Jayd

If you don't take the poor baby to the vet, or you can't find some one who will, more than likely, he'll be put to rest... When you brought this baby home, you told him you would take care of him no matter what! He's every bit as important as your other birds, mean or not.....Jay d This is a re-post, not by me!!!! From: lovemygreys A Parrots Bill of Rights i was supplied a copy of this when i got Alfie & Freddie & think it is very appropriate to have it posted here on the forum. by Stewart A. Metz, M.D. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1.GET TO KNOW ABOUT PARROTS BEFORE YOU BRING ME HOME - I am not a domesticated pet like a dog or cat. I still have the spirit of the jungle in me. I have special needs which you may find it hard to fill. Please don't learn these too late for my well-being. And please don't acquire one of my cousins wild from the jungle—it will jeopardize his survival and well-being, and that won't be a party for you either! 2.GIVE ME THE LARGEST HOME POSSIBLE - I am used to flying through rainforests or savannas. I have given up this great gift for your pleasure. At the very least, give me enough room to flap my wings and exercise. And I need toys for my amusement and wood to chew—otherwise, I might confuse your Home with the forest and its trees. 3.GIVE ME A NUTRITIOUS DIET - I need a wide variety of fresh and nutritious foods, even if they take time to prepare. I cannot survive on seeds alone. Take time to learn what my needs, and preferences, are. 4.LET ME HAVE A 'SOCIAL LIFE' - I am a gregarious flock animal—but I am not one of you. I need lots of socialization to learn how to act with you, and with my siblings. I also need to have adequate quality time with you every day—no matter what your schedule or other needs are. I am a living,feeling creature. Above all, I need to be able to have complete trust in you, and count on your predictability in looking after me—every day. 5.LET ME BE CLEAN - I may like to drop food or even throw it, but I need meticulous cleanliness to be healthy. My skin itches without frequent showers, the barbs of my feathers won't seal if they become oily and, worst of all, I may become ill if my food or water is not always sanitary. 6.I NEED MY OWN DOCTOR - You may not understand my physiology and therefore you may not recognize it early on when I get sick. And it may be too late when you do, because I hide my illnesses (remember what I said about my being an animal of the jungle, where there are lots of predators). And I need an avian vet—a specialist (no HMOs for me please). If you can't afford one, perhaps you shouldn't have taken me home. 7.PLEASE DON'T PUNISH ME - Just as I don't always understand your peculiarities, you may not understand mine. I don't TRY to get in trouble—remember, a house is not the jungle. If I do screw up, don't yell at me and never hit me. I have sensitive ears and I may never trust you again if you strike me. Hands are sometimes scary things to us (why in the world would you not be zygodactylous like us?). Even more importantly, we don't learn by punishment. We are gentle creatures who only strike back to protect ourselves; we learn through patience and love. 8.SPEAK MY " LANGUAGE" - I know you get upset with me when I knock over my water bowl, throw food, scream or pluck my feathers. I don't do these to annoy you—I am probably trying to tell you something ( perhaps that I am hurting, lonely , or sad.). Learn to speak MY (body) language. Remember that I , alone of all creatures on this planet, learn to speak yours! 9.SEE ME AS AN INDIVIDUAL - I am a unique and feeling being.. No two of us are alike. Please don't be disappointed in me if I don't talk like you wanted, or can't do the tricks that your friend's parrot can do. But if you pay close attention to me (and I always empathize with you, whether you know it or not), I will show you a unique being who will give you so much more than talking and playing.. Give me a chance to show you who I am; I think you'll find the effort worth it. And remember—I am not an ornament;. I do not enhance ANY living room décor. And I am not a status symbol—if you use me as such, I might nip at your up-turned nose! 10.SHARE YOUR LOVE WITH ME - Above all, please remember that you are my Special Person. I put all my trust and faith in you.. We parrots are used to being monogamous.(no bar-hopping for us!).So please don't go away for long periods or give me away—that would be a sadness from which I may never recover. If that seems to be asking a lot, remember—you could have learned about my needs before bringing me home. Even having a baby or taking a new job isn't a fair reason—you made a commitment to me FIRST. And if you think that you must leave me because you might die, provide for me forever after you leave. I may live to a ripe old age but I can't provide for myself. Remember I'm in a small cage amongst people who are not of my blood. 11.YOUR RIGHTS - You have lots of rights, but I can only assure one. And that is, if you treat me the way I described above, I will reward you with unwavering love, humor, knowledge, beauty, dedication-- and a sense of wonder and awe you haven't felt since you were a child. When you took me home, you became my Flock Leader, indeed, my entire universe –for life. I would hang the moon and stars for you if I could. We are one in Heart and Soul

