Mistyparrot

I am voting for C. I can just imagine Misty with a diving helmet and flippers. He certainly has a big thing about water. He talks about it more than anything elseB) Steve N Misty<br><br>Post edited by: Mistyparrot, at: 2009/02/14 22:02

I think the answer is Q. We all know how strange and wonderful they can be. Steve n Misty

You haven't lived until your little feathered friend (or is that fiend ? :evil: ) has tipped a bowl of soup into your lap. I know this. :ohmy: Steve n Misty

I think it is odds on that the Goffin did the deed. It is unlikely that this is self mutilation. If they were mine I would split them up. Steve n Misty

My arms are now so calloused because of Mistys untrimmed claws that they act like a natural sandpaper to keep his claws in check. Just let Guiness crawl all over you and the sharp claws will wear down in a year or so. Seriously though I believe that nail nibbling is just part of your Greys natural grooming. She is right about getting abrasive perches for your Grey They need to be wide enough so that his claws don't meet underneath.He will also need a variety narrower perches for comfort just like he might have in the wild. Misty has these as well as hard fruit wood branches on is play perch. These all help keep his claws in check. I have never had to have them trimmed. Make sure Guiness has plenty of suitable surfaces to climb on. Normal cage bars are no good for wearing down parrot claws. Bad claw trimming will cause great discomfort so if you must have it done go to a vet or at least some one experienced. Steve n Misty

In England where we live there is a radio soap called "The Archers". Its about the daily events in a small English farming community. I listen to it every day. When ever its signature tune comes on Misty has to join in whistling along to it. He hasn't got the tune right yet but he keeps trying. The tune is based on an English country maypole dance. It seems to be his favorite. Otherwise he seems to prefer jazz piano best but he is quite catholic in his tastes. A bit like me really. Steve n Misty

He wants you to have his babies. Steve n Misty

Misty does not like defecate in his cage although he only uses it for sleeping. I found that when he used to spend more time in his cage if he knew that he was coming out he would always prefer to wait until I let him out. Steve n Misty

I believe Irene Pepperberg was teaching Alex number recognition. I am unsure if she ever started basic reading. Steve n Misty

At home I wear clothes that would shame a scarecrow, all carefully modified for me by Misty. He is so understanding. He seems to understand that rags suit me best.:laugh: Steve n Misty

Hello Shazia. Thanks for coming here for our advice. You are going through all kinds of emotional and hormonal changes because of your pregnancy. This is clearly the wrong time for you to be taking on a companion parrot. Your pregnancy is the by far the most important thing happening to you and if the parrot is making you feel unwell then it must be re-homed with someone who can care for it properly. I do hope that your husband has the wisdom to understand this. Good luck, and I prey that everything works out well for you. Steve n Misty

Robert, Being able to fly out of trouble is the primary defense for parrots. A clipped bird will try to fly if they are in a threatened situation but it wont be able to fly out of danger. Flying is instinctive for Greys and is hard to unlearn. If I were you I would not be keeping dogs in a one room apartment. Steve n Misty

Hello Georgie. Welcome to the best African Grey forum in the known universe. There are many reasons for feather loss. You don't say how your bird is losing his. Is it a plucking problem or some kind of skin condition? How long has he had the problem? How is he being kept at home ? Is he in a cage all the time? Has he had any changes to his life? Is he being stressed in any way? What about his diet ? I have no experience with Calcivet or Feather Up but these are dietary supplements that will help feather re-growth but plucking is often a psychological problem that needs to be resolved. Boredom , stress and loneliness are important factors in plucking. Even a poorly located cage can start these kinds of problems. Have you seen this article on feather plucking from the makers of Feather Up? http://www.allbirdproducts.com/articles/health/featherpluck.html Please come back and tell us more about yourself and your Darling. Steve n Misty

TAGs are darker than CAGs but all the CAGs I have seen have very similar shades what ever their age. It is important to consider the lighting conditions that the pictures were taken in. That can make a big difference in the apparent color. Flash lighting in particular will make them seem much lighter. Others may have a different experience from me. Both Misty Steve n Misty

<br><br>Post edited by: Mistyparrot, at: 2009/02/04 00:32

What a great example Darth-mint. Your sister should have more sense than to argue with Nicky :laugh: How old is Nicky? Steve n Misty

You really don't need us to tell you do you? You know you want him. I am sure he will learn how to cope with his leg. And don't forget Greys are pre disposed to having other flock members. Good luck but I am certain you will all be very happy together. Steve n Misty

