Elvenking

That is a good question....looks like ripening is hit or miss to me. I left mine out for a good 4 or 5 days and I didn't see any signs of ripening. I wrote the place i got them from and asked how I should care for them. They just said that it's okay to feed them green and that they do tend to wrinkle a little bit. But some just don't look good any more so I threw some away. They also told me to refrigerate them and\or freeze them. I am wondering if there is any special location they would ripen better in.

I have a post I made from a few weeks ago saying the same thing. You look at them sometimes and you just can't believe that you ahve one. Like you, i wanted on all of my life. Either a Cockatoo or A Grey. I picked a Grey because I love how clever and interactive they are. Issac constantly amazes me with both his beauty and smarts. They are majestic little creatures.

This is a great tip. Issac is super content on this saturday...as I have spent tons of time with him today and he has had tons of out time. He is a perfect angel right now. I got him some really chewable toys that I knew he would like....and he is all over em. He is perched on my shoulder preeening an raining little white feathers on me...which I do not mind at all...I love him with alllll of my heart. My little baby just needs more outlets. I will try to keep him flying like you say you do...great idea. Thanks.

Yes, in the first hour I am home....I do not attempt to engage myself in anything other than Issac.. He would just never let that happen. So I talk and play with him. Just got back from the bird store with a lot of new goodies to deck out his play area. He is currently enjoying a couple of them now. I think this will curb his curiosity for a while. He is currently as happy as a clam with some little wooden toys. And I haven't even shown him anything else yet....I have some things I know he is going to love. Thanks for the replies.

I am pretty lenient with most items, sometimes I am just tired so I say...go ahead...tear that thing up...just give me 10 minutes. But certain things I can't limit....like the refrigerator seal. He is absolutely...100% on that fridge or freezer door the very second it is opened. Occasionally I have to pry his beak from it just so I can close the door again. I simply cannot allow it. Today he seems like his typical self. Gets into the occasional no-no...but way more manageable than the other day. One other thing, I always see videos of birds just hanging out on their play areas and not really flying around too much. Is this just a peaceful slice of video that I see in a day that is otherwise filled with tons of flying? I pretty much don't limit where Issac can go. His new favorite place is the top of my sliding door blinds. He has discovered that it is nice and high up and it's a good place to sing too. Issac is typically not a hang-out-on-my-play-area bird until he gets a little tired and want to spend some time preening. (Which incidentally, he is doing right this very moment.) I am headed out to find more entertainment for him. I am going to try colorful baby toys and also hit the bird store too. Hopefully I can spark his interest. I heard that I should get him a bell too...so I will pick one of those up.

One other thing...the title is a joke...Issac is not a 'Bad Bird'. I just was trying to be funny I will actually joke with him and sing the "bad boy" song as bad bird to be playful when he gets into trouble.

Wow....I just went back after all this time and read this post after all this time and I have to say pearlyn...what a super sweet post for me when I was a new bird owner. This is awsome fist advice that really touched my heart to read. Thank you for welcoming me to the site with such a wonderful post. I loved reading this.

When i am home...I spend a grand portion of time paying attention to Issac. Now he does have an Atom and a play area that literally goes from the floor to the roof and I rotate toys all the time. I am due to get some more soon here though. But yes he has all kinds of toys. I know he is being a normal parrot. Finding toys that keep him engaged....now that is a tough one. I am going to try to get some toddler toys and see if he likes those. I would say that I am making good efforts all around..and I am not complaining here...I am just looking for solutions on how to be a good bird dad. To say that I need to spend quality time...I think I do that...please elaborate on how I should do this if you have ideas...I am all ears. I even go out of my way to be home with him and give him as much out-time as I can possibly do...usually 5-8 hours a day....he is a free bird. Am I missing the boat...how else do i spend quality time with my baby. I love him up so much...I don't know what else to do. I hope I didn't make it seem like he is a trouble bird...he really isn't. He's just the bird I expect. I just really want to find what keeps him happy and give him enough outlets for his desires. That is the kind of information I need. My guess after thinking about it is that I simply need to find things that engage him. When i see him going for things he shouldn't, I don;t just want to say no but I want to give him something as a fun alternative to do. If anyone finds this easy or even manageable on a regular basis...please tell me how you do it. I have managed it up to this point with nary too tough an issue...but lately he seems....hyper...lol. Do you think I really just need to get him some more toys? Maybe. I am hitting the stores tomorrow. You know I want this bird to be happy, I fly special foods in from all over just to give him stuff he loves. Did you know that I love this bird?

I have a Conure along with my grey Issac, and I have to say...I definitely favor Issac...just due to his need for attention and how interactive he is. Pedro, my Conure, simply keeps to himself and likes it that way, I talk to him and give him some shoulder time here and there, and he has been through a lot with me, but Issac and the relationship there is clearly stronger.

