BaxtersMom

I think that's true Sheila, when ever I would want to do anything with one of my fids I would take him out of the room where his cage was so he wouldn't want to be getting back in it and if he would see it he will probably want to go back in to his safe place:) I didn't get that at first but yes taking him out of the room would probably be a good idea.

That's great he got a clean bill of health from the vet:) I would handle his him as much as he will allow at his pace of course. At first I got bit so many times with Baxter and he drew blood. It was very painful and my hands looked a mess and I really did get discouraged and laid off and sulked about it:unsure: . Then when I got my bearings again:P I would try and make a game of it. My game was to touch him as much as I possibly could and not get bit. For example when I would pet him I would just touch him on his head or neck, as far as he would let me and when I seen the neck stretch or he turned real fast, I would just stop right there and try and go a little further the next time. I would also do this when I had him out on my hand and was able to pet him a little further and a little further each day. We both seemed to like it better when there was no biting involved.Even Baxter. I don't think he wanted to bite but didn't know what else to do to make me stop once he was out of his comfort zone. You said he is biting with no warning. Is he in his cage when he does this? If he is I think he is just protecting his space. Baxter did this to me, too. Just wondering, does he know the step up command? Baxter didn't and once he learned that there really was no turning back for us after that. I think I taught him that the end of the first week or beginning of second. He picked it up in a day or two at the most. He learned it fast and then our real progress began. I could get him on my hand and away from the cage and pet him. It was better for me to mess with him away from his cage. I've had Baxter about 4 months now and I can touch him all over, spread his wings and touch under them if I have to. When we started I could only touch the top of his head and every great now and then he'd put his head down for a scratch. He is even taking showers now:) I was also wondering how he bit you. Is it when you are petting him or just near him. Does he lunge at you or just bite to make you leave him alone? He's still getting used to everything too. I don't think Baxter really felt settled in untill about a month.

Hello and welcome to the forum! Yes, it is a great place to be:) Sheila has given you some good advice. This might have been just an isolated incident. Perhaps that particular feather was bothering him so he pulled it out. I wouldn't suspect plucking right away. Hope to hear more about you and Larry soon and if you have a picture we'd love to see him:)

Roger that is a very good picture of her.

Hey I like that. She is so cute. She likes those head scratches doesn't she????

I am so sorry for your loss. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

When you say how do I get him out of the room, do you mean the cage? I don't see why you would need to take him out of the room but when you have time to spend with him just leave the cage door open. He will eventually come out. If he doesn't that is ok, try it again another day. They will eventually go back in because they know thats where the food is. Or let him see you put new food in if you want him to go back in. It will take time and no plan is perfect but just keep doing as much as you can. At the same time, don't push him too much either.

I'm glad he is settling in well. His diets sounds so much like Baxters. Baxter was on a seed diet too, (previous owner told me all he needed to eat was parrot seed mix that you pick up at Walmart or grocery store:ohmy: ) and he said he would give him chips every now and then for a snack (another :ohmy: ) I will admit I am still struggling with this:( and its been about 4 months now. Baxter didn't want any food good for him at first and would toss it out of his cup. Luckily he took to pellets right away though so I am glad about that. But with the fruit and veggies I tried to feed him with me and let him know how good the apples or whatever I wanted him to try was and he showed no interest what so ever:angry: Oh he is a stubborn one. I tried putting them in his food bowl all the time in the mornings and he left them or threw them out. I've asked around in the beginning and everyone tells me to keep offering this to him and I did and he finally got to where he would eat brocolli, cauliflower and carrots. But only some days, not all days but he does seem to like the carrots still, so there was some progress. He would eat french fries right from the start (more junk food) so I gave him part of my baked potato and he really enjoyed that. It did have a little bit of butter on it too (my bad) but he ate it. Another day I gave him part of a hard boiled egg and he loved it the first time he had it but the next week wouldn't touch it. :pinch: I tried scrambled eggs to and it's the same way, one time he will like it and the next time he wont. I am still trying to offer him everything I can think of to see what works and although we are making progress he fights me on still. There is a post with recipes now in the bird room now and I have cooked a few things for him and he is actually eating it. He had oatmeal with red pepper and raisens this morning:) . (he wouldn't eat a red pepper or raisen any other time or way) I have also been putting things in the scrambled eggs when I give them to him. So now I am thinking he likes warm foods maybe. Of course he wants me to cook for him but this way he is allowing the me to sneak the good foods into his food and actually eating some of them;) My only advice is keep trying different things over and over and over. It may take a long time like it is for me but Atleast now I can get him to eat a few things but it has been an ongoing battle between us. Try everything you can, raw veggies, cooked veggies, some foods off your plate, etc and see if he shows any interest in any of it. One other thing I noticed was I have a portable perch with food cups and when he is on that he likes to eat so I put healthy stuff in the cups and on several occassions he would eat brocolli there. The quickest things Baxter took to was boiled egg noodles, eggs (at first) and baked potatoes/french fries and sweet potatoes. Good luck, let me know what works for you because I need help with it too.