I can't see any either!!!!

Don't be to concerned with it, as you noted it can occur when there is nutrition problems and/or plucking. Sometimes in a molt or two they will return to gray feathers.. Most red factor Grey, start with early red feathers, again, sometimes lasting till a molt, others don't ever lose them...Thanks Jay d

Hi, this is normal for a Zon, they stand on their tail, cage brushing, just playing around, spray it more often, and brush with your fingers, squeezing together, Salsa and Westley are the same....Rough and tumble. He might lose a colored feather or two about now if he hasn't already...Jay d We missed you!!!

Any kind of peanut in a shell human grade or not can contain "ASPERGILLOSIS" fungus, please read what is sfe and isn't safe for our fid's, pumpkin seed, you should give them all to you fid, there extremely good for him... Give him, walnuts, a almond, 1 1/2 teaspoon of striped unsalted sunflower seeds, etc for treats...Fid your baby only a small piece of fruit every other day or so. Just because a product that's sold for a bid, doesn't mean it's good for a bird, research, ask the forum, they won't tell you wrong... http://www.greyforums.net/forums/showthread.php?115338-ASPERGILLOSIS http://www.greyforums.net/forums/showthread.php?190489-Welcome-PROSPECTIVE-and-NEW-GREY-Owner-s..

That's fine, they like the dried ones to......Thanks

Like pearllyn says, chili peppers are grey't, stay away from the real hot one's, a parrot only has 400 taste buds.Sorry I wasn't clearer...>^..^< Please no Garlic, small dose's are in the testing stages. In parrot's it causes the blood cell's to explode...Better safe then sorry...There's some good threads and posts concerning Garlic here.....Here's just one reputable site....Thanks Jay d http://www.birdchannel.com/bird-diet-and-health/bird-nutrition/birds-onions-and-garlic.aspx

Okay, Born in LA Calif, Raised in Long Beach Calif, lived in Inland Empire, now on the Colorado River in Bullhead City [Hardyville] Arizona, a few miles from the London Bridge...same for Maggie.....Thanks Jay d P.S. Notice your profile is missing a name? Lets see, you said "Am I being naive listing the city in which I live? Am I missing something? " We've all listed our name's and where we live! What shall we call you my friend?

Welcome...You were sucker-punched,LOL...Read up on all the threads and posts about body language. You also might wish to read the threads on feeding a Grey, this is probably one of the best sites for that....Jay d

Very good and well taken. I agree completely....Jay d

Here's just 1 site... http://www.avianweb.com/toxicfoods.html

I'd say no, better to err on the safe side, most ingredients are accumulative...

>^..^< would not give you miss information. Baker's Secret even says not to store food on it... To err on the safe side is best...The coating is silicone, it is a coating and is capable of separation from the bass metal, when scratched, the product rusts. The key words to the use of silicone products is, 'we don't know, and it should be"[?] Thank you >^..^< and Azzie.....

