EllieMae

7 of them are little teils that all live together in a huge parrot cage. 5 of them belonged to a very nice lady that passed away. She'd been very sick for over a year and the birds had been confined to the cage and had no attention during that time because the daughters were afraid of them and only fed them and cleaned the cage. Since I've had them they have come out of their shells again and get lots of time out of the cage. I also have two that my sister needed to rehome due to a cat and dog liviong in the home. She had them for 14 years but said they no longer got to come out and play and she knew that I let my birds out all the time.so the last time I visited the little darlings got a 9 hr ride back to their new home and was released from the cage as soon as they got home. Of course you all know about they greys My hardest thing now is trying to keep them all happy with equal amounts of out of cage time. Sassy doesn't like that one little bit.. fair to her is out always period!

Does this mean that there's a possibility that this one might even like me That will be a welcome change for sure..

The guy I got him from said he loved showers so as soon as he is comfortable with me we will test that theory.

Well he belonged to this guy and his wife. He was actually the wifes bird. The guy is not really into birds, he's afraid of them and the thought of being bitten so he never handled them. They had a few over the years but at this point Papa was the only one. This past year has been traumatic on the wife as she's dealing with hormones, the deaths of some close family members and she decided one day that she needed a new life and walked out on the husband leaving him with a 6 year old son, a dog, a few cats and Papa. Here is what I know about him. I'm told that he is 2 years old and that his previous owners had him for one year. He is supposed to be a he. In his previous home the wife was the bird person and did all the care-taking. He is supposed to be very sweet and non aggressive. Had bitten the wife one time but because she had to grab him quickly when a strange big dog charged. So the husband while liking the bird is afraid of it and does not want the responsibility of it. When he was brought to me he was in a 24 inch by 16 in pet crate. I'm told he had been in there for 24 hours because he had to have his wife come over and move him from the big cage to the crate. His normal cage was brought with him but I refuse to bring it in my house. The entire bottom is rusty and had several bad spots over the whole cage. I put together one of my spares for now but I still need a larger cage so I'm looking into that. The one I have him in is not sufficient but atleast he can move around and spread his wings. When he first got here he was making this god awful sound that was so pitiful. We had to cover him until we got the cage put together but he went to the new cage eagerly enough. I'm concerned because the food that this guy brought with him was a half bag of peanuts and a small can of cubed peaches. I asked about his diet and he said that the wife had him eating fruit and veggies and the peanuts. I gave him a bowl of the pellets and food mix that I use for my Greys for today but am looking into the proper diet for him.

What worries me is here I am whining about my grey biting me... sheesh this new guy has a beak on him that could seriously break some ****!!! WTH was I thinking... I seriously need to seek professional help.

Thank you very much.. I think he is extremely handsome....but at this point I have 10 birds and do not have another possible place for another cage so I think I can say I'm officially DONE!!!!!!

This is my new fella.. They called him Papa Smurf but I cannot call this gentleman that so I am learning his personality to get a new name

Wait... I guess that before I ask about a cure..I should ask... what exactly is MBS ???

Please tell me there is a cure!!

People.. I need therapy! What is wrong with me? I'm totally going nuts because my newest grey hates my guts and what do I do....I take in a needy B&G Macaw..... He's beautiful and still getting used to his surroundings but people ...please tell me why I cannot say NO!!!

Jayd, This and the post by Nancy afterwards have got to be the two posts that I like the best. I love all of the advice I've received on this but this is one I just wouldn't have thought of, but makes really good sense! Thank you oh so much.

Hmm.. This is a good question. The fact is No the thought never entered my mind. I had researched Greys for about a year and had planned on trying to volunteer in a rescue for a while to learn with experience and then if I still wanted one I'd try to get one from a rescue. I had assumed that any rescues would be older birds but now know that I was wrong.Well as usual.. plans went astray and I got Leo upon hearing about him and the conditions he was living in. Then of course I got Sassy. As for who would take them when I cannot care for them, I hate to admit it but I never thought that far ahead. My oldest son loves all my birds but as much as I love him, I know him.. He would not take the care for them seriously. He would want them because he thinks they are cool and I'd bet my life that he'd be trying to get them high as he's a stoner. My youngest is the more responsible, an MP in the Army but doesn't really care for birds. You guys really have me thinking now...

