LisaM

Now that's Christmas parrot-style! He's a very lucky Grey. I think mine would have freaked with all the bows! We're working on that. She probably would have kicked little Pooh-bear's butt though! :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: Looks like you both were having a ton of fun. Berna - that is a fantastic book. A definite "must read" IMHO.

I can picture that and it makes me smile. That's great that he can work his way over to you though. I'm sure he'll take a little piece of your heart with him when he finds someone who will give him a very happy home. Keep us posted on him. And more pics please.... :lol:

Welcome Birdgirl and Taco!!! I would love to attend a lecture by Dr. Pepperberg...I can see why that would be a great memory! I can't help you on the breeder...I don't know much about "Camaroon" Greys as I've only recently heard the term. If you have pictures of Taco (and Pepper Ann Pi), please post them. We LOVE pictures!!! :-) Lisa

Hi Kook - I hope you didn't take offense to our suggestion that you get your new bird(s) from a new place. You are right, I was assuming that you had a choice of better places but it doesn't sound like that's the case. Have you asked the vet if there is something you can do to treat the birds as soon as you get them to kill the micrococcus bacteria if they do have it when you take them in? It would be worth it to take them in immediately and have them checked out and treated if needed. If it's not something he can treat, then you may just be setting yourself up for heartache again if the tests do come back positive. If by wooden stick you mean the big dowel that is in a lot of cages, then you can bake it in the oven to sterilize it. Or if it won't fit I would put it outside in the sun for a few days (after cleaning really well). I would recommend, however, that you just buy new perches for the cage. They don't have to have that big stick going across as the Greys will climb around to wherever they want to go. I don't know if you have places to buy a good variety of perches but if it's the same store you get the birds from, I would clean them well and sterilize before you put them in the cage. There are a lot of places online to get them also if you can get them that way. I forgot to mention on my last post, but one benefit I think there is for having more than one is they keep eachother company when you're out of the house. You may end up with fewer behavioral issues due to boredom (screaming, feather destruction, etc). There are ways to try to keep them busy when you're gone though so it's certainly not necessary to have more than one. Also, are you planning to house them in the same cage or get a separate one for the 2nd bird if you get more than one? The general consensus is that each should have it's own space (cage, at least), but some people do keep them together particularly if they're together from babies. Some people will have one big playstand that they can both be on and have their "together time". Two birds is definitely twice the expense, space, time, etc., but most of us with multiples find it worth it. The biggest thing is that you have the time for each of them and it sounds like you and your husband could make it work if that's what you both want. You certainly have the LOVE to make it work! Keep us posted as you make your decision, Lisa

So seriously, those babies are so cute I got tears in my eyes. Seeing this sometimes makes me wish I had gotten babies (weaned, of course! ). Not that I don't love mine to pieces, but these are just soooooooo cute! :kiss: :kiss: :kiss: I'm always amazed at how the special needs birds end up getting through life. They are remarkable in their ability to adapt to their "disability". Is it so bad that it won't be able to use it to perch, etc? Judy, you are right on (as always)! Berna - that store and all the fids are so lucky to have you (as are we, of course)! :silly: Lisa

Here's a new one for me... A couple of weeks ago, during our nightly head-skritching session, Kenya started beaking my fingers, didn't want the skritching anymore and when I had her step up on my hand she was still beaking (very gently, and more rubbing it on my hand than biting down) and she was closer to me I heard faint little squeeks and some breathing noises...she got a little hyper and I thought that maybe she just wanted to go poop and found a new way to let me know. I put her on her playstand but nothing. Tonight the same thing happened though. Do you think she was getting "hormonally" charged up? She's never regurgitated or had any other behavior like this since I've had her (about 2.5 years). She's 14 years old. Her behavior has stayed pretty consistent this whole time, through all the seasons and all. I put her on her playstand and about 10 minutes later had her step up again. She was fine but I just had her sit with me, didn't do the skritching or anything. Thoughts from anyone? Thanks, Lisa

