munch

We have window units and I was wondering the same thing if anyone can answer

I just wish that Took's second favorite place wasn't on me....

I know I'm probably supposed to avoid anything even bordering on political but its so frustrating. If you are middle class, or lower economic class without any government assistance, its a struggle to come out even these days. Forget about saving. Gas prices are increasing, cost of food increasing, in the NY/NJ area tolls increasing- and not spending anything frivilous, saving is impossible. And if something unexpected comes up and a sum of money is needed to pay for it i.e. car repairs, broken appliances, plumbing issues, etc- Suddenly, its looking like debt. In this society as it is, it is working is only worthwhile if youa re making over a certain amount or under a certain amount and on government assistance. Since many of us can only do so much to get to that upper middle class mark, society and prices as it is now is encouraging a countrproductive, failing society. It doesn't pay for the middle class to work. Getting a job closer to home is not an option because most jobs (here at least) are near a metropolitian area and thus higher prices for rent/buying. So you move further away and spend more on gas, which was a fair option before gas prices began climbing as they do adn tolls keep increasing. Sure, we pass less than Europe and other countries, but we travel further for work. States are the size of countries, and the country is the size of Europe. Sorry to rant but as a couple of two full time + working spouses with a combined almost 100 hour work week (98), we barely come out even - what's to happen as gas and food keep increasing?

Animal feed store? Where and what kind of food do they sell? Have you tried the Bird House yet? Its a less than 10 min drive from exit 9 off the turnpike. You should go there to look around and ask questions- meet Paterson, he's an enormous blue and gold macaw (not for sale). And they have tons of toys- they aren't the cheapest but if you aren't buying online, they are the next best thing. The birds there seem happy; they board birds in the back room and some boarded cockatoos call for the owner by his name. The owners have two adopted boys that are alwasy in the shop- very friendly, helpful people.

@katana600- Thanks for the laugh!

I stink at toy making but this was soooo easy even I couldn't screw it up and my birdie loves it (got the idea somewhere here)- A fist full of straws (cheap!) and a zip tie (cheap!), pull that zip tie around the straws as tight as possible until it forms a sunburst. Attched it to her cage with a key chain clip. Done and it's a favorite even more than her store bought toys!

Are all parrots as picky eaters as our greys?!

Don't think you have to rinse off the other vegetables but also can't hurt. In the Bird Food forum are some very helpful sticky threads at the very top of the forum that you should read. One lists all the best foods (but not exclusive foods) and one list all the toxic foods- that is a must read because you will see onions on that list and others you may not have thought of beforehand. The one on nutrition is important for any grey owner. I'm a new grey owner myself, had her for about 6-7 months now, and after someone suggested the Sticky threads at the beginning of each lounge, I went through them all. Very helpful, very informative, answers a lot of questions you may have and even more you haven't thought of asking. And I'm still having trouble feeding Took all the right foods, she is very picky and under weight (just slightly but even that is too much). She doesn't like vegetables but they are best for her, I have to disguise Harrison's and most still end up on the floor. She doesn't even care for a seed mix. The vet told me to geta little bit more weight on her but she is so fussy. Be prepared! Some greys are picky. She loves shredding so I've tried to do that to encourage her to eat right but it doesn't put on the weight she needs. The only she eats with any zest are high protien foods. The little girl is on an Atkins diet! Eggs, chicken, veal, beef- she loves it. But she only gets that every other day

Hey! I teach special education and I was wondering if to aid teaching Marcus to read you should add meaning and context. Sure, sounds are fun but they have no meaning. Reading is communication; if you teach Marcus to communicate via words then letters would have value and importance to him rather than "SSSSSSS" is a fun sound. Btw, the "SSSSSSssss" sound is always one of the first that children get. That sound and a couple others. "bbBB" is another favorite. Marcus is starting out reading just like majority of students with the "SSsssss' and "Bbbbbbbb" sounds. When students have serious impairments they often say "ssssssS" and "bbbbbbbb' for every letter!

Smart and listens! Moves away from the door when you warn him about the cats, runs on top of his cage so your husband can enter- Took is so defiant. She NEVER listens and then gets mad when things don't go her way!

Took throws her food out of the bowl as well and it's a big problem. She runs out of food very quickly and has nothing to eat the remainder of the day because we are both at work. On the weekends, we can refill it for her but during the week when i get home at 4, she is starving because all of her food fell through the grates.

So it's somewhat common, huh? She was standing on top of her cage- she loves climbing all over it- not on her perch. And bombs away! She never pooped from that spot before, she has her favorite areas. I change the water in the morning and as soon as I got home (usual routine).

Took got feces in her water and she was drinking from it. She was on top of her cage and pooped down, I didn't realize she pooped into her water bowl. She drank. I went to change her water when i saw it. What are the possible consequences? what should I look out for? Thank you.

