Janfromboone

Don't know. Tobie was already on pelleted food at 3.5 mo. when I bought him. Congratulations on your new baby though. I'd love to do it all again. What an adventure you are in for. Tobie is only 1yr and 8 mos. so we are still new to all this compared to the others on this forum.

Sorry, the link only pulled up photobuckets site. When I went to my albums, my own pictures were there. Have you thought about using you tube. That's the one I use for videos, but I'm sure there is a way to do it on photobucket

I had a friend who was a real cat person--3 cats in the house, all declawed. When she got pregnant with her first child (my godchild) I couldn't believe the change in my friend. All of a sudden there was unbearable mess from the cats. She couldn't get the cat hair out of the couch and couldn't stand to clean the litter pans. Then the most awful thing, she put all the cats outside after the baby came and made them outdoor cats. They all survived in spite of being declawed. When her daughter was two she gradually started letting the cats back in and recovered from whatever she was going through. I've never had children and could only watch with amazement as she went through this. I do think a tiny little bird turd pales by comparison to the dirty diapers a baby presents you with.<br><br>Post edited by: Janfromboone, at: 2009/02/04 23:36

Same here. I think Tobie prefers the distressed look to my clothing.

So glad to see this post rise up to the surface again. I've got another one. I hate to see parrots swearing and people think it's so funny. Still I wasn't able to stop myself from laughing fast enough for this one. I've been putting the radio on every day for Tobie when I leave for work. My husband gets home first and always has the radio off when I get home. A couple of days ago I was leaving for work and turned the radio on as I was leaving. As I headed for the door Tobie said (clear and loud) "Turn the damn radio off". I was stunned. I called Frank on the cell on the way to work and asked him what he'd been saying to my bird. He denied everything until I told him what Tobie said and then cracked up. He did it as a joke. I've almost got the damn out of it, but not quite.

What an adoreable little guy. Elmo might enjoy having another grey around. I know what you mean though. I've always thought Tobie needed my full attention. Everyone here seems to manage more than one bird though. CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!<br><br>Post edited by: Janfromboone, at: 2009/02/03 02:10

Frankly I think we are all the same - birds dogs people. Lately with all the news about the bailouts and corporate corruption I'm convinced that people don't really know right from wrong unless it suits their purposes. :silly: Ever noticed that all species, yes even birds, respond to rapidly repeated "uh-uh-uh-uh-uh". It makes them stop and freeze in place - if only for a moment.

you guys are just too funny!:lol:

Our thoughts are with you. Dave has been an invaluable resource for me when Tobie started to pick his feathers. Hope you find the solution.

I wanted to know about the sex right away. I wanted to know so I could name Tobie appropriately and also just because dogs birds or just friends I relate to a little differently according to the sex whether I'm aware of it or not. I let the vet take a blood sample by nail clip on his first visit to the vet. Apparently it was no big deal because it took only a second and Tobie didn't seem distressed at all.

I uploaded the same picture twice and had the same problem. Couldn't get it off of there.

I think that is so sweet and unusual the way they get along. My dogs don't pay any attention to Tobie but Tobie likes to feed the dogs his food and sometimes tosses them one of his foot toys.

Tobie's done that too. If it's broken higher up next to the wing it sometimes helps if you cut the feather short until the bird can take care of it. I just cut the part that is feathered out(if it's a pin)and out of the sheith and beyond the protection of the wing so it won't bump things when it hangs down. Tobie had a really bad one and he just kept sqwaking when it touched any thing. Don't cut it too short or it might bleed. Tobie's fine with being covered with a throw or towel and that's what I did and he didn't even know I trimmed it.<br><br>Post edited by: Janfromboone, at: 2009/01/28 21:31

Have you thought about taking an allergy med? Ask your doctor about it. I didn't go to the doctor for a long time, but I took an over the counter allergy med that helped me. I probebly shouldn't suggest this without a drs visit.

I've found the needs of an african grey just for toys is quite extraordinary. You see, their favorite toys are the ones they can distroy. The second need that has exceeded my expectations is time. I don't know if you expect this, but most of the time I spend at home at least requires keeping an eye on Tobie because he's out of the cage if not one on one interaction. I didn't read your earlier post and don't know what this is about, but these are just my personal observations of my own experience.<br><br>Post edited by: Janfromboone, at: 2009/01/28 20:05

Love your blog. Thank you for sharing that with us. So much sensitivity to animal rights and for Shanti. What a lucky parrot.

