere about body language. Maybe someone else can find the link and post it? I'll go look again.

Dorian's cage is from Avian Adventures. I got a really good deal on it because I was helping out at a pet store at the time so I got it at cost. They do tend to be expensive. I can tell you some features to look for. A wide front door is nice when you have to basically get inside it to deep clean. Look for food dishes that can be changed without going into the cage - easier if anyone other than your birds usual caretakers have to help out. Also look for tamper proof dishes. Dorian has been with his cage for about 5 years, and just discovered last month that he could open his dish doors from the outside and fling out the dishes. Luckily, the doors have catches that can be locked down and are, thus far, birdie proof, and he's really been trying, trust me!!!! A cage skirt helps (helps) contain mess. A cage far enough off the floor to store cleaning supplies underneath is helpfull. The wider the cage the better. Height is not as important. Also, make sure you're ordering a cage with the right bar spacing for a grey, 1" for a CAG, 3/4" for a TAG. If you're ordering online or from a catalogue and can't inspect a cage sample in person, make sure it is designed with no gaps between cage walls where a bird can get a talon caught. Most modern cages have addressed this issue, but the cage Dorian arrived in had spaces where the walls met the floor and roof and he DID get caught there once. As far as SS Vs powder coating, Dorian's cage is powder coated and doesn't have a chip, even where he plays banging a stainless steel bell about as hard as he can. Hope this helps.

I echo the tip about turning the lights down. It's a big part of the evening routine around here. Right now, offer food and drink only in the cage, and a special treat dish is a great idea. Try putting a perch on the inside of the door, one short enough that the door can swing shut with her on it (this may have to wait until you get her in a bigger cage) That way you can place her on the perch and swing the door closed. When she is back inside the cage, even if it wasn't her idea, give her praise and a treat. Another thing that worked with Dorian. He had big time emotional baggage attached to the phrase "step up". If I even said it he started to tremble. So around here it's "You wanna come with Mom?" If he does, he now steps up nicely. Mind you, that literally took years. I'm not exagerating. More than two. He was so hand shy. It took months for him to even get brave enough to venture outside of his cage, so Coco is already ahead of him. Do you have to open the cage door to change her food and water dishes? If you don't, I'd leave the cage door closed first thing in the morning and let Coco wake up and observe the household. Make sure to speak gently with lots of praise and happy body language when you do approach her cage. Sit beside her and eat, talk, read, watch tv. Just let her get used to your presence. If she is trembling at all move your chair away until she stops. You'll gradually be able to move closer and closer. Watch out for what we call the "Honeymoon Period" Often a re-homed bird will be on good behaviour for the first couple of weeks, and then regress. Don't take it personally. Many here have been through it here and we'll be here to help and encourage you on hard days and celebrate on good ones. Welcome home Coco!

Welcome to the grey family. I'll post more later - gotta run. Maybe start a thread for her in the Rescue Room?

Usually when Dorian calls for me it's an obnoxious whistle, like the two fingers in the mouth ear shattering kind (which he learned from a yogurt commercial ). Occasionally I still hear "Margreeeeet" or "Hey, HEEEEY!" in my dad's voice. I was kind of cheesed off when Dorian picked those up and chided my dad for his imperial manner of calling me, but now that he's gone it's kind off nice to hear his voice once in a while.

..wander around their house tiptoeing and trying not to make a sound in the morning so you can have a few quiet moments before the fid wakes up?

Can anyone point me to a recipe for birdy bread? Keep it simple as possible, the kitchen isn't my natural habitat.

What about attaching some of those glide feet things to the laundry baskets? Y'know, the ones you tack onto the bottom of chair legs. You could cut off the nail and use Velcro dots to attach them to the basket and it should glide nicely. P.s. You should post pictures of your flock more often. I'm struck by how much better they look from when they first arrived at your home. True rescue successes!

Dorian also only flies when startled and his landings leave a lot to be desired. He is managing to slow down now before collisions so there are no longer bumps and scratches when I pick him up, but that's the full extent of his improved flying skills. He seems so frightened every time he flies he needs lots of fuss and reassurance before he stops shaking. I'm at a total loss at how to improve the situation. He's been stepping up now for a few years, but is only now truly trusting and eager when I offer him my hand. I could never break that fragile trust by "launching" him off my hand. So I guess for now we just leave things as they are, which is still 100's of % better than they were when he acquired me. Lol

I know Ray. In fact it's lucky the bird that came into my life needing rescue was a grey since I know they're considered to be a quiet, possibly the quietest, med-large parrot. My headaches are serious, often ending with me in the emergency room. They have been since before my tween years, and I just turned 47. My heart may long for a Zon, a Too, a B&G (particularly that one), but the logic and the migraine sides of my head say No No No.

I figure it's a good illustration to newer parronts that grey ownership is an ongoing challenge/battle of wills. Dorian is using his new sound as his "come to where I am, NOW" sound. Problem is, we can't be in the same space right now because I am painting, so that's ramping up both the volume and the frequency of the sound. We've done the extinguishing dance often enough that he's playing with it. Eg. Make the annoying sound, then make a pretty sound immediately after to see if I reward the nice sound with a response. So now I'm only rewarding nice sounds that occur on their own. Wish me luck, patience, and a refill of my migraine prescription. Lol