lindaleekoh

Hi! It has been a while since I have posted...since my last post I have aquired an DYH from a family member. I have had Fruitloop for about three months now. The family member had only had him for a couple of months.She wanted to rehome him due to her B&G being jealous. He is 6 years old. I was told that he would bite.I believe his previous home was not that great because his feathers were in poor shape and he says things like "are u a pretty bird....UGLY BIRD" and does not care for hands at all and family member said previous home was dirty. She used a glove with him. I don't use gloves at all with my birds...however I will use a dowel for stepping up. Well, Fruitloop and I have made progress...well at least I thought so :confused:...over the past week he has been stepping up for me onto my arm and I bring him in the kitchen to bird tree for treats and some out of cage time...well this morning he stepped up onto my arm and with both feet on my arm leaned down and bite me not once but twice on the arm...I didn't scream but I did grit my teeth. I have some nasty beak marks on my arm...and although it hurt like all get out...I was expecting much worse. Also he does have one cuss word he says...and after he bite me he kept repeating ...I want some f****** water...btw he had fresh water and food...guess he was a little excited...lol. His tail was not fanned out...his eyes weren't pinning. So now I guess we take a few steps back and back to stepping onto dowel . So...although I have been lucky with Dante' our CAG...Fruitloop has help me join the parrot bite me club:p.

Dante' loves pasta too! Crunch...crunch...it's gone!

Not sure...but Dante' does it a lot especially at bedtime...kind of a clicking/grinding sound.

In the good ole' south:)...Myrtle Beach,SC USA:)!

Thanks for the info and pics Dave. Questions though...should they be allowed to ripen in the frig or counter top? They came in a sealed bag...should I wash and set them out? Will they feel softer to the touch when ripe? The ones I got were small orange/small red/and big green ones. I cleaned the small orange ones and put them in the fridge. I put a couple in Dante's bowl and he doesn't seemed very interested in them. Flame (sun conure) has played with them...but they are hard. Going to keep tryin'.

Wow...some strict rules! That's great though that NZ finds the natural habitants important enough to protect...wish other places did including here:)!

Well...tried the Queen Palm nut and well both Dante' and Flame(sun conure) acted scared of them...which is strange cause Flame loves to eat everything..lol. You are right they are really hard. I had my husband crack 2 open with a hammer . Dante' still had no interest in them at all however Flame did eat them after they were cracked open. Came home tonight to find the ones I left in Dante's treat bowl untouched..and as for Flame.. his were lying on the bottom of his cage. Maybe they need to rippen more?? Not sure.... Guess we will keep tryin'. Keep me updated on how Babalu is doing with the palm nuts. Thanks:)

Congratulations on your new addition to your family! Our CAG spends his days in the living room on his playstand in the center of all the activity and his nights and times we are not home (which is not often that someone is not home) in his cage in our bedroom. He does not seemed bothered by anyone walking by including the dog...who anxiously awaits for Dante' to drop a treat from his treat bowl . He plays on his playstand and watches the family/tv/dog/etc. As for not knowing when someone is coming by...I don't know about other folks' greys but Dante' always seems to know when someone or something is approaching even without them making a sound...no sneaking up on him:).

Recieved the fids order of palm nuts today from mybirdsafestore.com!! Excited to see how they like them . Packaging was fabulous...came with instructions on cleaning and the website even had recipe for homemade vege wash and came in nice packaging and a few gift toys. We ordered a few of each kind available...and my husband said we actually have some of those palms nuts here locally on palms. Does anyone here feed palm nuts to their fids...and if so how do they like them?

