Suzzique

Oh Mas I am so sorry to hear this! Here is a link that might make you smile anyway. http://cbs4.com/pets/Oscar.Cockatoo.Broward.2.696525.html

Alex preens my hair all the time. It's mostly in the evening. I'm starting to get a few grey hairs so he pulls those out. LOL

I like the idea of the singing with the birds then playing the cd on loop when gone. Another idea that was done on the other forum was they made a doll for in the cage. They made it out of an old t-shirt of the favored person. I hope you can get her better! Just remember everything takes time.

Mas is Zahzu allowed to be out of her cage all the time if someone is home? If not this would be a good start. This is from my friend that took in a plucking grey. It is a reply to plucking for another members too. But it is all still good advice. - Build Honey's interest in crispy/ crunchy/ shredding toys. I bought a gross of these woodchip finger traps and started out by hiding Holly's favorite treats (pistachios) in them, while she watched. Then I'd hand it to her. She knew there was a treat in there, she just had to find the "hard spot" to get the nut. If I were you I'd start a game where you and and your husband (and maybe others?) take turns "hiding" the treat in the toy and passing it to her. And everyone cheers her for finding it! WooHoo! - Once she associates the finger toy with treats, start putting other things in it, besides treats. Thanks to Stephwall's suggestion, I used uncooked penne. I'd hide a pistachio, bookend it with penne, then plug both ends of the finger toy with beads or rope. Now Holly really had to work to find her treat. - After that, I found 2 new uses for the finger trap toys: A) I would thread penne on a skewer / kabob toy (like this one, but you probably already have toys you can recycle). Cover the penne with the finger toy and hang it in her cage. I think this was the start of Holly's turning point. I'd hang it over night, and in the morning it was shredded at the bottom of her cage. I'd hold up the pieces from the bottom of her cage, and cheer what a good girl she is. B) Per Jodie's recommendation I got this Foraging System. The first time I left it hollow, but made sure Holly watched me put her pistachios in there. She destroyed it. From then on I went back to stuffing the finger traps with nuts, penne beads and rope, and THEN putting THESE in the foraging system. They fit perfect, and again, Holly has to work all the harder to get her treat. That's the long way of saying I think your husband should introduce and encourage shredding new things, while introducing you as a co-cheerleader. Does Honey talk? Does she mimic any one bird over another? I would make them neighbors. Granted I only have 2 birds and they have no choice but to be neighbors, but I KNOW Holly has picked up so many habits from Vinnie -- from foraging, to untying knots and picking at beads. She used to never play with toys, and now I find beads in her food bowl -- which means she has to traverse her cage with the beads in her beak. I'm so proud of her. One other thing I think helps when I'm out is singing songs to the birds when I'm home, and playing the songs while I'm out. Uh... okay... they're spoiled! Vinnie and Holly have their own iPod. When I'm cleaning their cages I sing along to "This Old Man", "You are My Sunshine!", "Old MacDonald" etc. etc. And when I have to go out, I leave these playing in a loop. It might not be my voice, but I KNOW it means something in my absence. I don't know if these may or may not apply to you? I'm thinking off the top of my head, what would I do? I hope you'll pardon the verbosity

Keep us posted and we want pictures when you find him/her.

Ooo nice one Carolyn! Everyone is so creative!

Alex is about 418g. The vet was happy with his weight.

Nope sounds like he is playing and learning to pick stuff up with his feet. Totally normal and noting to worry about.

Birds beaks are made of the same stuff that our fingernails are. They grow all the time. What you are seeing is totally normal. Sometimes the beak grows into thicker layers and the old layers chip off in big chunks. This is what Alexs uper beak is doing. He condisions his beak all the time so useally within a few hours he has it all much more smooth again. I'm really surprised that your vet was not able to tell you this info.

Really it is very easy. Nothing is glued so that it can be pulled apart and redone as you can see. I reuse parts. Most hardwear stores will cut down the pvc pipe for you.

Don't worry he will eat if he is hungry. Alex and Martini never eat in thier cages unless it's after they have been put to bed or if we are gone. Get him his own dish for his fresh stuff that can be on his playstand or top of his cage. Set it in frunt of him and walk away. I always tell them Mmmm Yummy Breakfest! If he's hungry he will eat. But the hand feeding each thing could cause problems later. Make him do it himself.

