JeffNOK

I think the tree looks great. The view out the window into the green area is gorgeous too!

Glad you are here. I hope Frankenstein doesn't live up to his name. : )

Glad you are here. Let us know about yourself and what brings you to greyforums.

I may go out and get a discounted mini pumpkin now that Halloween has come and gone. I think it might keep Gracie going if it doesn't scare her.

Macaws are certainly impressive. I am sure they make wonderful fids as well. Janet I am in your boat. I often toy with the idea of getting another bird, but I live in a small condo and know my limitations like you recognize yours. I wish I had more opoprtunity to just be around other parrots to get a bit of a fix--and then go home to Gracie and be content. In general I am happy that Gracie and I are a little dynamic duo.

Please don't be discouraged. You have experienced a setback, but this too will pass. I don't have any experience with rescues or abused birds, but I experienced a few setbacks early on with my grey and I felt very upset about it--like I just ruined everything. That was not the case and I have faith that things will return to normal soon and you will make advances. One thing you have learned from this experirence is to take things more slowly and not to change too many things too soon. The best thing you can do is to settle yourself and come around with a new sense of optimism--I know that may seem difficult, but your grey senses your emotions and if you are calm and hopeful that will be contagious. You obvioulsy have a great love and respect for all living creatures and have worked successfully with many species. Parrots are very different from cats, dogs and reptiles. I know you know that--but remind yourself that you are on a journey together and your bird will lead the way. Keep us posted on your progress from here--I know you will see some light at the end of this tunnel. You feel discouraged because you care so much. That is a quality that will help you find your way.

Very nice! Gets me in the holiday mood.

Treats can help your bird associate stepping up with good things. It is best as a temporary measure, but for now I think it's just fine. I still occassionally give treats when Gracie steps up.

Besides he has learned to say, "Hello Gorgeous" and "Come here Gorgeous" so I am happy and apparently so is he. Lol! Flattery will get them everywhere! I am trying to teach Gracie "Daddy is a handsome devil", but so far she just looks at me like "give me a break". As far as the tail feather issues, they don't look all that bad to me. Gracie has some feather issues that will hopefully molt out soon. Active greys do seem to do some damage on their feathers. It is part of the deal I assume.

Hey! Welcome. I have certainly enjoyed this forum. I joined one year before I got my grey, and despite being a total newbie I was welcomed and people answered my questions with patience and respect. I now have had my grey about 11 months and I am so grateful to this forum for helping me make a home for Gracie my Congo. There are many points of view here, but in the multitude of voices there is wisdom. Let us know more about your situation.

We are glad you have found us. Welcome! We look forward to knowing more about you and your rainbow colored rosella friend as well as jojo and your human family.

Jared, as you said Charlie is still new to the house. He will continue to be "new" to the house for several more months. My best advice is that you try to recalibrate your time tables and interact with Charlie on his terms as much as possible. A case in point is the idea of touching or petting without "permission". My general take on this is that we shouldn't impose on our birds unless we have permission. Charlie is trying to tell you "no thank you." This really ought to be respected. I have had my CAG since December, and the only time I insist on anything is when her safety is involved, such as when I have to put her in her cage when I leave for work or at bedtime. Otherwise, I think it is essential that we let them open up to us in their time and with their permission. The key now is earning trust. The fastest way to earn trust with a grey is to let them know that you respect their boundaries. When we push too far too soon we actually set ourselves back, and the relationship suffers. I'm sure in time Charlie will not exhibit much biting behavior when he knows he doesn't need to use that as a way of communicating with you. Be patient and enjoy the journey. Good luck and keep us posted on both of your beautiful birds.

I'm sorry Neytiri is feeling poorly. Our thoughts are with you. Praying for a quick recovery for you both.

I think the cages could work but are just a tad small. I think you can get a larger cage for the same price or cheaper. Check what is available on Amazon.com or even Ebay. I think you will some better options for less money.

