bluedawg

I have put together a page so those who want to stay on top of conservation efforts around the world and learn how to get involved and make a difference can access the info. they need to do so. I hope you will all consider visiting the page. I have gathered quite a lot of awesome information and this way I keep my conservation bits out of your forum. https://www.facebook.com/GreyBird.club, a place for parrots and their peeps. While our primary focus is Psittacus erithacus, the African grey parrot, We strive to be a place where people dedicated to the conservation of all parrots, along with the people who love and live with them every day, come together to learn and to share knowledge in the hope of making a better world for parrots.

Very sorry Shanlung. Respectful moment of silence...

Clipping wings is relevant to this topic as it would tend to slow him down quite a bit since he would not be able to fly. However, this is not a solution I would ever recommend as it goes against his very nature as a bird and would be a huge breach of trust. It also, from what I have seen, makes them very unhappy. Better to work with the bird than against him .

Maybe some others have an idea but I would say you really can't make him stay. You have to find a way to work with him. You were onto something with the hats... Just find something new that he doesn't like and use it until it wears off or even better give him full access to the kitchen sink until the fascination wears off (Just make sure it's safe of course). Dayo loves being by the kitchen when I am doing the dishes so I put a shelf up and made a play area there for her. I also find that if I am persistent and have the time to do it, If I return her to to where I want her to be 4 or 25 times, then she gives up and stays put. I think all the flying back tires her after a while but that requires time and patience.... the payoff is being able to do what I was trying to do without a parrot hanging off my hair or the front of my shirt.

WOW, someone's going to have a lot of fun! I don't think we have a birdmart - I will have to look them up.

Thanks for this post, I am working on this too and it's good to know what to expect!

Neoow, It's never too late. Just start slow and don't put ant time restrictions on the task. I have started with Miss Dayo and she reacts a lot like your Alfie. Although, There is a certain time in the morning when she comes over to get my attention (Usually as soon as I get engrossed in homework) I then take a break and work with her and the harness for 15 minutes or so. Just laying it on her and giving her scritches and over her head and more scritches... So far so good. Not sure how over the wings will go but eventually we'll get there.

Ha, or maybe a smart mommy

Right, so everyone who rechecked the link for an update already knew this. My bad.

You can certainly breed for a "Tameness" gene. It has in fact been done with the arctic fox in Russia. The thing with parrots is that they live so long and it takes many generations and so it would take hundreds of years. Our parrots are currently only ever one or two generations removed from the wild so they are free from such human maniplulations. On that same note they have not been "ruined" by breeding either which means you have basically the same gene crap shoot in your parrot weather you go to a "good" breeder or adopt a rescue. the only difference we can effect is in their environment. Just like humans a well adjusted individual requires a stable upbringing.

Miss Dayo used to fall a lot when she was younger. I would here the same thump you describe and run out to see her climbing back up the cage side. She now sleeps not in her cage but in my room with me. Still on occasion something will scare her in the middle of the night. Could be a bug or even a stray feather (I have seen it happen enough times in the daytime) and I'll end up with a parrot on my head. The folded towel and night light are a good idea.

The friendly parrot has been reunited with its owner!

It appears something is bothering him. You might start with a vet check. After you know he's OK, well then he could be molting and therefore crabby but since he hasn't acted this way before I'm not sure if that is likely. Maybe some others here might have some other ideas.

Daveoo7 - I was just speaking the truth as I see it - just as you do. No need to hold a grudge.

P.S. Dave007 - You said you would step in if anyone asked me to leave. LOL - Here's you queue