So last night Issac decided he would test my patience, and test his boundries. There are things that i do not want him getting in. Don't eat my plants, don't pick the keys off my key board, not the picture frames, please don't bite the seal on the fridge door EVERY time I open it...no not the grille on my speaker not the caps to the food items I am trying to prepare for you...and so on. LOL. One of these things at any one time can be tollerable, but sometimes he just makes a round to everything i don't want him to get into. And what's more, he will try to bite me after I have taken say...the Enter key from my keyboard away from him. So he got time-out twice last night. (Two two minute stints...hardcore right?) I figure him for a fast learner and if he just kept at it...the time might get longer. It's usually in the first hour of freedom when I get home that he is really...let's say playful. I don't want to make him upset by removing from him the things that I don't want him to chew, but I can;t keep everything out of his reach and live normally at the same time. I know one member that institutes a three strike rule, and that seems to be a good approach, but how do you handle your Grey when they just want to get into everything they shouldn't? He looks so innocent eh? 'Who me, a bad birdie??? Nahhhhhhhhh.'

I am fanatical about taking pictures of Issac ever since I located him at the breeder. Also, as most of you know, I have been writing about Issac weekly here on the Grey Forums since week 10 I think. I have to go back and collect all the text and save it so I can have the memories of my experiences raising my first Grey. My baby Issac.

Lol...this is kind of funny. Every morning I play the "Where is the morning bomb gonna be" game. I carefully watch him up until he lets this one go. I also take him to a location where poops are okay often and say 'poop'. He has been pretty good about this one as this is the time I most work with him. Getting the morning bomb off the carpet is quite a task...so it's important.

Lol...last night wanted to come home and just sort of rest. But for the first hour that Issac is out...it is time to explore baby! And time to get into everything that he shouldn't. Red Palm Pasta gives me about 20 minutes every time. I might have to try sugar cane...if I can find it.

I can say that potty training is a long road. Let me know how you did it if you manage to get that one going. You really have to wacth them constantly and wait for that moment where he hunkers down...wags his butt...and squats...then you can come in and move him to where you want him to poop. Even though I have managed to do this numerous times and praise lavishly when he does good....I am still Mr. Clean with my Woolite Carpet Cleaner and a towel. In the 14 weeks I have had him...I would say I have easily cleaned 200-250 poops off the carpet...and that might be a conservative number. It forced me to get a proper cleaning technique down where I spray, scrub, and then go over it with a vacuum cleaner to straighten the carpet threads. He is lucky he is so wonderful and adoreable and a really good friend. I would do this for no other. LOL. Grey love it is.

This almost happened with a schooner of nice beer when Issac tried to land on it a while back. Do you think I let it fall? LOL....ohhhhh no waayyyyyyy man.

Ohh phewy...I thought i would be able to go back and see them myself. They must have removed some of the old posts when they updated the site.

Thanks for that link Talon....I just ordered a pound of that fantastic looking mix. I hope Issac likes it as much.

Issac is 23 weeks and still loves his morning and evening feedings. During the day he goes through veggies and I will give him some pasta with red palm oil sometimes. I would try to go get some Exact formula or something and a syringe or spoon...which ever you are comfortable with. I am willing to bet that will curb the beg calls. I microwave water for 30 seconds, mix, and cool to 110-108 F and serve Issac from a syringe. He was fussy exactly like you say at first, but now he grinds up his veggies during the afternoon. It takes a lot of experimenting and repeating. What he wants one day he won't on another...but keep leaving it for him even if he doesn't plow through it all. Those formula feedings will take care of that begging noise for sure. Issac does the same thing, but its a cute little microwave sound...lol....letting me know what he wants me to use. Your bird is just a little behind mine and you are experiencing the same things I did. I post every week about Issacs progress, and you might find it interesting to read the post of what ever week your baby is on. Cheers and good luck with Murphy.

Oh my goodness...that is the cutest thing i have seen. I love that look in their eyes...so innocent and curious.

Yes, he was on my shoulder, he had just flown there 10 seconds before.

Okay...when i get home I will take a picture of them. At work right now. Thanks

I think Issac might not like it when my attention must be divided. Which is probably why he was getting into things he shouldn't. He is a little rascal. My friend loves him too, and he eventually calmed down and let her pet him and hold him and such. She tried to make little tiny bits of her shoes too...lol. But when she first came in and wanted a hug...he was out for blood! Nabbed my cheek and I had to shoo him away. He was not pleased at all. He later let us hug goodbye. LOL....let us. I guess it was the total rush of new things that got him all worked up. Maybe he was protecting our roost.

Yes, that growl is something else. My daughter said, "He sounds like a tiger." If he wasn't so freaked out, it would be funny. I have a training DVD coming from GoodBirdInc and I hope it helps me learn how to keep my baby well rounded and proper. Do you also live alone with Murphy?

I got them from this site: http://www.mybirdstore.com/FRESH_PALM_NUTS_QUEEN_PALM_NUTS_INTRODUCTORY_OFFER.html I am trying to figure out how to take care of them though. If I didn't know any better I would say that they are starting to rot. i wish i knew what to do with these things to make them keep or ripen. I have no clue of how long any of that takes. I am writing the company I ordered them from for more information. Either way, Issac really enjoyed them and I give him one here and there for a treat.

That is so awesome. I love to hear stories like this.