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I think I need to stop being such a wuss!

Brutus knows the bathroom trick. He won't go in with me because he thinks its a trap and he's right. I really don't want to make this about struggle and force. I believe he wants to make his Mama happy.

How Do You Get Your Grey Into a Travel Cage? What tricks or techniques do you have? I usually set up the travel cage outside his big cage and wait for him to crawl in. Sometimes it takes forever.

Lately, Pancho (the Panama Amazon) has been climbing over to Brutus' cage and playing with his toys. I was a little nervous when he did this, but it just looked like Brutus did not see him. At least that is what I thought until one time Brutus was in his cage and Pancho came over, and Brutus just ignored him as Pancho made himself at home and played with a wooden toy. I guess Brutus was sharing? Do your birds do this? Right now Pancho is chilling on Brutus' cage, and Brutus is on Jimpster's cage, and Jimpster is on Pancho's cage. Musical cages!

I use Nutiva brand which is organic and doesn't destroy rainforest. Palm oil plantations are destroying miles and miles of rainforest. I think it is so high in antioxidants it preserves itself and doesn't need refrigeration.

Sorry to hear Gee is having trouble. Let me tell you what worked for Brutus when he started barbering his feathers. My vet said he was low on calcium. He said take Brutus outside into the sunshine once a day for 15 minutes - most days. So now I roll his cage out the patio door for 15 minutes around noon. It is still cool enough here, but Florida, you would have to go out earlier. Anyway, do that, and then once a week give Gee a cooked chicken drumstick bone to eat. Please choose organic chicken, it is so much better for them--higher nutrients! My guys had no trouble eating it and knowing how to do it. The marrow is full of vitamins and minerals that are so good for them! After a few days of sunshine, Brutus never hurt his feathers again! I bet Gee's problems stem from diet deficiencies since the poor girl lays eggs. Please try it. It worked for Brutus it could work for Gee.

Great! Glad to hear it! It is really important to have him introduced to many people now that he is young. Getting him used to being held by different people is a great idea. I wish we had lived around more people when Brutus was younger. He loves people he just doesn't want to be touched by them.

No-bird land in my house is my large wrap around desk and my chair. Brutus can sit in four other places near by, but not on my chair. I know this sounds weird, but I have a small aluminum pot lid that i have used since he was a baby and if (he rarely does) land on my chair or desk I take the pot lid up and start heading for him and he flies off. I feel like he can take his displeasure out on the lid not at me, and sometimes he bites the lid as he flies off. He KNOWS what it means. Before I leave the house I tell him, "stay off my desk." He does. I have a really valuable vintage chair, but some how he understands not to bite it. He has an atom attached to the ceiling 8 feet away, he can perch on the little tv on my desk, or on the air cleaner on my desk or in the window frame close by, but not ON my desk or ON the chair. I think he also prefers the other places since he can make eye contact with me - he can't do the on the back of my chair.

Great job Peck and Mama!

I use red palm oil and never refrigerate it.

Better yet, only feed your birds organic fruits and vegetables. You would be shocked to see the different kinds, and amounts, of herbicides, fungicides, and pesticides applied to typical crops. Also, the common use of systemic pesticides makes it IMPOSSIBLE to wash off the pesticide.

Brutus calls me Mama and also wails my name, "Sharon" as I walk out of the door. It is so pathetic to hear him say my name like he is dying or something.

He even says, "Mama's pretty" followed by a wolf whistle. I appreciate that!

Yes, that is exactly what he did, he just substituted my name (Mama) for his. "Mama is a good nice" "Mama is excellent!", etc.

I think you read that wrong Nancy.

Buckeye, How is Stanley doing?

Hi KP, I hope you share all the fun times you are having with your grey on the forum. Personally, I don't think gender matters at all, but the unique personality of the bird is what counts in the long run. My guy picked me when he was a few months old. I had looked and and held many different African Greys, for a over a year, before I found Brutus. I do think there are things you can tell for example: is the bird anxious and neurotic, is he or she sweet, or fearful? I think go with your gut feeling and go with a sweet calm bird, regardless of the sex, and you will be fine. That is, unless you don't want a sweet calm bird, and you may not.

This is so funny because about once a day or so, I find Brutus chilling on his stand, and I proceed to tell him all the ways "Mama is proud of him." I guess he was just trying to do that for me. It makes my heart melt when I think about it!

All morning Brutus has been saying stuff like, "Yippee! Mom's home!" and "Mom's incredible" and "There's Mama. Go see Mama." It is so funny to hear all this "Mom" stuff. He is staying on topic and just saying all the complimentary "mom" stuff he knows. He has never done this before and I am thinking now that he knows what he is doing by choosing these phrases specifically. He is even saying things I haven't heard in months! I am deeply touched!

Galvanized wire is not the same thing as "stainless." It WILL rust. The process of "galvanization" means coating the iron with ZINC. Zinc is VERY TOXIC to birds! Please read this http://www.birdsnways.com/wisdom/ww14eii.htm ' Galvanized Wire - Galvanized metal which has been electroplated is safe, but galvanized wire (hot dipped) is not. According to Avian Medicine: Principles and Application by Ritchie, Harrison and Harrison, birds can ingest zinc from cages and clips made of galvanized wire. Toxicity can be reduced (but NOT eliminated) by scrubbing the wire with a brush and vinegar or a mild acidic solution. This removes any loose pieces and the white rust (zinc oxide) which forms on the wire. Over time more white rust which is also poisonous will form, so enclosures must be re-treated periodically. You can read more about galvanizing in Dan Radovich's article "Galvanized Wire and Zinc". Remember, that each bird is different. Some chew on their cages more than others and are thus more likely to ingest white rust. Bigger birds with more powerful beaks can break off pieces more easily than small birds. Most birds don't eat non-food items, but there are some who will. If you have birds in a large aviary with lots of branches or items to occupy them, they are much less likely to chew on the cage wire. Hardware cloth is a very poorly made form of galvanized wire and should never be used. If you examine it closely you will see pools of lead and zinc metal in the corners of each square of the mesh - an invitation to a curious bird. Although a bit more expensive, if you must use galvanized wire, purchase galvanized after welded wire, which has less pooling and should flake less."

Thank you for posting this. I love happy endings!

Also, I don't feed my guys in their cages. I have feeding stands surrounded by washable mats. They are actually less messy then they used to be.

I really do think Brutus has a sense of humor! I think many things crack him up!

Kat brings up an excellent point. I have read about several African Greys who did MUCH better when their cages were placed against a wall to give them a feeling of protection. Conversely, I have also read about African Greys who started plucking or other neurotic behaviors when their cages were in the middle of a room or in a place of great activity because they never felt safe.

Your bird is a baby. In the bird world a Mama would never leave a baby for eight hours. Try to empathize with what is happening. Your baby bird needs comforting and reassurance. You might try holding him for awhile, putting him back in his cage, and telling him, "I will be right back" and then leave for 5 minutes and come back and hold him again. This will help him understand that your words mean something and that you have not abandoned him. Think about it, up until now he has been with his clutch mates and fed often, and never left alone. I imagine this is terrifying for him to be left alone. Can you check on him midday or can someone check on him? They are not this clingy for long please give him lots of love right now because he needs to grow knowing he is secure and taken care of.