Gizmo_efc

The wire frame itself. That picture is slightly different to the wire frame in my cage. Either way, due to the weight of Gizmo sitingon the frame, it ends up snapping.

Thanks for your ideas. I'll get in touch with the people where I got Gizmo and the cage from.

Hi everyone, Gizmo is coming up to 4 years old now and so is his cage (Montana Haiti cage). The problem I've got is, he tends to stand on his feeding bowls every now and then which means he as already broke one and the others are starting to buckle. I've tried to fit new feeding bowls but due to the cage, I haven't come across any that fit?? Has anyone got one of one of these cages and have experience of the problems I'm facing?

Gizmo has got into a horrible habit of banging the top of his cage when he wants either some of the food you are eating or wants to get out. I've thought about getting ties which prevent the cage from opening but would rather change Gizmo's behaviour rather than just prevent him from doing something. I've tried covering him up when he does this but to be honest havent done this every time he has restarted the banging. It's really starting to get tiresome and want to eradicate this behaviour before our first baby arrives in a few months. Any ideas would be great. Just to add Gizmo is 3 years old and his diet hasn't been changed. He's on Harrison's high potency.

Hi everyone, Been a while since I've been on here, but thought I'd pop in to ask a question. My African Grey is coming upto 3 years old now and has recently started throwing the majority of his Harrisons pellets out of his bowl onto the floor. He's ate these for for around 2 years now and was wondering what the sudden urge was to throw his food away? He doesnt seem ill, still very loud at times :-) and is still playful. One thing I've stopped doing is giving him his 'jungle mix' food around 2 hours before his bedtime. It consists of alot of seeds etc and he didnt used to throw any of this away. I stopped giving him it because I noticed a big change in his behaviour during the day, alot of screaching and very loud noise. Any help would be great. Thanks

Hi everyone, Just a quick update regarding Gizmo's screaming. Its reduced quite a bit! I've been reading quite alot of topics on here and they've been really helpful so thanks alot to everyone who contributes, it really is a fantastic website! One thing I'd like to ask advice on is his feathers. When I got Gizmo, he was 12 weeks old, I was inexperienced and panicked quite alot when he flew, I decided to get his wings clipped. I regret this now and will never do it again because even though he cannot fly properly or land at will (he's 2 next month), he seems happy when he takes flight. My question is regarding the flight feathers that were clipped. I've noticed that when Gizmo stretches his wings there seems to be a gap in the middle? He's molting at the moment and one feather I picked up had feather at the top of the quill, feather at the bottom of the quill but the middle seemed to have been chewed?? Gizmo has no patches or indications of feather plucking or chewing apart from this evidence in the form of the feather that molted. Do you think Gizmo thinks he doesn't need this feather? I have suspicions it is from the time he was clipped and continues to chew this area when feather grows?

Gizmo is almost two years old now, his cage is next to the TV and I've thought he may not like this but the only other alternative is on the other side of the wall where he cant see anyone so I think it may make problems worse. I've put im in his cage, this didnt work, I've put the cover over him, which works for a bit but when he comes back outside the cage he just starts all over again? He's got me confused?

Hi everyone, Gizmo has got me confused. When I let him out of his cage, he gets into his favourite position (on the door) and then after a few minutes starts to scream and make horrible sharp noise time after time. When I return him to his cage, he just starts preening and stays quite quiet. How can I overcome the screaming and him making a horrible noise when he's out??

Hi everyone, I was just after a bit of advice regarding sleeping/bedtime. Usually Gizmo doesnt get covered up until I go to bed, and if I'm being honest he sometimes only gets around 7 hours covered up asleep. Tonight for the first time (He's 20 months old and ive had him since he was 12 weeks old) I've covered him up whilst i'm still downstairs and have the TV on. Ive covered him up and switched the light off in the living room so its not too bright but i can still hear him moving about and preening (i think). Ive decided to do this as he 1) i dont think he's getting enough sleep and 2) He has started screeching and making a very loud sharp noise throughout the day which is vey annoying and i think it may be linked. I'm just a bit worried he'll still stay awake whilst im downstairs and the TV is on? Also, just another quick question, what would you suggest as a good time for a grey to be awake and uncovered? 12 hours?

