Elvenking

LOL...."That love bird will do you up a treat mate....look at the bones!!"

Wow...so cool to hear that others have observed this expression of displeasure and have recognized it for that. I am super glad to have figured it out as it can save me from bites. Issac will also growl if something he does not trust approaches him. He puffs up and does his tiger impression. LOL.

Pet stores are notoriously on the high end when it comes to birds in general. But usually around 1000-1200 at a reasonable place. I was lucky, I found a breeder on bird breeders... http://www.birdbreeders.com/ and found one in my area with a high star rating. She had about 7-10 CAG's all beautiful. She was letting them go at $875.00....very nice. I loved going over there to hang out with the birds. She had hundreds of birds and a big backyard to raise them in. I would suggest looking on that site. I haven't checked your area, but they have lots of listings and testimonials. $1400.00 is high...and by high...I mean like....stoned. I know that the breeder I got Issac from actually ships...but I don't know how that goes. Eva is the number 3 breeder on that website. EMR Exotic Birds. But go on there and serach by state...lots come up for Washington.

Yes...the beak nudge is certainly one that should be heeded. It's funny with Issac's sound...I really didn't even know until what the sound meant until one of my friends came over and approached Issac. He looked at them...puffed up and made the noise and my friend said, "Ohh it sounds like he is saying 'nooooooo'". From then on...I could tell he was expressing displeasure with this noise. It's just one of those things that makes you adore them.

Issac is still working on his speech, I imagine that soon he will be more effective with the communication. As I always say, "Ah-ah" or "no-no-no boy" when he does something I don't want. Issac has been making that little noise to communicate his 'no' since he was only cheeping. Sometimes he will nudge an item away and fluff up and make the noise. It's too cute.

I am not sure if anyone else has noticed something like this in their grey...but I thought I would share this. For almost all Issac's life...he has had a particular sound that I have come to associate as his way of saying 'no' or just an expression of displeasure with whatever is currently happening. It is a super sweet and gentle whistle that is in the form a decending tone. It's pretty quiet and sounds like a short little bomb drop. "Peeewwwww'. Ignore this, and you might start getting beak activity. Anyone else speak parrot?

LMAO.....Issac just started doing this like 2 days ago. I do it with him now. I encourage it. It is funny.

Just show them that you want to love them and one will surely accept.

Awe..it would make me sad to see him falling like that. I assume that you have cushions and all everywhere so he can avoid splitting his chest?

I have a conure that was clipped young and he only flies when he is spooked. Probably an early clip as Dave describes. He has an obvious aversion to flying since he was clipped so young. But he certainly is spunky and more than confident enough to chase Issac off of his cage if Issac comes landing on it. I let his feathers grow out when I got him because he is really gorgeous with all his feathers. He does a lap or two around the living room when he is spooked, but looks like he saw a ghost after he gets done. Like flying scares the crap out of him.

I am no expert for sure, but he doesn't look maimed to me. Do have him checked out though just to see. Looking at him from behind, he looks fine. I would think that he could fly some day. He's a pretty bird!

Can you take a picture of your bird to show us what the state of the wings are right now?

Issac has just dazzled me in the first month of 2011 with his new sounds. I can count on hearing quite an array of sounds during my shower in the morning and on the lamp at night. His newest and my favorite right now is like a little owl hoot. Or a "Whooooo". I am hoping I can get him to say "Whhhooooo weeee". It's such a soft and deep tone for him. His little neck puffs out when he does it...the whole thing is just sweet. I can't wait to see what else he catches on to.

So it looks as if you both made deposits.

Ohh yes...Issac was the grey in the clutch that was really into me. It was why I picked him too. I would set him at one end of the couch...and go sit down at the other end just to watch him waddle up to my chest in all of his excitement. Ahhh the days before flight....so precious. LOL. If you look to the left at my avatar...you will see what I mean.

Issac is blowing me away with his sounds. He does one that I soooo love now....he does this little low "Whooooo". I love it when he lands on my shoulder and does that one..its so quiet and pure. And the way he looks at me when he does it is like a child asking for approval or praise. (And of course I do). Now when ever I go to pour myself a cup of water, he starts gulping like I do. The other day I opened a cabinet and he squeeked instead of the cabinet. Lately, he seems to be trying to copy everything around him. Water pouring, various cabinet creeks, dogs barking, spaceship laser noises, every noise my conure does to a perfect tee. I don't have names for some, I usually figure out where they are from in a suprising sort of way. Man, he is becoming the little entertainer. I am hearing a better 'hello' in between ones he tries to sort of yell out. He is really in experimental mode lately. Charming little guy.

It does help to come vent and see that there are so many similar stories. I think it is awesome that you give Murphy so much. Just allowing them to be flighted is such a major undertaking. I know that another day will come that I realize just how much. On the positive side, each time I am challenged by Issac, it gets a little bit easier. You find out the things that are going to set them off and you plan around them just a bit more.

