JeffNOK

My CAG Gracie is just 16 months old, but she is beginning to start some terrible two tendencies. The other day she ate her normal meal of veggies, pasta, rice, and beans. After a few minutes she started to call out "Gracie wants veggies. Gracie wants cheese". She wouldn't stop. She only says this when she wants food, so I figured she was still hungry. I prepared her another half bowl full and presented it to her on her travel cage where she eats. She immediately grabbed the rim of the bowl and flung it on the floor and pronounced with glee "Gracie is a stinker! Gracie is a stinker." (I call her a "stinker" when she does something naughty.) I was not amused. Then a day later she called to me, "Gracie want a kiss. Gracie want a kiss." We have this routine where she asks for a kiss and I touch my nose to her beak and make a kissing noise and she says "Thank you baby". Well she kept calling, "Gracie want a kiss, Gracie want a kiss". So I went to her, and as I was moving in to touch her beak with my nose--she NIPPED ME and ran off! Then said "Gracie is a stinker. Gracie is a stinker!" Now the food bowl is one thing, but biting/nipping is another. It drew a bit of blood. I was very stern with my tone and "eye of death" as I told her "no bite". On the one hand, I find her sense of humor sort of fascinating, but I can't allow her to dump food or bite. I'm not sure I should even put my face near her now (although I have done it since and she has been sweet. She wont allow hands, so my nose is the only physical contact I get!) As for the food bowl, I get it away from her before she can dump it. I fear many of you will advise me to quit the kissing thing altogether just like the issue with "shoulder safe versus non shoulder safe". I will just miss those moments of touch since that is all she has allowed. Anyway, just venting. She is normally very sweet, but I don't want to reinforce this kind of behavior. As she gets older, the behavior might get worse if I don't nip it in the bud.

RaggaMuffin is a handsome guy! Welcome back.

My grey is one year and four months old, so my CAG is close to the age that yours is reported to be. How do her eyes look? If she is 14 months old, the iris of her eyes should be a silver color. When greys are very young they have black eyes. Over time they lighten. At one year they are silver. By two years they become lighter--a yellow straw color that continues to lighten until about three years. Compare your bird's eyes to the picture on the homepage of this website. Those are the eyes of an adult grey probably three years old or older. If your grey has darker eyes--silver or grey at the iris--then she is probably the age that the breeder indicated. If they are light like the picture on the homepage you have an older bird. When I got my grey I got a certificate with her hatchdate. Also, her legband indicates her year of "birth". Now, regardless of age, you just need to be patient. Let your grey take the lead. Don't push too quickly. Some young greys are fearful and hesitant at first. I met a baby Timneh that growled every time I passed its cage. They aren't all cuddle bunnies as babies. Move slowly. Don't motion with your hands a lot. Talk softly. Back off when you sense stress in your bird. Please don't get discouraged. No matter how resistant she seems now--you can earn her trust. Don't have a timetable or personal expectations. Let her grow to trust you in her time. 2 weeks is NOTHING. My grey was a hand fed baby when I got her and it took 2 to 3 months before I started to see headway. Now we are very bonded and happy. Focus on the long journey and just enjoy your bird for where she is right now.She is going to love you.

Congrats on your new family member. Two toys is a good start. Rotating them in and out is the way to go. Keep us posted when you get your grey. Pics are always appreciated too!

My CAG Gracie has a little rubber ball with a bell in it just like that one. She attacks it with great gusto! Darwin has fun times ahead.

Howdy! Welcome. I joined the forum about one year before getting my grey and it certainly helped prepare me for life with these wonderful amazing birds. Since you have parrot experience, you are already ahead of the game. Yes, greys are different from Macaws, but much of what you learned from life with other parrots will serve you well here. Love. patience, respect, and giving the bird autonomy and choices works. Read as much as you can. You will find a wealth of knowledge here. You may read conflicting opinions in some areas, but you will just have to make your own informed decisions that work for you and your individual grey. I did not have much bird experience before I got my grey, but I can say that these animals are just fantastic, and I have every confidence you will have a wonderful relationship with a great companion,

Hi--Welcome to the forum. I think it's great that your bird has a lot of freedom. I have an open cage policy at my home as well. I like your idea of putting Buddy in his cage when you go down the hallway or in the hallway bathroom.--Maybe you could just close the door also. Find a way to prevent the opportunity for biting and the habit will likely go away. I know that humans harbor lots of bacteria. I don't know if feet are dirtier than hands or other parts of the body. In any case biting hurts and it isn't good for either of you. I'm glad you have a bird that seems to fit well into the family. You mentioned that it is natural for greys to "explore the floor" so to speak. You are correct that in the wild they are ground feeders, so I guess it is natural. My CAG, on the other hand, never voluntarily goes to the floor. If she is on the floor it means she had a crash landing--which thankfully is very rare now (she is 16 months old now). Is Buddy flighted? Good luck and keep us posted on how things progress. Pictures and videos are also very appreciated.

