Xtreme575

I'll say! I too find myself running in the mornings from brushing my teeth to answer the phone only to find that it is Paco playing with me. I'm not a morning person anyway, so his little tricks end up entertaining him to no end I'm sure, I run around late looking for a phone that is my parrot...

I agree! Fantastic! Thank you for persevering on getting the pics posted, they are great inspiration for all of us. I have a feeling I'm going to move, but this will be great info for me once Paco is flying again! Karma.

Nice cage, and again, Pebbles is a great looking bird, and I like the name too. There was a posting I saw yesterday that someone had put links on for toys, and they were amazing. Search around in the Grey Lounge, I wish I had bookmarked the site now, but I like searching around in here so much that I didn't think I'd need it quite so soon...

I got rid of the grate from my cage. I was told that Grey's like to play on the floor of their cage, and that the grates can interfere with that. Mine spends quite a bit of time on the floor of his cage foraging around, and seems to really enjoy it. I find that he avoids the areas that he has pooped in, and I make sure that I only use black and white newsprint on the floor. Maybe your Grey is just curious to see what's down there?

BTW, did the feather chewing stop prior to flight, with flight, or was it an alternative method, or is it still going on? I'm hoping mine is chewing out of frustration due to not being able to fly and that it'll stop when he can...:dry:

That's great to hear... From someone with an 8 month old clipped bird that can't wait for flight as well. I'm going to look into getting the netting! Maybe it will save me a move to a new home, something I was considering that would be more "bird-safe". Sorry you are having trouble attaching the pic, I need to read how to do it every time! LOL!

Until you hear from Dave, Jay or Dan, I would stay close at hand to make sure there isn't any "trouble" until you hear from an expert on what to do. I know that Dan once said let the bird deal with their feathers as they are the experts, so I'd abide by that unless Yoshi breaks the feather and it starts to bleed. You may have to take further measures then... I'd have clean needle-nose plyers or tweezers along with corn-starch handy just in case. But please try to leave it all alone until we hear from someone else, just keep your head about you! Good luck!

He is gorgeous, it's amazing how he has adapted to continue preening! I sure hope he is up on his own soon!

Ya! Those are great foraging ideas that won't cost the earth!!! I love them. I also clip clothes-pins throughout the csge where he will need to work to get to them, as well as in easier spots where he can unclip and hold the clothespin in his feet as he splinters them. He also loves chopsticks wedged between the bars that he can chew on. I make sure I explain what I am doing just before I leave. He watches me as I tell him, and then is usually moving toward a toy even as I'm walking out the door.

I agree with Jill, although I haven't had tail feathers yet, I have had a few good sized grey feathers. The fluff, that's a lifetime thing... I had to get a housekeeper to help me keep up with those, she calls them "his damned fur"!

Oh wow! I figured it out, it's like an optical illusion. The bird poop Looks like a highlight from the camera flash, giving the stand a plasticized shine to it! Cool! Jill, you are easily forgiven for having missed a bit of poop on your giant java stand, you're lucky you can find Harvey on that giant, let alone a tiny bird poop! You could have easily told us that you had half of it plasticized to keep it clean when Harvey wasn't using it, we would have believed you! Like I said before, you and Harvey are a match made in Heaven! LOL! I love the treat by the way, what is it? I've never seen them in Canada... Off to school with me!

Hey Spence, good to see you back, and to hear that Chloe is doing well, and that you are still together! Of course Judy and Penny have given you excellent advice on bigger being better, I went with a big cage, but now wish I had gone even bigger than I did, so get as big as your wallet will allow. Regarding the seed skirt, I like mine, if nothing more than to catch the majority of the poop when the parrot is hanging around on the edge of the cage. I also find that my guy loves to climb down to it and walk sideways along the edge. So although the skirt doesn't stand a chance in catching thrown food, it's almost like another playpen for him when he gets tired of the one on his cage roof! Let us know how Chloe is doing? Is she talking a bunch now?

I start Paco's day with a fresh "salad" with his warm "Birdy Banquet" bean mash served in the center. I call it salad as I offer it, but he just clucks like a chicken or rings like the phone until I get this dish into his cage. The starts his second favourite game of "Throw the beets"... :pinch:

SSSSSSHHHHHHhhhhhh! Don't tell Jill, but I've suspected a touch of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder with her, I can read through her in her posts!!! I suspect that she has found some sort of bird safe cleaner that she has been using to polish that poor java wood right into a shine in any area that Harvey even considered pooping on! The shine is the result of incredible amounts of elbow grease combined with that cleaner. Poor Harvey, it's a wonder he doesn't just slide down the playstand and skate right across her well polished floor on his red tail! No wonder he gets into so much mischief, he's trying to distract her from scrubbing! :woohoo:

Ya.. I have love enough for the two of us, as long as I have his trust, and that he wants to hang with me, then I'm satisfied.

Interesting observation Penny, it's amazing what they seem to remember. I find it amazing that Talon went right to the "old haunts"... Wow!

She is gorgeous! How does she act? That might mandate her name. I don't know why, but as soon as I looked at her, I thought, Sylvia. I don't know why....

I do a month at a time, and like Judy, put it in ice cube trays until frozen solid. I don't put them in baggies though, I just use one tupperware container, taking out what I want and heating it in the microwave everyday. You should be fine with a month at a time, just use something that you can get the air out of to prevent any freezer burn. It's a lot of work to make those mashes, I agree...

I use a collapsible cage very similar to those as well, mine didn't come with dishes, but looks a bit bigger. I bought dishes that attach to the bars, a couple perches (one wood, one cloth) and away we go! I take Paco everywhere with me in it, he loves the trips, and has a lot of fun going with me. There is a bit of a struggle getting him in, not that he hates the cage, but he LOVES to play on top of it. I also have to use a padlock when we are in it, he has figured out how to pop the lock on the cage, I didn't realize it until I noticed people in traffic pointing. I looked back and there was Paco standing on top of the cage looking out at the others waiting for the lights... Anyway, we both love the cage, and I keep it handy and never folded up, I want it ready in case of emergency.

Haha! Our poor British friends... It's been nice and sunny in western Canada, so much so, the Olympics are still struggling with their mountain events. Jill, I'm not trying to ruin your quiet time, but I thought I had to post the question after hearing mercury concerns... Dave, I understand your point, and appreciate your input, any thoughts on the mercury?

When I first adopted Paco, I was told to not offer him cuttlebone/fish due to the increased mercury, and it accumulating in their liver. I can't say that he has never had it, he has had toys that have had cuttlebone in it, but I don't generally offer it. I have a "Manu" stone in his cage, but he ignores it, which probably makes sense as it is a product of the "new world" rather than anything that would be found in Africa. I'm just curious as to what the consensus is on the cuttlebone, and offering it to their Greys?

My TAG is also eating the Pretty Bird species specific pellet, and their bean mash along with veggies, I haven't noticed a smell from the pellets or mash mix, but I do notice that the broccoli can sometimes make a difference...

OH my goodness! Wasn't that flight fantastic! I'd never be able to chance it though... After seeing what has happened to many bird owners trying to train free-flight and losing their birds, I just couldn't do it, but it was magnificent to watch!

LOL @ Jill! Jill, I'm sorry, but I really believe you and Harvey deserve one another! You saying that you wouldn't admit that he is yours really made me laugh! I think you two are a perfect pair!

Hey Joey, welcome! Make sure you ask lots of questions, there are no dumb questions here! I look forward to seeing more posts, and having you join me and my baby in the nursery!