Uncertain about Greys

[judygram]

Once you clip the wings you have to wait for the next molt for them to grow out, so it takes time, they have to replace those feathers not regrow the ones you clip. But then you already knew that didn't you, silly me.:blink: :blush: :whistle:

[Guest briansmum]

is the bird already clipped?

[RobertsKitty]

xxbeccyxx I don't know I won't actually be getting a Grey for nearly two years.

 

Today was AMAZING! I found a pet shop that takes in unwanted birds and resells them to responsible owners. I got to see the Grey they had. It was the first time I got to see a Grey up close and to be able to hold one. The bird was beautiful. Very social, although understandably scared. I am now more excited than ever about when I am going to be able to get my bird. I wished more than anything I could take that particular bird home but I still have two solid years to budget and save before that becomes possible.

 

I do have a few quick questions. What is the best and least stressful way to bring a bird home if allowing it to make short visitation periods to the house is not possible? (ex. if bought from a re-home place like where I went today)

After you bring home a Grey should you start trying to get it accustomed to you immediately or leave it alone to adjust its first night?

Also if you bring a bird home and it is stressed out and starts plucking, besides providing attention and toys what else is a good way to help prevent this action?

[judygram]

Kitty, you're hooked, I can tell and to have to wait for 2 years, well, I don't know how you are going to be able to stand it until you can bring one home.

 

To answer your questions, when you bring one home, just put them into their cage and take your cues from them, leave the door to the cage open and let them come out when they feel ready, don't force anything. After they have been home for a day or two, take them all over the house and show them every room so they are familiar with the whole house. Most will adapt very quickly.

 

A lot of plucking problems starts with a change in the amounts of attention provided. Don't lavish any more time and attention on your grey that you intend to keep up for the rest of their life, they get used to it and will develop behavior problems if you don't maintain that level of attention. Don't start off worrying about whether they will start to pluck, greys are good at picking up our emotions, if they do start plucking, then you can start to figure out why, and sometimes it is because of physical problems.

 

Don't worry about the plucking problem, more than likely it will never develop, but if it does then that will be the time to try to figure out why and how to stop it.

 

I don't know how you are going to be able to wait for two years before you can even get one, you sound hooked already and the wait can be almost unbearable, just read some of the posts in the various threads. I wish you good luck and if you have any more questions, just fire away.

[Talon]

Kitty, PLEASE Stay away from putting the perches that have the holes in them in the cage. My grey is the one that dblhelix was referring to. She had one of those perches in her cage, and did get her nail hooked in one of the holes and couldn't get it out. I was home, but in another room and each time I walked by her cage, I didn't notice. I thought she was playing as she sometimes yells at her toys and appears to be fighting with them. She had a toy hanging right near there. Finally when she didn't stop yelling at it, I saw she had her nail stuck way in there, it was very difficult to get her unstuck. I had to remove the perch with her on it, take it & her out of the cage, and try to maneuver her nail out. All the time, she was getting hysterical, flapping, and screaming!

It was very scary for both of us.

 

I just Thank God I was home, I have heard of birds that will chew their foot off if they get it stuck for too long of a time.

 

So, from now on, I use the perch on the outside of her cage ( she does love to use it) and I monitor her when she is on it.

[RobertsKitty]

judy-I am going to go crazy during the wait but in the end it will be worth it! I just hope everything works out!

 

Talon-I already took it off my buy list. Thank goodness you where home! I'm glad your little girl is safe!

[judygram]

Kitty, if this is what you want, then it will work out, believe me, I should know, 57 years has taught me that for sure.

[RobertsKitty]

Thanks so much. Another quick question. What is the best way to really socialize a bird? I want to be able to take my bird into a public area or in front of a large crowd of people.

Chances are in the job I am going into I might take it to a zoo or something of the like and teach crowds about Greys and other exotic birds. In this instance I would like a bird that willingly allows others close and mabye even lets them touch it.

 

Also the bird I saw yesterday had been trained so well that when it didn't want your hand close to it's body the bird would take your finger in its mouth and gently move it back an inch and let go. I was thinking on it last night but how would you train a bird to do that as apposed to bitting?<br><br>Post edited by: RobertsKitty, at: 2007/08/03 18:01

[judygram]

Then you need to take her to places where she get to socialize with other people, the more the better. If you have a lot of people come into your house then you might try introducing her to them and that helps also. Don't force her on other people but show her it is ok to be around other people and have them hold her or stroke her neck.