To all concerned Please read....THIS WOULD BE THE SAME FOR ALL BRANDS OF PAINT..... 9/7/2010 10:38:31 AM [Agent Note] Hello and thank you for your inquiry with the Krylon website. We appreciate you taking the time to contact us. We have no products in our line that we can recommend for bird cages or accessories. This question has come up quite a bit, so after speaking with several veterinarians and other bird experts, we were advised that birds are extremely sensitive to low levels of materials for a very long time. Since we do not have any data to determine when the cage would be safe to occupy after off gassing is complete, and we do not know which paint is considered "safe" , we do not recommend our paints for application to bird cages. Since we do not perform animal testing, we cannot guarantee that the paint will be safe if it is applied to other areas that children and birds will likely chew on. If the children are just handling our products, they will be fine because once cured, our products are considered non-toxic, but not safe for mouth contact. Thank you again for your inquiry. If you have any other questions, please respond back with email history. Sincerely, Daniel Krylon Product Support

Welcome back my friend...Jay d, Maggie, Spock and the Flock.......

Feed your baby all he'll eat, keep food readily available at all times, 24/7.....

Thanks Talon, It's called "Bleeding Eye Syndrone" It could be a disease that might be traced to nutritional issues and when restraining a Grey for grooming they may produce tears containing blood. This may be associated with high blood pressure. More research is needed to determine it this is a sign of underlying problems. This is why it's best to find other ways then toweling...Thanks Jay d

Here's a excellent site I've used over the years, It's for Cockatiels, there's not much on Parrot's in general, check out all the links this site provides...Thanks Jay d http://www.cockatielfoundation.com/color-mutation-center.html

