Jayd

Hi, Zon's start their "Aggressive Period" around 5yrs old and this lasts till they're around 12yrs old when they are fully mature. The preamble starts around 3 years or so.[All Zon's aren't the same] Salsa 3yrs old, she's started to cuddle and shake when I pet her and makes those cute sounds. When they do this, remember only to pet and scritch their head... Aside note: A Zon's behavior is different if he/she lives in a household of more then one bird!

Spock has "Hypoglycemia" so he's on a high carb diet, we've had to give Spock a lot of medicines, peanut butter is a excellent medium to mix medicine in to feed to your fid. Dan is correct, most "Natural" peanut butter has "Palm oil' in it, we use "Natural Jif" peanut butter, it has the lowest amount of salt. Peanut Butter is high in 'Saturated fat" so limit the amount of it you feed your fid, a 1/2tsp a day is greyt, it helps with maintaining proper weight and a balanced diet, plus its full of "Amino Acids". Greys are prone to "High Cholesterol" and "Hardening of the Arteries". To help counter this feed them "Albacore low-sodium tuna and/or Wild Atlantic Salmon" a couple times a week. Thanks Jayd P.S. No-Stir Almond butter is Greyt for them, less cholesterol...

Greetings, I hate to be a party pooper, Please everyone, DON'T feed you fid "Peanuts in the shell!!! This can be very deadly!!!!! Only feed them "Canned Roasted and unsalted peanuts".....Please read this article by Dave007: http://www.greyforums.net/forums/showthread.php?115338-Aspergillosis It only takes once for them to get the peanut shell with the mold on it. Thanks Jayd

Hi, a couple of thing we’ve talk about before I thought might be worth rising again. Often misunderstood is the “Spontaneous Aggression” our Zon’s can show for no apparent reason? You’re playing with your Zon, and all of a sudden he/she attacks you or someone nearby, or your petting your dog or cat or another bird, even giving you spouse or child a kiss or attention, and “Zap”, your Zon reaches out and nips someone. Jealousy? I don’t believe so in most circumstances, it’s what I like to call “Maximum Fixation” I feel its selfishness, a need to be the center of attention, the desire to win at all costs. I believe this is a natural trait, along the lines of “Survival of the fittest”, it’s more inherit in some Zon’s then others. How to safely handle this possible situation is to play in short intervals with a few breaks every now and then for a couple of seconds, also, lose to the Zon, never plan on winning. Believe me this saves hands and hurt emotions. Weight: Fatty Tissue Tumors Check your fid for possible tumors feels for lumps that feels like a marble or bead that is somewhat soft a spongy. Please remember a Zon needs “Fruit, Nuts and Seeds” in their diet. They also need protein; a good form of this is Chicken/turkey, tuna or salmon. We boil a drumstick and pull off most of the meat; they eat it all, including the marrow. Top this off with cooked brown or wild rice and cooked beans and it make an extremely healthy meal……

Thank you Ray, It's my true feeling that everyone on the Forum is a master in one way or another. There's five people I've learned from since my first days of joining the Forum. Dave007, Penny[Talon], Janet [Luvparrot], Judy, and Dan. They were there for me as I know they are for all. And thank you Ray for all you've taught me.

If I may, When you speak of getting a baby Grey, Please make sure #1. It's "Fledged" and is "Flying" competently! #2. It's on a 98% solid diet! #3. Do not clip the wing's just because the seller/store say's it's the right thing to do! Research it...A young Grey through 1 year of age or so, changes many times, requiring you to change also! #4. A Grey doesn't mature till around 4 yrs old, so their still mailable and are still open to your influences. I always tell 1st time buyers of large parrot, that Gray's require more work and time then raising a child. Now, a re-home or adult Grey.#1. Thousands and thousands of captive parrots are displaced each year, unknowing to customers, some of these parrots come from a "Parrot mill". #2. Other than a "Rescue", most sellers are honest because their concern is find a new home for the fid. The love and joy you reap from a re-home is rewarded 100 fold.In what ever choice you make, PLEASE research as much as you can and keep listening to these Greyt people of the Grey Forum....One of the foremost breeders I have ever known is Dave007, Check out his post's for really honest answers...

Thanks, we missed you all so much....

Thank you my friend....

Thank and bless you Talon, I hope Maggie and I can contribute something to this room.....Jayd and Maggie

What a wonderful room you've all made the Zon room into.......Love Jayd

Our deepest prayers........Jayd, Maggie, Spock and the Flock

Ray, my friend, I agree with you in your logic and your deductions completely. I feel that diet not only improves and increases longevity, as well as attitude. There is a large difference between a Grey and a Zon as I know you well know... It is also your attitude and compassion that has turned all your fids and furs around. Thank you!

Over a year ago the original system looked very much like this one, one feature that unfortunately wasn't carried over was the "Points Tally", which showed how many times a person had made a thread or post. When they switched to the new system, it went back to "zero", shame. It also had a "kUDO'S button, Whitch worked like our "Repartition" button. I hope some one might explain it more clearly then I have. So, Judy's total is the sum of the old and the new......Which is really high!