I used to live in Manhattan-I miss the constant noise. In one apartment I was on the top floor (only 6 floors) on top of the C train, I could hear the train in my top floor apartment on a quiet night and feel it everytime in bed- I loved it. My first apartment was ground floor in Greenwich Village facing the street- I had to move in under a year because of all the noise from nightlife (I need my sleep). My last Manhattan apartment faced a courtyard (top floor, 6th as well) and in the spring/summer with the windows open I would lay in bed listening to random conversations, listening to people laughing, listening to people arguing- I love it all. Sirens were there but you don't "hear" those sounds, it just blended in and created a comforting blanket of sound. Now I wake every time a loud car or motorcycle passes! It's easier with more sounds and more neighbors!

I hate them as well. I mostly hate the ones that try to guilt you into forwarding it, the ones that not so subtly include a cause that whether you agree with or not, you don;t want to read or pass along chain mail. Yet sometimes you do anyway (or I do) because their propoganda works and then I feel just awful for subjecting someone else to the horror of chain mail, especially a guilt-cause pushig one. And even though you were just trying to share, I'm going to go on a bit more about detesting chain mail since i had too much caffiene this morning. At the top of the loathsome chian mail list, I have to put the God ones. Whether a believer or not, devout or not, chain mails that bless me are too sickly sweet with their content. Perhaps if someone offered a more philosophical or thought provoking blessing rather than through sunshine shine and scented meadows. And yes, God is probably all modern, outreaching via media and technology but really- chain mail? that gets deleted and thrown into the junk file along with all the spam? isn't that counterproductive? Anyway- done with my rant and despite my stated abhorrence of chain mail, I did try to read the one you posted but the font was too small even when clicked on it.

Hey there TitaniumPhoenix, Just an update on what's going on with Took's loud "talking" before bed- As said above, we introduced her to singing via a video of a parrot doing opera on youtube, we all watched it and sang along until she picked it up and then praised her. Then she would do it on her own and we continued to praise her, etc- I am rock fan and my husband is electronica so poor Took sings her opera but doesn't otherwise get much exposure to the finer cultures. Yesterday I needed a specific Vivaldi song, classical Baroque era at its finest, so I went on youtube to hear some and immediately within the first few chords of his Autumn, Took started to sing along! It was amazing! I was astounded! Not only did we rid the awful sounds she was making, but we created a musical genius! Yes, (gushing mother), she is a musical genius! Alas, does this means that I can no longer play my Smiths?

Thank you all for the replies. G, our dog, has 3 "cookies" left of his large Milk Bones! Perfect timing! Maybe she will use it, maybe she won't. Her feet do get tired, she is often perched on just one leg. I wonder if she even knows how to lay down.

I feel gloriously foolish for asking this but -do greys sit? -if so, should we get her a resting place, ie bed, nest, cubbie area, etc? -do you have a resting place- not only a perch, but something for them to get off their feet?

Judygram "I feed the fine Harrisons to my grey, she seems to like it better than the coarse and she doesn't waste as much of it either." I've considered doing the same thing but followed the direction feeding Took the course because it's for greys but I do think that Took will like the fine so much better, as it is I have to break some of them and add water to soften- they are too big and hard for her but didnt have the courage to order the fine. Thank you for sharing your "digression," it's given me the support I needed to do the same!

This came up in the Grey Lounge and I thought I'd bump it up. However after reading some other posts on eggs, is it also correct to say that grey do not usually lay eggs without a male but it is still possible and does happen on occasions?

Does Ruffles seem to be screaming with negative body language or screaming because he found a new sound he loves? If it's a sound he's experimenting with, try giving him another one. We had a problem with our little Took "talking" herself to sleep every night. My husband found a video of a bird singing opera on youtube, we showed it toher a few times and sang with it. Now she sings herself to sleep. It's still loud, but its musical and tolerable. Ignoring him when he is screaming is also a good idea, you don;t want to reinforce it. Positive attention when he making a chirpier, more pleasant sounds. If he's screaming with cause (possibly indicated via body language), determining the cause is #1.

It won't matter as long as you both love your grey. My husband is Took's favorite but as soon as I come home, she flies off of him and spends time with me- throughout the whole evening a bystander would think i'm the favorite but it's not me, its him. When we are both home all day its more obvious and they cuddle more, but otherwise, it makes no difference. You just don't want to be that hated, not trusted person so always treat your grey with respect and give it space if it needs some.

Considering that you've already heard Marcus conjugate correctly and apply pronouns, I'd say however you speak is working for him!

@Butttaxi- I know its easier to buy food from the pet store or from your vet or breeder and it seems like you're saving money b/c of shipping but a lot of websites are so much cheaper than the store/vet/breeder that even if you add shipping costs, it comes out less or even. And with a website you have a heck of lot more variety in what pellet you choose. When Took was brought home, she was given the colorful fruit pellets. She never ate them at all (she was also on seed mix which was her favorite, she doesn't get that at all now except on very rare occasions- like super late night at work. I need to leave something I know she will eat). Now I feed her Harrison's b/c its considered one of the best. She doesn;t love it but like you and luvparrots, its her back-up in case she decides she hates her other food that day. But Took, the little rascel, will only eat it softened in smaller pieces (harrison's advises not to change the form but I do as it suits Took's needs).