Azzie

Kathleen, maybe you will get some comfort from these sites: http://rainbowsbridge.com/ http://www.petsonthenet.co.nz/prayersandpoems.htm

Heehee sounds like mum is having a bit of separation anxiety. Understandable though, with a precious little baby. However, focus on reality - as you say, he appears healthy, which is supported by his blood work and the vet. A lot of accidents can be prevented, as you know, since you have a lot of other animals, so perhaps to ease your own mind you could maybe put things in place like that. Maybe a blanket on the bottom of Maui's cage in case he's still a bit clumsy and might fall.... And if he gets ticked off...heh well I'm sorry Maui, that's life!

LisaMarie I would love to see a pic of your shepherd! I have one myself, a very dainty and delicately built 2 year old female, who weighs in at 25 kilos lol. She's soooo slender and elegant, that people comment on how ladylike she is.

Greys are well known for tantrums. They have the intelligence of a 5 year old human child, and the emotional IQ of a 2 year old, so it's entirely possible he's letting you know he doesn't approve. It is wonderful you spend so much time with your baby, but he also needs a little "alone" time, where he can just chill in his cage by himself. I read somewhere about the 3 types of contact a grey needs. One was alone time. Another was indirect contact, where he is in his cage but you are still interacting with him by talking and such, and the last one was the direct contact, playing, cuddling etc.

A little meat is good, it's protein. Don't feel preserved or smoked meats though such as salami, as its full of chemicals. Try giving a cooked chicken bone, and watch them turn into true cannibals hehe.

Haha thanks Jayd! Trust you to come to the rescue once again = )

I went away for three weeks to Europe and left my babies in the care of my housemate (whom my grey hates with a passion). The only difference I noted in my grey upon my return was that she had turned incredibly sweet and loving towards me. Seeds are junkfood to a grey. They are very tasty but have no nutritional value, so if your bird doesn't want to eat them, that's not a bad thing. Imagine a child that prefers to eat his brussel sprouts over McDonalds! Since he seems to like the corn pieces, why not try him with a fresh corn cob? I give my grey a raw one once in a while, and she loves it. You can use the sunflower seeds as special treats, or when you want to train and reward him.

Regarding bath time, there is no such thing as "normal" with a grey. Some love showers, some detest it and will do anything to avoid getting wet. Others will dive into the sink filled with water, and others look forward to a regular hosing with the spray bottle. There are some posts on the forum (somewhere!) about bathing which might have some information for you. Good luck!

I'm so sorry for your loss. Your feelings of grief, confusion and emptiness are normal - your family has just lost one of its members. I pray you will take some comfort in the fact that Jimmy had a wonderful life with your family, and is obviously well loved. When my 12 year old black lab Ollo died suddenly 2 years ago, I was devastated, and feeling the same as you are. I knew I wanted another dog, but not immediately. I was feeling so sad and empty, I decided to go to a petshop and surround myself with loving living creatures, just for some comfort for myself. I had no intention of buying anything. However, as I walked past the dog kennels, the very last one contained a single German shepherd pup, and it was love at first sight. I cried all over her fur in that shop, and took her home with me that very same day. She is not a replacement for Ollo, as nothing can replace him, and there will ALWAYS be an Ollo shaped hole in my heart, but getting her was the best thing I could have done I realise now. She did take away the emptiness, and gave me something positive to focus on during a really difficult time. There is no right or wrong if you decide to get another grey immediately, or wait a little while. In this instance, I'd say go with your heart, because regardless of what you decide, Jimmy will live on inside you forever. I still have a little shrine here for Ollo, with his ashes, some candles and some little ornaments, and rarely a day goes by where I don't miss him, but the sharpness of the pain and loss has faded, and I am more able to think of the good and the funny moments with him. Eventually your pain will fade too, although that won't do you much good during this aweful time. As to why Jimmy died, there could be many reasons. As the others suggested, a necropsy will give you the answers you are looking for, but I don't know if that would make things easier for you, or serve to make you feel like there was more you should/could have done. And don't be surprised if these feelings, and feelings of guilt pop up also during your grieving process. I wish you and your family strength and peace during this time, and always remember how well cared for your Jimmy was. I hope to hear more about your decision as to whether you will get another bird or not.

When you take your bird out, please make sure he is suitably restrained, either in a cage or a harness. Even with a botched clip, there's always a chance he will catch a wind current and float off into the distance.

What sort of breed are Billie and Hattie? As a child I used to go feed goats like that (back in Holland), but that breed doesn't seem to appear here in New Zealand.

Jeepers Jayd, is there anything you don't know? Impressive!