Kenya attacks the mirror with such ferocity that I get to her quickly because I think she might crack her beak. I'm pretty sure she doesn't relate to the fact that it's her own reflection. However... Today my dog was laying in the doorway. Kenya was on her playstand and started saying "come here...come over here...come on...c'mere...c'mere...come over here..." When that didn't work she "knocked" on her playstand to get the dog's attention. Once Angie (dog) looked up at her she started again ont eh "c'mere...". Angie started walking over to the playstand and Kenya started throwing food down at her. This was the first time she's done this. It's almost exactly what we do when we call Angie to feed her (including the knocking on something to get her attention as she's really old and doesn't hear very well anymore). It was hilarious. They'll throw food down at her when she's down there all the time, but Kenya has never called Angie specifically for that purpose before. (Yes, she was mimicing what we do, but she was applying it in the right situation in order to get what she wanted (the dog to come over to her)). Gotta love 'em. No matter what side of this friendly debate you're on! :-)<br><br>Post edited by: LisaM, at: 2009/01/27 04:32

I just found these and posted them on another thread as well but these may help with some ideas to keep him busy... Here's a link to a website that gives some great foraging ideas... http://www.avianweb.com/foragingfood.html Here is one that shows how someone went through the process of "teaching" their birds to forage... http://onafricanwings.com/Foragingtree.htm Lisa

Here's a link to a website that gives some great foraging ideas... http://www.avianweb.com/foragingfood.html I don't know about that DVD, but there is a link to it at the bottom of the webpage also. Here is another one that shows how someone went through the process of "teaching" their birds to forage... http://onafricanwings.com/Foragingtree.htm I hope these help. Lisa

Greetings Viktor! A few things come to mind from your posts... 1) The vet was correct only to a point. He is more likely to start to vocalize, step up, etc., once he is more comfortable with you. That does NOT need to include being on your shoulder though. Many people do not let their parrots on their shoulders because if they do end up biting, the face is not where you want them to aim. 2) Undesirable noises - the best thing to do to eliminate or reduce unwanted noises is to ignore them 100% of the time. Along with that, praising any of the nicer noises will give the bird more reason to make them. Any reaction to a noise will be reason for the bird to continue to make that noise because it is getting attention, whether you want it or not. I would make a really big deal out of any of the nice whistles, chirps, words, and other sounds. 3) New Objects. Many, many Greys are nervous about new toys, objects. I have to start by putting something new across the room and every couple of days moving it a few feet closer, then on a table next to the cage, then outside the cage, then inside the cage. Experiment with the distances that keep your bird comfortable. You can do this by putting something across the room, calling attention to it while you're doing it and then just leaving it there. When you're going to move it closer, watch your bird for signs of nervousness. As soon as it shows them, back away a bit until he calms down and then put it there, where he is still calm but it is closer than it was. Kind of rambling but I hope that makes sense. Spend as much time as you can doing quiet activities in the room with the bird, reading or watching TV quiety. Occassionally talk to the bird and interact, but in a very non-threatening way. Given time, he will gradually build up the amount of time he will spend with you (on your hand/arm/leg/etc). Most importantly is that when he wants to get away from you, put him somewhere else. Don't force him to stay with you. That will destroy the trust you are trying to build. Best of luck, Lisa

Welcome TC and Pogo! Books and such are great but they tend to be "for this xxx, do that xxx". This site is fantastic because with so many people comes so many opinions and options and things that have worked and haven't worked and suggestions...and lots of love for All Things Grey! Actually, I think this Forum is one of the benefits of having a Grey in the house! :woohoo: Final word: Don't ever think that any question is too foolish to ask. See you around here... Lisa

ponz wrote: Oh my Gosh John!!! So sorry! All of mine have one in their cage and have had it for at least two years! Well, the positive thing is that while he was destroying it he wasn't chewing his feathers! They're pretty expensive to be that easily destroyed though. Maybe you could try one of those "indestructable" Kong toys for dogs that has holes in it and do the same thing? Maybe it would at least last a bit longer. Hayley - good idea on the raffia. I'm going to have to check into it too!

