Azzie

Wow it looks as if Santa himself lives there! Those are gorgeously decorated trees. Personally I would demand a good amount of presents under each tree though.

Welcome aboard! Bless you for having taking in these rescues. It breaks my heart when I see pictures and read stories like that, about abused and misused animals. They are not trash you can just cast aside when tired of them, or when they don't perform the way you want.

I have a Samsung cyclone type vacuum cleaner, which has a bagless system. It is based on Dyson's, but much much cheaper. Because there is no bag, you don't lose suction. The one I have has a 7 filter HEPA system, which is brilliant for not blowing dust and dander out the other end, and the filters are washable, so it will always contain the nasties that can cause allergies. I have a German Shedder, a CAG and 2 lorikeets, so there is always an abundance of fur, feathers, food scraps and sawdust, and this little vac takes care of it all.

Red meat! There are 2 types of iron, haem and non-haem. Haem iron comes from meat products, whereas non-haem from plants. Haem is quicker and easier to absorb into the body. A little vitamin C in the diet will further improve iron absorption.

Thank you for that link! It's a wonderful read, and very helpful as a reminder. Cleo and I have always had a respectful relationship, and prior to recently, the only time I was bitten was when I didn't respect her, and tried to force my will on to her. I have to say she has definitely changed though, a lot more independent in one way, yet a lot more close in the other.

She's got such a sweet girlie voice. Very cute!

Anyway, regarding the ability to tell the age from eye colour... A baby has black eyes, which will change to a silvery grey colour as the baby ages, changing to a pale straw yellow around two years of age. Some birds change a little sooner, some change a little later. You could always chop a leg off and count the rings though. No wait...does that apply for parrots too?

Here in the Southern hemisphere, summer is well and truly on its way, and that of course means it's cherry season!!! I bought the first cherries of the season, at an exorbitant price, to give to my fids. The keets were mega-excited and tweetered and chirped all over them before sucking all the juice out. Cleo could barely contain herself. I have never seen her pupils go so small! Her breast feathers were quivering and her chest shaking so hard it was making the foot holding the cherry shake with excitement. She kept begging for more, but I stopped giving them after 4. It was a real joy to watch and hear her eat them. She was positively smacking and chomping, and lapping the juice out of it with that black tongue. I have a few more tucked away for the fids later. Gah I love these animals!!!

If it's a genuine post, sounds like an impulse buy to me, with very little if any prior research done. Take the time and make the effort to read older posts on this forum. Do some more research on the internet. A bird that growls is an unhappy frightened bird, unless it is imitating a dog, which I doubt in this instance.

Bill, don't fret about not feeling too smart. We have all made mistakes and done things we shouldn't have. Long term bird owners have put their birds on top of the door, forgot the bird was there and closed the door on the bird's feet. My CAG loves pickles, and I was giving her pieces until someone pointed out the amount of salt used in the pickling process was enormous. Others have not read or mis-read a bird's body language and ended up paying the price for it with a big wound. It happens. We learn from it. That's why this is such a great forum. People share their experiences and offer sound advice. I can't begin to explain how much it's helped me with my Cleo.

Is it truly a bite, or a warning nip, or a playful pinch? The difference lies in the drawing of blood and firmness of the grip.

Cleo used to like watching Cops and anything with that potty mouth Gordon Ramsey. I think she found all the sirens, shouting and movement attractive, but she has lost interest in it.

Actually, seriously....Cleo seems to have settled down a touch. She is still much more independent than what she was, and still acts like a little brat sometimes with some overly rough play which results in bites with bleeding, but I've found that giving her more (MORE!!) toys and things to exert her energy on seem to have helped.

So right when you say they sometimes test your patience. Ripping keys off the keyboard if I am on the PC, shredding my book if I am trying to read, biting the phone if I am on it etc. In spite of all that, personally I would never clip any of my birds, and take away the one thing that makes a bird unique, its ability to fly. As well, a few times Cleo's ability to fly has saved her from nasty falls from her boing, when she's been a little too enthusiastic with it. Also, when she gets a fright, her ability to fly to a safer spot is worth it to me, keeping her flighted. It is such a natural thing to do for birds, that it would just be cruel (in my opinion) to take that ability away.

Billy, it breaks my heart to read that you were exposed to such information. This poor little baby just wants to be with you, and at 6 months he definitely still IS a baby. If he wants to cuddle with you, please let him, because there's a chance he won't want to anymore when he's a little older. And what better way to bond and establish trust than to engage in a smooching session. The clipped wings are a bit of an issue for me I admit. Are you considering letting them grow so he can learn to fly, like a bird was born to do?

Mine relates to my lorikeets, not my grey. Keets have a fairly liquid diet, since they are nectar eaters, so a watery diet = runny poop. They love to squirt it too, several yards into the dining area. My little Sam was hanging on the side of her cage, and my face was only inches away from her, and I was blowing kisses, talking and smiling. Right then she let go and squirted right onto the corner of my mouth. Needless to say I wasn't smiling any more....

Sigh I miss the cuddly baby days with Cleo. She rarely even lets me scritch her though I think a lot of that is to do with her pin feathers on her head and neck. Touching her is much like touching a soft cactus at the moment. Cleo does go belly up, but only to play, and it's rough play, with bites and talons, so I don't do it.