It's likely to be either male or female but why does it matter to you? Are you intending to breed your parrot ? I suspect that Maceys dislike of men is more likely due to formative experiences with human males than Maceys own sex. I was told that my Misty was male when he came to me at two years old and I suspect that he is because he is so untidy and makes a lot of sense when he talks;) But I don't know for sure and to be honest I don't care because Misty would still be Misty what ever. If you must know take Macey to an avian vet . I understand that pulling blood feathers can be both painful and risky. Steve n Misty

Misty makes it very clear to me what kind of interaction he favors at any one time. He won't usually let me scritch him unless he first tells me he wants it by saying "tickle tickle" or "Your OK". He also loves beak kisses but again he is the one to initiate this by climbing up my chest and putting his face right in front of mine. He will soon let me know in a polite way if my attentions are not wanted. If I were to persist he would not be so polite. I agree that body petting could be a problem as it could send inappropriate sexual signals but you should get your parrot used to you handling his wings as this would help the use of harness fitting later on. As long as you respond with sensitivity to your small friend I can see only benefits. It would certainly be wrong to force yourself on your parrot. I suspect the author of the book you mention is worried that 'overpetting" might lead to over dependance. If so this is nonsense. If we adopt an animal as sensitive and intelligent as an African Grey as a companion we have to recognize that they are as dependent on us as a small child would be for their emotional and intellectual needs. This is especially true for single birds. Steve n Misty<br><br>Post edited by: Mistyparrot, at: 2009/01/29 12:24

There is little doubt that learning to fly is an essential part of any normally flighted birds development. This certainly includes African Greys. Personally I would condemn any breeder who clips their birds. I suspect they do it to make the birds more dependent on their humans. If so, this is an entirely mistaken and unnecessary practice and it is likely to lead to serious psychological problems such as feather plucking and other phobic behaviors. On the other hand not every clipped bird will be unable to cope. I find it remarkable how pet animals are often able to manage with quite severe physical disabilities. My father once owned a cat that had no tail, three legs and one eye and yet it was fully agile and a most accomplished hunter. Even bringing home rabbits not much smaller than itself. But I don't think that is a good reason to deliberately cripple a parrot. An un-flighted bird can be at risk from hard landings as it will be unable to fly down and land properly or successfully aviod walls or other obstacles. The trouble is, a clipped bird will still try to fly especially if startled. It is also true that a flighted bird may fly off but it should not be hard to take sensible precautions to prevent this from happening. A flighted bird can be trained to return on recall. Of course everybody's situation is different and having children running in and out for instance could pose a problem. But then out of cage time should always be properly supervised (as should the birds ). On the other hand a flighted bird can be a joy to live with. I am fortunate because I am able to give my Misty maximun out of cage time. He is fully flighted and has several permitted perches around my apartment. He has learned not to land where he is not supposed to. Watching him fly, hover and maneuver is a real treat. He is happy, confident and playful. He has learned to fly to me and to stay on command. Often when he flies around he says "Fly fly" or 'Fly baby". This a legacy from his early flight training with me. I believe the cons far outweigh the pros as far as clipping goes. After all the total body design of African Greys is all about flying. Let them be birds. My 2 p© Steve n Misty

Absolutely right Lisa. In fact Misty is much more successful at training me than I am at training him! Steve n Misty

Misty says "got to go out" if he sees me put on my out door shoes or coat or if I pick up my keys. As I leave he says "see you later" or "by by". He will then fly to the window where he has a perching place and watch me as I walk past. He lowers his head and stretches out his wings to wave to me. Of course I wave back. If he is there when I come back he repeats the wing wave and then whistles his contact call to me. When I go back into the room he will some times greet me with "Hi Babe". I am always amazed at how perceptive he is. He sometimes seems to know what I am going to do before I do !! Steve N Misty<br><br>Post edited by: Mistyparrot, at: 2009/01/19 01:25

Simply wonderful :laugh: I just love the fact that Greys laugh and have a sense of humor. They bring a light to the gloomiest of days. Steve n Misty

I have yet to persuade Misty to accept his harness but your method seems a bit drastic to me Seriously though it must have been a terrible roller-coaster of events for you and Harry. I guess the moral of the story is to never give up hope. Karma to you. Steve n Misty

Never let your birds see this video !! You have been warned ! :evil: Steve n Misty