aw64

welcome jason, introduce your bird to us aswell, its like one big happy family on here with so much support and good advice

Its wonderful is'nt it we had our first word this week aswell 'hello' I was so pleased

Dont use perch all the time, today is even worse, he will fly to where I'm sat and just bite, these bites are not breaking the skin but they do hurt and leave their mark, have caged him twice so far today once for biting me and second time going for younger dog this time, I even been looking for UK behaviouest. Have been reading loads yet again one thing I have come up with is his sleeping pattern, Alfie is in my lounge we dont cover him until we go to bed which can be midnight and can be up between 6.30 and 7.30 so he is not getting his 12 hours, I haven't got another room I can put him in unless I use a smaller cage for sleep, I did think about covering him at about 9 pm but with TV on and us in the room would it help?, Also diet he eats pellets, veg and some seed mix but not much of this, the pellets are called tropical somthing sorry cant remember full name would it help to change them as they are the only ones I can find local to buy, I bet your all getting bit fed up with my problems, good news he has said second word, tickle tickle!! He has a nerve bite me then ask for tickle tickle!!

I love reading your posts and think you are both doing so well in such a short time and best of all it is so clear Oscar is in a loving forever home

you did such a wonderful thing by removing the birds from such terrible conditions, so sad the little guy didn't make it but as otheers have said at least he died being loved, I would still keep an eye on this shop and if they have birds again I would report it, the small cage was bad enough but not being cleaned for a very long time is just pure neglect by staff at the shop, I mean lets be fair how long does it take to remove the bottom of the cage and replace with clean paper! You and your friends son are wonderful people.

arrrh what a lovely post, love the picture

How old is sophie, how I would love that to happen!

Hi suzy1 its so simple all i do is put some bits of what ever veg I have carrotts, broccili, cauliflower, anything really then stick it in my blender for a couple of mins, its not just for baby birds Alfies nearly 1, seeds i add are just normal parrot seed mix but I only add small amount after I have blended it, I mix it in and then when he trys to sort best bits out (seed) the veg sticks to it so he has to eat it. I normaly do two days worth at a time one he eats that day then i just pop one in the fridge for next day, but I have also done some and popped it into freezer bags and frozen it so i can take it out night before for next day, I have also added fruit sometimes, apple grapes, basicly anything that is good for our birds, blend it and mix a small amount of seed or what ever they love most and away you go.

Alfie will be 1 In March danmqc, he really is a handfull with this biting, I am trying so hard, but free time out of cage seems to be getting less and less, he has loads of toys I carry treats with me most of the time, I now use perch most of the time to move him ect but he will even step across that to get to my hand!! Its 10.30 PM here now and this is the best time I have with him he is in cage by me and I can do alsorts to him, tickle tickle as we call it. Dogs have always been here and I have never shut them out he has always had a bit of a thing for the younger one but it was the older one he went for to day he flew from his playstand half way across the room to where the poor dog was sleeping in his bed, I know to never trust dogs 100% but thank fully this dog is as daft as a brush, will all this ever get better?????

lol its not the 1st time his been grounded!

Hi guys well Alfie striks again! He has just flew at the dog for no reason dog was sleeping and has bit him luckly I was very close by and managed to flap my arms which made Alfie fly off but dog did yelp, no blood though, cut down on my bites by using perch so now he starts on the dog, I am worried about this biting as no one else seems to have these problems?

Welcome he/she looks lovely can I chip in with an idear the perch he is on is not really ideal he could do with a couple that are different sizes to exercises his feet I also use apple branches as they love to chew on them as well as climb, keep reading through the different things on here you will pick up loads of tips and idears, its my life saver and keeps me going when we are having tough times.

arrrh he seems to enjoy it then and lets you know when he has had enough bless him

What a lovely post

Hi Cagonite I'm sure some of the more experienced guys will be better able to answer this for you but as far as I understand the wetter the better, but as he will walk under water it can only get better and maybe he will start flapping wings ect in time to let the water in, is Ivan a young bird?

arrrh thank you jeff

Wonderful such a clever girl, loved it more as we got our first word yesterday, can I ask is that a bird light that she is stood by when on top of her cage, one of the stand types, if so can you tell me a little about it as thats what I'm looking into at the moment.

Couldn't wait to get on here and share my news, Alfie has said Hello, my son was here to, we just looked at each other is shock!!! We have heard it 3 times now, so pleased, its my birthday tomorrow and what a gift I have just had.

Trying pan aswell in cage and like you say have to mist him in cage in the meantime but do hope to progress to it being his choice

We have progressed again today got Alfie on perch which i put across the bath and he stayed there a good 10 mins + I sat just talking to him, shower was running but no water touched him yet but another small step made, he is flighted so as soon as he says enough off he goes!

Sorry wingy not here to judge so it works for some then, maybe it looked worse watching it then it really is then. Aerial, yes alot had bathroom perches which is the way I plan to go once we have worked out the water is ok.

Welcome i cannot give you answers sadly but can tell you I had my Alfie from a baby and we take one step forward and three back, the grey world on trust and bonding is a slow world it takes alot of time, and sadly we do get the bites along the way, I am still trying to read Alfies mind and work out whats right and wrong in his eyes so far the one thing I was adviced on here is during the evening dim the lights and he should relax it really works with Alfie he is as daft as a brush during the evening, just try it can help towards trust and bonding.

Hi guys well the experience from this site is paying off, just been watching african greys showering on u tube and I got mad! as most birds are clipped and have no choice but to be blasted even saw a couple padding around in the bottom of bath no towel to stand on to stop slipping, makes me so happy I have found you guys to point me in the right direction. And for any of you that have posts on u tube I'm sure i have not seen them as the ones of seen would not be you guys I'm sure. At present we are taking it very slow in the shower not there yet but getting closer, and put a shallow dish in the bottom of cage again not there yet, was able to hand spray but Alfie has decided thats for attack only now, typical, I am still spraying but only every other day and not as much as I understand he should be getting but we will get there, and after what I have just watched slowly doing it so he is happy to shower, I hope!

Thank you for replys just had real good progress with shower (my Shower) got within an inch of water (Alfie not me) put a perch across the bath which shower runs into we got to height of perch with alfie on my arm and about an inch away from water.............nearly there!

After our vet visit on friday Alfie has changed in a good way, as most of you no I have had a few problems with bites ect but the last couple of days he has been lovely, I am using a perch more now as adviced on here but not all the time, its made me think after being man handled by the vet he realizes I'm not so bad after all, its either that or he is fooling me and has some plan going on to catch me out yet again.............