Shamelessmuse

Tuesday Greyce has to go to the vet. I don't know when she last went and I know she was around other birds with no quarentine. So...How am I going to get my terrified baby out of the cage. Everyone says use a towel, sounds great but...the door to her cage is narrow to me. About 1 foot give or take the actual clearence. I don't want this to be too horrible for her. I am trying to build any trust with her at all and well, it's moving slow. Anyone have any ideas that will allow me to keep all my fingers?

I agree, much too cold for a Grey! An unheated building even here in Atlanta is too cold for a Grey in the winter! Not to mention that other than bedtime they are much happier in being with their families...they don't do well when away from their flock.

Picture of Miss Greyce! This was taken a couple of days before I took her home.

Karma to you for taking on such a task. I too just rescued a Grey, she is a bit younger...but I am her third home in what looks to be panning out to be 3 months. Blind is a whole diffrent task. My suggestions would be to always tell him what you are doing. IE. If you are going to touch him, lable each type of touch. You are already saying touch, but come up with more specific labels so he know exactly what is coming. He will then learn to expect a certain sensation with each lable. Not, that you are there yet...but always make sure to do that. It will certainly reassure him, I agree that diffrent textures and sounds will be important for toys. Another thing that will be very important is the general cage layout. Decide where the perches are going to go and no matter how many times you change them out, always put them in the same place. He is going to at some point memorize his cage layout and if you move things it will be very scary to him. Same things with toys. Make sure they are in a place that does not impreed travel about the cage, does not block the path on a perch, ect. Then again, no matter how many times you change toys...always put them in the same place. Spatial relations is going to be a big thing for him. Oh, and around 2 weeks after you get him. There is a very good chance he is going to get grumpy on you, he will be testing you basically. Stick to the routine, don't let him deter you and everything will be fine!! Good luck!!

Okay, here is my problem with dogs and small animals and even children. Dogs, while can be trained to be very predictable are never 100% so. I have been training dogs and studing their behavior for over 10 years. You can never be utterly sure about their behavior. That is why I go off the deepend when some poor dog is on the news for mauling a child. Someone always says "Well we just turned around for a moment" It drives me mad. The problem is - your dogs only defense is a bite. They can't say stop, they can't give a clawed swipe like a cat, and generally things don't happen in wide open spaces where they feel they can escape. Generally dogs are not going to flight unless they are smaller. I could give you so many stories of dogs that got a good bite into some critter or person, most of the time the dog was justified. So, you may have the best dog in the world....I sure think my Shepherd is. And while Dakota is trained to a tee, things happen and I would never leave Greyce out with her, I don't even leave my 3 lb Chihuaha out with her when I am not home. Things just happen and dogs don't rationalize like we do...they react. Just my 2 cents

I feed Greyce whole wheat pasta with a variety of things. We do organic baby food in veggies and lentils, apple/mango and summer veggies. Sometimes I boil in in organic unsweet apple juice and toss fuits and veggies in it. She is slowly leaning to eat other things. She has been leaning toward only eating seed, apple and banana...we are working on that though. She throws her pellets at Lily my Chihuahua, who thinks that is pretty cool!

Thank you so much everyone!! This has been a wonderful welcome!! Ya'll are a friendly bunch for sure!

Dogs can be very jealous. Anytime there is something new that competes for attention, there is an adjustment time for the dog. Some are more open than others, your baby is upset because there is something there competing for your attention. Be sure to give your dog some special attention. Maybe even take 20 minutes a day in the room your bird is, with your bird in it's cage (maybe with a special treat) and do some fun training with you dog! Lots of treats and reward based training, make it fun...but teach it things that will help when being in the room with the bird. Stay is something all dogs should do without fail. Mine stay no matter what until I tell them okay. It was very handy the other day when Greyce came accidently bounding out of her cage and flew down to the floor. Everyone wanted to check her out, but a quick "Stay" to the dogs and no one moved and inch while I walked over and rescued Greyce. Your furbaby needs reassurance right now that you love him/her and that she doesn't need to compete for attention!

