Lysis

My amazon produces a ton of dust and I have asthma as well!. I had to wear a mask for many years! Be warned that the dust may not initially irritate your respiratory system, but it may a couple years down the road. The dust comes from the feather shafts -- during the day, when the sun is at an angle you can see a plume of dust coming from my zons head as she moves! I wouldn't recommend an amazon because they can be just as dusty despite frequent baths. Liz

Just wanted to share some of my bird's current favorite toys. I'm running out of toys to keep her occupied and I was hoping others could post their grey's favorite toys (and maybe where you bought them): Here are my bird's favs: http://www.amazon.com/Binky-Large-Bird-Assorted-Colors/dp/B000I7TUG0/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&m=A21IRDTVIXZJ89&s=home-garden&qid=1204339103&sr=1-6 The Treasure Chest by Nature's chest A wiffle ball with wing nuts and bolts in the holes Empty glide dental floss containers (without the metal piece and without the floss)

As you are house hunting, you look at each room in terms of how suitable it would be for your bird. You talk more to you bird than your husband. Your bird bites a hole in your favorite T-shirt and you laugh and think it's cute. Your bird has her own room, with a radio, air cleaner, heater, and hair dryer. You buy the huge textbook of "Avian Medicine" by Ritchie, Harrison, and Harrison for some "leisure reading." You spend hours surfing and comparison shopping the Internet for bird toys. You learn CPR for birds.

Rationalreasonz, What toy do you have that amuses your grey? Is it this one? http://www.birdieboutique.com/ni24300.html I'm always looking for grey-worthy toys. Thanks. Liz

Some of the avian books recommend 20% fresh fruits and vegetables... now, I'm wondering, how do you all figure out how much of everything but pellets do you give? It seems random to me -- how big is too big a slice of sweet potato? How much rice is too much? I know that all the fresh stuff has a higher water content, so this has to count for something. Still working on the veggies. She will only eat the occasional sweet pea in the pod. She just likes the sweet stuff too much, but at least her cholesterol is normal. I've bought a scale, just to keep tract of things. Thanks all! Liz

I'm sure that a BP check was in order for my bird since she is over 20, but just as hypertension can be present in younger humans, I think a BP check sometime in the life of a younger bird is a good idea. Not every vet may have the equipment to check the blood pressure of a bird. He had a miniature cuff and a teeny doppler sensor to detect the bird's pulse. The check was not cheap either. I guess most people have younger birds here!

I took my amazon to a new avian vet the other day and he measured my bird's blood pressure. At that visit, she was found to be hypertensive (normal is a systolic BP of 160 and hers was 190). This of course, will be checked again in a couple of months. Apparently, as you would expect, older birds may develop hypertension and coronary artery disease. Just curious, how many of you have vets that measure blood pressures? Granted, my bird is older and a BP is probably warranted. I guess no sodium, more exercise, and more red palm oil!

I know most of you have greys that love birdie bread, but I just wanted to know that I'm not alone here. My bird (an amazon, who is, I believe a reincarnated grey) doesn't really care for it (and I tried different versions, even ones with seeds). She nibbles at it, at most, but now she ignores it going for the sweet potato first. Yes, she is a picky eater. Just wanted to hear from others whose birds never really got on the birdy bread train. Thanks. Liz

What could be supplying the sugar? Any carbohydrate (simple and complex sugar) is considered a sugar and I would expect the ingredients to contain carbs.

This is her second night in her cage and she is letting me know (both protesting vocally and by wing intention movements) that she doesn't like it! Spending the day in the cage apparently is fine for her and has been for the past two weeks. I would prefer her to go to sleep relaxed and settled as she usually does , but she is not having any of it. Taking to her softly, head scratching, etc. is not working. I'm wondering if I need to just wait it out, but I was also considering getting a short "roosting" perch to put up a bit higher might make it more acceptable for her. I guess it just takes time. Either that, or I will have to make her other tiny cage her "sleeping" cage if she doesn't adapt.

Just curious. Where does your grey sleep? I was thinking about this, since my girl is sleeping in her new big cage and seems so uncomfortable in her new big space at night. She's fine during the day. I know she prefers the secure feeling of her old 18x18 sleeping cage. It's funny, when I first got the cage I was at a loss in terms of how to arrange the perches. I had to call the manufacturer to ask them how they arrange things in the interior. Since they are breeders, they told me that in addition to the perches, the bird has a short roosting perch up higher than the rest of the perches. I wonder if this may bring a sense of security.