Umm.. The ear bit can be that he is trying to worn you about something. Alex has bit my ear when the dog comes into the room and I don't acknowlage her (he doesn't like her). There are meny reasons for a bit. But really they use thier beaks and mouth like we use our hands. I know it's not easy but you have to decide is it truely a bit or is he using his mouth to acheave something? Like your not going fast enough with the water? Also is he having a grumpy day? If Alex is being a grump and bits I set him down and walk away from him. This way he knows mom's not happy but that I understand he's not happy also. Right now the only time he gets time out in his cage is if he is harrassing Martini.

Here are the 3 that I have done for Alex. The base is the same just the top part changes.

Sounds like it's about the same size as the one I have for Alex. I have one the same size for Martini even though he is smaller. They both love it and will hang upside down from it.

Alex and Martini (senegal) both bit thier nails as well. I always just figured that it was part of prining as that is when they do it most.

ALL birds bit. It doesn't matter what kind you get at some point you ARE going to get bit. You can't show fear and you need to take the bit AND not make a fuss. Or they will keep doing it because they got a reaction out of you. Remember that they have the stringth in thier jaw to crack nut shells. I've had to use a pair of plyers to fix toys that Alex undid. One of Alex's fav things to do is what is called the grey sucker punch. He will put his head down like he wants a head scratch when you go to scratch he bits. It is not normally hard but he does it. He loves to bit my son because he gets such a great reaction out of him. This has gotten better as my son is working hard on not reacting. Not to sound like we are trying to talk you out of owning a bird. It's great that you are doing resurch! Remember they can be loud they ARE messy and becides the cost of the bird, cage, and food you will be spending an avarage of $50+ every month just on toys. I spend that easy and I make most of Alex's toys. Oh and Alex is a dna'd male

It is a compleat myth that male greys are better talkers than females. The other thing is that just because you get a bird that is known for talking doesn't mean that it will talk. Though Alex is young yet he has yet to say anything. He has a number of sounds and he "sings" all the time but he doesn't talk. If he starts talking then that will be a bonus for us. I can not imagin life without my spoiled goof ball weather he talks to me or not. DNA testing is the only %100 positive way to know if you have a boy or girl. I have a friend on another forum that took in a 4 year old plucking grey female. She talks up a storm and is even learning a bit of French.

It helps keep thier skin soft as well as the feathers. It is ok for them to drink as well. It doesn't need to be done every day just a few times a week.

It was. More so for my son as she had become his bird. We really got Alex for him but it didn't work out that way. I took in Martini more for me and again that hasn't worked out. My youngest daughter is his new mom! He loves her so much he will try and bit anyone who trys to take him away from her. He does contact calls to her if she leaves the room without him. I really don't mind that he doesn't like me much. Bella didn't like me much eather. What is important is that he is well loved and is happy. Which I think he is! He loves his play area and the toys that I made for him. He is learning to eat dinner with us just like Alex does. He seems happy and that's all that counts. B) My son is starting to save to get another Pionus. I'm sure we will end up helping him in the end.

Alex has a little bitty cage because it is used mostly just for him to sleep in. I do want to get him something bigger. Need to find a job first.

ROFL that is a great picture!:laugh: :laugh:

OMG they are just the cutest things! Oh and granny's get to spoil rotten! Aunties can too but not usally to the extent grannys can! ;)B)

Oh sounds as if Bonkers has found himself a great mom! You have gone above and beyond what most would have done to find his old owners. I know this sounds bad but there are people out there that just pretty much throw the bird out the door because they don't want it any more. The lady that we got Bella from was going to do that. Bella wasn't even flighted at the time. Bella passed away about this time last year do to a respitoriy infection. She is very missed.

You know it's funny Martini is half Alex's size and eats as much as Alex does. All birds are different. As she is a baby I really wouldn't worry about it to much.

Alex pretty much loves it all. He does like chicken bones but is not always in the mood for them. So even though I offer when we do have them he doesn't always eat it. But yep if it's on our plates and we are eatting it he conciders it fair game.