birdhouse

Phenix freaks about having a perch over the cage & hates the tray w/the play tops. So that's why I started having dome tops. I have open dome tops. I probably actually open them up about half of the time. I've never had a problem w/bird poop in the wires, though. Dome tops tend to have more living space inside. I like the different styles. I like not having to get around the open door. I like that the birds have free cage access but the dogs don't when the top's open. The last cage I got has a veranda door. I really like that, too, although it does take up space when it's down. But it's a slightly lower & flat surface for toys & snacks. Kura seems to like it. She spends more time on it than the top of the cage now.

When I was reading this I was wondering if Rachel has been home long enough to start being treated like this. Then I wondered if Gilbert might suspect that she's leaving again. They're so smart & so complex! So much of the time it's anybody's guess. I laughed when I read what you wrote about never really knowing for sure what makes Gilbert tick. Phenix will stop me in my tracks after all this time. He's said & done so many things that I've never been able to figure out. Admittedly, it's a major source of frustration at times. But mostly I think it's a huge part of the grey allure. Or maybe we're just gluttons for punishment. lol Sometimes I just don't know.

Phenix is definitely a mumbler. Kura is too. They'll talk to themselves. I think they wait until I "parrot" whatever word/phrase they're going for. That's when they know they've got it right. Then it becomes their new favorite for however long it continues to amuse them. Then, maybe, they'll never say it again. But Phenix, who's by far the better talker, will just come right out with things sometimes. The other day, he told Kura to duck when I was about to spray her. Never said anything like it before & I have no clue at all where it came from. But it was clear as crystal & hilariously appropriate. I think it's pretty fascinating & a little humbling, too. After all these years I can't learn parrot anymore than I can learn to fly. But they can speak my language whenever they want.

I'm wondering if it may be different when an older fid learns human, though. Phenix makes his own sentences up. But he uses the pronouns by rote. He says "Are you...?" a lot when he means "I am..." I've tried saying things to him as if I was creating his dialogue. "Feed me!?" instead of "Are you hungry?" But he doesn't use words that way when he makes his own sentences/requests. And he's more likely to make lip smacking & drinking noises rather than ask outright. I assume it's just simpler to his way of thinking to communicate the important stuff thru sound effects. And it's actually very cute, too. lol

I would agree that it shouldn't be done unless there's some really compelling reason & a second opinion where ever possible. Anesthesia is tricky for birds. More risky still when the vet is not completely up to speed w/the most recent methods & equipment. So much better for parronts to learn as much as possible before there's actually a need to make hard decisions. Thanks for posting this Dan.

Please make sure they're not on any recall list, ok? http://www.greyforums.net/forums/showthread.php?196480-Mazuri-recall http://www.greyforums.net/forums/showthread.php?196446-Lafeber-Nutriberry-RECALL-notice Nuts, unsalted, organic, palm nuts & palm oils, peanut butter are all part of a healthy diet. But since they're also high calorie, generally restricted. But you could be a little more generous w/them just for the moment. Nuts that are still in the shell are great foraging exercise. Just not peanuts in a shell because they can tend to mold which can make fids sick. Proteins will help put weight on. A very well cooked chicken bone w/some meat left on it is good. Some hard boiled egg w/shell. Quinoa is a perfect protein & very nutritious. Grains will also put weight on a bird faster than veggies. If you explore the "Bird Food" forum, you'll find a whole lot of ideas about good food & good nutrition. This is a good link about bird mash/chop. But members talked about a zillion types of foods here. It should give you some good ideas. http://www.greyforums.net/forums/showthread.php?194243-Mash-amp-Chop&p=241139#post241139