I've been a little bothered when I take a close look at the list of ingredients on the back of any bag of pellets or "treats." I believe manufacturers list the ingredients by percentage composition. Yellow corn seems to make up the majority of most brands -- how do we know it doesn't make up 99% and then the other stuff makes the rest? We don't know! I'm always bothered as well by the fact that Harrisons put peanuts and sunflower seeds in their pellets -- these ingredients are pretty high on their list (higher than rice!) Peanuts is the third ingredient on the list for Roudybush maintenance. Then again, like I said before, corn could make up the majority (like dog food). I also realize that sometimes adding a little sunflower or peanut taste can get the bird to eat something undesirable. Also, take a look at Zupreem's Avian Entrees -- they put sugar (sucrose) in and I believe it has even more than their maintenance. Have you ever taken a whiff of some of these pellets? They smell terrible! I know that pellets are more balanced than seeds, but I wish I knew how much of each ingredient each manufacturer puts in. I'm not bashing pellets as I'm trying to convert my bird to them, but I can't help but share my concern. Unfortunately, I'm always afraid food will spoil since I'm not home for 12 hours, sometimes. Here's a list of some pellet ingredients. Harrisons *Ground Yellow Corn, *Ground Hulless Barley, *Ground Soybeans, *Ground Shelled Peanuts, *Ground Shelled Sunflower Seeds, *Ground Lentils, *Ground Green Peas, *Ground Rice, *Ground Toasted Oat Groats, *Ground Sun-Dried Alfalfa, Calcium Carbonate, *Psyllium, Montmorillonite Clay, *Spirulina, *Ground Dried Sea Kelp, Vitamin E Supplement, Sea Salt, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, d-Biotin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Sodium Selenite. Zupreem Natural Ground corn, Soybean meal, Ground wheat,Vegetable oil, Wheat germ meal, Sucrose, Dicalcium phosphate, Calcium carbonate, Ground vegetables (carrots, celery, beets, watercress and spinach), Iodized salt, DL-methionine, Choline chloride, Ascorbic acid (source of Vitamin C), Natural mixed tocopherols, Rosemary extract, Citric acid, Manganous oxide, Zinc oxide,Copper sulfate, Calcium iodate, Sodium selenite,Vitamin A supplement,Vitamin D3 supplement,Vitamin E supplement, Vitamin K supplement, Niacin, Calcium pantothenate, Pyridoxine hydrochloride,Thiamine, Riboflavin, Folic acid, Biotin,Vitamin B12 supplement. Roudybush Ground Corn, Ground Wheat, Peanut Meal, Soy Oil,Soy Meal, Hydrated Sodium Calcium Aluminosilicate, Yucca schidigen Extract,Salt, Calcium Carbonate, L-Lysine, DL-Methionine, Mixed Tocopherols, Rosemary Extract, Ascorbic Acid, Citric Acid, Lecithin, Silicon Dioxide (carrier for liquid antioxidants), Sodium Selenite (on Calcium Carbonate), Niacin, Alpha-Tocopherol Acetate (Source of Vitamin E), Biotin, Manganese Sulfate, Calcium Pantothenate, Zinc Oxide, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vit. A Acetate, Thiamine, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Vit K), Cyanocobalamin (VitB12), Vit D3 Sup. Folic Acid, Ethylenediamine Dihydriodide, Propionic Acid, Ammonium Hydroxide, Acetic Acid, Sorbic Acid, Tartaric Acid, and natural apple flavoring.

I just wonder if its possible for a medium-sized bird to rotate the discs.

I bought this foraging toy by Nature's Instinct, got it in the mail and realized that it may be difficult for a medium-sized beak to turn because of the diameter of the rings. Does anyone have this toy and is it bird-friendly? Any ideas what to put in besides Nutriberries and nuts?

I hope you don't mind me chiming in, as I have an amazon. Amazons are known as well to bond to one person. Mine, however, had fallen in love with my husband, but only when he is sitting down. She had suddenly decided that he is more "fun" to be with, even though I'm the one who plays with, feeds, and cleans her. I've discovered, though, that reducing the time the bird spends with the "favorite person" and having that favorite person do the not so favorite things (showers, etc) works well. Also, being one on one with the bird may help. When I had my other parrot (another amazon who fell in love with another amazon at the boarder) and my current bird, they both preferred my father big time. I felt so bad and my feelings were hurt! But realize, sometimes, they may, for example, prefer the taller person or the person who sort of ignores them (the one who is not so eager to love, snuggle, and SMOTHER the bird).