retronut

hi all, over the last few weeks Vince has been difficult to get back in his cage at night. what can i do to get him to go back easier? sometimes he goes back ok but today he point blank refused. i had to pick him up and place him in the cage. i gave him a monkey nut and told him good boy for putting up with being handled but i never wanted to resort to it. as he hasn't been going back straight away when he does go back i tell him good boy and give him a treat. he's out atleast 4 hours after i get back from work. he also never goes back to his cage for a drink or for food on his own. it's like he'd stay up all night if i let him. any help or advice is welcome!

i got my grey from a breeder that runs a website called parrotcare.com. im suggesting this as they will deliver your grey for you.

how weird! :ohmy: this happened to Vince only yesterday. i got home from work and he had a feather sticking out of his back, he looked like a shark :woohoo: after being out of his cage for awhile he bagan to groom and it just fell away. he didn't even seem to notice it fall so i dont think they hurt. hope that helps

i put Vince back in his cage if im cooking or ironing. its best to be safe, i agree with she. reguarding getting a bird used to noise i just tell Vince "loud noise!" just before i make the sound. this way he knows something is coming and puts up with it. he has sat on my shoulder while i vacuum so it works for us. just make sure to only give them a 'taster' of the noise before going all out! :woohoo:

thanks everyone for your replies. i've come to the conclusion he is just doing it in play. you know how some birds like to hang upside down from your fingers? well i think vince is thinking about how to do this but when he trys it he freaks out a bit :laugh: . he likes to hang upside down from his perches so this seems a likely reason to me :unsure: . just for some back ground its not something we have a problem with everyday. its something that he trys every now and then. i posted the issue because he'd tried it a few times that day. i dont think he was setting me up for a bite either, but hopefully i've explained a little about why i thought he was doing it on purpose, he wanted to hang upside down but when he got there he was scared, lol :blink: thanks as always!

hey everyone. i need help with Vince. i've read greys go through maturity around 1 to 2 years but also have a similar period of 'testing you' at around 6 months. is this true? i read it on this site and it make sense. they'd want to show their flock they're an individual once out on their own, and then again when they mature. anyway, vince is 7 months and i think he's going through the 1st change, lol! now thats out of the way lets get onto my problem. when Vince bites i tell him no and if he keeps it up i leave the room for a minute or 2. i dont react when he bites me, unless he get the nail!! :ohmy: so im doing my best here. what im having problems with is his habbit on hanging off my hand and biting me whilst he holds tightly onto my fingers! he'll be perched on my hand fine and when the feeling takes him he 'flops' forward so he's hanging and then bites me. its like hes doing it to regain his balance, but he knows exactly what he's doing. when he does this it can last a while, everytime i need to move him we'll go through the routine. why do you think he does this? how can i stop him doing it? is my way of desciplining ok? he doesn't seem to care when i say no but if i leave the room he seems to be willing to 'suck up' a little when i return :laugh: . i've only had him since oct 08 so things are pretty new to me. i love having a grey and this if my only real problem. how am i doing?

thanks all! <br><br>Post edited by: retronut, at: 2009/02/15 21:36

i've posted here before but have just realised how to post a proper pic, lol!

hope this works! :unsure:

hi all, im planning on teaching Vince some tricks. got any ideas? im gona start with hand shaking and maybe then try waving? what do your parrots do? what has been easy to teach? what has taken forever to learn? what method did you use to teach each trick? thanks for any replies. im sure i'll be trying them all out soon, and think of all the people reading this who will give them a go also!

hey all, haven't posted much for a while but have been reading alot! something that has got me thinking is a post about egg laying. my grey Vince isn't sexed, i dont really know if he's male or female. Vince just stuck, and 'his' gender isn't important to me. getting back on track, what if he lays an egg? when do they start laying? at how old? how many eggs in a clutch? is this something all females do? thanks to this site i know what to do if an egg appears but just thought id ask about beforehand, lol! Vince is only 7 months so im sure if he turns out to be a she i still have a while to wait before an egg may appear anyway :laugh:

hey everyone so far i have kept vince away from mirrors. how do your greys interact with them? not the bird toy kind, the bathroom brush your hair in kind. having a budgie i know birds get confused and can fly into them. however, with greys being so clever, if i show vince the mirror will he understand not to fly into it? or is it just one of those 'bird' things? my reason for asking is because ive got a stand so he can shower in the bathroom, if i can get him to use it! to get to the bathroom tho we have to pass two mirrors, lol. i dont want him hurting himself! thanks guys!

hi all maybe its me but i couldnt find the info i was after using the search function. i'd like to know if potatoes are ok for greys to eat? i've seen some info on sweet potatoes but nothing on the regular kind or the little 'new' potatoes. i read on another site they are ok as long as they are cooked, raw is a no no. i dont plan on feeding vince potatoes, but wanted to find out because he sometimes steals my dinner! :laugh: thanks!

hi michelle and ruby. im quite new here also, it is a great place. im sure you'll find lots of helpfull friendly people as i have. welcome along

thanks for repling all! ive updated my profile pic so you can all see vince with his current favourite bottle cap! :laugh:

since im new to parrot ownership ive only recently started letting vince have a taste of my meals. so far so good. as he wonders over i have a small amount ready, i 'point' this portion at him, lol! pasta has been his favourite so far by a mile. years ago i also had a budgie that would eat from a plate and he was fine with lots of different foods. im sure vince will be the same. thanks everyone for your ideas, im off to get some cherries!

good luck poppy, keep us updated. how exciting!

welcome dragonheart!

hey nikki, i've had my cag for just over 2 weeks also! welcome to the forum!

help please! ive had vince now for nearly 3 weeks. he comes out of his cage for hours each day, as he should, lol. thing is, he never flies back to his cage? he has landed on it a few times but so far has never gone back to his cage for a drink or some food. is this normal? does he just make the most of his time out knowing i'll put him back at some point? i worry he's hungry or thursty sometimes. there's no food or drink available while he's out. thanks for any info!

hey everyone! just thought id ask what your grey's play with. i've spent loads on toys as im sure you all have to. some they like, some they dont. at the moment vince likes to play with a bottle cap! :laugh: of all the toys i've got him he chooses this over all of them! to save me some cash, what other household items get your birds attention?

Vince yawns loads, i love it :laugh:

thanks trustdace! next time i'm in the store i'll pick up some baby lima beans.

hey all. i read something on this site about dried peas. off i went to the supermarket where i was amazed at how many things come in dried form :ohmy: i got some dried split peas. i know chic peas are ok aswell. ive looked for the original thread but cant find it. can anyone give me a list of dried things my grey can eat. are the split peas ok? are they just normal peas that have been split? lol, im so clueless! also, what nut/fruit mixes are best to look out for? thanks again!!

just for anyone who may see this. i ordered my grey from parrotcare.com, he arrived 3 days ago and they've been great. i'd recommend them highly. feel free to contact me if you want further details.