I'm glad you have a local breeder so you could visit and be involved in the weaning process. I would recommend, however, that you don't take a baby home until it is fully weaned though. Though it may seem pretty easy when you're there at the breeder, so many things can, and do, go wrong and it's really best left to the "professionals". It will only be a small delay in when you could take the baby home, but in the overall 50-60 years you will have him/her, a month or two won't make a difference. Bruce is right, if you spend some time with the breeder it's likely one of the little darlings will choose you! :-) Lisa

Hello Kook - I was away for a few days and came back to read about poor Zeus. I feel really bad for you and what you are going through. You absolutely did your best for him so try to remember the happier times and know that he will live in your memory forever. Onto getting new birds. The first thing I would say is to definitely NOT get them from the same place you got Zeus. If the bacteria was due to that, then it is likely the new babies have it also. You didn't say in your post what the specific bacteria was? I had some birds (finches) die from Avian Micobacterium Avium (or something like that) and it is all over the world but it was also likely that they got it from the previous owner's because of the dirty environment and lack of healty foods (only seeds to eat). That's not something you want to deal with again and it's also sometimes something that can be passed to humans. SO, I would try to find a new breeder/store if you're going to get more. As to the timing, only you can decide that. For some, getting another one soon is helpful. For others, they can't face it for several months. Everyone is different in that way. DEFINITELY get rid of everything you can that was in the cage and wash really well and disinfect the cage and whatever else you can't get rid of. In regards to getting two vs. one...if you give them each 1:1 time every day and handle them a lot and such, they will bond to you as well. Many people on here have more than one, some since they were babies. If you talk to them a lot, they will also likely learn to talk. Some birds don't ever talk, even if they're raised by themselves, but most Greys do and I don't think having two of them will make it any less likely. And again, I am very sorry for your loss. You will know when it's the right time to bring another feathered friend (or two) into the home. Warmest Regards, Lisa

Love love love little Dayo!!! Great videos Dan! Lisa

You might want to post questions about Senegals in the Other Birds room also. I don't know if we have members who have both. I have a few general answers though... 1) Parrots will generally adapt to the level of attention that you give them (assuming you're not on the extreme in either direction). You should give them some 1:1 time every day and lots of "contact" talking and such through the day. You want to start out with the amount of time that you'll be able to maintain on an ongoing basis. 2) Level of noise/calling out can be very dependent on the individual bird and your living situation/environment. Eclectus are supposedly pretty quiet birds, but my Max is the loudest one in my house (including my 7 y/o son!). 3) No idea on this one...not exactly sure what you're asking. 4) Again dependent on the individual. Are you talking about "chatter" in terms of speaking words? Some Greys (CAG or TAG) will never speak and some have vocabularies that are beyond belief. And the others are anywhere within that range. I don't know about TAGs, but my CAG has both high and low range "voices" and noises. All my birds, however, are quiet once they go to bed until we're up and about in the morning. 5) I don't know about this one either but I once heard that the smaller the bird, the more nippy they tend to be (very generally speaking). I have no idea if that's true or not though. And again, probably dependent on the bird itself. When I was visiting a breeder several years ago when I thought I was going to get a baby bird, she had a Senegal that was fantastic. I held him a lot and he never bit once. That said, my CAG has only bit me once and I deserved it (not paying attention). Great that you're reading up on both. I hope you find someone with more direct experience with both. Definitely the Other Birds room and put "Grey vs Senegal" or something in the header to get the attention better. Hope this helps a little... Lisa

Kllaux - I would certainly not stop handling her...just maybe change the way you handle her. It's perfectly fine for her to be standing on your hand/arm/leg and getting head skritches. Someone can talk to what types of contact can stimulate breeding hormones/behavior in Greys. I know in my male Ekkie that we're not supposed to "pet" them down their backs but I don't know if that's species-specific or more broadly applicable. Spooky - How is Nikko doing?

Char - :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: That was my little darling Katie when I brought her home. She had that same look and immediate assertiveness that led to her "feisty redhead" reputation. That said, she's a wonderful bird and it's amazing to see how the various personalities come through. Also, I think the Amazons are more willing to start exploring new things than the Greys are so she may settle after she feels more familiar with her new surroundings. "Fasten your seatbelts...it's gonna be a wild ride!" And like Judy said, I think there are a lot of birds who will vocalize when not directly with their human pets. Probably more like "contact" calls in the wild where they're just keeping in touch. Mine don't say a word or make a peep when on my arm/shoulder/leg. If they're on their playstands it's an entirely different story. Have fun...keep us updated on how she's settling in and how Whisper & Tinkerbell/Mischief react to eachother. I hope they get along well but even if they don't you'll have a wonderful time. I think they "appreciate" the company of another bird, even if it's from a distance. Can't wait to hear more...and pics pics pics of course! :-) Lisa