It is strange living with a pet that has such strong moods. I know Issac is not trying to hurt me, even when I get hurt. He has a wild way of playing is all. He will get into a mood and at that moment, I know it is time to pay attention to him or I am going to be his toy. I think I spoil him with so much attention that he holds me to that standard. I have never been so attached to a bird in my life. He follows me everywhere.

I keep putting the same veggies in Issac's cage over and over forever now....Carrots, sugar snap peas, yellow squash. couple apple slices, and jalepino pepper pieces. I go back to broccoli sometimes but he doesn't like it cold. He will do anything from toss it all on the cage bottom, to gobbling up a little bit of each. When I steamed the broccoli...he liked it. I am constantly trying options for him and it's never a slam dunk. Sometimes if I notcie that he just does not eat a certain thing in his bowl...I stop putting it in there for a while and replace with a different veggie. Then i will go back to it and discover that he is eating it again. Things Issac loves are scrambled eggs (I have to limit those to about half an egg in a serving...I think he would eat as much as i gave him). I mix in a little bit of red palm oil and microwave him some and scramble it up for him. His neck really starts pumping when he gets eggs...by far his current favorite. Another one is Penne Noodles glazed with Red Palm Oil. These are a hit as well. The search is always on for things he likes. I have tried making things for him that other greys totally love...and will shrugg em off. And vice versa.

With Issac the terms are these: So long as I do what I want to when he says it's okay....I will be alright.

So true. Okay...I will throw this in there for Issac. I always cup my hands around his body when he is walking on the counter and do little kisses on his back. Now he does the kissy noise when I do that too. I adore him.

It is certain your willingness to hang in there will be further tested. I love Issac more than almost anything in the world, and I wanted to smack his little butt last weekend because he was trying to take my ear off as a game. They are needy characters, and you will constantly find out that you have a little more than you bargained for. Especially when you must maintain a child-like bird with grace under pressure. They are so attractive because they are so cute and smart. I have even said to myself, "My goodness...all the work I do and the way I live since I have had this bird, and he doesn't do any cool tricks or talk yet....people must think I am an idiot. LOL" But it is so much more than that. I have a bird friend. And it occurs to you just what a huge responsibility that you are under now that you have started this. Just like having a child. Except you can't rehome a child. It does help to remember that what you have done is added a full blown family member to your life and all the responsibilities that entails....to a degree. He wants to be with you very bad. I definitly know how that is. I have had to change my whole schedule when I want to work on my computer. Issac has to get it out of his system first..and then I can get him to perch on my shoulder and calmly preen there. Success...I can work a little bit. I know it is very hard to focus on the rewards of having a Grey when it seems everything is going downhill. But they move on to other things that you will enjoy and things that will challenge you like no other. They sure as hell are no dog. Ohhh no. LOL. Not even close. I think you may have read my, "Close to murdering my bird" thread by now. It goes from furious to understanding again. A good read for prospective Grey owners. In the end...he is gonna make you love him.

The thing i notice about Issac, and he may be unique in this respect, is that the harder I try to get him in the cage...or the more urgent I make it...the harder it is. I usually set 5 minutes aside to get him in. Then I will just repeatedly explain to him that he has to be a good boy and I tell him about what I have to do. This leads to flapping up onto my shoulder to get away from 'the hand that will put him away' a few times...some flights to other perching locations...but the miraculous thing is....he will eventually just give up and let me place him in there without even having to cover him with my hand. Something to try. The other side of that is Issac is almost always out when I am home. If he is in his cage...he will do his pathetic little floor scratching at the bottom of the cage for a bit and give up. Something about what you are doing is letting him know that the irritating sound is getting to you. Issac picks up my Conures noises and that is pretty irritating to me....but I just look away when he does that and then praise the heck out of him when i hear otherwise. He still does the noises...but sometimes if I get really excited about something he does....he will do it for days. All of what you hear is intelligent communication though...even if it's not the sounds you like....it seems you understand exactly what he wants.

I laughed out loud reading your description. They are such attention getters. Yes, I was in the heat of frustration when I posted this. Here I was, trying to duck and dodge the bird, while I am working on cleaning up things...caused by the bird, all so I can live sanely with a bird who at the moment, was driving me quite insane. Then, he rubs his head on my cheek. They are the upper level of pets that require a ton of socialization and interaction and it is definitely not to be taken lightly. It's one of the cons of leaving them flighted. But then flying has its wonderful moments. They really do want to come to you and be where you are, and it's a personal reward every time it happens....well...almost every time. They are exactly like children!

Yep...I was going through Issac's neck feathers while he was preening last night. He was so sweet the way he was letting me inspect. He has a bunch of little blackish pins coming in all around his neck. I get excited when I look because I can't wait to see the shinny new feathers.