chezron

So frustrating when they chuck food. Brutus does it because he likes to get to the "juice" at the bottom of his bowl of fruits and veggies. I end up quickly picking up tossed items and adding them back later. He does end up eating everything, but it is a messy process.

Excellent ideas 4fids3kids!

Aren't they great?

Don't worry. My husband enjoys a really great relationship with our grey, even though he is not the "favorite." He can scratch him, turn him upside-down, give and get kisses, carry him around, and all kinds of stuff. You can too! Sometimes, Brutus even prefers my husband, like in the morning. Brutus definitely learns most of his vocabulary from my husband. It is funny, because he will sit in rapt attention while Larry talks. I joke that Brutus pushed "record" during those times. Today he is perfecting Larry sneezing and saying "sorry." SOOO funny!

They are little manipulators, that's for sure!

I get palm oil online. It is also great for higher temperature cooking. http://www.amazon.com/OKONATUR-100-Organic-Extra-Virgin/dp/B0012XKO00 Mix about 1/4 tsp in with soft food. I usually make a mix of grains, veggies, legumes, and beans, and add chia, flax and hemp seed, about a quarter cup total, then I mix in the 1/4 tsp. oil. The oil is pretty solid at room temperature, so you almost need to cut it in or smear it in.

Interesting. I do know some birds that cannot stop plucking because it has become an ingrained habit, even when deficiencies have been addressed they continue. We also supplement with Red Palm Oil as the bulk of a Grey's diet in the wild is made of palm fruits.

Jimpster, the quaker, was getting kisses from me, when Brutus starts making "mwah" kissing noises. To my surprise he said, "Give Brutus a kiss." He has never said that before, and I just about fell out of my chair.

My story is not so well thought out or eloquent. I picked up our guy, and he seemed so much heavier with such big feet that we named him, "Brutus" because he is a Brute.

i think you will both be happier moving out of that toxic, stressful environment. Good luck!

Cute pics thx

Wow! Thanks for the safety reminder. I hope you are all okay in OK (and everywhere else in Tornado country). It sure is scary when they spot them nearby.

They sure love to feel like they are a contributing and integral member of the household. Sweet...aww

Hypocalcemia or Calcium Deficiency - I quote "It might be hard to imagine, but the simple act of introducing your African Grey parrot, or any other bird for that matter, to natural sunlight or a full spectrum light system can increase the bird’s calcium intake. When birds preen their feathers they spread oil over them from their Uropygial gland situated at the base of their tail. This oil undergoes a chemical reaction when it is met with the UVA and UVB rays of sunlight. The reaction changes the oil into vitamin D3. When the bird preens again, they ingest the vitamin D3 from their feathers. Vitamin D3 is necessary for animals, and humans, to be able to extract calcium from their diet through their digestive tract. Many people place their African Grey parrots in a cage by the window. This is ineffective in creating the vitamin D3 because home windows filter out the UVA and UVB rays that are required to synthesize the vitamin D3 from the Uropygial gland oil. Feather Plucking Avian veterinarians recommend that African Grey parrots be given access to plenty of fresh air and sunlight in order to keep their internal clocks, or circadian rhythm, operating properly. It is believed that disrupting the circadian rhythm can lead to depression and, consequently, to feather plucking in African Grey parrots. However, for many people, cold winter weather makes it hard to open windows for their bird. This problem is further exacerbated by the fact that, in much of the country, winter weather causes a lack of natural sunlight during the ever shortening days. African Grey parrots originate from Central Africa, which is close to the Equator. Their species thrives in an environment that allows them between five and seven hours of sunlight per day. These hours of sunlight can be easily replicated and controlled by placing a full spectrum light near their cage and setting with a timer to allow the appropriate amount of light. Getting the Right Light Because most full spectrum light bulbs are manufactured to fit in to a normal light fixture, there is an almost endless supply of fixtures that can be used as a full spectrum parrot light. There are, however, several things to consider when choosing a light. For instance, you want to choose a light that can be affixed to the top of your parrot’s cage or no more than two feet above it. Because the light fixture needs to be so close to an African Grey parrot’s cage, you need to be sure that there is no way for the bird to dismantle the fixture or to bite the electrical cord of the fixture. When buying new bulbs for your lighting fixture, make sure that the bulbs are truly full spectrum. Many grocery store brands boast full spectrum lighting, but what they really offer is full spectrum color lighting. These brands do not produce the UVA and UVB rays that your bird needs to produce the D3 vitamin. We may never fully understand the benefits that a bird like the African Grey parrot receives from full spectrum light, but what we do know is that it is an important part of a happy and healthy life." African Greys (most birds) have a Uropygial gland that has all the oil necessary for healthy skin and feathers. I live in basically a desert area in the USA and do not need to supplement my bird with any sprays, or tonics, or magic elixirs. i just need to keep his food healthy, get him in the sun, and give him a weekly shower.

