SheilaS

Rey went to see our vet on Saturday. Dr Hardy was the head vet @ the Dickerson Park Zoo in Springfield Mo for many years so I know he knows his stuff. Everyone was amazed how well Rey gets around being totaly blind. He talked his head off the whole time in between eating his broccoli and grapes. Rey's blindness is cause by catracts and like I thought there is nothing we can do for it. I opened his carrier door in the exam room and out he came head down feeling the table with his beak goind "OOOoooo!" while he explored. He is 40 Grams underweight, but other than that looks really good. His gram stain and blood work won't be in for a while but other than that I think we got a healthy bird. His nails got ground down, they were really long. We also had his leg band removed, I hate thoes things! Any suggestions about what I should feed him to fatten him up??? He was eating Hartz seed (I can hear you groaning from here) He now eats Fruit blend zupreem and fresh veggies, fruit, pasta and whatever I can think of. I also don't know if I should start getting him out of his cage and handling him more or just let it happen on it's own. I want to hold him so bad I can't stand it but don't want to force it. I am a little leary of that big beak. My runt Quaker doesn't bite very hard when he's in a snit but I know Rey could really chomp me. I still do the petting with his feather saying "TOUCH" everytime. I also have started leaning my arm in and as he wanders around the bottom of his cage he will bump into me as I talk to him. This is what led to him falling out of his cage and hiding uner the couch last week. Oh well I guess I learned a lesson on that one.

Okay quick funny. I was sitting in front of Rey's cage last night talking to him. I leaned over to get something and Rey (he is blind for thoes of you that haven't heard) walked out the door and down on to the floor. It scared him a little of course and off under the ottoman he went. We slowly picked up the ottoman and he scurried under the couch. Now I've worked all day I'm NOT moving the darn couch, plus I didn't want to squish him. Ryan being the smart one in the family grabed the flashlight and pointed it under the couch. Now Rey CAN see light to some degree. So here we are with our bums in the air with a flashlight shining it under the couch, and I'm feeling like I'm in the Poltergist movie. Softly cooing "Come to the light Rey!" "Follow the light sweetie" After a few minutes he did make his way out and I scooped him up in a towel and he climbed back into his cage! Safe and sound. I have had him a week today and what an adventure it has been. Maybe I need to teach Remo my Quaker to be his seeing-eye-bird since I don't have a Parolette.

Well Rey had a rough weekend... I couldn't take the dust anymore! I'm a pet groomer and have OCD about dirty animals in my house. Rey has NEVER had a bath but I was about to GAG!:sick: So into the bathroom we went to quickly clip some flight feathers and into the jacuzzi for a spray bath. I kept it very short and he wolf whistled once in the tub so I took it that he wasn't too stressed out. Now he thinks I'm evil and shys away when I open his cage door. I open his door several times daily and just sit and talk. Hopefully he doesn't hold it against me. On a good note he started eating the Zupreem Fruit food!!!! (doing my happy dance!) Also Rey's blindness is almost complete... if there is a bright light behind you and walk up to him he can see the shadow. Other than that you can cup your hand around his head without touching him and he never knows your there. I wanted to thank everyone for their encouragement and advice. Thanks to BMustee for the spelling suggestion for REY I love it! Shamelessmuse was wonderful in suggesting about perch placement. I had a rope perch corner to corner which I had to move. Because Rey is blind he likes to walk on a perch and still be able to put his beak on the wall of the cage. Kinda like trailing your fingers down a wall in the dark. I have been really suprised about how quickly he adjust to change in his enviorment. If I do change toys I always put them in the same spot as the last one. I will be getting pics soon. Still waiting for my computer to come back from the Dr. So be patient.

I got him a rope toy with a bell, Foot toys with Bells and other toys with BELLS!!! Hopefully he doesn't start singing songs from The Hunchback of Notre Dame! He also got an acrylic toy that has rings on a slide. I LOVE the spelling of Rey! You are so smart BMustee!

Thanks for the food suggestions! I already feed remo my quaker zupreed fruit and he has no problem sharing with the new addition. If you come up with any other advice keep me in mind. Thanks again I'm so glad I found you guys!!!

I am a new member looking for information. We have a 10 year old Quaker REMO. We have 4 dogs, 1 cat, 6 snakes, 2 spiders, scorpions, fish... and whatever else decides to live at our house Three days ago we adopted a 7 year old Grey in desperate need of love. His first home he was kept in a cage about the size of a shoe box and was used for breeding. The last home I adopted him from had him in a much bigger cage but he had no toys, no perches & no one has ever held him. The big issue is that he is totally blind. Looking on the internet I can't find ANY information about dealing with a blind bird. I have an appointment for the 2nd of Febuary to see my avian vet to have him checked out and to see if anything can be done (I doubt it). If any one has ANY advice for me I would love to hear it. He is responding very well and started talking the first night I brought him home. New perches were put in his cage and the next day I hung a few toys inside. He explores everything and loves to play with the new toys. I've started petting him with one of his feathers and saying TOUCH every time I'm about to pet him. Everyday he is trusting me more and more. New Food is still a problem his diet has been mostly seed and peanuts. We also need a name for him. I wanted to name him RAY (ray charles) but not evey one agrees. Any suggestions???