Wow, Gus is a little gem. Such a miserable history, but new beginnings and adventures await in an atmosphere of love. You certainly have a heart for birds.

Little beauties!

Wow! That is a shocker. At least the name "Max" can still work--short for "Maxine".

If I had a dog, I would have Gracie with it while I was away. Of course Gracie would be safe in her cage, but I can't see any danger or harm if your bird is protected in her cage. Canine company might be good for her.

For the first six months of my life with Gracie she seemed to like Zupreem's Avian Entrees "Wild and Spicy". Over the last two to three months, however, Gracie has resolutely turned her beak up at any and all pellets. I still have them available to her in her cage, but she won't touch them. Instead Gracie expects me to be her executive chef and prepare fresh meals three times a day. These meals are composed of a vegetable mix of corn, peas, green beans, white potato, sweet potato, broccoli and cauliflower. I also add to the mix brown rice, navy beans, kidney beans whole grain pasta, egg white and sometimes chicken. I've tried to introduce mustard greens, spinach and kale but she throws her bowl on the floor when she encounters these "invaders" to her meal. I have a seed mix available in her cage too, but she just picks at it. I wish she would eat pellets because I worry I'm not providing all the right stuff for complete nutrition, but I'm trying to cover as many bases as she will tolerate. She seems very healthy, so I'm hoping she has all the nutrients she needs. She has become a picky little diva!

Love the pic--Cleo is a little beauty.

I'm sorry you won't be able to bird sit. I can understand your desire to interact with other birds. I only have one bird, but I often fantasize about adding to my flock. You are not alone.

Wow! Murfchck---Thank God things worked out. Do you still go out with a your fid in a harness?

Oh No! Say it ain't so! I'm removing all bells from Gracie's cage. We live in a Republican state after all. I plan to replace her breeder band with a purity ring. I don't want her going blind or growing hair on her talons. I'm revoking her internet privileges too--so much birdie smut online these days. Can't be too vigilant.

I live in Oklahoma, and we have a lot of hawks (they even feature in our state song). Tragically, one of my friends lost a toy breed dog to a hawk--so there is certainly a threat. It is my understanding however, that a hawk is very unlikely to attack a pet if a human is in close proximity. I doubt a hawk would try to approach if your bird was on your shoulder. Clearly there are no guarantees, but birds of prey have a natural and understandable fear of humans and would prefer to find other prospects. My CAG is not comfortable wearing a harness, but I take her out in a travel cage from time to time when the weather is good. Occassionally I see hawks flying above and get nervous even though Gracie (my CAG) is protected. If she were on a harness I know I'd be very concerned even though logic tells me a hawk wouldn't dare come close to me. I'm 99.99999% sure you have nothing to worry about--but if you are a protective parront like me--you may just never get comfortable with even the slightest risk.

Alex seems to have put parrots on the map in term of scientific research on animal intelligence. Sometimes watching videos of him, I feel kind of sad. He didn't always seem happy with things. I hope he was loved and had a good life. I'm curious about what research may be going on these days with greys or other parrots. I would hate to think that everything began and ended with Alex.

Hope you feel better soon. Gracie rarely imitates sounds, but she has my cough from a cold a few weeks back down to a tee. It sounds horrible! I hope she forgets it!

What I find funny is that Gracie has never heard an actual chicken. Her imitation comes from me doing a very bad imitation, but somewhow when she does it, she sounds like a real chicken.

I know exactly how you feel. I brought my grey (Gracie) home at four and a half months. Prior to that I visited her almost every day at the breeders to try to get to know her and bond. When I brought her home it was exactly as you describe. I was very discouraged and worried that she had no attachment to me at all. For about two to three months I was feeling very low about our progress. Now after 11 months, Gracie and I are two peas in a pod. Very bonded and very very happy. I promise you that it will come in time. I will wager that it will be even better than you can imagine now. It has been for me and Gracie was a tough nut to crack.

This evening as 9:00 PM rolled around Gracie began to do her bedtime routine of saying "Gracie wanna go night nights". With a little prompting she did her chicken imitation as well. I thought it was very cute and wanted to share. http://s1224.beta.photobucket.com/user/JeffNOK/media/chicken001.mp4.html?sort=3&o=0#/user/JeffNOK/media/chicken001.mp4.html?sort=3&o=0&_suid=135234889521404741466568361403

Colonies in London England? That is amazing. I wonder how a tropical bird has adapted there in the wild. Pretty impressive.

You seem like you are a very concerned and committed parrot parent. You have a beautiful grey, and I'm sure all will go well. Chuckie is a lucky little guy.

Thanks for the update. I always enjoy reading about Isaac.