MoonRock

You may have heard about my great sense of humor (I laugh like a person a lot, and laugh inside my head a lot, too). I would like to start a thread where I (or other Greys) tell a joke. Now, mind you, this thread is for Greys- so the jokes may not make much sense to you humans. That's OK. That's not the point. :rolleyes: My (Oscar's) joke for the week: After a long flight trying to find his way back home (I don't mean way way back, as in the Congo- I just mean this Grey wanted to find his way back to his caring human), a male Grey lands in front of a restaurant to get a glass of water (it's more fun to drink from cups) and use the restroom (he was potty trained). The Grey walks into the ladies room by accident. He doesn't notice his mistake until a woman shrieks and shoos him out. Startled by the human's response, the Grey calls out, "What am I, an Eclectus?"

I sent the person an email, though there was a phone number listed that I didn't call. I will leave that up to KimKim.

Dan and others in the know, could you direct me to the probably very old thread or article about how and when to introduce two Greys? I imagine the article was written circa 1974 and features photos of Greys in disco pants and Afros doing a secret talon shake. Introducing two Greys- How and When to Proceed. Can Ya Dig It?

I was thinking about you, KimKim! I don't remember, did the ad have a phone number? If so, call it. But I think you only have the email address, yes? That is strange you didn't get a response, did anyone here who contacted her get a response? I don't want to make assumptions about the poster's native language (which could be English, you never know)- but I wonder if there is in fact a language barrier... Is the ad still active?

OMG, OMG, OMG! Oscar and Ellie were sparring (mostly) playfully, with Oscar on top of Ellie's cage and Ellie in it. To date I have not introduced the Greys beak-to-beak. Oscar had a good long while out of his cage and as it was Ellie's turn to come out, I tried getting Oscar to fly back to his cage- no luck. He seemed to really want to fly but appeared so unsure about it (as evidenced by hopping nervously from one foot to the other, false starts, and an anxious expression). So I covered my hand with a comfy baby blanket, which was thin but would *sort of* protect me from any impending bites. I very calmly walked over to Oscar as he stood atop Ellie's cage. I gently but firmly held my hand above his feet, below his belly. Oscar tentatively placed one foot on my hand, but seemed unsure about what to do. With confident I said "Step up!" and lifted my hand a bit to encourage Oscar to stand on my hand. And he did! IT WAS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL STEP-UP MANKIND HAS EVER SEEN! I tried not to act too shocked or otherwise unpredictable as I slowly brought Oscar over to his cage top. It could have been very tricky at that point as Oscar has a tendency to bite on the "release" from my hand, but I simply placed him where the cage top was about belly-chest level so he had to step up onto it to get a little more stability. He seemed relieved that nothing bad happened after he stepped up, as was I! I praised Oscar like crazy, which he loved, and treated him with a fat, delicious peanut. SUCCESS! What I think I did right: *I stayed calm. *I trusted in the process. *I gave Oscar the motivation to step-up (he wanted to go back to his cage, and I showed him the container of peanuts). *I planned for the unexpected- I covered my hand to protect myself from Oscar's usual bites, and I walked very slowly to avoid Oscar flying off my hand and hitting a wall or worse. *I offered ample praise when it was all done!

Those perches look great! And I loved the other items you sent me. I wrote you a PM, please read it and get back to me. Do you have any large stands? Oscar is slowly accepting his cage topper perch you sent.

I don't want cookies on my computer.

I am in search of a reasonably priced parakeet/ budgie flight cage. It should be quite sturdy and with bar spacing about a 1/2 inch (?)- basically it needs to house four budgies safely. My 'keets have a cage that just isn't up to snuff anymore.

