BaxtersMom

If you can tell that he's not angry or scared I would say he's just trying his wings out so to speak. Excersizing and making the wings stronger. Baxter does this occassionly and I swear he is going to just take off with the cage and all. :laugh: But if you think its something not natural or even harmful like somethings wrong then perhaps you need more advice or even a vet visit.

Yes, the seeds can be toxic and should always be removed.

I've been thinking about WHY & how could someone just drop them off at a pet store and the only thing I can come up with in my head is maybe the owner passed away and left them to someone... a friend, their grown children perhaps and they didn't want them or weren't able to give them their proper care or didn't know how. Perhaps they started to pluck under the care of the new "caretakers" and the only thing they could think of was to drop them off at a pet store where they knew the would be cared for. Obviously if they were real parrot people, they wouldn't just abandon them like that or they could have found a proper home for them. They weren't out for money thats for sure. (Can't say that for the pet store though):whistle: Nemo is well socialized, has a great appetite, eats pellets but shuns the seeds if you can believe that. Also loves fresh fruits, veggies and loves human food too. It know what the kitchen is and that there is food there and will crawl down my sleeve to get goodies from the counter:laugh: Nemo was clipped at the store but I can tell he used to be a flyer. Other than the plucking it's a well rounded bird. Another theory is that the pet store just made the story up???? I will keep updating Nemos progess as it's made. Thanks everyone for welcoming Nemo into the mix {Love-000200BF}

Why do you feel you have only 2 months to decide? Why is there a dead line on the decision? My suggestion to you would be to keep your grey fully flighted and let him or her learn to fly if it wishes. There is a great chance that it will not be any problem at all. If a problem should arise with having a flighted parrot then you can decide if it is in the best interest to clip or not to clip. I do believe it is in the parrots best interest not to be clipped but I do not hold it against those who clip their birds either. I have 5 parrots. My grey, conure and eclectus are not clipped and never have been nor do I plan to ever have them clipped. My amazon is clipped(~my husbands decision) and our newest Meyer parrot we just brought home was clipped at the pet store but I intend to let his wings grow back out. Is your grey a baby that has never flown...is it an older bird with unclipped wings that already knows how to fly? Can you tell us more about your grey and why you think or feel you should or should not clip?

Wow, I knew they were good but I didn't know they were that good!!! Luckily, my amazon and the rest of the gang do like their apples. Just curious, do apples do all the same stuff for humans too? Anti inflammatory, lower high cholesterol, etc?

Nemo is a true sweetie. I can't get over how small he is next to the other parrots. He really isn't that much bigger than a parakeet it seems but he grinds his beak just like the big boys:lol: I ordered a product last night upon Daves recommendation. Hopefully, it will arrive soon and hopefully it will work. I'm optimistic.

I know, I can't understand it either. How can someone do such a thing!! Then again, I think they probably knew they couldn't take care of them and thought a pet store was the best place for them. So, there was some logic to it. Anyways, Nemo is family now...feathers or not. <br><br>Post edited by: BaxtersMom, at: 2010/01/12 00:45

This photo is when we first brought Nemo home. He had more chest feathers here but he quickly plucked most of them out in the couple days. We are starting all over but they are starting to come back. <br><br>Post edited by: BaxtersMom, at: 2010/01/12 00:42

I wanted to share my latest flock member with everyone and give some of his or her history that I know. Nemo is a Meyer parrot and much smaller than any of our other flock members. Nemo is the name we gave him after bringing him home. We found him at the pet store we always go to right before Christmas. Nemo plucks. Apparently someone placed Nemo and it's companion on the doorsteps of the pet store and just left them there to be found by the store owners. (Some people :angry: ) They said there was a note but it didn't say much other than they were about 12 years old. They had already sold the companion to Nemo and we decided that for Christmas he was going to get a new home and we took him home that day. They said he had been checked by the vet and was healthy. Nemo plucks his back between his wings, small area on each wing on top and his chest feathers. When we brought him home he had a lot of down feathers on his chest and few small blue ones but after just a few days of being in his new house he pretty much plucked all of them out. Poor thing has been through a lot. It's been about 3 to 4 weeks now. A few feathers has started to come back in but I don't know if he will leave them alone or not. I've never had a plucker before so all I know from reading other posts is to use aloe juice and aloe gel and get a humidifyer to get moisture into the air. I mist him once or twice a day with the aloe juice. I tried the gel 2 times and he plucks like crazy after I applied it so I haven't used it again. I got a humidifyer and that's all I know to do right now. He seems to be adjusting well. He's very friendly and he likes us. I haven't seen any problems with behavior except the plucking. If anyone out there reading this has experience with pluckers please please let me know what to do. I'd like Nemo to grow those pretty blue feathers back. If he does I will be thrilled...if he doesn't I will love him anyway. <br><br>Post edited by: BaxtersMom, at: 2010/01/12 00:38