Bird food, my favorite subject......Sorry I didn't do this earlier.. A Amazon's natural habitat covers a very large area, there are some small differences from species to species, in general their diet is the same. In their natural habitat they eat: Seeds, Fruits and berry's, Flowers, Dirt and Insects. Zon's are big eaters, most of the time and not to picky. Zon's do have some what of a eating problem which in turn causes health problems. Fatty tumors, Cholesterol, Heart disease are all to common with our fine Zon companions. Diet is extremly important to these little guys, and its so easy for us to forget because we enjoy watching the devour whatever we give them. Okay, a Zon needs a low fat high, low Carb high protein diet for the most part. Veggies, grains [brown or wild rice], some Legumes, Seeds, at least 1 almond a day,[no more than 5 striped sunflower seeds in the shell a day]A low fat high protein pellet [about 2 tablespoons a day]. They need Omega 3 and 6 [MOST IMPORTANT]. A good sorce of these is Wild salmon 2 or 3 times a week. A chicken drum stick with most of the meat pulled off 2 times a week is a great source of protein, they'll eat the marrow after cracking the bone.[lol] Fruit, very important to a Zon's diet, Mangoes, Papaya, orange's [1/4 slice, rind on] Blackberry's, blueberry's. Few grapes, watermelon. Pomegranates, banana's are all good choices...GREEN LEAFY VEGGIES, #1. We also give our Zon's Organic Apple Cider Vinegar and wild Honey [All our Fid's] We heat 8oz purified water which we add 1 tbsp vinegar, 1 tbsp Wild organic honey, cool to 109 degrees, and serve each of our fid's about one to two tbsp each, they love it.[then I drink whats left] I'll add more as time goes on. Thanks Jayd

To all out new members who might not be aware but Judygram has threads and posts that total into the thousands! Due to my bad memory, before they change over to the new system, Judy's responses to members was truly a deed well done. Judy, what is your combined thread/post count please?:)

A over looked commodity on this Grey't forum is our leaders, Talon [Penny, Administrator], Judygram our Ambassador, Janet [Luvparrots], Dan our Super Moderator, And Dave007, our Forum Expert. Who with out these Grey't folks there would be no Grey Forums....Let's give thanks to these people who work so hard to help the members and work so hard to keep things running smooth. And a BIG thanks to all you wonderful Members, both old and new......

How's Nilah?????????????????

:cool: So Young, and so many more wonderful days months and years for you, Bird. Love ya...Jayd, Maggie, Spock and the flock....

Happy Hatchday Kazoo, We know your loved, Male or female.....

Okay, 1ST, hope all is well. 2nd, Parrots 101!. Fruit, Zon's require more fruit than Grey's, but not that much more, a couple of pieces a day. Watermellon should be a occasional treat at best, it's composition is: sugar and water, it goes through our baby's like a river. Strawberry's, again is almost all sugar, besides at lot of pesticides are used in growing it, it must be cleaned far many more times than other fruit. A person can eat strawberry's for years and than all of a sudden be allergic to them.[diarrhea] Keep using your water...Love Jay

As some of you know, this is Buddy, a Mitered Conure, and Pistachio, a IRNP....[both rescues]Pistachio gets along with all our 'Tiels.. Remember, a IRNP needs a higher protein diet.

One more truth. We have some very enlightened people in this forum...Thank you all !!!!!

A Lady....Grey's in general are a one person bird, remember, they can change alliance at any time. When socializing, have other people talk instead of touching until your Lady is used to them. Keep working on your Lady to eat Veggies etc. If you didn't know by DNA you had a female, other than laying a egg, you'd never have known.....Watchfor eye color change, and about a year old, molting of the drab tail feathers to bright red ones...

I'm sorry, I can't agree with your vet. Browse the web, you'll find to many avian specialist who do not agree with "Pellet only diets". If you feed your fid a natural diet of veggies, legumes, grains, nuts and some fruit, supplement that with 1/8 a cup of good pellets and seeds, your fid won't be lacking anything...Mashes, smashes, fresh, works.....MINIMAL SALT, SUGAR, PROPER FAT AND PROTIEN WE ALLNEED, INCLUDING OUR FIDS......P.S. Theres very few pellet trees in the wild....

Please do, we need your input and I hope our heart felt prayers reach you. In Grey's and other parrots, saturated fat can be disastrous to them as it is to humans. This is why it its important that we feed them the proper nuts which provide "EFA" [Essential Fatty Acid's] in the proper amounts, fresh veggies, legumes, grains and very little fruit, and to remember not to rely upon "Pellets", but use them as a supplement to a natural diet. Vinegar is another product useful in maintaining a healthy heart and blood system. Fish a couple times a week, [wild salmon] helps supply "Omega 3", one of the few things that will reduce "Triglycerides", along with the vinegar. May our prayers comfort you, a wonderful parront you are.....