4/21/13 PM: Oscar had a great day. He found his way onto Ellie's cage, and had a blast just hanging out on the dome top. When it came time for me to put him back in his cage, Oscar willingly flew to his cage when I called him! This was such a pivotal moment: Oscar displayed trust in me, and in his ability to fly in spite of his visual impairment (he is blind in one eye). I would very much like to allow Oscar's wing feathers to grow out, as he showed he could fly with confidence (albeit a short distance). I am giddy! Oscar and Ellie obviously like each other, but to date they have never been "beak to beak". I only open one Grey's cage when the other's is closed. At what point should I introduce them out of their cages, and how do I do this? The play stands I have (except for the one I am in the process of refurbishing) is only big enough for one Grey at a time. I feel I should pick neutral territory for the introductions, but beyond that I am not sure how to go about the official meeting of the Greys. Oscar has been quieter lately, only really making a fuss after dawn if I am taking too long to greet him good morning, and at dusk when he calls out to make sure his flock is safe and secure. When he is out of his cage, he tends to be quiet for hours, occupying himself with perching, preening, and whistling (but not screaming). I believe Ellie's presence has made Oscar happier, as has our routine: morning greet 'n' treat and feeding, as well as time out of the cage (in shifts). Positive interactions with me, such as whistling back and forth and lots of praise, as well as working on establishing trust (i.e. "Go to your cage and I will give you a peanut!"). Novel toys and special goodies meant just for when I am away at work. I arrive at home and greet 'n' treat, tell the Greys how my day was, ask what they did in my absence (maybe some day I will actually get an answer, haha), give time out of the cage, provide the evening feeding, facilitate positive interactions with me, etc. before bedtime, and then say "Goodnight, I will see you in the morning!" I love progress.

If it helps, I could help with the Marcow Rescue Misson by emailing her myself. Please let me know if this would be useful, and what you would want me to say. Charger needs to get out of there, and fast.

4/19/13 early afternoon: Yesterday Ellie climbed on top of Oscar's cage and no matter how much I tried persuading her, she would not be coaxed off of it! I wasn't particularly worried, as Oscar clearly accepted Ellie's presence, but I was trying to determine how I could quickly remove her in case of an emergency in the future (the Greys are still so new to each other, I want to be prepared for possible trouble ahead). It was actually quite cute, Ellie trying her darnedest to stay put, Oscar watching the negotiating, and then a brief moment of Ellie "telling off" Oscar when he went for a tentative Ellie toe nip. I want to say that Ellie seems to be the "boss", but as I keep reading with Greys, it doesn't really work that way. In fact, Oscar and Ellie seem to accept each other so readily, it's like they are already equal members in a flock. I think that brief moment of Ellie scolding Oscar made me want to peg her as the leader, but again I say- both Greys seem to simply accept each other as fellow (sometimes annoying) flock members.

Oh KimKim, the Craigslist post just broke my heart. The bird is probably "mad lately" about much more than just the cats pestering him. He needs toys. And she's nuts for asking $600 for the "marcow", as he will probably require a lot of work to be socialized again. Of course, I say that having set up a $500 payment plan for my own, nearly feral and one-eyed Grey. People sure are greedy, aren't they?! I wish that lady would just let that bird go to a good home for free!

OMG, I found the Craigslist post. I feel so sorry for that beautiful macaw. I mean, "marcow".

Amen! I am on Craigslist every day. It is terrible, I even began looking for finches until I came to my senses. I will tell you what folks have told me: KimKim, you cannot save every bird out there. Birds require a lot of work (more work than needed for a dog), and the bird(s) you have require the best of you. The fewer birds you have, the more time you can spend with the one(s) you have. There is a cute thread somewhere on this forum that discusses "MBP" or "Multiple Bird Syndrome", where one (or two or three) is simply not enough! People post in that thread to encourage others to keep their numbers down. That being said, I very quickly looked to see where you are located and I am in California too. I have not heard of your town but now you have me wanting to browse all California city classifieds until I find that post, which will no doubt tug at my own heartstrings! Darn you! Another thing: If you feel you could give this bird a great home for life, or perhaps foster him/ her and give that bird some freaking toys for probably the first time ever, go for it. Just be sure to think long-term (as I'm sure you have)- birds take time, lots of money, and plenty of sacrifice... Keep us posted.

Oscar very frequently puffs up his feathers as I walk into the room. Usually, but not always, his puffing does not include his head feathers. Now Ellie has started puffing up her feathers too, as if in greeting. But is it really a greeting? Sometimes the puffing seems startled, like I "caught" my Greys at something (which was usually just a nap, or waiting for me to enter the room). I can't really make heads or tails of the feather puffing both of my Greys display. It seems to mean different things at different times. Sometimes the puffing is paired with a head bow, which I know means "scritch my head!" To date, I have not given a head scritch in response to this body language as my birds can still be unpredictable. Sometimes, the puffed-up feathers seem to say, "Watch out, I'm ticked-off!" Now, I did browse the body language thread but have come up empty with a clear explanation or suggestion about what's up with my Greys' feather puffing! Please enlighten this silly human. Thanks.

Does food coloring ever come in bulk? I want to dye an entire bird tree! A big one!

