Elvenking

Awe...we love our birds don't we.

Thank you Dan, I am now finding out that if I am feeding him the right veggies, fruits and other healthy goodies like birdie bread, beans and mash...that i do not have to worry so much about the pellets...I will rpobably take the crushing method up in my next batch of birdie bread though. Not a bunch...but a little bit for the added nutrition. You think that is okay? I have heard about the UV light as well, he is out in the main living area of my apartment where the I leave him with plenty of incoming sunlight. While not direct sunlight, it illuminates the room quite well. Is this sufficient for UV light?

I have tried Harrisons Coarse pellets and so far have not had any evidence of luck with them and Issac. The cubes I imagine are somewhat difficult for him to even figure out if it is food or not. I have tried wtting them but to no avail. I am just glad he does forage among his veggies, I see the entire bowl cleared out when i get hom most of the time and a pile of minced veggies on the floor of the cage, I hope that means he is eating at least 35% of it and not treating it as a toy. He looks like a million dollars so I assume he is getting something good. Then again, he is still taking formula too. So I am not sure what is to come. I will probably email a couple of other pellet companies to see if they will send me samples and i would recommend you try that as well. Take care.

I read a lot of posts about how owners rotate different foods in the cage throughout the day. I work all day so my baby is home without me for about 6-8 hours a day during the 5 days of the week I work. That alone had me worried for a while as some of you know. But he seems to be plenty fine with my schedule mentally. He gets all the out-time in the world when I am home and even returns to his cage at night when he gets tired. The thing i am trying to figure out is how to make sure I offer him good foods and have it available throughout the day. I have no problem leaving veggies in the cage for him like carrots, butternut squash, sugar snap peas and broccoli for that time during the day. Even a slice of apple will do okay till I get home. Thing is, that is when he will clear out that veggie bowl. I try to offer him other things like beans, and other clever recipies like mash and bread, but I am hesitant to leave foods like that in there for that period of time. Is it okay to leave certain foods in there for him during the day, and if so...which would you say. I have left birdie bread in there before...seemed okay...gets a bit harder at the end of the day but I don't think that is a problem. Am I thinking along the right lines here? If you are gone at work for the day, how do you work this? Thanks for any ideas or comments. <br><br>Post edited by: Elvenking, at: 2010/03/30 19:11

Yes...this is very unique situational behavior. I wish I could tell you how to solve this one. Because once they learn something, they always know how to do it. That said. I guess if it were me...I'd be trying to teach your grey newer things..and reinforcing it with lots of praise. Just try to move on....it's quite best not to react to the negative things...but I think it has to be complimented with wanted things.

Lol....I never go much longer than 10 seconds without lookingat Issac. And I feel that is too long sometimes. IT's a life-change introducing a bird into your life...zero doubt.

I can't help it, everytime I see him looking at me, I am the happiest guy in the world. Sometimes I still cannot believe I finally have my own African Grey. It's amazing.

Oh heck yeah, if anything contains anything that could hurt them at all, I just take it away. I feel bad sometimes but how bad would I feel if he ever got hurt. Good thing to share though, they are clever little things, as well as having very functional beaks.

Yeah...the 16 bean soup package was great. And ditch the flavor packet for sure, that is where all teh sodium comes from and not good for birdies. I haven't gotten my red palm oil yet, but I was told by Dave that it's a certain hit when you put some over the bean mix. Can't wait to give him something made with it. I love to see him eat new things. Formula is still his favorite though, and I still find it hard to believe that one day he will push it away. You should see his excitement as soon as he sees the pink cup I mix it up in. It's a certain flight to me with tons of 'beep' sounds like the microwave makes when I warm up the water. It's like birdie crack. Oh yes, I did not make that little cup toy, I was the fool who paid 5 bucks for it...lol. I am sure it is a very simple thing to make. <br><br>Post edited by: Elvenking, at: 2010/03/29 21:37

Okay...so he does seem to take to eating beans. I have a ton left over. How long can I preserve this batch. I packed it up in a sealed container and placed it in the fridge for now. Is that okay or do I need to freeze it?

Thanks for reading. Issac is truly near and dear to my heart. <br><br>Post edited by: Elvenking, at: 2010/03/29 21:13

Awe that is awesome. Pepper is a handsome guy. Nice pictures. I love seeing pictures of these beautiful birds.

Not too much new going on with Issac over the last week. I made him some of this 16 bean mix I found at the store (minus the flavor packet). He seems to like beans. I filled a little dish for him and he went at it for a few minutes. He is still going on his formula for sure though. He did also like this little birdie kind of omlette I made for him that had egg, broccoli and carrots in it. So he's branching out. One morning, I took him in my room because I still wanted to lay in bed for a few minutes. He was super sweet. I had my head on the pillow and he would come over and bend his neck down for scratches by my head. So I would scratch him. Then he would make little cooing noises and do it again. He wanted tons of scratches and it was so cute to see him in such a cuddly mood. Other than that, he still enjoys hanging out on my shoulder. That reminds me, it's currently snowing little birdie down feathers. LOL. I am sure you can imagine. He will be preening on my shoulder and then after a while, a big flutter, then a miniature snow storm of tiny fluffy feathers rains down. So a bit more vacuum work for me. That's really it for this last week. He's is trying to make new noises and is babbling a lot. He is gorgeous as always and my wonderful little friend. We shall see what comes. <br><br>Post edited by: Elvenking, at: 2010/03/29 18:56

As a conincidence...I was away from Issac for the latest night tonight as well as I went 45 minutres away to watch the UFC with some friends. I was so missing him. I got home at about 10:15PM and let him out, he is mucnching come food and haning out with me now. I love him so much. Aren't they amazing?

Nope...I dont have a camera that does the 'burst mode' which is super sweet. But those cameras cost like 3 grand. I just Half clicked he button on my camera, and called him...crossed fingers there. One shot with the flash. To catch two in a row like that, that is seriously strange. Those are two completely different flights. So you can imagine my shock.<br><br>Post edited by: Elvenking, at: 2010/03/27 09:53

Awee...that is super sweet. They are the sweetest little creatures!

Lol....yes...I saw your post on the sleep bowl....too cute! I am going to try another brand of pellets to see if he will take another kind. I think he sees these little bricks of Harrisons that I give him and is quickly discouraged. I have tried wetting them a little bit, but he didn't go for it at the time. I will try again.

Ohhh gawd I love the lil babies! That picture is cute!

Thanks. Highly lucky. I took these two pictures last night...and only these two. I kissed him lots after it. The strange thing with the second picture is I can see the wall behind his wing. Like the camera caught both somehow. The last picture is just an enlargement of the first.<br><br>Post edited by: Elvenking, at: 2010/03/26 19:40

OMG..you gotta see that full size...whooly shooozirs.

Try Again Post edited by: Elvenking, at: 2010/03/26 07:38 <br><br>Post edited by: Elvenking, at: 2010/03/26 07:46

Another... <br><br>Post edited by: Elvenking, at: 2010/03/26 07:41

`Okay..so I got my baby to fly to me with the camera. These are frigin amazing to me...He is so beautiful. love my baby! <br><br>Post edited by: Elvenking, at: 2010/03/26 07:33

Did you know I almost named my Grey Pepper? Then i wanted to go with a name from the geniuses of Physics and Issac came out....after the great Issac Newton.

Sorry...first pic post didn not stick. <br><br>Post edited by: Elvenking, at: 2010/03/25 23:53