Birdnut

Oh my god! That's hysterical. A classic picture!

These are great stories. I'm really enjoying this thread. Moussa is almost 5 months old now. He's really settled in as a member of the family. The only thing he's attempted to say so far is "step up." He does do a pretty good lovebird imitation (Izze the lovebird, has her cage in the same room). He seems to enjoy music and likes to nap on the kitchen counter in front of the radio or the CD player when it's playing soft music. He was relaxing there just now, fluffed up with his eyes half closed. Then the CD ended, and his eyes popped open and he waddled off to play. We're just awed by this bird and his potential. It feels really different than with the other birds (which we also love) ... more like being a steward or guardian than an owner. Please keep the stories coming ...

The EZ Care playstand looks nice, but in my opinion, your bird is only going to want to sit on the top perch, and the rest won't be used. We really like the sandblasted manzanita wood playstands, but they are kind of pricey. We have also found that a nice rolling kitchen cart, like this one http://www.containerstore.com/shop/kitchen/carts?productId=10005343&N=199&Nao=0 with a good tabletop playstand on top is very versatile. You can roll it from place to place, put toys and stuff on the shelves, and you can remove the tabletop playstand and just sit it on a table.

Yes, we have the EZ Care cage for our grey, and it's really nice. The whole front opens, and the tray just about perfectly fits a newspaper!

So check this out. Psychic parakeet predicts Netherlands winner. http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=CNG.3afb0ca0216f74da36bf39a3c3da7e62.101&show_article=1

I love the little wind-up toy noise they make when they're hungry.

Thanks Bonnie for this video, and thanks to Judy for pointing out the sexual behavior. This makes it very educational for us new grey owners. Now I have a good idea of what to watch for with my big boy!

I have been looking around for a list of bird-safe seasonings to jazz up the birds' cooked food. I find lots of lists of safe and unsafe food items, but have not found any such lists of seasonings. Moussa the grey seems to appreciate my culinary efforts much more than the other birds, so now I'm feeling more motivated to come up with delectable dishes. I have looked at the sticky thread with recipes, which should be a good resource. Also bought a bird cookbook (seriously). Can you suggest some safe seasonings/spices that your birds have found especially yummy?

We rented this movie and watched it after we got our blue crowned conure. (Paulie is a blue crowned conure). It's very sweet. My favorite part is when Paulie's living with the older lady in the mobile home.

Great name ... lucky bird. Don't you wish she could tell you her story?

I think we're all fussy mommas and daddys with our birds ... sort of like parents with a first baby.

I did find this interesting discussion related to this found parrot. http://www.parrot-link.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=41130&view=next Poor bird. I guess the wild birds saw it as a threat in some way. I hope it found its way home.

Blessings to you and Piper, and may you find a good resolution and healing for Piper.

We've used one successfully. I know you can do it. My husband practiced on his hand. It is kind of confusing, but works really well.

Tail pumping can be associated with respiratory distress. This is more of an up and down movement and would be more continuous than what you're describing. We took our little parrotlet to the vet once because we thought she was pumping her tail. He reassured us that she was fine. He told us at that time that when birds are having difficulty breathing, they make a clicking sound with each breath. That's my limited offering on tail pumping. I'm sure other have much more wisdom to offer.

It's so cool when you hit on something that they really love. It's fun to watch them eat with such gusto.

How precious! I love the little baby sounds they make.

I sometimes play the radio in the bird room. They seem to like it. They also like it when I sing. Moussa, our new grey, is not in the bird room. His "condo" is in the dining room. I play the radio in the kitchen all the time, mostly classical. He will sit in front of the radio on the counter and nap sometimes. He seems to enjoy the music. Having said that, I also know that some birds do tend to be more noisy if the environment is noisy. I don't know if that applies to greys or not. Maybe some more experienced grey owners can tell you.

Here we have oil in the sea Disturbing the earth's harmony Let's just find a solution To all this pollution And cut out the idiocy! New word: hot

Hi. I think your new baby is beautiful. Cute name suggestions. I'm no expert, and maybe somebody here can correct me, but I was told at the pet shop where we trade that as they mature, a male cockatiel will lose the banding on the tail feathers, while the female will retain the banding. It looks like your new baby has banding on the tail feathers. Of course, we don't know it's age, but maybe that would suggest it is a female??? Okay, I'll throw out a name I thought of. The markings make me think of lace. I looked it up, and Lacy can be both a boy or a girl name. So the name I'll throw in the hat is Lacy, or Lacey.

Oh, my. That does sound scary. Glad everything's okay. I wonder if Cocoa felt the difference in the new, lighter line and was reacting to that.

Aw ... thanks Charlie! I've been thinking about getting one of those juke box toys. Does Charlie like it?

Hi Sherry ... welcome. To start with, there's definitely nothing wrong with you. It's completely normal for someone who is not acclimated to handling parrots to be a bit timid about their beaks. Parrots do bite sometimes; parrot keepers learn to accept this. They jokingly say things like, "You can't scare me, I have a parrot!" They compare old "war wounds" and then gush about how much they love their birds. You can certainly minimize the chance of being bitten by getting to know your bird and its body language, and by handling the bird with respect for its moods and individual preferences. It sounds like you're off to a good start with a great bird and a positive attitude. Don't worry. You'll get there. Be patient with yourself. Just try to relax with the process.

Maybe there's a Scottish word that rhymes with pumpkin But here in Texas, we're stuck with bumpkin. New word: laugh

Okay. That is just hysterical. But it's reassuring to know that I'm not the only one who has totally lost control ... lol.