 

If you could take her with you occasionally to work that would help also, I do that myself when I can.

[RobertsKitty]

That would be good. I don't think it would ever be safe for it where I will be working but I will do what I can to take it into large groups of people. I could always take it with me when I'm getting food or just walking around Petsmart and doing things like that. Most stores wouldn't allow her inside. Maybe when I went on a walk downtown...

 

Thanks for your help! Any idea about that birds training like what I listed above?

[judygram]

RobertsKitty wrote:

Also the bird I saw yesterday had been trained so well that when it didn't want your hand close to it's body the bird would take your finger in its mouth and gently move it back an inch and let go. I was thinking on it last night but how would you train a bird to do that as apposed to bitting?<br><br>Post edited by: RobertsKitty, at: 2007/08/03 18:01

 

My Josey does that and I didn't train her to do it, I guess it is instinctive for them to push you away if they don't want you picking them up at that moment.

[loviechick]

"I do have a few quick questions. What is the best and least stressful way to bring a bird home if allowing it to make short visitation periods to the house is not possible? (ex. if bought from a re-home place like where I went today)

After you bring home a Grey should you start trying to get it accustomed to you immediately or leave it alone to adjust its first night?

Also if you bring a bird home and it is stressed out and starts plucking, besides providing attention and toys what else is a good way to help prevent this action?"

 

 

I'm saying this strictly from the view of buyin a rehome bird, in the event that you do so. I have done it both ways, and have seen results of both. When I was in the process of rescuing Red, I didn't have much money to bring her home, and although it killed me, I went and visited her at least once a week, and she was an hour away! Before I even got her to my home, she was stepping up for me, and not trying to bite me as much. The honeymoon lasted about 3 weeks, then she rebelled for a bit and became super nippy, and once she nailed me hard and realized that it didn't phase me, she hasn't tried to bite since and has just been sweet as can be.

 

With Zsa, I went and met her once, she started regurgitating for me the first time I met her I was, and still am, in LOVE! However I met her once, and then brought her home a week later. She is already sorta getting fiesty with me and startin to rebel, my fingers on my right hand look wonderful at the moment!:pinch: If you are getting a rehome I would suggest visiting the bird several times, because this whole birds' world is about to change, new sounds, sights, smells, cage, toys, etc. Having SOMETHING that it is familiar to will really help out with the transition. This goes for babies birds too I believe, the sooner you can start that bond the better.

 

I have noticed though that if I leave Zsa Zsa alone and stop trying to cuddle with her every minute of the day she is much nicer to me. As much as I hate it, I just have to keep the cuddling to a minimum, at least until she really starts to trust me. I know my other Grey just doesn't like to hang out for long periods of time, which is fine, she's perfectly content hanging out on her tree!

[RobertsKitty]

Thanks so much for the information! I'll defiantly keep it in mind!

[RobertsKitty]

I now have 5 books on reserve at the library. When I get them I'll be spending hours in my room reading and taking notes. My fiance says I'm becoming a bit obsessed! :whistle: Who me? Never!

[judygram]

I don't where he got that idea, do you? LOL:laugh:

 

Wait until you have your grey, then you will really be obsessed or possessed, I don't know which.:woohoo:

[RobertsKitty]

Yeah no kidding! I just wish I didn't have to wait. But oh well. The waiting just makes getting the bird all the sweeter!

[dblhelix]

True RobersKitty, the wait will be worth it! You are a great example of a prospective "parront" that is doing the right things. Educate yourself, read, ask questions. The more prepared you are the better...it is a life long commitment and there will be challenges along the way. When the time is right you will take the plunge and bring home/bring up a great friend!

 

We are here for you and will help as best we can. Lots of good info in this post already!! B)

[judygram]

Yes you are, Kitty, a fine example of a parront, and the standard by which all prospective bird owners should have to follow. Most people would just jump in and get the bird and then research how to take care of it.:huh:

[RobertsKitty]

Thanks so much for all the praise! I am working REALLY hard to get this right. I wouldn't be able to handle it if my bird became one of those poor birds abandoned by careless owners. I don't really even think of it as getting a bird. I think of it more like having a baby. I mean it will after all be my baby for the next 50+ years I should know everything I possibly can.