Here some of the scenarios that can happen: 1) Grey bonds with you and Mom 2) Grey bonds more with you, but tolerates Mom 3) Grey bonds with you, doesn't like Mom 4) Grey bonds more with mom, but tolerates you 5) Grey bonds with mom, doesn't like you Most likely would probably be 1, 2 or 4. There are many variations and degrees of "bonding" also. Just wanted you to think through these various things and how you (and your mom) would be able to handle them. Funny thing about Greys is that you can't determine ahead of time who they are going to bond to. They sometimes will even pick the person who wants the least to do with them! Babies are usually pretty good with a wider variety of people but then they get more selective as they get older. A few people have had them stay great with a variety of people so that can happen, but I think it's less frequent. There are many people who have a Grey who will only let one person in the family really handle him/her. Being away during the day at school isn't a big deal though as many of us work full-time outside the home. It's just very important that you spend time in the evenings and weekends with them. I agree with others in believing that if someone cares enough to do their due diligence in researching ahead of time, they will be better prepared and will have made a good decision on whether a Grey would be the right parrot for them (and whether they should look for a baby or and adult, etc.). Look forward to reading more of your questions. Lisa

Most worth bird boarding places will require documentation from a recent veterinarian visit. I have had to use one and they did. I wouldn't leave mine somewhere that didn't just because of what you said about the risk of diseases from other birds. Call around and ask specifically what they require from the vet so you can be sure to get in to the vet if you need to prior to going out of town. We've been fortunate that for vacations and such we've been able to have someone come stay in our home to take care of all our animals. The only time I've had to board my parrots is when we had a fireplace being installed and had wood being coated with polyurethane. Good luck to you in finding a solution that works.

A boing is a rope covered corkscrew shaped perch that hangs from the top of the cage (or a hook in the ceiling or wherever)...Google "parrot boing" and go to images and you'll see a ton of them. I have tried several types of playstands and the ones I've settled on and love are the Parrot Towers. The most important things for me are: ~ Place for food bowl and water bowl ~ Place to hang toys ~ Tray to catch most stuff before it hits the ground ~ EASY TO CLEAN!!! ~ Easy to move around (wheels) These have a varity of perches, accessories, etc., you can buy for them. My favorite perches for the cages are "safety pumice perches" and cholla wood perches (along with rope perches...basically, a variety of sizes, shapes and textures. Happy researching! Lisa Lisa

Kenya joined my family when she was 12 years old. Max at eight and Katie at 3.5. I think Max pretty much bonded by the time we finished the 45 minute drive home . Kenya took about a week to really warm up (let me skritch her head at least). Katie - about 2 days. So, I think no matter what age they are when you get them, they can sense that you are safe and secure and will bond rather quickly. There can be exceptions, particularly if they're coming from a bad/abusive/neglectful environment...that can take a lot longer. You're not in that situation though so I'd say keep the baby with the breeder until fully weaned, then bring him home and enjoy the heck out of him! Lisa

Funniest thing just happened. I opened this post with Kenya sitting on my arm (she's been there just chilling silently for about an hour). As soon as I opened this post to Smokey's picture she let out a loud wolf-whistle! I always wondered if they could even see stuff on computer screens. Either they can or it was one heckuva funny coincidence! She's right though...what a handsome boy!

My opinion is that if you want another one and feel you have the space, time, energy and money to handle two, then go for it (I'd say "love" also but that's a given with all of us here!). I have three parrots and none of them get along. It doesn't matter at all to me though. They are all great parrots and great companions in their own ways. They all have three entirely different personalities and prefer different types of "connection" with me. They each have their own cage and own playstand. The playstands can be about 3 feet from eachother but not much closer than that. The funny thing is that as soon as I take one of the three out of the room they all start contact-calling. When their wings grow in they'll fly after me. I'm sure it's because they think the one I'm taking away is getting to go experience some sort of Birdy Wonderland and they're not. It's usually just a shower. :-) I think they appreciate the other parrot-company, particularly when we're gone. They just don't want to be perch buddies. Lisa

Dan - if it helps, I though the same thing when I read it...fortunately I just read it now so got to read the whole thread before responding! That said... Dave - your comment was the funniest thing I've seen in a long time. Thanks!:lol: Judy - I think you have the best assurance for making sure the fids don't get any chocolate, etc. I, too, eat it all up quickly...just to be safe, you know.