Hi! Just adding as a parent of both a 7yo and a 14yo and a CAG and a Sun Conure...my concern would be bites...all animals and sometimes even people bite...LOL. Speaking from experience, when our Sun Conure, Flame came home my son (7yo) who is pretty calm still became excited and really wanted to hold Flame(who is a friendly and pretty calm sun conure but still loud when he wants attention) even though Flame was hanging out with my 14yo daughter and he gave Max a nice warning bite on the knuckle of his finger when Max would not stop attempting to get him to step up. My 7yo fell to the floor in tears...cause not only did it hurt but his little heart was broken. It was my son who wanted a parrot because his teacher at school had birds in the classroom and he loved the feathered friends and wanted one of his own. My 7yo had been taught just as the rest of the family on handling of birds from my research online. However he is still a child and kids will be kids just as fids will be fids...it is human nature to pull back when bitten and this can be dangerous. That being said...I understand that you and your class want to adopt a feathered friend so being in SC also I have done prior research and thought I would share with you that there is a rescue in Pineville,NC that offers 2 free classes on bird care (parrot university) requires a home visit, and have very reasonable adoption fees..they have parakeets (which are fabulous starter fids and are very capable of talking), cockatiels (also great starter fid $75 adoption fee), sun conure ( $150 adoption fee..not so great talker but very entertaining) and the list goes on...according to their site they all have recieved physical by avian vet. Companion Parrots Re-homed (aka CPR)...they can be found on http://www.petfinder.com. I am sure there are many others on petfinder but thought this one would be nice because they offer a class, adoption fee very reasonable, and they have had physical from avian vet already. Perhaps you could even talk them into coming and educating your class about avian care...because so many fids are up for adoption due to lack of knowledge. Also, be careful because some children may be allergic or have asthma and may not be able to handle the dander or feathers from a fid. Anyhow I wish you and your class luck on your adventure.

I use one part vinegar, four parts water, and a tablespoon of lemon juice in a spray bottle and a little elbow grease:)...really doesn't take that much elbow grease. For hard to reach poopies (small spaces such as inbetween bars)... I spray and use Qtips for cleaning. Thinking about investing in a nipple brush for hard to reach places:). I take the boys out of their cages for cleaning and wipe down all bars of cages on my days off with this mixture and paper towels. I also use this same mixture to clean accident poopies that may land on my carpet and it works great for us:). I also am experimenting with making homemade natural scents for home (water,lime juice,vanilla extract, and almond extract in spray bottle(for quick smell) and diffuser reeds !

Dante' isn't in his cage...he was hanging out on his new TreeHouse in the living room:D.

My wonderful husband made our feathered children a new TreeHouse! So excited ...Flame (SunConure) loves it...Dante' (CAG) is learning to like it especially when he has it all to himself. Besides adding a few more things to Dante's TreeHouse..my husband's next project a smaller version for Flame !

Thanks Jayd! It is nice to know that this is normal behavior...and that I don't have to spend less time with Dante'. He is a special guy and the only other male that my husband would ever say "ok...go see your other husband" about..LOL!! Will definately only touch his head, beak and stepping up. Again thank you...you're the best.

Update...well Dante' is adjusting nicely so far. However, he is doing mating dance quite frequently whenever I am around. Sometimes he will even slide down his cage and crawl into my bed...regurgitate while doing the mating dance and panting. He will not step up on my arm...just with one foot will grab my finger...so what I have been doing is putting on my robe...because he likes to step up on a towel from his cage per previous family... and take him to his cage and let him step up to the top of his cage. However sometimes even when I am talking to him while he is standing on his door he will do the same thing. He is doing better with my husband...except my husband says Dante' acts different when I am around. I was just wondering if anyone can give me any advise as to what I need to do. I clean his cage daily, feed him fresh in am and pm and pellets with sunshine factor are available all the time. On my days off I mist him with Rain Tropical spray twice daily. His door to his house is left open all day when I am home so he can come and go as he pleases. And of course shower him with attention. Perhaps too much?? My husband says when I am not around that Dante' will step up for him...and is now letting him rub his beak every now and then but won't let my husband touch his head. He said Dante' will take treats from him when I am not around. However, as soon as I am within sight or earshot...Dante' will only step up for my husband and will not take treats and will not let him rub his beaK. I want Dante' to enjoy everyone in our family...perhaps I should show a little less attention to Dante' which would be very hard...but perhaps if I let my husband show more attention than me...Dante' behavior might change? Any advise would be appreciated:). Anyhow, Dante' is talking up a storm every now and then. Every time I clean his house I hear "whatcha doin" and I reply cleaning which he replies "really". He and my son continue to dance in the evenings before bedtime...with Dante' on his door doing a little jig and my son dancing in front of cage and every now and then they have short conversations:) which my son loves. My husband said one afternoon he had Dante's door open and he fell asleep to be awaken by Dante' chewing on his toe....hahaha. My daughter acts like she is not so interested in Dante' but my husband said she had him on her arm talking to him today...and since she has wanted to be a vet since she was 5yo..is now talking about specializing as avian...since we do not have any board certified avian vets in SC. Gidget my Boston Terrier is adjusting too..she was curious about Dante' and wanted to get a sniff in...which he tolerated from a short distance but Gidget does not know personal space..but Dante' let her know where his personal space is...and Gidget now respects it. He is a great Grey and a wonderful family member...just need to get some advice so he does not get hormonally stressed out with all the mating rituals... Thanks in advance and just wanted everyone to know I am enjoying reading all the posts here...getting great ideas from ya'll:)...not clipping his wings and letting Flame's flight wings grow too!! Also thanks to ya'll we are working on a homemade playstand made from crepe myrtle tree:)...Ya'll are FabUlous!

