Lyric

What great stories, truly heartwarming. Today I was having a VERY bad day and a very bad moment and got Lyric out of his cage. He stared at me and stared some more and had a look about him like he was trying to figure it all out. Then he started being mischievous and I think he was doing it to get my mind off my problems. Lyric doesn't talk yet but if he could I think he would have told me to "lighten up- everything will be okay!" Greys have a way about them that makes them seem so wise- so incredible. I just love having a grey in my life and wouldn't have it any other way.

Great to see you and Woody looking so happy and snuggly together! I'm glad you shared that with us.

Congratulations to you both! I am so excited for you... I bet you just can't wait. I just love the names too, very nice and unique.

Hello Ccabel and welcome to the forum. As the others have already said, food being thrown is just one of the great perks of living with birds. Try not to pay any attention because you don't want to encourage the behavior- they love drama.

Hello Kate and welcome here. I have a sister named April, it's such a pretty name and an unusual one too. Hope you like it here.

I'm thinking of you with deepest sympathy- I know nothing can replace Alfie in your heart but maybe one day you can share your love with another bird. Just know that you gave Alfie a good life and he is now flying free.

Wow, I guess I wouldn't have thought the bird would be able to open the doggie door! I'm so glad you realized he was out before something bad happened! Whew! I don't have a doggie door for my dogs so I guess it's one less thing for me to worry about... good thing too because I'm a worrier at heart:unsure:

Your bird is still very young and learning about the world around him, you and how to interact with you and the world. It is normal for him to want to be with you all the time and not in the cage. Don't let it make you feel bad about putting him in there though- everyone needs a break from their bird from time to time. Eventually he will understand that there are just times when he has to be inside the cage. Also, it may take time for him to learn how to play with toys but eventually he will figure this out as well. Let him see you touching and exploring his toys and it will peak his interest in them.

Hello JokersMamma- it was so wonderful of you to take in Joker and offer him your home. As the others have said, it will take time for him to feel comfortable with all the changes he has experienced in such a short time. The fact that you can get him to step up and hold him is a sure sign that you are doing great with him. The beak grinding is a sign of contentment in a parrot, they usually do this when they are sleepy and comfortable and everything is well. As Judy stated above, your bird is a Timneh, not a Congo. The Timnehs are slightly smaller, have a horn colored upper beak and a darker more maroon colored tail. Let us know what questions you may have about your new friend.

Hi Andrew, welcome here. Best of luck in your search for a new companion. I'm sure you realize what a huge commitment it is to get a parrot- but it is truly worth the effort because of what a great companion you end up with. I hope you find the perfect one for you.

Hello Ina- we're glad to have you here with us!

Hi Matthew! Believe me we understand about the friends not understanding. Sometimes it's nice just to have a place to rant about your bird where others can relate. Glad you've joined the forum and now you can be a part of our family!

Hi Smaryan and welcome to you, Lucy and husband. Please tell your hubby not to give up hope, just keep trying to interact with Lucy and give her love patience and treats! Maybe he can try sitting by her and reading a story, or quietly playing with an exciting looking toy. Her inquisitiveness will get the better of her sooner or later and she will decide maybe he's not so bad after all.

Great news! I'm glad things are working out for both of you and Olivia is a pretty name for a little girl!

Welcome to the forum Andrew and Sam. We're glad you've decided to join us! Being owned by a grey certainly can be entertaining can't it? Sam sounds like a wonderful bird.

Hi Shelly and Sara- welcome to our flock! I'll definitely check out your webstore and thanks for the discount!

Hi Hanadupre, welcome here. You don't say how old your grey is but it is possible the scratching is due to the bird going through a molt. When they start to grow new feathers it is a very itchy process for them and can cause lots of scratching- try spraying the bird gently with water or 100% aloe juice from a spray bottle at least a couple times a week and see if this helps. Your bird is still adjusting to you and settling in and you may notice it will act different towards you as it matures as well. Best of luck and please read through lots of the threads on this forum for more information. Ah, sorry, I just read your post again and you mentioned that you do spray the bird with water. When you do this do you spray it until it is very very wet? Their feathers are very waterproof and it takes some soaking to get the skin wet as well...also, try the aloe juice, it really helps.<br><br>Post edited by: Lyric, at: 2008/09/18 15:45

Here in the US the bands generally have the following info: The year the baby hatched, 3 letter initials (breeders sometimes put their own initials here), the state the bird was hatched in, and a number which the breeder uses to identify the bird. I guess it could vary depending on where you get your bands from though.

Welcome here Tony- It's nice you are adopting an older grey. Hope the transition goes smoothly for all of you.

Glad you've joined the forum, keep us updated on your search for a grey. Of course there are differences between males and females but each bird is so individual and unique, neither sex is better than the other for a pet.

Hello Brittney and welcome here. I hope you are able to locate a baby grey that isn't too far away. Good luck on expanding your flock!

Hello Denice! Dorian sure threw you for a loop with that one didn't she? Well, greys remain able to produce young throughout their very long lives from what I understand, so although 22 may seem old to you, she's actually just entering her mid-life years. Something must have stimulated her to make her want to lay an egg after all this time- has something changed in her environment? As Dan mentions, she should be allowed to sit on her egg for about a month's time (she may lay 3-4 eggs, this is normal for a grey). Hopefully this will get nesting out of her system and she can get back to being your companion.

Hello Ben, welcome here. Congratulations on your new addition to the family.

Hello Mark and welcome to the forum. Congratulations on your new little grey.

Welcome here, we're glad you've joined us. Irritating sounds are just one of the joys of being owned by a grey- hopefully some other noise will peak Dakota's interest soon and maybe he'll replace the irritating sound by something new. I suggest you react encouragingly to a sound he makes that you don't mind- try to act like it's the best thing ever. If he wants more attention perhaps he'll switch to the new sound to get it. Good luck!