 

And trust me I've been writing notes on everything you all have told me!

[RobertsKitty]

I'm very excited. It will be another two or three days till my books are in the library but I used Amazon.com to read a few pages out of each book and they look like they will have a TON of information! I am very excited.

Here are the names of the books I'm getting so far:

 

African grey parrots : everything about history, care, nutrition, handling, and behavior by Maggie Wright

 

Parrot Training: A Guide to Taming and Gentling Your Avian Companion by Bonnie Munro Doane

 

Parrot Tricks: Teaching Parrots with Positive Reinforcement by Tani Robar

 

The Parrot Problem Solver by Barbara Heidenreich

 

A Parrot for Life: Raising and Training the Perfect Parrot Companion by Rebecca K. O'Connor

 

I am looking REALLY hard for the book For the Love Of Greys. I am also looking for The Beak Book and I'd LOVE to get a copy of The Alex Studies(before I saw Alex on T.V. I'd never heard of African Greys and he first instilled within me the love of Greys) Sadly our libraries here are sourly understocked so I will have to end up buying these. I am going to check Petsmart because I used to work there they won't mind if I chill in a corner and read for awhile but if I remember anything correctly they don't have any of the above. I might check a few book stores and pet stores around the area. If anyone would like to let me borrow their copies...lol.

 

A few MORE questions (I'm full of them huh) Whats best to bed the bottom of the cage with? The bird won't actually touch it right? I was thinking just using newspaper but is there anything better? Also regarding cage liners. Needed? I think I could make a washable one and hey if I use enough paper I dunno if I'd even need it!

 

Also what kind of thing would be good as a 'training' treat? I have seen peanuts and the like is often used. Is that the best thing to do or..?

 

And the last question of the night that I ask albeit quite hesitantly: how bad are Greys about screaming? I know how NOT to enforce it but I will be living in apartments for the first several years I have it and I worry about neighbor complaints...<br><br>Post edited by: RobertsKitty, at: 2007/08/04 08:35

[dblhelix]

Newspaper works great and is cheap! I find training treat of raw pine nuts works really well. These have turned out to be a great replacement for peanuts and you do not need to worry about the aflatoxin issue. Compared to other parrots, Greys are "relatively" quiet (at least compared to most south american parrots). But make no mistake, they have their moments at certain times on certain days! B)

[danmcq]

Hi Mark,

 

Where do you get raw Pine Nuts from?

 

I have already purchased the bagged and dry type, but raw would obviously be better :-)

[RobertsKitty]

Thanks so much helix. I agree with danmcq. Where do you buy such nuts?

[dblhelix]

hmmm, well, the pine nuts I have are from a store called Trader Joes. I do not believe this store is around all over the US. It started in CA and has moved to some eastern states, but not all.

 

The bag I have says "raw pine nuts" on it. I can tell they are shelled and probably dried somewhat, but that could still qualify as "raw" if they are not cooked, I believe...this link has some pics and info. I can say the ones I have are shelled for sure B)

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pine_nut<br><br>Post edited by: dblhelix, at: 2007/08/04 18:05

[RobertsKitty]

I have heard of it. I don't know if there are any in the U.S. I will check around Walmart and maybe I can find a Trader Joes. I think there is one around here...

 

Also quick dietary questions: I know Greys need Cuttle Bones do they also need Spray Millet? Also I found something called a

Mineral Bird Treat:

Guaranteed Analysis:

Crude Protein (min.)...............1.0%

Crude Fat (min.) ....................0.0%

Crude Fiber (max.) ................0.5%

Moisture (max.) ...................10.0%

Calcium (min.) .....................20.0%

Calcium (max.) ....................24.0%

Phosphorus (min.) .................0.01%

Salt (min.) ............................0.20%

Salt (max.) ...........................0.50%

Is that needed? Wanted? {Emotions-000200C1}

Thankies!

(side note) This is the threads 99th post! lol and my 50th member post! Yay! lol