Thank you and welcome.. If I may , please seek a new avian Vet...Jay d

Hi and welcome, I'm sorry, this is on going process, a week is far to short to develop any kind of relation with a older grey. In reality it can take years to have the full companionship you wish for. To return this young bird at this time can cause severe mental damage, which will even take longer to repair, please consider what advice everyone here has given you,, and plan on not week, but forever on this baby, and you will be rewarded.... Here's a post on one of our rescues. The wait is worth it......Thank you...Jay d Joey: Congo African Grey Parrot Present Age: Four years old Abuse Type: Mental and Severe Psychological (No visible sign of Physical abuse) Background: We know the pet store that Joey had originally been purchased from. He had been weaned and clipped, never allowed to fly. For the next two years we had no record and we have not been able to speak to the previous owners. After purchasing Joey and with some help also with help from Joey himself, we have been able piece together some of his past history and his previous owners. His previous owners were a well-established young couple. The female was never fond of any types of pets, did not fit her lifestyle. Joey had favored the male and there had been a bonding but it wasn’t a healthy bonding. Shortly after getting Joey, which brought problems to the marriage, the male was more interested in maintaining harmony than integrating Joey. This brought about bickering over Joey between the two owners with the female getting more and more agitated, putting him in a small room by himself, being ignored by both of them except for cage cleaning, food and water. There was a lot of arguments that took place within earshot of Joey, possible marital abuse, yelling at Joey by both of them, cage being tapped, arguments about whether to keep Joey or get rid of him. At this point, the owners decided, (not mutually) to get rid of Joey. So, at this point, Joey and his cage was taken to a pet store where the owner agreed to hold him for awhile and let Joeys owners visit him for a while (which was wrong). They only visited him three times over the next six months, arguing in his presence each time. At this point in time, we took Joey into our hearts and home. The Homecoming: We didn’t know this young Grey’s name, so we called him Jim (Kirk) to go along with Spock. At this time, we had enough birds for everyone in the city. He was a quiet bird and would sit in his cage in the back and be soundless. He would let you change his water and food (he had been on seeds only diet). He would also shake if you came near the cage and would constantly head-search while chewing his toe-nails. He was extremely neurotic…he was a small bird and looked like he might have been stunted from lack of a proper diet. We introduced him to everyone and we did not attempt to hold him. We talked to him and talked to our other fids in front of him. If we saw that he was being extremely nervous, we would go out of our way to stop and talk to him with a “Hi Jim” etc, and we were slowly discovering the depth of his psychological and mental abuse. We left the cage door open whenever we were home and awake which at this stage was 24/7. One day, Jay left the room and in the most concerned voice, Joey called out “Hello! Are you okay?” When Jay came back, Joey was standing at the open door looking down the hallway, looking for Jay to come back. He would also say “Hello”, “How are you?” at this time. He also started talking to himself…bringing up his past two years. While shaking badly, he would say things like “Are you going to feed me?” “Get a lawyer”, “You can run but you can’t hide!” “LIAR!” He would make crying sounds…he would do this while we were not in the room (plus other things too sad to say). During this period, we were introducing him to all sorts of fresh veggies and fruits. (It has taken over a year to get him to eat veggies and fruits) Besides his ruminations, he also started talking, calling to the other fids, calling us by name, singing but always reverting to his old self and chewing his nails and shaking. Out of nowhere, as Jay and I were walking by his cage, he looked Jay straight in the eye and said, “I’m Joey, NOT Jim”. He told us this twice (imagine us with our jaws on the ground) and we had to start changing his name on our threads. Now and into the Future: Joey lets us hold him and play with him more each day. He is coming out of the closet so to speak…he is an ideal parrot in a number of ways but it is all from his abuse years. He has built his life on his own routines. He eats at the same time each day, he talks at the same time each day, he preens himself at the same time each day…he definitely has obsessive-compulsive tendencies. For the last two months we have not heard him say anything from his abusive past. He has a growing vocabulary and strong cognitive abilities which we believe has roots in his abusive years. He lets us hold him when he wants to. At times, he is very cage-territorial and he stays on his cage. He will perch and let you take him from his cage for a few moments only. We have a perch on the outside of his cage and he likes to spend most of his time looking out the window. He is extremely vocal and interacts with Spock and Salsa and lets both of them eat and drink from his bowls and he plays tail-chase with both of them on his cage. He is very insecure anywhere away from his cage. It is an ongoing process to try to get him comfortable enough to stay away from his cage. He has attempted to fly on four-five occasions to fly and they have been disastrous. This is definitely due to the fact that he was constantly clipped. (We have set out pillows on his common landing areas that is more often missed than hit.) At times, he will revert to something that triggers his bad memories and will pin his eyes and draw blood out of the clear blue. Once he snaps out of it, he is very affectionate and loving. The Future continues: On-going Progress: In the last couple of weeks, Joey has made some amazing changes. To everyone’s surprise, when you open his cage in the morning, he will hang from the top of the cage, wait for you to support him with your hand and involve you in beaky play. He will hang with one foot and grab your hand with the other (Yikes!) and play roughly while talking to you. (Non-Sexual) He’s molting and he’s also found out that a human finger is excellent for rubbing the pin feathers at the bend of the leg where it touches the body. In the few moments that he lets you hold him, he has leaned against our chest (on his own) and cuddled. Now and Beyond: Daily, you can still see the pain that he has endured. When he thinks we are not observing him, he reverts to his shaking and nail chewing to a lesser extent. His most recent trait that the past is still current in is memory is when we have to leave, he will let out a couple of loud contact calls and puff up to almost twice his size and stare and you and call while you are leaving. It is so sad… They NEVER forget…any abuse is a major and daily part of their lives and they live with it….it is always there to haunt them. Jayd and Maggie

Hi, here's a teaser to start with, in the next couple of days I'll go through mu files for you, I have a very good site on "Color Mutation".. Bear with me.. Jay d http://birds.about.com/lr/identifying_color_mutations_in_birds/124391/2/

The two main reasons people re-home a parrot is 1, a spouse doesn't like birds and 2, sometimes there noisy...I'm sure your husband researched this before getting the bird. Your husband could relocate his home office, since this wouldn't disrupt or cause psychological damage to him, the way re-homing your bird or shoving your bird into corner would. Your husband can change for the bird and his family's love for this bird and him...

Hi, if Babalu is eating good, yes, you can always give the other pellets as treats....Thanks

Dee, were sorry, Blessed be Kopi and Juno for they new your love..........