Azzie

Jay please correct me if I am wrong, but I believe I have read somewhere that the reptile bulbs are stronger than the avian ones, and can cause serious burns to a bird's eyes?

That's so sweet. The too offering the cookie to the grey with her beak or foot...aaahhhhh melting

He's hilarious! That sound he makes at 0.28 had me in hysterics. Thank you for sharing!

Temperament wise this little dog sounds much like a grey I thought. One person dog, wants to be part of the family, independent...

Jayd... Which species of Aloe plant do you recommend? I know there's a few different types out there, but unsure of which one(s) are beneficial to a parrot. Also, if I am reading this correct, do you wipe the gel/juice on the feathers, or try to get it into/ onto the skin?

Birdnut, have a read of the following article, and scroll down. It's got some info on poppy seeds and a positive drug test. http://www.mythbustersfanclub.com/mb2/content/view/15/27/ As you will see, it talks about NANOgrams, so it's highly unlikely that even a much smaller parrot will feel any effects from the relatively few seeds contained in a cake or bagel. I've also read that poppy seeds are safe, and some commercial birdfood mixes contain poppy seeds.

Here's some links that may contain some info for you: http://www.avianweb.com/featherplucking.html http://www.birdsnways.com/wisdom/ww4eii.htm Do take your baby to the vet though, like Luv suggested, as there may be a physical reason for this behaviour. Good luck!

Lol bathing fleas is called DROWNING them!

PICS!!!!! You HAVE to post a photo of this cuteness overdose!

http://coffeetea.about.com/library/blcaffeine.htm Quite right about that being a myth, take a look at that chart!

http://en.allexperts.com/q/Parrots-1638/2008/10/dog-fleas-parrot.htm Loads of articles on the net that all state that parrots do not get fleas. Some wild birds like pigeons do act as a carrier to spread a flea infestation, but apparently the fleas don't bite the birds. Good luck battling the fleas, terrible things!

Granted the gel is good for irritations and minor scrapes and cracks, but in the photo it appears the full thickness of skin has been sheared off the side, leaving a large open area.

I'm so sorry to hear about the loss of your little family member. It's been a rough time for you both, and this won't help things. I pray that things will start to look up for you and your flock. *Hugs*

Those are incredibly colourful, and I can see the attraction for people. What exactly do you mean with the term hybird Jay? Is it a cross between say a blue and gold and a scarlet? And why are there uncertainties regarding health and longevity of hybrids? Don't these birds naturally mate with another in the wild to produce such offspring?

Yes as a young bird matures, their personalities do change. Babies tend to be more cuddly and needy, until they become more independent and less cuddly. Greys aren't know for being cuddly birds, but when the mood strikes them, they can smooch like the best of them. I wish Cleo would go into her cage by herself lol. I still have to bribe her with a spoon full of sunflower seeds at bed time.

That is just so typical German shepherd I think! Look at the calm mellow look on the dog's face, while gently checking out this little bird. I bet they will become good friends, just like my grey and shepherd.

An infection will take a day or so to develop, if your bird were to get one, so you won't see any pus just yet. The wet look you are describing is most likely plasma oozing out, and that's entirely normal. Inside the body, blood cells float in this liquid, and on broken skin, like in this instance, it dries up and forms a protective coating against dirt and bacteria (a scab). As for the biting, that might just be a fear reaction because he's in pain, rather than holding a grudge. Animals in pain have some seemingly strange reactions to their humans. As Jay said, if you are concerned AT ALL, or in doubt, take him to a vet and get it all checked and cleaned properly (and do ask about glueing that little skin flap back on, it's what we do with humans when they have a skin tear).

Whoa really, thanks for pointing that out! Even as a topical application it is toxic? Just had a quick search, and there are a lot of articles out there stating just that Jay, but equally as many promoting the benefits of killing mites on birds, feather shampoo (!!!) with teatree oil, and recommendations for cleaning cages with it. I'm gonna go with what you said though Jay, and not even take the chance. Thank you for the correction, and apologies for posting something dangerous without first having checked it fully.

I wouldn't recommend putting aloe gel on an open wound. Once it has scabbed over, in a few days, then by all means do, as it will help with the healing process I'd go with Jay's advice, and use hydrogen peroxide to disinfect. This substance releases oxygen into the tissue, and is a powerful antiseptic. It may sting a bit, so be prepared for a not so happy bird. Neosporin is an antibiotic, and is good to apply to prevent any infection. Teatree oil is another good disinfectant for small superficial wounds. I doubt it is possible, but if that loose piece of skin/scale could be taped back in place, that would go a long way to helping it heal and prevent infection, but I don't think a parrot would tolerate strips of tape on its foot. A vet might be able to glue it however, if you decide to go that route. Do expect some swelling around the injury. There will be some bruising, and inflammation as part of an immune response. Keep an eye out for excessive swelling, pus, any discharge from the wound, increasing redness and pain, and any funky smell.