When you're eating unhealthy 'adult food' and your Grey wants some, do you feel guilty when you don't give them some? I'm sat here eating a chippy meal and Gimo is attacking his toys with anger because i'm not giving him any because it's not good for him.

When I first bought Gizmo, he was only 12 weeks old and flew around the room quite alot but due to it being a new house, he used to crash from quite high. After a while I was worried for his safety so decided to get him clipped. He is now 18 months old and all his flight feathers have grew back. It was only that he flew the other evening and instead of flying into the door, changed direction and flew into the kitchen to where I was standing......although he flew into the window Ive decided to not get him clipped again and let him learn to fly which after thinking about it, every bird should be allowed to do. My question is, how long do you think it will be before he has mastered the art of flying and can land properly instead of just flying until he hits something? I've been holding him away from his cage on my arm then moving my arm quickly so he flies to his cage then offering a treat. Would you say this is good practice?

Gizmo's started being alot more friendly now, must have just been a little phase he was going through?

Hiya everyone, I was wondering if you could give me your opinion and general advice regarding this. Recently Gizmo has been acting differently towards me. He used to nearly always allow me to scratch his head and tickle by his ears and under his chin but lately he wont let me do it at all? He doesn't bite me but if you didn't know him you would probably think he is going to, his feathers go very tight and stops my hand touching him by what I call him 'attacking' my finger in his beak without biting it. He still says all his favourite words and is eating his food. All I can think of is the following for his change of behaviour: 1) My Girlfriends family have just started coming to my house and I allowed 2 members to hold him (I got him on my arm and put him on their arms) He bit out at the youngest member. He used to be such a laid back character with me but everytime I try to touch him now, he seems moody with me??

Hi everyone, Going through a bit of a new phase with Gizmo over the last few days. He's started climbing to the outside of his cage then chewing his perch from the outside. If I left him, eventually his perch wont be able to fit on either side of the cage (which basically means it will fall). Then he starts biting the TV when i push the cage close to the wall so he cant get his perch. Also he's stopped eating his Harrisons and will only eat his seeds/nuts? e'll have the odd one of two pellets from Harrisons but he used to empty his bowl. I've give him a cuttlebone now and he seems happy enough eating this. Any ideas why the sudden chewing and anything which may deter this?? Gizmo's just turned one.

I've recently started feeding Gizmo Harrisons High Potency food and on the back of the packet it suggests this should consist of 90% of his diet? It recommends giving 3 tablespoons, but is this per day?? It doesnt seem alot and says that only 10% of his diet should come from green vegetables?? Am I getting it wrong??

Hi everyone, When I first bought Gizmo last August, he was 12 weeks old and just starting to fly. I decided to get his wings clipped in August because my house inside is free flowing and the kitchen is exposed due to no doors. Also when he was flying when I first got him, he was getting quite high and he hitting the wall and then hitting the floor with a terrible thud. It was always my intention when he got to know the house a little bit better, that when the flight feathers grew back then I would let him learn to fly. We are now obviously in May and the feathers still havent grown back? When he does try to which is rare, he cant gain any height at all so just crashes into the door/wall? How long will it be before these feathers grow back? Also after hitting the chair one night, one of his 'stems' (dont know what to call it? - the thing feathers are attached to? Is it a quill?) broke and he pulled it off, no blood. Will this grow back? By the way, I was a member previously but have forgotten my password due to changed email accounts etc so thats why I havent introduced myself again. If Admin want me to do so, then please ask. Thanks for any advice

all done, old toys back in his cage. ill leave the new ones within sight on the sofa. Thanks for the advice!

I've bought a couple of new 'toys' for my Parrot Gizmo today, a big swinbg with coconut shells and keys on each end. Gizmo is terrified of it. Hes a timid bird anyway and usually i would take them out of the cage but i'm going to leave them in and hope he finds the courage to go inside. Is his the right approach???