Bless you for providing a home for your new bird. Welcome to the forum. Every bird is an individual, so predicting how your CAG will progress is difficult. What I can say is that love, time, patience and a great deal of flexibility are always a recipe for success. Clearly a settling in time is called for. Just let your girl get used to her new home and environment. Always speak softly and approach the bird with gentleness and care. In time you may want to sit by the cage and sing or whistle or talk with your new bird. After that see if she will accept treats from your hand. These are very early days, but it seems you have the right attitude and heart for the situation. There are many here in this forum who have adopted rescue greys. I'm sure they will be able to offer much information from their personal experiences. Read through as many threads here as possible--particularly those regarding birds similar to yours. We are all here to support you!

I posted a similar thread a few weeks ago, but I wanted to expand it a bit and invite feedback from others in the forum regarding language use among our greys. In the last two months my relationship with my 15 month old CAG has changed dramatically. I feel like we are actually communicating through language in meaningful ways. I'm curious how that is manifested in your relationships. I just want to share a few things and get feedback from your experiences. First, I will admit that at times Gracie just seems to run through her vocabulary in ways that seem random. She will just practice all the words she knows as a kind of chatter. There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason. This is usually when she is doing her morning and evening vocalizations. She is just happily babbling. On other occassions she seems very intentional in her choice of words. I will give four examples. 1. When Gracie is hungry she hops off of her main cage and goes to the top of her travel cage. Although she has pellets always available in her main cage, her favorite meals of veggies and mash are given to her on her travel cage. She climbs down to her travel cage and repeats the following two phrases: a. Gracie want some cheese. b. Gracie want veggies. She doesn't say anything else. She repeats those two phrases associated with food. 2. When I leave the room, but am still in the condo she says the following phrases. a. Gracie want Daddy b. Daddy's here. c. Daddy's a good boy. d. Gracie want a kiss. 3. When I have left for a long period of time for work or other comittments and return after an absence Gracie chooses to consistently say: a. I'll be back b. Daddy's home c. Daddy's here. 4. Like clock work between 8:30 and 9:00 Gracie says the following. a. Night night time. b. Time for sleepies. c. Gracie go back in cage-step up. This happens every day. I have no doubt she knows what she is saying. I read about Alex. I read about Cosmo. But now I live with this being that speaks to me in English and gets it right! I am naturally skeptical and didn't buy into all the hype easily, but after nearly a month of clear consistent language use in context, I have to say that African Greys are quite simply amazing. I'd love to hear similar examples from other parronts. I don't want make it seem like talking is the most important thing in our realtionship with our fids--clearly I loved Gracie with all my heart before she said a word, but with language Gracie is making her feeling known and this helps us bond.

I lived in Japan for several years as an English teacher. I remember well the winters and lack of central heating. I used an electric heater/air con combo and it heated and cooled the room where I stayed relatively well. The room was probably only 150 square feet though. Good luck.

Bless you for taking on this challenge. This forum will provide a lot of info through the different threads. Just read and ask questions. I hope Pharoah is settling in. Enjoy the experience and welcome.

Welcome to the forum Jared. We all look forward to hearing more about Charlie and Rocky as well.

Looks like a great set up. Alfie seems to be investigating with caution, but he seems to be enjoying it. I think Gracie would like something like that. i wish I was more adventurous with the DIY stuff. Maybe during the X-mas holidays I will take some time and build something.

Great news that you have found the right Grey for you. I was completely new to parrots when I got my Grey. I will reiterate what others have said--keep doing your research and be active in this forums with questions. i found a lot of support here in the early days. I have never regretted for a moment my decision to get an African Grey. They can be challenging in some ways, but that is part of the adventure! My Grey has been home with me about 10 months now, and it gets better all the time.

Cool...Cant wait!

Lol Ray--I guess if He could turn water into wine, then He can also turn those boring pellets into yummy cheese!

I like to sing to my CAG Gracie. One of the songs I sing sometimes is "Jesus Loves Me". Well the other morning Gracie started to sing, but with her own twist to the song. This is her version. "Yes, Jesus...wants some cheese!" "Yes, Jesus...Wants some cheese!" I laughed out loud.

I think Katana is right in saying that accepting treats and the occassional touch is actually very very good. I admire your dedication to Casper and your courage in withstanding the bites. I agree that you should try your best not to put yourself in a position where Casper seeks you out to bite. Also, yelling is quite counterproductive no matter how much you are in pain. Yelling reinforces the biting habit rather than stopping it. A "withering look" and a firm yet calm "no bite" is much better.