katana600

Spock will never be far from your spirit and home with the love that is imprinted on the hearts of everyone who was with him. I can still hope for a miracle and haven't forgotten Tui and Andrew and believe someone else with a loving, caring soul is taking care of them and just doesn't have a clue that grey forums exist and don't realize what he means to the family that raised him and loves him. By the time it takes a new person, unfamiliar with parrots to realize how wonderful and unique they are maybe they fall so deeply in love they don't have the strength to seek out the lost family and believe a miracle was bestowed upon them.

This is such good news! Thank you for looking for other people with greys to get advice and for being patient and caring and respectful to Momo. It will get better and better as he learns you are good for him. You will be best friends soon.

Going early gives you an opportunity to see your baby while he is still fragile and gives you the chance to see how his breeder handles him. It also gives you a chance to learn more about his care and feeding even though you will get him after he is weaned. I do believe it will develop a trust and recognition of you and will help in the transition of bringing him home. He may be too little the first time for you to hold him but they grow so fast that weekly trips would be beneficial to both of you. We got ours later so we didn't get to see him and hold him when he was this little. Trust your breeder to keep your baby safe and take the advice they give you, they know so much more about it.

I am so so sorry that Willow is gone from your life. This is such a crushing and painful loss for you. It may be irrational to think you are at fault but I understand because even when lab work came back to prove that an illness killed our baby and there is nothing we could have done to help, the pain of the loss is still raw for us long after the little light of our life is at peace. I hope it helps to know all of us care and time does help to ease the powerful grief you are feeling. Willow had someone who loved her deeply and there are some that haven't had that comfort and care in their life. You will find a way to come to your own peace and acceptance of Willow's absence and when you can, please come tell us about her happy times with you and about ways she brightened your life. Also, you will know what is meant to be and when you are ready you may find a way to bring another parrot home and it will be an honor to the memory of your Willow.

I agree Ray, it does take all kinds. What really is hard to look away from is the fact if someone were down on their luck having a hard time, any one of these vendors would hear about it and give them the almonds free. But, the person who takes without regard to the harm it causes others will never know the community of a helping hand. I can't imagine how it must feel to the guys who are away from their families, hauling heavy boxes around and then being let down by the "customers". They have the good sense to know it is a few bad apples and they are still helping a much larger group of their supporters, but it still hurts the little guy and takes a bite out of their tight budget.

Mark, thanks for checking in with us to update on Anya. I hope she can at least get off the Lupron and give you a little break. I really admire how much you will do for your little girl. You have had great suggestions that have been helpful with Gilbert and it is good to see you online when you have time. Thanks.

The motion carries, this is the best forum anyone could hope for in the care of our African greys, other birds and the extended human flock of caring and involved members. I also appreciate the backbone of the forum, the moderators and admin, creators and sponsors. This forum has carried my family through the heartbreak of losing two babies and has given so much help, encouragement and suggestions for rehoming an older parrot with a troublesome past. I could not have done it myself, we are all better for the affiliation with this forum of friends and family. Thank you from the bottom of my heart and Gilbert's little talons.

Thanks for all the skeptics and for tracking down the website. We make a policy of donating only locally for charities we can verify. This kind of thing just tugs at heartstrings but basically even under the best of the benefit of the doubt they are asking for help to buy this group of birds without an action plan of how they propose to "save" them or make life better for them.

I feel a lot better about the occasional slip up from Gilbert now. I have to admit when I got my first parrot, my mother in law said she was never going to visit my house as long as we had a bird in the house because she wigs out if a bird flies near her. I said "well, why couldn't she have told us that twenty years ago, if I knew it was that beneficial to me, I could have ten parrots by this time". The truth is, I protect my parrots from people, not so much the other way around. I promise I won't teach my parrots any wickedness though.

With our parrots, they have learned to like me best because I am the one home all day and taking care of them. I am the only one who reads the forum and learns all the best ways to handle them, how to feed them and all. But, what I have also done is foster a relationship with each family member. When our daughter came home from college to a scary parrot, we would all go to another room where Java could hear us and Kelsey would come offer Java a perch to step up and then carry her down to "rescue" her from being alone. She was also the one we chose to hand her a treat a bedtime until she was accepted. What Java did was "bluff" every family member as if she was trying to drive them out of my life. If she did that each person had to learn to call her bluff and tell her no and then I would come in and back them up and help get her back into her cage and if she couldn't be nice to everyone, she had to be alone in her cage for a little while. It took a lot of time and work, but now she is sweet to everyone in the family. Gilbert is a special case because he had issues. We are following the same basic plan, gradual introduction to the rest of the family, letting others be the one to give him his almond treat at bedtime. If he flies to the floor, he always is grateful when someone else picks him up, but since he can't fly, he is needing some help to get back to his safety zone. It has taken a lot more time to get him to accept the rest of the family but he is slowly, slowly beginning to respond favorably. Keep working with DJ and your family because it can get better, it just takes time and everyone working together. You can do it.