I loved your piano and singing. He sounded like he was singing the words at one point.

I've had Tobie a year and a half and I was prone to seasonal allegies anyway. After Tobie came I developed a sinus/ear problem and wet cough. It hung around for several months. I worried that I was alergic to Tobie, but wasn't about to give him up. I had problems last winter and through the summer. Went to the Dr. after a month or so of deafness in my ear. He agreed it was probebly allergy related, but didn't know if it was parrot dander or something else. After some weeks of treatment ending with prednisone everything seemed better and my hearing came back. It's been three months now and no more problems and I'm not taking allergy medicine. Guess it wasn't Tobie or I got used to his dander. I have an air purifyer that I use by his cage and I dust alot. Tobie sits on my shoulder and preens but at least for now it doesn't bother me anymore.<br><br>Post edited by: Janfromboone, at: 2009/01/28 01:48

I have three dogs that are in the house most of the time and a grey. I was worried about that too, but it took very little time to train the dogs. I started with them on the leash and progressed from there until the dogs pretty much ignored the bird. I still don't leave them alone togeather, but a time or two Tobie has landed on the floor in the midst of them and the dogs moved away from the bird. It works.

What are flickr pictures? I want to see this bathroom.

How sweet!! That's great that they get along.

Ignore him when he makes sounds you don't like. If you react in any way, it reinforces those sounds. Praise for the word type sounds. That's what I've done with mine and it usually works.

O.K. I almost agree with both of you -- if that's possible. When I sat down to check my Email and Grey Forum just now, Tobie was on my shoulder. He immediately started picking at my sweater. I fussed at him and slapped the table saying "No!! Don't do that." He did what he always does - Waved his head around like it was a game and started picking at my sweater with renewed gusto. One point for Dave. This time I covered my shoulder with my hand and said "No!! Stop it, stop it, stop it!! He did his kung foo birdie impersonation by corkscrewing his neck and grabbed my finger - playfully and when I moved my hand he chewed my sweater yet again. I put him on the back of the computer chair which is apholstered but covered with an old throw and he started chewing loudly on the throw - each time I said No! Stop that!! I went across the room and got a wooden chair and sat him on it and - you guessed it- in a moment I hear crunching of wood. I said N0!!! YOU DON'T HAVE TO CHEW EVERYTHING TO BITS!! TOBIES NOT A BAD BIRD. Tobies a good bird!! For what ever reason he looked at me like something about what I said was important. He stopped chewing the chair and when I turned to look at him he was leaning toward me like he wanted back on my shoulder and I put him there and that was 10-15 minutes ago and he's still not chewing my sweater. One point for Dan.:laugh:

For some reason Tobie who is used to a flight suit was so suspicious of the aviator harness that he avoided it for the month or so that I hung it on his cage or play stand. Finally I decided to just try it. All of the exercises about sliding fingers over the head and lifting wings were no problem. The first time I tried it he didn't mind it over the head, but before I could tighten the strap he had stepped through the strap and was holding the strap with the other foot. :huh: It got funny when I was trying to unlock his grip ending with Tobie upside down on the dining room table on his back and finally with both feet over the strap. Of course I couldn't take it off that way. He never panicked - just bit me a time or two. 10 minutes later I managed to get his legs in front of the strap and the thing back over his head. Whew! :whistle: I waited a couple of weeks and tried again. Again no problem over the head, but he managed, even with me holding the strap high, to get a grip on the front strap with both feet. I picked him up, upside down, by the harness and transfered him from T-stand to the dining room table again where I kept the strap in front of his legs as I disentagled his feet. Didn't get bitten this time. :laugh: I tightened the strap-quick. Put him on my shoulder and gave him a lengthy walk around the house mopped my kitchen floor and vacuumed my carpet before I took him off my shoulder and the harness off Tobie. Too cold in Boone - this was last October - to go outside. I'm going to wait until we can actually enjoy the harness next spring before I try again. Any technique suggestions would be appreciated. <br><br>Post edited by: Janfromboone, at: 2009/01/20 01:57

I'll bet if you built her a small firestation she would take it apart. You might find that you like legos too. Great pictures! Thanks for sharing.