They are beautiful and I am glad to see that they get along.

So it took me a little bit to figure out the picture uploading and hopefully I got it right. This is Dante' and Flame.Dante' was posing for the camera:). Flame is riding on my son's back. Flame is 9months old...still a baby:) and quiet a character. Well, we have had breakfast and mist shower this morning...so going to hang with my guys for the day. Thanks to everyone for the warm welcome...and again for all the post of great info. Have a wonderful day!

Hi Judy! Thanks! I am really glad I found this forum because it has such great information from experienced owners. I will be exploing it more now:) I understand Dante' may have baggage...but we come with baggage too so I believe with patience,time and some education (primarily for the humans in the house) we will be able to accept and adjust...and I will definately check out any rehomed threads for information...and the bird food room too!! I am learning his body language too..so hopefully I will find more information on that...trying to give him lots of attention but at the same time give him his space(and my children are doing really great at being patient, slow and respectful with Dante') Hopefully the vet will give him a clean bill of health. My primary concern about the feather destruction is not cosmetic but his health (physical and/or mental)...because Dante' is beautiful and amazing!! And of course so is Flame (Sun Conure)...he is just a loveable fellow. Thanks again for the welcome!

Hi! I have been a visitor on this forum a few times and I would like to say thank you for all the wonderful information everyone provides here! Dante' (CAG) is the newest member to our family.My husband had previous experience with African Grey (his sister's) and we also have our beautiful and wonderful baby, Flame (Sun Conure) My husband and son really wanted an AG and after much research online including this website... we got Dante' from an individual. Dante' arrived home with us this Wednesday. I was told by his previous family that he will be 7yo in the winter of this year which I am not so sure is accurate but that's ok because Dante' has come home to roost! He seems to have accepted me (regurgitate and does a little jig for me in the am and when I get home from work) and he has accepted my 7yo son ( no regurgitation but dances with my son and has shared a few words with him) still working on my husband (he will step up for him and accept treats but will not talk in front of him or allow him to touch his head or body other than of course his feet). My 14yo daughter has held him also and even heard a word or two:). He seems to be adjusting well so far. Making an appt. Monday to go for first vet visit:)...btw he really needs it...forgot to mention even though I did a lot of research...I went with my heart instead of my research and brought Dante' home with us.... he has plucking/ chewing/feather issues... there was just something special about Dante'...or maybe it's because of my background as Mom and nurse...I just feel like Dante' is special and needs some TLC. The previous family was feeding him bright colored pellets (looked like fruitty pebbles)and seeds...he is now eating Harrison's High potency and fresh vegs and fruit and tolerating it well so hopefully change in diet will help...will find out from vet:). His wings are not clipped so debating on having this done for his safety...again going to ask vet. He is out of his house at least 6hours daily now and was shy at first but adjusting well. Of course any advice from experienced owners would be helpful...thank you in advance:-). Just excited to have Dante' join our family:)!