The combination of both petitions against wild Grey exports generated over 41,000 signatures in a matter of days. I truly believe this single effort made many hundreds of people aware of the realities of this horrific trade. I can only hope that some of them will go on to help bring it to an end some time in the foreseeable future. But not this time. Instead of stopping the export of wild Greys from the Congo, the CITES Standing Committee actually ruled to establish an export quota for Cameroon once again. How sad is it that the governing bodies on this planet will not see the harm being done before "the last of its kind" is being worshiped in its last possible refuge on the face of the earth? "Standing Committee approves annual export of 3,000 Greys from Cameroon Despite the best efforts of the World Parrot Trust and the over 41,000 signatories who supported the petition against the trade in Grey parrots in Cameroon and Congo, CITES' ruling yesterday ultimately failed to protect the birds from unsustainable trade, ignoring sound science, global public opinion, and the terms of their own Convention. Rather than ruling to protect protect these Globally Threatened Species, they instead chose to reopen trade from Cameroon, allowing 3,000 birds a year to now be legally exported from that country. As a result 6,000 birds will be taken from the wild as roughly 50% of these birds die between trapping and export. CITES also failed to suspend trade from the Democratic Republic of Congo. This is despite Congo's repeatedly exceeding their annual quota of 5,000 bird." http://www.parrots.org/flyfree/cites-results.html

I needed to see the good guys win one this week. Thank you for sharing this.

:) I'm not the biggest cat fan, but even I've got to admit this was so not fair. That poor kitten never stood a chance!

What a sweetie Looks like both of you got lucky! Yes I guess the more vocal majority of members are for keeping birds flighted. But there are certainly many who don't & that is a personal decision. I wouldn't fault you for your logic. Especially seeing how obviously happy Skippy is. But I do feel obligated to mention that even a clipped bird can get surprisingly airborne. So please keep that in mind & maybe consider researching avian harnesses...? I was taught to clip flight feathers short enough to disappear under the smaller feathers. It looks better. But exposed shafts can get banged around causing discomfort & damage. So I was told this protects them some. I'm glad the plucking seems to be tapering off. You might want to ease up on the baths now, too. Seems like 2-3 times a week is recommended. Spraying Skippy w/100% pure aloe vera juice might be helpful now & is good stuff for healthy plumage, too. Kiwi's molt could be stressing over her new flock mate, having to share you &/or just a big molt. She's young so you haven't had a chance to establish a pattern w/her, yet. But if the video is any indication, she looks like she's taking the whole Skippy thing in stride. Just a little ruffled feathers in that first wk pic on the stand. In general, it looks like things are going incredibly well. 6 wks in grey time is (& I do mean) nothing. Skippy's feathers are coming back. He's talking, playing, socializing & interacting like he's been in his new home forever. Very, very Greyt!!

I'm sorry, Kim. I'm glad at least that Xandir got so much love in the little time you got to share it w/him.

How awful is this?!! I hope it looked & no doubt sounded worse than it is. My first solution to every bird malady is warmth. Hi 80's at least. Also, covering the cage will keep Gryph away from any a/c drafts & give him a hidey-hole IF he doesn't freak about cage covers. Make sure he has water w/in easy reach of wherever he's holed up. If you just happened to have some glucose on hand that would be swell. lol Maybe coconut milk/water? These would be great for liquid & nutrition. Assuming you aren't lucky enough to have anything like that lying around, I think I'd leave him a blob of peanut butter. Nutritious, soft & isn't going to spoil. Then put the lights out & let him sleep. You too. If there's no vet available, there's nothing better to do tonight than for everyone to try to get as much rest as possible. Hopefully, everything will look a lot better in the morning. And please let know, ok?

Oh, why not? You'd be in greyt company! lol The less pellets Gracie eats, the more water her poop would have. Bird poop is urine & solid waste. She's taking in more moisture, so she's excreting more. Her veggie mix isn't balanced *yet*. Maybe ease up on the meat & egg. There are other forms of pure protein. Needs some fruit & lots of green leafy's. It does take some research to learn everything about what goes into a good, healthy fresh fed diet. There's a lot already post on GF & you could do worse than to start by following this thread. http://www.greyforums.net/forums/showthread.php?194243-Mash-amp-Chop&p=241139#post241139 For now, maybe you could give Gracie pellets at the beginning of the day when she's likely most hungry. Good in the hot weather, too. Then give her the veggie mix when you come home. This may well be a phase, but it's one that I hope you'll encourage. You may find being a top chef is actually kind of fun.

