Earthchild

Irwin has this awesome habit, and I don't know how he knows, but every time I'm really mad about something he starts making all kinds of cute sounds. He's usually pretty quiet through the day except mornings and late evening or when hes talked too. But, every time I have been mad even if I'm quiet about it he'll start making every sound he knows until I pay attention to him. It's amazing how he knows already.

Wow, that's so much cheaper than Petsmart!

Can he eat the kind that's made for macaws? He usually just leaves all of the small stuff at the bottom anyways.

Ok thanks guys if I run out before bird fair I'll be sure to order some from that website. Irwin loves the bananas too btw we use them as treats. Does it usually smell?

This is the food that Irwin came with. The man told me its made by a lady somewhere in north texas. I can't find it at any store, but he said I can get more at bird fair coming up in April. It seems to be pretty well balanced, maybe too much seeds? The only problem I have with it is that it smells old, does bird food expire?

I am having two problems with the albums. One it says my file size is too big, so I turned my camera to it's low setting still no luck. And two I took pictures with my Ipad uploaded them, they were there, but then when I go back to my album it's empty again! >.< ???

Thanks, I study animal cognition so that helps alot. I also have all of pepperburgs books and articles. I think it's really neat how I started out thinking oh grey's can talk how cool, but Irwin doesn't talk and we still can communicate. Their intelligence goes so far beyond what words they can speak.

I introduced Irwin in the welcome room already, but now I have more questions. We have been working with Irwin for a few weeks now and he has added some new sounds to our conversations. He also repeat sounds that he already knows in exchange for a treat. We have been trying to teach him some words: nut, seed, hi, irwin; but so far the only new word he learned is weeee. Weee is now his favorite word, but he doesn't say it, he scream/whistles it very loudly. Any suggestions on easy words to teach? Can all Greys even talk? Also on another topic does anyone have any advice on hand taming him? So far he only allows hands in his cage to hand him a treat very carefully. Any other time he freaks out and flies. He also freaks if you try to offer him a treat differently than usual like open palm or balanced on 2 fingers.

Just found out that Irwin absolutely loves straws. He is happily ripping one to shreds now. How do I make sure he doesn't ingest any?

Thanks for all of the advice Irwin is six years old. Also he is doing amazing today, he is taking things from us without even hesitating, the foot toy idea was a great one he is playing with wooden blocks now.

I'm Shelbie and I recently adopted Irwin from a bird collector who said he had no time for him. Before being bought by the bird collector 6 months ago he was kept as a breeder at an aviary, so he is not very tame. We have had him for about three weeks now and he is already taking treats from our hands. He also greets us with "woo" conversations. I realize that compared to some birds he is pretty tame, and already making great progress. He is afraid of hands that have no food and will leave his perch if you get to close to the cage. The collector told us that he was difficult and that it would be months before he would make any progress so I think we are doing great. I do have two questions though: Now that he is eating from our hand what should we do next? I'm trying to just follow his lead mostly, but should we try more? My other question is about how he spends his day, he sits on his one perch almost the entire day except really quick to go down to his foodbowl and eat or if someone scares him to the other side of the cage. Is that normal?