Welcome Tezy and family, glad you can join us and tell us your adventures. Your hobbies will give us a lot of laughs along your journey, can't wait to hear more about you.

Well would you just look at that. When good people come together it turns around the unpleasant experience and ornery vent to being a heartfelt thank you and something even better. I have been making little triangle boxes for table favors at my daughter's wedding in just under two weeks. We were going to shop for candy to put in the boxes and I detest shopping. I took a look at nuts.com and ordered all the candy for the reception... plus got some more almonds... plus got some unsalted pistachios for my parrots too. I have never found them unsalted in any store. What a stroke of good luck, thanks Kim.

I have to admit, I went right out to the parking lot and looked for him, then I came back inside and made two rounds of the bird fair to see if he was still inside. I should have gone inside to check the men's restroom! It would be better not to have a confrontation over twenty five dollars worth of nuts, so I am trying just to move along but it makes me so mad that these bird fair vendors are small businesses that travel here four times a year and give us quality food and toys for our parrots at very low profits to them. They really do it for the birds and a struggling economy they always wonder if this is the last time they can afford to come. This kind of discouragement of someone being so disrespectful is disheartening. I did get the name of the vendor and he is only sixty miles north of us, so I could do a fun motorcycle ride and go up and bring back ten pounds of almonds some day when I want to just have a couple of hours out. I will find a way to make it all turn out well for me and for the vendor. It made me really mad for a little while, but it is out of my control, so I will focus on the happiness of being with good people and sharing better days than that lout will ever experience due to his own mindset.

I have been having a hard time finding almonds in the shell for a couple of month now. I had a good stash in the freezer from holiday times when they are more plentiful. I was getting down to just a small handful and it is the favorite night time snack for Gilbert and Java. When I went to the bird fair yesterday the people who usually have them were out too. I was ready to go out the door when I spied some at the last vendor. He only had five bags and as tempted as I was to snatch them all up, I went to the man to ask if he had more because I didn't want to deprive others of having them if that was all they had. When he said that is all he had, I turned back and there was already a man there taking them all. Oh well, my bad luck. I was watching and hoping he would decide it was too many. He was a well dressed, middle aged man and he got a bag and started filling it with all the almonds. In the meantime, the vendor said he could ship me ten pounds and I was filling in the information. That nice man slithered out and stole all those almonds and didn't pay for them! What a louse.

Gilbert is slowly starting to show signs of play. He has few toys inside his cage and his cage door is open every day all day so he climbs up to the play top and explores those toys. One small wooden foraging toy has been in his cage for a while. This week when I cleaned his cage I was delighted to find a very small amount of clean slivers that showed me he was chewing wood for the first time. I get so tickled at all his "firsts". On another thread, I read about the small wiffle ball and went to my supply cupboard and tried one and he took it from my hand, tossed it off his cage a few times and goes back to it on his own. Yesterday I went to a bird fair and bought a treasure trove of toys meant for a cockatiel. I handed one to him and he tentatively touched it. That is a major improvement for this guy. This morning I awakened to find a bead that was knotted to a leather lace had been removed and dropped to the bottom of the cage. I know he didn't do it while he was on top of the cage so I am doubly pleased that he climbed to his "ceiling" and brought it down from there. Yay, Gilbert! He does like to have the comfort zone of being inside his cage and trying new things when he has the bars as his protection. Then, he asked David for a scratch last night and they had the first long session of him being such a sweet boy for David. I let David give him his night night almond for a reward and then he gave him a couple of pine nuts too just for good measure. Gilbert would not let me near him and has been distant for a few days, but this morning he came to the bars and asked me for a scratch and let me have a very long time of being close to him... through the bars of course. Today he was moving around a few of his tried and true wood and leather pieces from inside the cage and he is just big stuff playing with the new small size toys and the wiffle ball. What good news this is for us. I want to dance and celebrate.

Sorry if this is a double post and I missed it, but when I read this story it was so heartwarming, I have to share. http://helenair.com/news/local/bird-dog-finds-lost-cockatiel/article_37e15bda-90f6-11e1-ae77-001a4bcf887a.html

I think the most important thing I learned with Gilbert is it is not about me being pushed away but about him being scared and not ready. It sounds like you and Momo are going to be friends. His relaxed posture while you are near is good news. Take your time and you will be well rewarded by his trust. You are doing a lot of things right and he is getting calm and happy to be near you. I know you love him and want the best and you want to be his friend, it will happen at a time you least expect it when you are not looking.