He sounds like such a sweetie and sounds like he is so willing to be the best bird ever. I think it's cute that he pulls your shirt to get you closer. Tigger my eclectus does that to me. I bet he is so happy with you.{Love-000200BF}

That is pretty ingenius. I just give mine theirs in the cage and let them have at it. They love them by the way. It looks much more interesting strung up like that though:) I wasn't able to get in your other link with the cup cake wrappers:( Must be a glich, repost please:)

Hi and welcome to the forum. Can't wait to hear more about your new grey and the rest of your flock.

I don't know where you read greys are anything like monkies because I don't see it. Since you brought it up~I think a monkey would be good for these things you want to do. Seriously. What's wrong with that? A monkey would like things like you describe and much more willing. If you get a grey you shouldn't have these kind of expectactions of it. It would take a lot of time & work. Good luck to you. : 2008/11/04 20:48<br><br>Post edited by: BaxtersMom, at: 2008/11/04 20:49

Well she looks right at home in the shower. 2 of my birds take showers but they didn't enjoy it as much as Sassy did. The perch is a good idea. I might have to try something like that. Thanks for showing us.

Hi DJ, You said you haven't been spending much time with him since that point where he ate out of your hand. It sounds like you were spending time and working with him and got to the point where he felt comfortable enough to take food from you. If you have stopped giving him the attention that he is needing then he won't continue to progress like you want. I think it takes time, patience and consistancy. Can you spend more time with him? Perferably on a daily basis? Does any one other than you work with him when you aren't able to?

That's a nice cage. It looks like it has more room height wise than mine does. The seed trays bigger than mine is and the door is wider than mine, too. Hey, I'll trade ya:laugh: :side: :silly:

Carolyn I love Mikas Rules{Feel-good-0002006E} They are too funny!

Oh that sounds like it went very well. If he is already being vocal and sitting and preening I think he is already starting to feel at home. I am so happy for you! Can't wait for to hear about all your upcoming adventures with George:) Your life will never be the same again;) :woohoo:

Tanner is just gorgeous!!! And I love his face. He looks happy and mischievious:laugh:

Hey Scott, another great picture with 2 beautiful girls:) Caroline was so right when she said it can seem like a lengthy process but looking back on my experience with Baxter. It seemed like it took forever...then 2 months later, I could touch him everywhere, he was "practicing" flying and learning to play with toys and he was loving it. I think of it now and think 2 months is really a blink of an eye. It just seems like it takes forever when you are going through the process;) Every day has been a total joy with him. I am so glad you found her. And yes, please keep us updated;) I love hearing these kind of stories.

Those are some very cute pictures. I really like the one where she is looking down at us from inside the shade.:laugh: They can be little stinkers. Mine have started the same thing kind of. If I don't talk to them for awhile and they know I am around they will fly and try to find me in the back room (which is where I usually am) Gosh, they are so darn smart;)

Hi Melissa & Charlie, Congradulations on getting your baby grey:) . This is an excellent grey site to help answer any questions you may have, meet new friends and just talk about our beloved greys. I'm sure you will enjoy it.

That is a super nice cage!!! And I love the room they cages are in. Very nice! I can already see cage number 2 coming in:laugh: . I bought Tigger my eclectus a new cage, then felt sorry for Baxter who is top dog/bird around here so went out and bought him a cage 2 weeks later. I kept thinking Baxter deserved the new cage first but Tigger needed a new one more at the time. Only way to solve was get another cage, :laugh:

Judy, I won't forget, like Dan said we get reminded every 15 minutes with the ads on TV. I think it is great that you are so involved with the voting process and an elected official. Sounds like a hard days work for sure!!! Karma to you for being such a great American and giving your time for this election.

It's great she's in her new cage and I appreciate you telling us how you did it. I'm sure she will be fine. How could she not love it. She went from a condo to a mansion:laugh: :woohoo: :side: :silly: :side: You could never be a bad mommy, not after getting her a cage like that. :woohoo: I got Baxter a new cage a few weeks ago and I confess I did the same thing. I thought it would be a process for him to transfer over but I got it ready right in front of his old cage. While I was putting his toys inside I set him on the top perch and he seemed fine. He might have been a little nervous but not scared at all. I finally set him inside on a perch and put some food in his bowl and when he started bobbing his head up and down in approval, I knew he'd be fine:) . I rolled the old cage out too. I noticed you said you were "inside with her" I remember you gave the dimensions and I know it's a big one but I've got to see a picture of it. I want to see it sooooo bad. Please can we have a picture??? Please Please Please{Feel-good-000200A2} I<br><br>Post edited by: BaxtersMom, at: 2008/11/02 03:10

I think it depends on the bird or birds also. I have Baxter my grey and a month later our neighbor brought us over a lost conure. (could not find owners so we kept him) Anyway, I could not keep my conure away from my greys cage from the start.:ohmy: He (conure) Totally blew our quarantine rules, too:angry: . To make a long story short, my conure spends half his day on Baxters cage and sneaking his food. they get along great but have heard other members say they can not let their birds out at the same time. I guess I was lucky on this one. It might help how you introduce them to each other too so when and if you get your grey some of the members can give you some advice on that too.