4/16/13 super early AM: I came online to describe how things have been going with my human. We have had some successes and some setbacks. Let me break it down: *Another Grey came to live with us! Her name is Ellie and it is so very clear to me what role Ellie has in the flock, but Mary has no idea! She asks me if I want Ellie to be like a sister, friend, or mate. Well it's obvious! You Greys know what I mean, I'm sure. *Mary got me some awesome new toys. That's the good news. The bad news is, she has this bad habit of plunking them down way too close to me before I can decide if I actually like them. She even put this thing called a "swing" in my cage today, made of this scary material called "PVC", and it was pretty creepy to me. It would have been nice if she first put it across the room, and then moved it a little closer to my cage each day. You Greys know what I mean, I'm sure. (OK, I'll admit, it didn't take me long to accept this new thing in my cage. But still!) *I bite when I am upset. I warn Mary as best I can that a bite is coming if she doesn't do X, Y or Z (or doesn't stop doing X, Y or Z). Just like my relationship to Ellie, Mary has a hard time understanding why I bite. Well it's obvious! You Greys know what I mean, I'm sure. *Mary is actually pretty cool. I like her a lot, so now I make tons of noise to get her (my flock's) attention, just like I would out in the Congo. Furthermore, now that Ellie is around I like to try and get her attention too. The other day Ellie snuck out of her "quarantine" room (whatever that means) and climbed up onto my cage. We finally met and it was awesome. And Mary still doesn't know whether I consider Ellie my sister, friend, or mate?! *I like my human, and I'm settling into my new life with her. I wake up happy and loud! I don't know what Mary's big deal is about the "loud" part, as like I said- I am happy! Thanks for reading, Greys. And thanks for reading, too, humans. Hopefully you could understand everything I wrote.

I left Ellie's cage door open for a while today while I was right there, and she declined to come out. I was surprised because normally she is very eager to come out of her cage. I suppose I got used to her just hanging out inside her cage on her ring swing, so I left the room for about ten minutes. In addition, I accidentally left the bedroom door open a crack. This was enough time and room for Ellie to climb down from her cage, toodle on through the open door and then climb up onto Oscar's cage! When I came upon them, both birds were are happy as could be, Oscar inside his cage with Ellie on top. Luckily I only leave one bird's door open at a time, and stay with them in the room except for just this once! I could swear the birds had at least several minutes together, because neither seemed surprised by the other when I arrived to take Ellie back to her cage. As mentioned before, all of this happened within ten minutes. I would strongly suggest you pay extra careful attention to cage doors and room doors if you are quarantining your birds. I made what could have been a huge mistake. What if one of my birds had attacked the other? And now quarantining Ellie is useless. Luckily everyone appears in great health. On a positive note (besides the fact that Oscar and Ellie like each other), Oscar has quieted down considerably since meeting Ellie. Looking back, I realize his increased volume began around the time Ellie came home. Maybe knowing another bird was in the house made Oscar anxious, as he hadn't met this supposed new flock member. I wish I had a photo to share of the Oscar/ Ellie encounter, but needless to say I was more focused on bird safety and addressing my mistake than grabbing my camera phone.

Be prepared for taking a few steps back with Larry after you have been moving forward. In my experience with a somewhat older (I was told he is 8ish years old- I estimate he is actually at least 21) Grey, sometimes you think you are making huge progress and other times you feel like you are back to square one. I think this is all part of the process. For Greys with a lot of baggage like Larry and Oscar, it takes a lot for them to learn how to trust again. After all, humans have wronged them for years. Take care of yourself too- if you need a break from your work with Larry, go on a walk or take a bubble bath, do something enjoyable for you. When Oscar screams or bites, I do my best not to show him my frustration. Oscar has the extra burden of being wild-caught, so who knows what he remembers of his beginnings. So be patient and read to him, sing to him, and definitely joke with him as he gets more comfortable with you. Oscar has a great sense of humor and loves it when I act silly and playful with him. I suspect Larry has a rich inner world as well. I have found it invaluable to keep a training journal for Oscar. Some days I read back at my early posts, and see just how far Oscar has come overall. I would love to read more about Larry, and I suspect others would as well.

