chezron

I also have a remodeler. If it is too quiet I know something is up.

I wish you the best luck Kevin! Keep us posted!

Wow! That looks great! You have very fortunate birds!

Thank you so much Sterling SL! That is exactly what i need to do. I think I will try delaying food so he is hungry when i do the training. I know what you mean about cheese! My guy is the same! I would love to see your video!

He was so pathetic last night. He clearly wants our old routine back but I cannot trust him. He has never bitten my face before and it freaks me out. Last night he flew to the door and dangled from it by his beak, and did this a number of times, with his little legs churning in the air looking for my hand. I told him I cannot pick him up if he bites. He even flung himself against the closed door when I went to bed. Next time, I will try a stick perch. I want to start clicker training or training with treats, but he does not seem interested in nuts. He hasn't had them for several days, and I thought he would be eager for some. I put them in his cage as an enticement, but he is stubborn! My boyfriend is feeding them all nuts to get on their good side.

Brutus prefers me and I think he is concerned about the new boyfriend. I WANT to start clicker training, but am not sure how to do it.

I have not been on the forum for awhile. I am very sad because of recent behavior changes with Brutus. As you know, my husband left several years ago and I am divorced. In the last few months, I met a very sweet man and he is spending more time with me at my house. He has been trying to make points by feeding nuts to my parrots-including Brutus. As you also know, I love Brutus very much! My parrots get organic fresh food, frequent baths and frequent trips outside for sunshine. I have handled Brutus less and less since my husband left. We had a bedtime ritual that seemed to keep me safe from biting. He would fly upstairs and dangle on the door while I retrieved him and put him in his cage. This is because I got bit a few times after he stepped up. This method had worked very well for several years. In the last few weeks, Brutus has bitten me several times as I put him to bed. Lately, it has escalated to him attacking my face. I will no longer try to pick him up. I am lucky he didn't get my eye! I consulted a trainer who said to reduce sweet fruits and increase vegetables. She said to only use nuts as treats. I am making these changes. She said to start to train him with treats so we can do more-and-more without bites. I don't know how to begin to train him because I am terrified of being attacked again. Have any of you dealt with this kind of situation? What do I do? He seems fine during the day. He is out all day: eating, flying, sitting around, and talking. This trainer told me he is frustrated for whatever reason, and it really doesn't matter why. We couldn't get Brutus to take any nuts while she was at my house and I feel I wasted a big chunk of money for just some words. I feel kind of hopeless right now. I only touch Brutus when he is in his cage now. I rub his beak and head and kiss his beak. Please advise. Another trainer said to clip his wings to make him behave. This seems barbaric and unnecessary to me. I am also afraid of him breaking his keel when he tries to fly. Please help!

Sophie loves Sean and you are the competition. She learns your vocabulary to impress Sean. That is my hypothesis on the situation.

I wish Brutus cared about toys, but he does not. He cares about showing his Mom how good he is about destroying things that are not toys. He will chew on easily destroyable wooden toys on occasion. Please share how you are going to entertain Greycie. I might try it. I feel I am not giving Brutus the mental stimulation that he requires.

So cute! What a good Daddy you are! What lucky parrots!

Sterling, Your theory does not work for my grey. He has ALWAYS been flighted and he talks up a storm! I think it is genetics.

Glad Echo is coming around after that frightening incident. Good to hear, too, that you took her outside for awhile. I know with my guys the sunlight really mellows them out. I have no explanation for this just personal observations. I call sunlight, "birdie valium."

He looks like he likes you and wants to regurgitate for you. Just my opinion though and i could be wrong. How old is he?

It looks like Eva An Pracesex or Pracebex- sorry, that is what it looks like to me.

Brutus usually hangs out in the kitchen/office/bird room with all of us--me, Pancho the Panama Amazon, and Jimpster the Quaker. Every few days he flies into my bedroom, within earshot, and stays there for awhile. He usually talks and whistles or just hangs out. I miss him when he does this. Sometimes he is gone for hours, even though I call him. Usually hunger gets him to come back. Why does he do this?

I use an air cleaner too. Make sure it has a HEPA filter. I run mine 24/7. I do it as much for me as my guys. My cleaner is an IQAir.

I KNOW the wing flapping of which you speak. PLEASE try to give Isaac a cooked organic drumstick bone once a week. He needs sunlight and nutrients. When you find him after these episodes is he disoriented and spacey-looking? This used to happen to Brutus when he was less than a year old. The vet said he was deficient in calcium. Deficiency in calcium is caused by deficiency in sunlight because it converts a precursory form of Vitamin D into a form that makes calcium assimlable. If Greys don't get sunlight or some other form of equivalent light rays they become imbalanced and subject to seizures. I do not mean to alarm you. My only wish is to help others after what Brutus went through. He is fine now and has been for seven years. I am thankful for the vet we had when Brutus was just starting to experience these symptoms.

Brutus only likes the easy thin wood toys that cost a bunch and that are destroyed in minutes! He used to destroy more economical things like corks, boxes, and clothes pins but he got bored with them. Once he has decided he is bored with something--that's it, he is done with that type of item. He also destroys door frames. I do love to buy him toys though because he loves them so.

Concentrate on early morning or right before bed to try to touch her. Greys tend to be more amenable to touch at those times.

Brutus HATES baths. I solve this problem by rolling him in his cage outside and hosing him off. I do it sensitively, of course, in that I don't surprise him and I praise him for tolerating the spray. This accomplishes two things, he gets sunlight, and he gets a bath. He only gets a bath once a week though. I take this time to hose off their cages too. I know you live near me and this could work for you too.

Feel free to ask questions or to share experiences.

Hi Karen, I hope your son recovers quickly and completely.

Congratulations on acquiring Izzy.

Congratulations on your new grey! I wish my grey liked bells. My Amazon loves his bells and really goes to town on them. Brutus loves to chew wood though. You have an exciting adventure ahead of you. Please post more.

It sounds like you have the right frame of mind to take on this rehomed bird. i am so sorry you lost your grey in your divorce. Thankfully, I got to keep mine. This is an exciting time for you and I enjoy your stories. Keep 'em coming!