chezron

Nice to know! Thanks!

Sometimes when it is difficult to get my bird to get into his cage, I turn off ALL the lights and he readily steps up. Birds do not see well at night and feel more defenseless when it is dark. You might give it a try. Also, try to make all your interactions with the bird positive. As prior posts mention, singing and reading to your new bird would be helpful. Always try to figure out how to get your bird to do things willingly. Use toys or food to get them to choose the right behavior. Careful observance really helps you in this regard. Good luck and keep us posted.

Real sunlight at 15 minutes a day cured my grey of plucking. I don't think full spectrum lighting is nearly as effective because in the winter when it is too cold to go outside he starts to get neurotic again. Try it when you can. Taking my grey outside has been a complete panacea for him. I am so grateful that my vet pointed out the intense need these equatorial birds have for sunlight.

I love that perfect description of "pterodactyl sound." Mine does that too when he is really excited! How old is Issac? My grey started talking at about 11/2 years. And he has never stopped!

Thanks for the great story Jay'd! I love reading happy endings.

How sweet! What a smart little cutie!

What a sweet story! I know my grey LOVES to fly. He positively chortles with happiness when he flies.

I would take him to the vet and get his blood levels tested to see if his calcium is adequate. My bird had started to pluck, and it turned out he needed sunlight. We take him outside most days of the week to get 15 minutes of sunlight. It wasn't but two days of sun exposure, and he quit messing with his feathers. Sunlight allows them to make Vitamin D which affects their mood because it is a hormone, as well as, a vitamin. Try it.

Your bird is having seizures! Low calcium brought on by lack of sunlight causes this, "Sometimes I hear him at night like something scares him or he is just going coo coo in his cage because he flies around and then flops down on the floor of his cage like he just saw a ghost" PLEASE get him to a vet to get a blood sample and check his levels. I know this from experience and it is serious!

I kinda wish Brutus was scared of anything! He isn't, and goes over to investigate new things right away. I have to watch him like a hawk so he doesn't get in trouble. I read that introducing new things will help keep your bird from becoming neurotic. Birds with small stable routines can become easily upset when something changes. Change creates resiliency. Because of this we try to keep changing toys, types of foods, and even taking him downtown in a portable cage and introducing him to strangers. He used to be afraid of dogs---but no longer. We invite our neighbors over, and their kids, and dogs to say, "hello" to Brutus. He really likes people now, especially when they say his name. I think he kind of feels like a rock star, because everyone knows him.

Don't check your bird! I work for the airlines and mistakes are made. You take a chance of something happening to your bird. It is winter and if temperature control does not work right, or they load bags in freezing temperatures you grey will suffer. My grey did just fine in an under the seat carrier. He basically slept since it was dark. He seemed reassured by me being there. You do have to make prior arrangements with the airlines, because they only allow one pet per cabin. It also costs extra.

Things I learned from my Grey: 1) It's okay if I drop something if I say, "sorry" or "Whats that?" 2) If you leave something new out in my area, I will try to destroy it 3) Having food on my face is okay, and is my way of showing appreciation

Welcome to the forum. You can get excellent advice here.

The amount of talking really seems to vary with the day. There are some days when he seems to talk almost all day long, and others, when he only talks in the morning, afternoon, and right before bed.

I wish Brutus would just sit quietly. If I don't scratch or caress constantly, he is on the move looking for something in his proximity to destroy. Maybe he will get better in a few years.He does LOVE to be scratched though. Azzie, the roommate divebomb sounds hauntingly familiar hmmm...

I hope you find Mino!

Great videos! How fun! They are certainly lucky to have you!

How funny!

That sounds hysterical! Please post a video! Zumba is fun!

How awful for you! I know you will do what is best because you care so much! Please keep us posted about her progress.

Good advice, thanks. We keep it pretty cool in our house, around 65F.

I am so happy that Tyco found you! What a sweet story. I do have tears in my eyes.

Oh no harness, he is in a travel cage inside a dog crate, that is how paranoid I am about hawks in the area! He starts acting a little neurotic when he doesn't get regular sun. We had him out the other day at 55 degrees F and he didn't seem uncomfortable. Was that unwise?

Azzie, I can emphasize with you. Brutus is 2 years and 8 months. He absolutely loves being awful! He ignores his toys for opportunities to destroy valued household objects. The crown molding, door moldings, wooden cabinets, the rubber seal on the refrigerator are all gnawed. He has perfected hanging upside down under doorways and waiting for people to pass underneath, and watch them walk a few steps before he flies at their heads, bonks them with his feet, and flies off. Any dish drying in the rack better be indestructible or put away fast. He LOVES to drop heavy blocks and toys into whatever I am cooking. And believe me, he always finds the heaviest ones! If I hear silence I become very afraid because it means he has found something to destroy, that we forgot to put away. My suitcase has large chunks taken out of the handle, my tv remote control is missing half the buttons, my sofa no longer has decorative nail heads in the upholstery, and the ceiling fan and wooden blinds now have a shredded look to them. We realize we probably have thousands of dollars of damage to repair before we sell the house, but we consider it a small price for the joy he brings into our lives! This bird LOVES to be alive! He absolutely revels in it! His vocabulary is outstanding and he has an excellent appetite! He loves his Mama! As long as I pay attention to his body language and don't try to handle him when he is "spun up" I am okay. In fact, he has never bitten me very hard, and I think it is because I pay attention. Our favorite game is when I walk from room to room and he flies to each one as I call him. We can go for quite a long time now before he tires. He LOVES to fly! He chortles with glee every time he is in flight. I deal with the terrible twos by finding ways to get him to do what I want without stress. For example, if I want to take him outside, I call him into the bathroom, close the door, and turn out the lights, and he steps easily onto my hand, and into his travel cage. Food and enticing new toys or sounds get him to do things happily and of his own free will.

Just read from an avian vet that sunlight, or as a distant second, full-spectrum light from a indoor lamp, are needed for behavioral issues like feather picking. I realize you are in Illinois, so maybe try a full spectrum light. Although, it is difficult to get the right distance and amount of time necessary for ideal health, it wouldn't hurt. When the weather gets warm just sit with your bird in a cage outside for 15 minutes a day. You will be amazed at the difference it makes!