So Madam Cleo, in her infinite 2 year old wisdom, decided showers were evil, and has refused to have one for about 2 weeks. Today I managed to coax her to step up onto my hand from the curtain rail where she normal sits, and she agreed to a shower. Once she was under, there was a lot of wing flapping, delightful squawking and tail shaking. She didn't want to get out *sigh*. Each time I offered her my hand and asked "finished?", she'd refuse to step up and doubled her efforts of shaking and squealing under the water. So I stood there, freezing my unmentionables under cold cold water for almost 20 minutes, whilst Madam decided to make up for the 2 weeks without bathing in one session. Almost lost a contact lens too due to the furious wing flapping and water being thrown about. Madam is now back in her cage drying off in the sun coming through the window, whistling and saying "hello", after having enjoyed some bell peppers.

Since everyone else is being straight up and honest, I will be too = ) If you are still in two minds about it, then I would say no to getting a grey, or any other large parrot. As the others have said, greys are not easy animals to live with. They are not domesticated like dogs or cats, but nor are they quite wild. They are demanding, both in personal attention and their care, and live for a very long time. They are messy and destructive birds, and may not always behave the way we want or expect. Grey owners need to make personal sacrifices to ensure their birds' physical and mental wellbeing, for the next 50+ years. If you are not 100% certain of this, then I would recommend not getting a grey. Your honesty is amazing by the way, and very heart warming to read!

I agree with Ray. It seems to work wonders for Cleo. I've spent a fair bit of time sitting in front of the age eating something in a most exaggerated fashion, making nom nom noises and telling her how good it is. Her natural curiosity kicks in, and she ends up asking for some. Only thing is that I now have a dog who is also crazy about tomatoes and capsicums.

The poop covered t-shirt is part of the induction process. You will soon have your very own, and it won't be long until you go to the supermarket and wonder why people are staring at you and giggling. Until you get home and someone points out the long streak of white running down your back..... Welcome aboard!

Regarding the change in colour, it's entirely possible. Cleo most of the time refuses to eat any red pellets and either puts them in her water bowl, or flings them out for the dog to eat. When she does eat the red ones, the solid (usually) green part of the poop turns a reddy brown colour. Much like if you give them cherries or beetroot, the cage might end up looking something out of Texas Chainsaw Massacre. As long as the poops still have the 3 parts (solid faeces, white urates, and clear urine), and no offensive odour, I'd say things are just fine. By the way having said that, sometimes the poos are more liquid, if they have been eating water-rich fruit and vegetables, or, like Cleo, who will drink half a gallon of water when showering with me.

First of all, congratulations on getting a grey! You are in for the ride of your life, in a good way. How old is Pepsi? Is Pepsi a baby? If so, make sure he/she is fully weaned and able to forage for food independently. If Pepsi is a little older, what do you know about his/her background? I think the best thing to do with a new bird is to allow it to take its time to get used to the new surroundings and people first. Greys generally tend to be anxious and cautious birds, so don't overload him with heaps of new toys and lots of handling. Give him a few days to get used to the new cage, new people, other possible animals, and strange sounds. Talk to Pepsi quietly and in a reassuring manner. I've always used "it's ok", and find now that Cleo responds really well to me saying that to her when she is feeling anxious. Bear in mind that greys are very sensitive to peoples feelings, and will sense if you are anxious too, so try and be relaxed and happy when you interact with Pepsi. Please don't be disappointed if things don't go as you expected or wanted. I've read a lot on the forums about people who get a new bird, and are full of hope and expectations, only to be massively down when the bird doesn't do as they want. Go at Pepsi's pace. He will let you know by using non-verbal language where he is at. Pepsi can't move into the human world to interact, but we CAN move into his world and adapt ourselves to suit them. I'd urge you to become familiar with bird body language. There's a great article on the forums here about that, and there is also loads more on the internet. Not wanting to sound like a promoter or advert, but I recently bought a training DVD from Goodbird Inc, and have found it incredible useful, and above all, it actually works. So if you have $20 to spare, I'd suggest you perhaps invest in a DVD from them. Welcome to the family, and looking forward to updates!

After having Happy for 2 months, it sounds like the honeymoon period is over. Baby birds' personalities DO change, as others have said. They turn from pliable, malleable sweet cuddly little things into birds that are discovering they DO have a will of their own. That, combined with their voice and beak, can make them a powerful force to be reckoned with. It isn't your fault. Heck it's not even the bird's fault. It's just the way things are, a natural progression in the development of a bird. My Cleo turns 2 this month, and she has turned into the most impossible and willful creature ever. She will interact with me, but definitely only on her terms. If I try something she doesn't want, she will either run or fly away, or grab my finger and push it away. I've been told this is normal behaviour for a bird of that age. Dave, as usual, gives excellent advice. The bit about a bird who doesn't like being kept out of the loop is so true. Cleo won't step up or come over, I'll just start playing with something, even a pen, and she will be over in a flash to check out what I'm doing. Use their greed (food!) and curiosity to your advantage.

Oh how precious, all of them! Makes me melt! Love that scrawny little neck on the grey haha.