A rehomed parrot with a limited knowlege of his history is a tough call. Gilbert absolutely wigs out over thunderstorms, he lived through a hurricane or two within sight of the gulf coast. Also, when we were putting in new flooring, we pulled all the furniture out of a bedroom. At the end of the day, he had a meltdown and discussing it with his most recent former caretaker, the home before that was packed in boxes and the edict was get him out today, I am moving tomorrow. So while I can have an insight to his distress, I can't stop thunderstorms or never move a piece of furniture. What I do is sooth him when I recognize his stressors and he is slowly learning to self-soothe. Who knows what is going on for Sam? He may have been in a happy home and a new human baby came along and he was ousted. He may be picking up on the emotion of the change coming and it may not have anything to do with the cage directly. Also, he may think he is getting booted from his palace and thinks he is being dethroned. All kidding aside, covering it or putting it in a different room and taking him to the cage if you can might de-escalate by it being in a less familiar neutral area. You can reassure him while you are making a gradual change.

Isn't he just the most precious little wisp of feathers. I love the little black cap and his name. He will be singing his little heart out when he discovers he has been so fortunate as to find his way to your house. Ana Grey will have him at her bid and call by the end of the first day. Your house is a happy friendly place. Congrats on your new arrival.

I look at his picture in your avatar and then on his boing. He has come a long way in such a short time. Isn't he just the most wonderful joy of your day. I bet you were shocked to see him climbing around and saying "look ma no hands". He is such a cute guy.

A lot depends on how old your parrot is, what experiences he has had and his original temperment. We have a 7-10 year old male Timneh who has had a really hard adjustment period. The advice I was given was the same for a baby coming home for the first time and rehomes and that is taking it slow and then slowing down. It is really hard to just let them fret quietly and worse if they are growling and scared, but giving the new parrot a wide berth for a few days is setting the foundation for your relationship with him. Talk from across the room and approach a little at a time and when you see him run or hide or show signs of discomfort, hold back and wait for the next approach. Some will be really adaptable and you will see positive results as soon as they realize you are not going to eat them. Others, mine included, have a much longer transition period. He was a special case "with issues" but we are becoming closer friends and it has been a year of working to understand him. When you say yours is uneasy, I am guessing his adoption was an improvement to his life and if you know of any treats you can offer, like almonds in the shell or pinenuts, he may toss them at first, but keep offering. Try putting them in his dish and once he accepts that you will be able to offer it to him from your fingers. As he gets to know you, you will know what to do with him, trust your instincts and let him have choices as to when and how to interact and he will come around.

Thanks for sharing. Our guy Gilbert has been having great dramatic use of the less acceptable version of crap. He may have heard it elsewhere because he is saying other things from his journey to a few other homes before ours. However, I am quite sure I am the one who reminded him. My husband and daughter were caught by surprise and I chased them on the back porch and closed the door and they were still laughing. Now he knows when my husband travels the best way to greet him on his return home is to drop the S-bomb. I am trying to think of a way to put my husband in time out because he can not keep a straight face and just walk away from the room and I know he loves getting a laugh out of Gilbert. I am sure Fergie waited patiently for the exact opportunity to use her shocker. Surprisingly, it is a whole lot funnier at your house than mine. Just kidding of course, Gilbert has been the talk of the town.

You are being kind and patient with Momo and when he is scared, talk softly and keep your hands down at your side so he gets baby steps to come to you when he is ready. Our grey is much older than Momo and had what he thought were bad experiences with other homes. It has been one year of many rejections until he is getting brave. He will learn you are loving and safe, keep being his friend and one day he will begin to trust.

I am enjoying this thread with your many ideas on initiating play with a reluctant grey. Gilbert has been with us a little over a year now and is just becoming more open to trying to play. We try things and he may reject them ten times and suddenly he will take off on a new approach to the same old playthings. Lately I discovered he likes to play with a chunk of a baguette. He just tore it apart and then went back to the dried pieces and flings them around more to play with them than to snack on them. After reading last night, I tried again with some strips of adding machine paper and he went into great delight grasping it with his talons and shredding, shaking, playing tug of war with himself. Today after reading again, I went to my stash and got a little golf ball sized wiffle ball and he tossed it off his cage every time I handed it to him. We are making slow progress and I appreciate the ideas you are all giving me.

This is a good thread, thanks. We live in the south and have quarterly spraying by a pest control company. They assure us that the spray is non toxic, but only spray the outiside perimeter, window sills outside etc. I have used Camacide for the occasional ant trail. If memory serves me right, it is made of flower extract, I want to think marygolds, but it is increasingly more difficult to find and I use it sparingly. It is good to have an alternative. And Judy... I laughed about the broom reference, I use mine but not to swat the flying insects, but have been told it is my main mode of transportation. LOL.