Hello All!! I figured as a newbie I would show my face!

I would like to create a toy box for Greyce. Something she can rummage through and get foot toys out of. I know carboard boxes are good. But, they are at a premium in my house as I use them for shipping things. I was wondering if perhaps a ceramic dish would be okay? I am a ceramist and have plenty of pots laying around.

All the previous recommendations are fabulous!! Another book that I think any new parrot owner or Grey owner should have is the Dummies guide to Owning a Parrot. We all know the Dummy guides! The author is a Grey owner, so there are some tidbits on Greys. But, the suggestions are wonderful. She goes over Bronco birds (great for resuce senarios) and the nutrition info is awesome. She goes over what veggies and fruits are high in pesticides, ect and what are better alternatives. I highly recommend it!

Hi all! I made a little introduction on the introduction forum. The short of it - I have my first Grey and of course went the more difficult road. I rescued. I am Greyce's thrid home in what looks to be three months. Yeesh! She was easy to handle at her last home and warmed up nicely there outside of being a touch nippy. Well, I've had her a week and rightfully so she is grumpy, confused and obviously hurt. She's been a little cage demon. Lunging when I change out food and water, ect. She will take treats from me, as long as they aren't small...small means getting a lunge. Well, today she came out!! I am thrilled!! She hung out for a bit on the door, climbed about the front of the cage. Watched Lily (my ity Chihuahua) with interest...and watched us interacting with more interest. Yea!! That is such a huge step for her!!

HA! I was a vet tech for some time, my first two years were in a practice that did avian as well. My absolute worst bite ever was from one really freaked out Moluccan. She had been having some behavior issues and we were doing a full work up. I of course was doing most of the handling and as a tech - protecting the vet from any bites. She was a biter, but usually not too bad - Grade 3 at worst. Well, today was her day to really top all bites. I was moving one had around to get a good hold on her for a blood pull and she lunged full force, latched on to the webbing (and tendon) between my thumb and pointer finger. You know the place...the one with the nice pressure point. Well, she was going for broke here and latched on. Of course I had to sit there calmly and take it like a woman. No one could get her to let go, nothing worked...what seemed like an hour to me (probaly several minutes) and they finally get her off. I have a tear through the tendons and ligaments and need lots of stiches. I forgave her and was the only one in the office that would handle her when ever she came in. Greyce, has only gotten me once (in a week). She always lunges at me when changing out her food/water. Yesterday she stuck her head out the door and reached around and latched on. She grinded her beak a bit but wasn't going for broke. Lucky for me she could have done a great deal worse...not even any blood!

Hi there!! I have a couple of questions, though I did read your bio info. Have you consulted with a Behaviorist? What are you feeing? How long has your bird been on the meds and please remind me what town Cornell is in. I maybe able to give you some info/suggestions that could help your baby. But, for some of the referrals I would need to know where you are. Hopefully some others will have some suggestions as well. With a whole lot of patience and love I am sure you can get through this!

I have wanted a Grey my whole life and recently adopted a TAG. I am so excited!! I of course had to go the more difficult route and adopted a youngster. Her name is Greyce, I am told she is 18 months old and I am her thrid home. I got Greyce last Saturday, I am unable to handle her and she is a bit cage aggressive. But, we are working on it, letting her set the pace. I also have a German Shepherd, Dakota who won't let the cat near Greyce's cage and now seems to prefer to sleep next to Greyce's cage than with me. I have a 2.5 lb Chihuahua, Lily who thinks Greyce is the best thing since sliced bread!! No one else just randomly throws food her way, she is tickled pink about the whole thing! I also have a cat, Goblin who has learned that Dakota will chase him if he comes within 20 feet of Greyce's cage...he has lost all interest. I was a vet tech for 6 years, the first 2 years were in a multi practice, where I worked mostly with the vet that also did avian. This is my first bird as an adult, we had parakeets when I was a child.<br><br>Post edited by: Shamelessmuse, at: 2008/01/25 19:12