ZephyrDarkwolf

Update- Well, I went to my usual bird store to pick up some more food and toys for Oscar and the owner immediately shows me this sweet little umbrella for half price because of his underbite. Well, I'm sure you can guess what happened next! So, I guess we got that too after all!!!

Well, the breeder only gets two a year. We're going to put deposits down for 2013 and he/she will be weaned by 2014. She said it takes 8-12 months for the weaning process! Then we'll go to Florida to pick him up...So, ya. A while!! We also wanted to make sure we had a few years to spend with Oscar to make sure he's happy and bonded with us!

Ahh, thanks! I've been there multiple times! Their forums are really wonderful as well as the reading! We have finally decided on getting a Hyacinth Macaw for our next FID but we are keeping 'toos in mind for later down the road! Thanks so much!

I'm with Talon, I never really intended to get Oscar. I'd been thinking about the 'tiels I had when I was a kid as I was walking into a pet store and absolutely melted when Oscar came up to the bars in his cage for scratches. That was it for me! My love for all things feathered and loud rekindled on the spot and I'm so happy it did! Oscar really fills a place in our life that we never knew existed! My fiance, who's parents have an 'tiel that they don't handle, has fallen in love with birds. We are putting a deposit on a Hyacinth Macaw for 2013 and are so excited!! Once you have one bird, its so easy to want another!

Haha sounds like a ton of fun over at your place! I met a sweet boy at a local pet shop yesterday and all he wanted was cuddles and scritches. I've also been thinking about a macaw since I heard they are less prone to biting. I love how pretty and sweet Hyacinths are! Thanks for the response, we're still debating!

I was hoping for suggestions for cage and play stand liner. Right now we're using corn cob material but we're unhappy with it because we've had issues with moths coming from it. It's rather unsanitary! I was hoping that you all can share your experiences and recommendations!

I have a line on a clutch of U2's babies about to hatch this month from a wonderful area breeder. I've been watching videos on Youtube and I'm completely charmed by them! I was hoping to hear from 'too owners how they are to live with. We have our own house (though we will be moving in about a year and a half), I'm home most of the day since I don't work and we have a TAG. I'm not just looking for the 'oh they're great pets', I really want to know all the nitty gritties about owning a 'too. The good and DEFINITELY the bad! I want to be able to make my decision with open eyes, not just because they are cute.

I love hearing everyone's stories, especially Marcus. My fid doesn't QUITE connect things yet...Though there was one incident a couple weeks ago when he was sitting on his play perch flapping his wings and growling. I said, "Oscar! Hey, what's wrong?" He stopped, made a "phew" noise and said (pardon his french) "MOTHER FUCKER" really loud! He then launched into a round of his favorite noises, including the oh so wonderful smoke detector. I said, "Oscar, that's not a nice noise." He responds, "Damnit!" I really need to stop playing video games in the same room!!!

These are really good suggestions. Oscar does the same thing! You definately aren't alone Jill!!

Well, Oscar tends to be a little picky in what he eats. I keep trying new things to see what he loves. Thus far he likes warm foods- pasta, veggies, oatmeal. He doesn't like fruit so much but he loves corn, peas, beans, tomatoes, and green beans. I also found out that he LOVE cheese and is now absolutely in love with vanilla soy milk. He's so cute when he drinks it! He gets so excited that he shoves his whole beak in the glass and gulps it down. I swear he would bathe in it if he could!!:cool:

I'm so excited about the newest breakthrough with Oscar that I have to share! He's been letting us pick him up from his various perches around the house with just our hands lately. Today, he let me take him from his cage (previously cage aggressive) with just my hand! I'm so happy! AND he's starting to be able to fly across the room to us instead of fluttering to the floor. I'm hoping that now he knows he can fly, he won't pluck his flight feathers anymore! Thanks everyone here for the help, reading everyone's posts has really helped me gain confidence with him! I look forward to many more steps forward!

Happy Halloween to all my fellow bird owners!! Anyone else have pics of their friends with them tonight?

Okay, so I've noted that a lot of greys pull their tails and down feathers. Unfortunately, my little guy was not fledged properly (was told this by the vet) and had started pulling his main flight feathers. Lately he's really going to town on them and I'm not entirely sure what to do. We do our best to redirect him when he started to chew them but we can't be there all the time. Any advice??

Thanks for responding birdhouse! He fluffs his head feathers up and his eyes pin when he does the cooing noise. We generally leave him alone when he doesn't want scratching...we don't push him at all. He did step up onto my hand from his cage for the first time today but won't let me pick him up from his perch. We just figure he gets in a mood! Also, he generally loves to be scratched! I can try and get a video of the behavior if it helps??

Okay, this is just weird! Lately Oscar won't let me scritch his neck. Instead, he makes a funky cooing noise (like he does when he checks out mirrors) and reaches out with his beak like he wants to bite. He really mostly avoids my hand unless he has to step up on it. He's not like this with my fiance but he does notice that he's not as cuddly as he was when we first brought him home. Any suggestions?

Just wanted to post a few videos of my new buddy starting to talk. He's copied the clucking noise I make to entice him to come over and the kissy noises too. He mumbles a lot and talks when we aren't in the room so I set up a camera and walked away to see what he'd say! Video 1 Video 2 Video 3

Thanks everyone! His name is Oscar and he was born August 13th, 2010. He's normally very sweet and loves his little head scritched! He's definately settling in well- he's used to the entire house and loves playing with his yucca wood toys and watching tv. He's very sweet and we're so happy that he came into our lives. He whistles for us when we leave the room and gets really excited to see my fiancee when he comes home from work (I'm home all day). Any suggestions on how to really bond with him better? Or is it just a slow process that happens?

Hi everyone! I'm Zephyr and I'm a brand new grey owner! I'd owned cockatiels when I was a kid and had to rehome them when I moved to college. I was very sad and always missed them! Flash forward seven years to when I went to Pet Supplies plus for dog food. I'd been thinking about getting a parrot and there he was--an adorable timneh sitting in his cage looking for an owner! I asked about him and they said he was being held for a family to decide whether or not to get him. I left and went back a week later and he was still there. I brought my fiancee to meet him to make sure he liked the birdie (and vice versa) and we bought him! He's one year old, is just starting to talk, is healthy and has been with us for about two weeks. He has an issue with biting his feathers and is a bit cage aggressive... So- first off, any tips and tricks you have to give would be helpful! I've gotten several books and have been studying up on feeding, behaviors, training, toys, etc. Secondly, I've found that I'm a bit gun shy when it comes to his beak. He's a lot bigger than a cockatiel and he's already bit me a couple times. I haven't responded to the bites and set him for a time out for a few minutes to make sure he knows its not nice to bite. But I can't help but be a bit nervous about being bitten again! Anyways, thanks everyone! Its nice to be a part of this forum to learn more about my new little baby!