A little heavy. I have the medium carrier which is a nice size for both my grey & my ekkie. I've seen other members post about using it for camping trips. So, I guess it depends on the size of your muscles. lol

If it helps, I have a King's aluminum carrier. The things are very expensive. But they are very sturdy & that's what I love most about it.

I was stopped dead when I checked the petition site today.Yesterday at this time, 9,329 people had signed it. 24 hrs later 18,417!!! So many people. So little effort. Such an incredible statement. "EDITOR'S NOTE: We have extended the petition deadline to collect as many signatures as possible, and continue sending CITES a strong message." http://www.change.org/petitions/urgent-petition-tell-cites-to-suspend-trade-in-african-grey-parrots WORLD PARROT TRUST USA is continuing to take full advantage of this stunning momentum. Their latest goal is 25,000 signatures. So let's help keep this campaign going because it's definitely on a roll!

Here again, Gilbert's progress sounds just like Phenix. Only more like 3 yrs out. So here again, I'm impressed. I remember that first "happy" vet visit so well because it was such a huge mile marker. In fact it was the "What!" episode I posted on Susan's thread. After that day, Phenix hit a new high in confidence that was pure joy! And I admit that I'm a purist. I know it. I do! lol But I cringe a little every time I think about fids eating junk food. So I thought I'd just throw a possible healthy alternative out here. Sweet potato chips? Maybe sprinkled w/cinnamon or sprinkle cheese? http://www.weightwatchers.com/food/rcp/RecipePage.aspx?recipeId=50409

I can't believe this is happening again. And so many different types of pet food. Very scary!

That is one of the absolute worst feelings in the world. Every minute's an eternity. I'm so-o glad to see that Zuri is safe & sound!

I'm thinking you're right about Navaroh being lighter than normal under the circumstances. But they are very busy birds & he's going to get plenty of exercise. If Charm is any indication, I'd just feed him healthy & let him decide his daily intake. Charm really can "eat just one" of something she likes & maintains her own weight. The cage aggression is a very definite Quaker thing. Charm can do quite the little hissing spit when people approach. It would be funny except she's bitten me twice. Both times during breeding season. Her beak is always razor sharp from constantly playing & btw, she hangs on like a bulldog. Surprisingly painful. I still laugh at her posturing, but respectfully. lol

Such good news!! Way to go Java!!

The petition still seems available for signatures even though it's the 23rd, everywhere. Not as many signatures as I would have hoped to have seen from the whole wide world, maybe. But all in all, 9,329 is nothing to sneeze at. Still hopeful that's enough for CITES to take it seriously.

Okay, my first reaction was "Lucky you!!". My guys don't like baths, showers, spraying... I really don't know. I'm still having a problem trying to imagine it. lol If his feathers & feet look ok, then I'm guessing it's ok. Hopefully, other members will have a more informed answer for you.

One of the few toys all of my guys agree on. Sometimes they can't even wait for me to hang them! :cool:

Good for you! That attitude will get you a lo-o-ong way towards a happier relationship w/a fid! I don't agree w/the school of thought that says don't whistle to your fid if you want them to talk. Especially if you want them to communicate not simply imitate. It might be argued that it slows down their use of human words. But I know first had that it certainly doesn't keep them from learning to use them. Phenix was wild caught, fully adult, possibly even middle aged when he came home. He had issues & it was vital to find every possible way to communicate w/him. Talk, whistle, raspberries, song & dance routine. lol Whatever it took to make that connection. Whistling is how a grey talks. It's how they communicate over distances in the wild. It's also very good to encourage that in your fid so you can keep track of each other thru the day. Hugely helpful if you have a contact call to use if they escape. Greys are real slow movers. Wozzie 's just starting to really settle in. You will start to see many different phases as he unpacks his bags over the next however many months. It's all good as long as he's communicating & not withdrawing. Roll w/it. Whatever "it" is. lol It's all part of the fun & excitement of living w/these surprising birds.