That is your opinion. It is not mine.

Aloe vera masks the problem. I mean they don't spray each other with Aloe vera in the wild, do they? Try the toys, but get her calcium levels checked. My guy had started to shred feathers about the same age. It turns out he needed time in the sun, 15 minutes most days, to help him with those levels. Plus, he gets a cooked chicken drumstick bone once a week for the calcium-rich marrow. It worked for Brutus, he has never inappropriately plucked or barbered his feathers again. I got this advice from an avian vet, and he was right.

Windows block the good stuff. They need to go outside. Also, I wouldn't force bathing. She is telling you she wants you to stop when she bites. She should be respected, or anytime you make her do what she doesn't want to do, she will be quick to bite, and even harder because it works to get you to stop. You have to be clever and get her to do things where biting is not an option. My guy has never like baths. He thinks water is poisonous. So now when I roll his cage outside, I also grab the hose and shower him in his cage. He doesn't like it but biting is not an option, so it is not in his reaction pattern. Biting can become a habit and you do not want that.

Glad to hear it!

I am so sorry this happened to you! What rotten people. Can you post a review on Yelp? That would fix their wagon.

It certainly is true that Amazons are really always thinking about themselves, at least mine does. I mean you can't blame them, they are their own best advocates. Who better to stand up for yourself than yourself?

My guys are just getting back to normal around here. It will be soon for you I promise! When my Grey tried regurgitating for me I said, "no thank you" and walked away. Both my grey and my quaker are hormonal, but the funny thing is, my male Panama Amazon 9yo is still very calm. I wonder if he will act up later? This is his first year with us.

Man those Amazons CAN eat! Beautiful bird! Good to see you handling her so much.

So funny. The other morning as I was cutting up fruits and veggies, Pancho just starts getting all kinds of attitude and says really loudly and indignantly, "Helllooo-oh" Like where is my breakfast? You know in that movie Back to the Future when the guy says, "hellooo, Mcfly?!" Pancho sounded like that. Even though Pancho could see me working he kept saying it. He has never done that before, I guess he was really hungry.

Touching and heartfelt description Jeff. thanks. I am not sure what to tell you. Maybe it is a individual choice and Gracie really does not want to be touched. Perhaps work a little on expanding her comfort zone in small ways. My guy has always loved being stroked and handled. He absolutely requires it. My amazon, on the other hand, is timid and doesn't like much touching, yet I know he loves me and that is enough. I hope you get your answer from some other folks. I think, however, your attitude and heart are in the right place, and if change can occur it will. Perhaps visualizing Gracie enjoying petting will help to manifest it.

You know when you use "is" or "are" depending on the pronoun? For example "she is" or "they are." Brutus couldn't figure which to use, so now he uses both. He will say, "You are is a good boy" instead of "you are a good boy." Or, "you sure are is a nice boy." I have no idea why except maybe he is trying to cover the possibilities.