You have such a wonderful heart. I'm sure Tully will thrive under your care. Can't wait to see photos and will watch for your updates. I need advice as well. I took in a little Meyer parrot that was abandoned on a pet stores door step right before Christmas. He or she is a plucker as well. We did this right before Christmas and told him he was going to get a new loving home for Christmas. It amazed me too that they charged top dollar for this little bird that they had nothing invested in and only had him or her for a week, but you are right there is no price you can put on changing a living creatures life. It's okay that you got one more;) I am up to 5 now. :blush: I will be watching this post and waiting for updates. Oh, one more thing. My new Meyer (Nemo is his name) plucks his back between his wings, a little on the top of his wings and his chest. He had some down feathers coming in on his chest when we brought him home but within 2 or 3 days he plucked them all out. I figured this setback was from the added stress coming to a new place. I am misting him daily with aloe vera and have bought a humidifyer since the air is so dry during these cold winter months. We've only had him about 3 weeks. I don't know if I can help Nemo stop the plucking but know I will love him whether he plucks or not. You are such a good person for giving Tully a new shot at life. Karma to you my friend.

I could pick out Baxter because he has a dark dot next to the pupil of his eye.

Ewwww.:sick:

And lastly here it sits by a bird cage.

Here is a close up. I could tell the difference in the air almost immediately after plugging it in. I am very pleased with it and I bet the fids are too. My skin already feels way better. :silly: <br><br>Post edited by: BaxtersMom, at: 2010/01/10 22:11

Hey everyone. I just wanted to share this cool looking humidifyer that I got this weekend. I should have had one a long time ago but now that we took in a plucker I felt it was a necessity. Plus, the air is just so darn dry during the winter months. I looked at local stores for humidifyers and almost got one but they all looked so "medical" and cold and it would definately be a eye sore in our living room. My husband found a real cool looking one for the same price as the medical looking ones. The one I bought was only $35.00 and is so decorative. It's called Mist of Dreams humidifyer and it has a art glass bowl with an underwater light in the center. The mist billows out the sides as if it's rolling out of the bowl. It has different color lights in the bowl too so it changes from red to blue to yellow, etc. It's sharp and looks more like a piece of art work than a humidifyer. Here's some pics. It looks much better than the phots show but here they are anyway. Post edited by: BaxtersMom, at: 2010/01/10 22:08<br><br>Post edited by: BaxtersMom, at: 2010/01/10 22:08

He does have a large personality but I think most amazons do. We feel blessed to have him but he does demand a lot of attention but he's so fun we really don't consider it a chore at all though. I know he does sound so much like me. I have trouble sometimes figuring out who's voice it is myself. One thing I would like to mention...when he is having a really good time, like after his dog Jacksons bath and him running after my house shoes, etc. I do not dare ask him to step up. He is so into the moment and could easily take a finger off. He has to settle down before we pick him up again. I made the mistake once of thinking he could be in the middle of excitement and just go back to being calm and it hurt!!! He grabbed my finger and bit down and his bites are not like our other birds. He has a "bone crushing" effect :pinch: and seems to target the knuckles. He grabs on and crushes with his beak and those ones can hurt for a month or so. It's important to watch his warning signs..the pinning eyes, spread tail and his lunges or we'll be sorry.

Usually when I give my dog a bath, my dog runs back and forth and Cooper likes to chase him. Today, Cooper got real interested in my house shoes. I guess they are hilarious to him. http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=102065830

It's good to hear that deep down Dayo really appreciates Jake being around.:laugh: It amazes me how birds interact with each other. With mine it seems they are just like kids sometimes. One day some are buddies and the next day they are getting on each others nerves. All depends on the circumstances and "zones" as you said.

Hmmmm. I got a gallon quite some time ago and I never refridgerated it:huh: It's ususally kept in the garage where it is much cooler but now I am wondering myself.

Nice video Dan. Those conures sure love their baths don't they? And great news that Jake is talking. Our conure has a language but I don't understand it, but I know they are words. It is odd that he would start after such a long time. Congrats on all the progress you have made with him. Was Dayo just jealous of Jake getting the attention? Do they normall get along? Thanks for sharing the video.

That's a great photo and I just love the bird room you have!<br><br>Post edited by: BaxtersMom, at: 2010/01/09 17:26

Owen is indeed gorgeous. I also love your bird room and one day I hope to have one for my flock too decorated just for them.<br><br>Post edited by: BaxtersMom, at: 2010/01/09 17:27

Salsa, you are beautiful and you seem to live in the moment but please be careful, you know how those greys like Spock are...a little more quiet but always calculating. :laugh:

This is a cool topic. I love learning more facts about the different species. Karma for you for starting this. That is a gorgeous Amazon.

Cooper loves his baths. http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=102063919<br><br>Post edited by: BaxtersMom, at: 2010/01/09 16:07