Mistyparrot

Welcome to my world Acappella I keep a small stock of spare mice and keyboards handy. Misty has perfected the art of key removal but he has yet to work out how to put them back on He also loves to jump from my shoulder onto the keyboard. Especially when I am in the middle of typing an "important" document. Most times I will move quickly to lift him off. If I wait he will stand there looking up at my with that challenging look in his eye. They sure love to push our buttons don't they Steve n Misty

I love that sound as well. But often I also get "Fly Misty" or just "Fly" as he goes around. I am hoping to get it on video one day. Steve n Misty

I also tell Misty what I am about to do, If I am going out or just getting a cuppa tea or coffee and other things as well. He doesn't get upset if I don't but I think it is only polite! Yes I do believe in being polite to my Grey. It might even rub off on him one day . I do believe he does learn from these kinds of interactions. Steve n Misty

Unexpected touching of his wings. He will scream like a banshee but only for a second! He is not that keen on the vacuum cleaner hose either. That will get a growl. Probably too snake like! Steve n Misty

Misty is the opposite to your feathered can opener. For him any glass with a drink in it is a challenge! He is superb at landing on them without accident but taking off ? Oh dear no! :eek: Steve n Misty

Um! I hope to goodness you don't shake the can first ! :eek: Steve n Misty

I have been using the non night vision version of one of these IP cams. http://www.banggood.com/ESCAM-Ant-QF605-HD-WIFI-IR-Cut-P2P-Support-IOSAndroid-Security-IP-Camera-p-975978.html It gives a very good image to your iPhone , Android phone or tablet and PC ( not Mac ) it also supports two way audio communication. It can record to an SD memory card on the cam. So you can view live and see a playback if you wish. You can only view using the app provided and it is password protected. It connects via your Wi Fi router. For what it does it is ridiculously cheap. The only down side is most of the instructions on the app and the leaflet that came with mine are mostly in Chinese so setting it up was a bit tricky. They did say they were going to update that with more English. The important parts of the Android app are in English and I believe that is also true of the IOS version. I paid about $35 for mine, the non night vision version. This newer one with night vision is $40 including postage from China. Oh yes I should point out that I do not have shares in the company There is another company called Tinydeal.com that also sells these. I have one from each. They are competitive in pricing so it is worth checking both as you may save a dollar or two. Steve n Misty

That may be true of the older CRT tvs with a high speed spot scanning a fluorescent screen but I am sure they can see modern hi def flat screen tv images. I know Misty recognises images of Greys on tv because he will sometimes say "That's Misty!" Steve n Misty

I have found a great use for Misty my African Grey. If I get an itch on my nose Misty's beak is a perfect nose de-itcher. Just gently rub the tip of his beak on the affected area and the itch goes away as if by magic! Has anyone else found an unusual application for these wonderful but utterly useless creatures? Steve n Misty

Sadly my Mother who was 94 years old unexpectedly passed away last weekend. So naturally I have been very low. Misty my Grey parrot is clearly very empathic. He has also been a little subdued. He hasn't been his usual mischievous self. But he is still showing his affection. He has spent much of his time either on my shoulder on sitting on my knee. Sometimes soliciting scritches. The other night I was sitting and watching the TV and Misty flew over and perched on my hand which was just lying on my chest. Normally when he does this it is to give gentle beaks on my lips. But this time he raised his shoulders a little and bobbed his head with little "huffing" sounds. And then he began to regurgitate. Only a little and I offered my other hand to receive it. The thing is, in the Grey world this is a sign of great affection. It wasn't the full on mating display. It was just his way to express his affection for me in my sad time. I don't know if he understood what had happened. He had met my Mother severalf years ago when we stayed with her as I was in between homes. It was she who seemed to help him understand what "Cuppa tea" means to humans. I think he also got "Bed time" from her. She would say that when she retired for the night. I think he knew something was up and he wanted to cheer me up. It meant a lot to me. I am pretty sure that if it was a girlfriend who threw up over me I would take a different view :rolleyes: Steve n Mistyparrot

I am not so sure I am that nice! Misty has often called me "Horrible boy!" Although in my defence it is usually when I have told him off for some small infraction. Steve n Misty