4/13/13 PM: OK so I admit, my dear Oscar has been driving me absolutely bonkers with his screaming. Lately he has been so loud I am seriously wondering about my neighbors complaining. This worry makes me tense, and seems to cause increased tension in Oscar as a result. So now I take breaks outside of the house and come back refreshed, ready to address Oscar's screaming (and the underlying needs he is trying to express). Oscar almost always quiets down as soon as he can see me, so while it is hard to move around the house to get much-needed tasks done without bringing him along, I have determined that Oscar is screaming because he is becoming more bonded to me. This is flattering- I am a part of his (loud) flock now! Here is the "SUCCESS!!" part of my entry: Oscar gave me two successful step-ups! I promise I didn't push it, I was simply coaxing Oscar back into his cage from the cage top, and because he was running about the outside of his cage to avoid going in (feigning stupidity, which I didn't buy), I had to chase him (slowly and playfully) with a baby blanket (it's one he likes well enough). Well lo and behold, as I got close enough to Oscar's feet, he stepped up onto my (blanket-covered) hand! I praised him like crazy, and though he only stayed on my hand for a brief moment before rushing back onto the cage top, I managed to get him to step up again! This time I playfully but casually said "step up!" and he did! Success!! :cool:

Oscar has bitten me a lot lately, but there are *almost* always antecedents. He will display frustration or an evil little twinkle in his eye right before a bad bite. Sometimes I rush him back into his cage if I need to get going somewhere and he is taking his sweet time, which is a sure way for me to get bitten. I also tend to rush Oscar in a general sense, trying to get him to "love me" and be my friend when what he needs right now is a reason to trust me. I work hard to be consistent: predictable meal times, play times, positive interactions and not reacting when he does bite (which is so hard to do when Oscar latches onto my finger and won't let go- OUCH)! I agree with my veterinarian and some folks who commented in this thread: when you are consistently being bitten, take a few steps back and interact less physically with your Grey.

I LOVE MACAWS! And I can't help you with your MBS. I have it too, a milder case my doctors say I can heroically fight...

I was being silly about my recounting of the Beak Kiss Incident, but honestly I would not recommend anyone kiss their bird's beak, even birds that are much tamer than Oscar. I have read that it could be unhealthy for birds if you get your mouth too close to their beaks, though obviously I ignored this (arguably unproven) short article I read. Oh, there goes Oscar's kissy sound again! I better go reinforce, reinforce, reinforce!

4/11/13 AM: Oscar was very loud/ vocal this morning as I was getting ready to leave for an appointment. Upon arriving home, he was as quiet as can be, so I made sure to heap on the praise. I have found that if I praise Oscar between screams, it seems to confuse him and he screams more. But if I "catch" him being good and give him tons of "props" long before he could even think of screaming, he loves the positive attention and stays quiet. Win-win! However, Oscar's great mood this late morning proved too tempting to me and I stupidly kissed Oscar on the beak. I am fine and not writing this entry from the ER, but Oscar was surprised and attempted a half-hearted lunge at me after the smooch. I have sworn to never do such a silly thing again, and instead I make a huge, obnoxious kissy sound to Oscar to show my affection for him. Guess what?! He learned how to "kiss" back immediately! We try to make our kissy sounds louder than each other (as you know, Oscar loves some healthy competition)! I was also able to touch Oscar very briefly on the head, and he was OK with that. I will stick to slight head touches and pats rather than beak smooches, which is a huge potential OUCH! Oh, there goes Oscar, making a kissy sound. I better go "kiss" him back for some positive reinforcement and attention.

4/10/13 AM: Oscar is having a great morning. Last night he allowed me to put a new perch in his cage (!) plus a toy I made. Oscar is accepting novel things more easily now, particularly since Ellie came home. He even met my friend Tim the other day, and I totally forgot that Oscar "hates new people, especially men" until Oscar began his velOSCARaptor scream. Oscar allowed Tim to stare at him and talk to him for a good ten minutes before he got upset. This is amazing for a bird that has been wronged by many people. Oscar seemed to understand that Tim was my friend and therefore, relatively harmless. Oscar seems to enjoy his new bird phone. It was only about $10 and looks relatively indestructible. It has four buttons, each with a different phrase. Supposedly the phone could teach a bird how to talk, but Oscar seems to use it to get out frustrations, which is fine with me. The makers of the phone claim it could also help a bird to scream less, but so far Oscar screams more or less as much as usual. Oscar's mood has brightened since Ellie's homecoming. He seems to anticipate each new day a little more eagerly than before. I swear he is counting down the quarantine days until he gets to meet her. Today I have a good chunk of time before I head off to work, so I will be giving both birds lots of attention. Everyone is in a good mood. Oscar can now imitate the budgies (American parakeets) and does so very loudly! I told him, "The parakeets don't actually make that much noise, Oscar." He laughed at me and proceeded to make the parakeet sounds as loud as before.