pearllyn

Just a little Atom update - Alfie is still resisting it! It's been lying around for just over two months now but she's still convinced it's sole mission in life is to take her head off! I think perhaps I should give up on this one!

Thanks for looking folks, Jan, the camera I used for these shots is a fab little gadget - a Casio Exilim FC100 - it takes brilliant fast frames - 30 per second - and has an HD video facility and also a slow motion video facility - some of you might have seem my slo mo vids of Alfie. It's a brilliant little camera and I can't recommend it highly enough!

Just checked out the website and Youtube - can't wait to get the book! Thanks for bringing it to our attention Dan.

Hello Hattan and welcome to the forum. Do not be afraid to ask any questions at all - no-one will mind and we will all do our best to give you the advice you need. It can be quite hard looking after a grey for the first few months when you are not used to it, but we will all help as best we can. Aoodi is still quite young and you should be able to teach him commands like "step up" without too much trouble. Patience is the key with any bird - do not try to force him to step up, but rather let him come to you when he is happy to, and that way he will see that you are someone he can trust. We look forward to hearing more from you and Aoodi. Lyn & ALfie x

Hi Tarheelgal, and welcome to the forum. We would like to hear a bit about your grey - name, age, background etc if that's ok.Rehoming an older bird can be a lot of work, but very satisfying for you. How is your bird coping with the transition - he must be missing his previous owner? You have most definitely come to the right place for advice - members here are very friendly and have a lot of knowlege between them! Look forward to hearing more about you and your grey, oh, and we like pictures!! Lyn & ALfie. x

It might just be worth mentioning that eggs should be limited to around one a week, and as Dave says, your bird is best off going outside for a couple of hours a day - sunlight through a glass is usually no good as glass has filters and the beneficial UV rays don't reach the bird. Remember though, that if you do take the bird outside, watch out for sunburn. By the way, your grey is beautiful!

A good Girl? Alfie??! Just kidding lol - she does have her moments. Lol - you mean the babble right at the end? Hard to say, but knowing what her phrases are, I think "See you later, See you later Alfie good girl come on good girl" Confused much??!! Thanks all for watching and your lovely comments - I really do appreciate being able to share my wonderful grey with all of you. xx

Lol - it really makes my eyes water when I see then doing that!!! Come to think of it, my first post may have been hasty cos I have seen Alf do this what you are explaining and two minutes later a seed or something will shoot out at 100mph. I just thought, if it looks like a duck and sounds like a duck, then it's a duck, but obviously it aint necessarily so!

Lol - I realise this is an old post, but he'll have a round up of the news for you next! Has he?

Hi Adam, Negative reinforcement won't lead to anything good. If he will comply when you "bribe" him, stick with that. As for the leaning back thing, Alfie does it too when she is trying to avoid stepping up. If he is biting while he's there, just do the earthquake thing - shake him off. He'll soon learn that biting is unacceptable and that it loses him his shoulder priveleges!. Lovely pics by the way - your tree is fab!

Aw bless him - he obviously knows you have a lot on your plate and wants to give you a hand with the hoovering!! And how brave is he to tackle those instuctions - that sheet is HUGE!!! Funny pic - thanks for sharing.

Hi Keegan, welcome to the Forum. Your baby does look quite young, but I guess there will be variations from grey to grey as to how they develop. Do you have reason to doubt your breeder when they say 6 months? As for the moult, that will vary too - usually around 6-8 months is the norm, my grey was certainly starting to loose the fluffy feathers by 6 months, and this will definitely cause Ginger to scratch. Misting with water is good if you can't get aloe juice, and Jay's advice of Canola oil will be good. Ginger is a good name and would suit a boy or a girl - we called Alfie he for a year before we found out she was a girl!!

Erm........is he not yawning?

The colours on these birds are just amazing. Thanks Jay for taking the time to bring us these photos and all this info. Jill, you are so lucky to have seen these in real life!!

Cute pics - just wait till his raids become more daring!!

Alfie is too - I usually set up the camcorder and just leave it running! The things we have to do eh?!!

What beautiful pets you all have - that calf is supercute, and cognac looks fab! Dave - where did you find that tiny foal?!!! That doesn't look real!! Janet - we need pictures pleeeeeease! Are they fishes?

Get a Sandy Perch Steven. I had this problem with Alfie around the same age, my hands were lacerated. But after introducing Sandy Perches her nails have never been a problem since. You get them on ebay, probably among other places. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Sandy-Perch-Play-14-Jumbo-/360050939829?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item53d4b557b5

I never met a TAG, but wholeheartedly agree with the others, if you have the chance to meet both, then do, and go with the bird who chooses you. Good luck with your decision - can't wait to see your new baby!! And welcome to the Forum!!

If, no sorry, when (!!!!) Alfie is doing something she oughtn't, I usually give an "aa-aaa" sort of noise - it's a sharp sound that get's her attention instantly. I caught her this morning having a little tussle with her inner angel and devil, wether or not to chew the curtain rings - it was sooooo funny! The angel won out in the end and she even gave her self a brief "good girl" for resisting!!

Steven, when Isaac fluffed at your daughter, was he in his cage? His cage is his safe place, and any socializing may be better done away from it. If having people round isn't easy, take Isaac out in his travel cage. Go for a walk to the park, sit on your front doorstep - you will get loads of people stop to say hello to Isaac and he will hopefully get used to them and see they are not monsters. It doesn't surprise me too much that Isaac bit your face because of the cuddle. Once a friend of ours came into the house with a muckle soft lump of a golden lab, it's the only dog/thing Alfie growls at, this first meeting, she was on David's hand, so it's him who got the nip, it's like she wanted to bite that dog soooooooo much, but just bit whatever was closest. Hopefully Isaac is still young enough that you can socialize him and have a less dramatic reaction when visitors come around!

Sheila, this is really good news, I'm so pleased for you and Charlie. You've been so dedicated this past few months, giving him his meds, and the care he has needed - he is a lucky bird to have you. As for bathtimes, I think you are right not wanting to push him, but it is important. If he used to enjoy it, maybe he'll come round, you just have to remind him that he loves it so! Try the sound of running water trick. It might entice him. If not, take him in the shower with you and at least then he's getting the moisture.

Ee-i-ee-i-O! And on that farm he had a Ee-i-ee-i-O! Any more animals to add anyone? I know we've had a list before of various animal noises our birds make, but I thought it would be more fun to try and capture them all!!

They are funny aren't they? Alfie certainly keeps us laughing! Lol Jill - I don't think she could keep quiet long enough to go up there and never be discovered!! Dan - how did you know?!! That was her attitude in a nutshell! And dutifully, I did, of course!! Thanks for looking folks.

Haha - definitely a hissy fit coming there!! THanks for sharing.