Will he ever be able to fly? Steve n Misty

Yes JeffNOK . Misty sometimes gives me warning of impending disaster with "That's not for you" or "Trouble trouble trouble" as he makes grab for some precious, to me, and forbidden object! I suspect he says that to tease me! Steve n Misty

When you would go for Sully in the morning did you say "Want to go downstairs? and he picked it up ? Or did he seem to invent the phrase? After I had Misty for about six months he would say "Can I come out" to come out of his cage. I do not remember saying that to him. I would have said "Want to come out". He may have learned it from his former paronts but they said no. Besides he uses my voice. I love it when they put words together to make a request or to comment. But It is strange. Things that I expect him to learn he rarely does and yet he is obviously capable choosing what he wants to say. I love to hear him turn words and phrases over. It is clear that are not just meaningless mimicry. In his mind he is also thinking of a context. Not always the context we expect though. For example when Misty wants to share my food or give him a snack his word is "Stopp it" I don't know why but he has stuck with it for ten years. I have suggested other words more appropriate but he won't use them. They can be quite willful and stubborn at times but never boring and always a delght to be with. I also love the raised foot request. I just cannot refuse him :-) Steve n Misty

Misty is fully flighted. I use "Stay there" if I don't want him to follow me out of a room. He kind of gets it but if he does fly to me I put my hand up palm out and he will return to his previous perch saying "Stay there". Other times he can tell from my body language as I walk out and he will say "Stay there" and not try to follow. Unlike dogs though Greys to not take well to being commanded. In that regard they are more like cats. Steve n Misty

Interesting question. According to Wikipedia it does have some toxins ...."Studies have found this plant to be rich in active tryptamine compounds, but there are more indications of the plants in India having these compounds than in the United States.[29]Toxins such as bufotenidine[30] andgramine[29] have also been found.The dried rhizome with the stem removed has been found to contain 0.0057% DMT, 0.026% bufotenine, 0.0023% 5-MeO-MMT.[29] The flowers are also known to have DMT and the 5-methoxylated N-demethylated analogue, also 5-MeO-NMT. The quite toxic quaternary methylated salt of DMT, bufotenidine,[29] has been found in the flowers, and the cyclic dehydrobufotenidine has been found in the roots.[citation needed] A. donax is also known to release volatile organic compounds (VOCs), mainly isoprene.[31]" The fact that these chemicals are described as toxins would put me off. Steve n Misty

I think you should buy this Grey. At least it will have a good home. As an aside be very careful with its diet. Avoid too many seeds. But once you have your Grey safe you owe it to the others lobby your politicians to ban the import of these wonderful creatures. Remember the way man treats animals and those less fortunate shows his true love of God. We are living in a time when all wild animals and forests are at serious risk because of selfish and thoughtless human activity. In the end we will all lose. Earth without its naturally living creatures will be a truly terrible place! Steve n Misty

All pets should be microchipped for you own peace of mind and their safety. Misty is chipped. It was quick and he was totally untroubled by the insertion. I should say that the first chip became lost or failed when tested a year later. The vet thinks it was accidently pulled too close to the surface when the injector was pulled out so it is worth having your chipped bird rescanned one in a while. Steve n Misty

You can find him with a Google or Facebook search. Disco is a budgerigar or parakeet not a Grey! But very cute never the less. Steve n Misty.

Misty has not been DNA tested but I know he is male. I'm sure because although he is incredibly untidy he talks a lot of sense. :rolleyes: Steve n Misty

How about naming him "Clarence" ? Then you can use "Clara" for short. :-) Steve n Misty

I have always made sure that Misty has a good variety of perches and safe things to chew. I have never had to trim any part of him in the eleven years he has been with me. Clipping is out of the question. Steve n Misty

I have had COPD for at least seven years now. It is an affliction of the lungs. Recently a lung infection caused my condition to deteriorate, so my GP sent me to see a pulmonary specialist. When I told him that I shared my life with an African Grey parrot he said that he would not have a parrot even if he was paid a million pounds! He was so sure that my problem was caused by Mistyparrot dust! He said I should have a blood test for possible avian specific allergies. I received the results today and they were negative! So Misty is innocent. Personally I had no doubt that would be the result. I am more or less back to where I was before the infection. I am relieved with the confirmation of Misty's innocence but nothing would have caused me to part with him. Steve n Misty