Thanks everyone for your input. The truth is I love love this little girl already even with her "Tude" I talked with my man and told him that I could not give up on her. I just don't give up that easily. I do understand that I may never get to interact with her as Jack does and I really am ok with that. I guess what's bothering me so much is the fact that she now has me afraid to be anywhere near her and she knows this as she taunts me now as well. I'm more pissed at myself for letting myself be so transparent to her. I can't help it but some of the stuff she does just makes me laugh and that may be re-enforcing her behavior as well. I do not have any intention of giving her up ( That thought does enter my mind on some occasions directly after an encounter with her.) I do give her special treats and she does come to me to get them, however it's hit or miss as to whether she takes the treat or bites me. Now the way that she taunts me and makes me laugh is she will fly down over me even grazing the top of my head at times. The little heathen had the audacity to laugh after she did it Saturday. I know she does this because she likes my squealing and ducking motions and is having lots of fun at my expense. I'm a glutton for punishment I know, but it's the spunkiness and in your face tude that endears me to her so much. She's a bad as my boys were and they got their tudes from their Momma But in a seriousness, she is really hateful about it at times and when she bites most of the time she means it. Everyone tells not to give her the opportunity to bite, well this is where I have my issues. I no longer try to take her out of her cage. I just open it and let her come out. But once she is out she's iffy... She comes to the couch where I am and she will charge at me sometimes so that now I don't want her coming close because I'm not sure why shes coming. I get bit mostly for not allowing her to chew on certain items or for shooing her away from the dog (she doesn't like Sabrina either). So most of my bites are a result of not letting her do what she wants when she wants The only way I can truly not give her the opportunity to bite would be to keep her caged when Jack isn't home and I just can't do that. I do give her and Leo some cage time as I give the little birds equal time out and the big birds chase the little one so it's just easier to alternate out of cage time. I am frustrated but I'm also determined so I'm taking everything that you guys are telling me and sifting thru to see what works and what doesn't. I'm sorry if I come across sounding desperate at times, I don't mean to. I just want to find a happy medium for all of us and I have as much patience as she does I guess..lol

Sassy is does not seem to be warming up to me in the least. The people we got her from did say that she preferred men and boy were they right. My husband really likes her alot and loves the way she loves him to pieces. it's so amazing to see the difference in her with him and me. The problem is the hatred she shows towards me. It's bad when he's not home, but it's even worse when he is. If I speak to him while she is around him she fluffs up and squeals her pissed off squeal and if he talks to me she will actually bite him if she can't reach me. Now that she's actively flying and attacking me he's asked me to consider getting rid of her or finding someone that has the same problem but in reverse to trade with. I don't want to give up on her but I know Jack. I come first and he will not tolerate me consistently getting tore up on a daily basis. He's using the logic that she does not like me and that he (her chosen one) is only here and with her for 2- 4 hours on work days and that she is not in a good place until he's home therefore she can't be happy either. LOL.. Yeah he loves me and really tried to make it sound good for my benefit. I told him I'd consider it but I really am not ready to give up on her. But I have to be honest, When the day is over and I have god knows how many more bites and have spent my whole damn day watching my back and dodging a pissed off grey.. I'm tempted.

Well Sassy just went back into her cage for the final time today. She has been hell on wings today. The last straw was when she flew onto my back to bite the hell out of my arm. She was mad because I kept taking my phone away from her. We have decent days and then bad days. I'm really aggravated at the moment and just need to vent. I have to put a robe on before I have her step up because she tries to nail me each and every time. I know that when I put her in the cage for biting it shouldn't be for very long but I've had it for today. She's in for the evening! Of course as I'm sitting here typing she's alternating between her kiss noises, good girl and her pissed off shriek. She seem especially ticked because Leo is out and climbing all over the three cages. Hmmm.. Maybe she's just not happy with my tattoo's and she's trying to redesign them......