The occasional piece of cheese is ok, as it will add some calcium and protein to your bird's diet. However because it is a dairy product and therefore contains lactose, too much can be very harmful to a bird, as they lack the necessary enzymes to digest this, much like a human who is lactose intolerant. As the others suggested, patience and persistence is the key. Forming a bond with a grey can take a long time, and can be frustrating, especially when you have nothing but good intentions, and this darned bird just doesn't get it. Try to bear in mind that a grey cannot move into our world, so it is up to us to move into HIS world and adapt. One thing you might try is sitting in front of his cage, at a distance he seems comfortable with, and eating those little tid bits yourself. Perhaps small pieces of carrot, a grape, a capsicum (bell pepper), and quietly telling your bird how very yummmm and tasty this is, making sure he can see what you are doing. When I first got my grey, she was not interested in vegetables and fruit, and I spent many hours making a fool of myself sitting with her, eating in a most exaggerated fashion making nom nom noises and cooing over vegez. In the end her curiosity won out, and she came to the edge of the cage to see what the fuss was all about. Also try various textures and temperatures for your bird. Some birds go gaga over warm mushy foods, whereas others prefer crunchy and hard. Corn does seem to be a hit for a lot of birds. Cleo is mad for anything meat, whether it be chicken, ground beef or a small piece of ham. Another thing you might try is sunflower seeds, but not too many as these seeds are the McDonald's equivalent for birds - tasty, high in fat with very little nutrition. Keep at it though. A grey's trust has to be earnt, he doesn't just give it away to anyone, but once you have it, you will have a friend for life, and both you and your grey buddy will flourish. Good luck, and please keep us all posted!

Scuse my ignorance there Jayd but what are your fids eating there? It looks like some kind of lettuce?

I love the appraising looks Cleo makes after....head sideways, eyeing up the results.

Filing the nails is also an option, if your bird will let you. With Cleo, I have to hide her under my shirt when sitting down, so she is still on my lap. It seems the dark and warmth calms her, which allows me to quickly file the sharp edges off her nails. I use one of those metal "diamond" human files. Good old fashioned iodine on those cuts will clean them, dry them up and heal them in no time by the way.

Good luck and hope you have a safe uneventful trip.

Hi Donald Check out this site, it may have some answers for you: http://www.avianweb.com/africangreys.htm (now there's a name some of us might recognise too, under the photos!) Bear in mind the numbers there are averages, so there are greys who will fall outside that range.) From what I can gather, a grey will be fully grown around 8-10 months of age, but other people here will be able to confirm (or deny) that. Also remember when she is fledging, she may lose a little weight.

Yes I think they are called birdie farts. A squishy sound is a good description!

Karcar, it might not be anything you have done. It may just be your bird pushing limits, seeing what it can get away with and what not. Or it might be fear motivated. My grey loathes my roommate with a passion, and used to do flyby's and smack him with her wings. Except when he has food, then she's not afraid or aggressive, but is as sweet as pie, and gently accepts food. Once the food is gone, she's back to glaring at him and fluffing her feathers, even when he is nowhere near her. I think a lot of that has to do with the fact the roommate is very tall, very noisy and has a booming voice. I try and get him to talk "nice" to her, and he just ends up shouting GOOD GIRL...PRETTY BIRD at her. Keep at it with your bird just as you are doing, don't let on the bite hurts.

I'm no expert, but it's not bumblefoot is it? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bumblefoot_(infection) http://www.avianweb.com/bumblefoot.html

I wonder if this topic should be locked. I believe some less supportive comments have been removed, and continuing this on probably isn't in the best interest of people and the forum. Dave has come up with a suggestion, which people appear to agree with. Perhaps the moderators amongst themselves can figure out the best person to deal with this topic/issue, and someone can then make an official stickie post on who to approach?

Cleo is now 1 year and 10 months old. About 6 months ago she started practicing her speech, saying "quack quack" and "hello". Then after a month of that it suddenly stopped, and not a peep from her since, so I figured she CAN talk, but just doesn't want to. Until 4 days ago that was.... Now it is constant word practice, hello, quack quack, some form of peekaboo, what what, and the other day as I was dozing in bed listening to her 6am chatter session, I heard her say water, clear as a bell. She just does not stop practicing, just like people here said would happen. She still sounds like a little robot, with a very mechanical sounding voice, but I'm so proud of my little girl. I cheer her on each time she speaks, and it really appears she seeks the approval, as she looks over at me after she has said something.

If I don't tell Cleo to poop, she goes anyway. On me...on the floor...on the chairs...on the dog if she happens to be in the wrong place. Cleo now knows to go before I take her out of the cage....but if she doesn't go, I know that to mean she simply doesn't need to, and get taken out anyway.

Wow what a little chatterbox. And she has such a cute girlie voice!