My mother has an Indian ringneck and refuses to give it meat. She is also horrified at the thought of her (not so) sweet little bird eating another bird. I've tried to explain that many birds in the wild eat insects, worms, and roadkill, but she's not having a bar of it.

Here's some info on the temperament of a Boston terrier. Sounds like it might well be a match! Always supervise any interaction between your bird and other animals, as I am sure you are aware. A bird flapping or flying off provides a stimulus for dogs, that even a well behaved dog might not be able to resist snapping at. http://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/reviews/bostonterriers.html http://www.5stardog.com/dog-breeds-boston-terrier.asp I have a 2 year old German shepherd, Jinx, who gets along famously with my grey Cleo. Jinx is forever trying to give Cleo her toys, or trying to stuff them through the bars of the cage. It is rather a comical sight, the dog trying to push a sock through, and the bird hanging off the other end trying to pull it in. When Jinx is eating, Cleo climbs down to the bottom of the cage to see what is going on, and to check if there maybe is anything for her there. As kind and sweet at Jinx is, she is still a dog, and I do make sure she does not get too close to the bird when Cleo is out, instinct being instinct. One thing I will say though! I want pics pics pics if/when you get your dog!

One thing you can try with cage time is to make it a more pleasant experience. Usually once a bird is returned to its cage it is because its time to sleep, or because the owner has something else to do, meaning no contact for the bird. They are quick to associate things, as Diego did. Next time after you put him in his cage, spend some time talking and chatting with him, or give him a treat. Cleo, my grey, used to do whatever she could to avoid going into her cage. She would climb out of reach on some of her toys I have in the living area, or indeed would clamp on to the door opening cartoon style. I wisened up though and have tried to make cagetime a little more pleasant. She now gets a few sunflower seeds after she is back inside, and I spend some time talking to her and playing through the cage bars. It has made a big difference. She is still reluctant to go, but she now will step up when I tell her it's time to go back, and does not have a tantrum. The thing with these darned birds is that they are smart enough to know what they want, and how to achieve it, and you do risk getting a good bite by trying to put your bird back when he doesn't want to go. Not surprisingly really, since a chomp is about the only real way he can show is absolute displeasure at what you are trying to do with him. Forcing a grey to do what you want it to does not work (not that that's what you are doing!), as it damages trust between bird and owner. So, since your bird cannot move into our world, we need to move in to theirs, and if a little bribe of, say, seeds makes the experience more pleasant for the bird, then so be it = ) As for what to expect when you do get bitten. Expect pain, and blood. If he gets you with the point tip of his beak you will likely get a deep puncture wound with a lot of deep tissue bruising. If he gets you with the sides of his beak and does a scissor type bite, you will end up with a gash, possibly with some skin having been sheared off. If you do get bitten, make the wound bleed by squeezing it. That flushes out any bacteria that might be in the wound. Stop the bleeding then by applying pressure, and douse liberally with a disinfectant (I rather like old fashioned iodine, as it dries the wound up also). If he does bite, try not to squawk or yell, as this inadvertently encourages the bird to bite, as it sure sounds like fun to hear one's human respond in such a comical fashion. Put the bird back in his cage for time out for 10 minutes, and walk away. Persistence is the key here by the way. It's about changing accustomed habits and replacing them. Keep us posted on your progress!

Thanks Jay. It's an incredibly scary thought that, thinking your clipped grey is safe and can't fly, only to watch them take off and disappear into the wild blue yonder. Especially since a little planning can prevent such a tragedy.

Leave him to it = ) He will perch when he is ready, and it's good practice for him to try try try. It is good for his muscle development and co-ordination to learn to perch by himself, plus it gives him something to do. You are providing all the encouragement already, by having a perch in his cage. You could look at starting to teach the step up/step down commands though, onto your fingers. Apart from the obvious benefits of having a bird that steps up and down, it will get him used to being carried that way as well once he IS able to perch.

Oh I know exactly how you feel. Any errand I have to do outside, I do as quickly as I can, because I just want to be with my pets. They're always fine, they don't mind me going out, but I feel bad. As for being a bit crazy, yeah, parrot people usually are a little "touched". Go have a read of the post about someone hearing their parrot poop, and that will prove the point lol.