My baby grey (Weeks 12-16)

[jeanna]

Edit2: I decided to just keep all my updates about Jasper in one thread. So Week 17 pics are on the second page!

 

Edit: I finally named him! I named him Jasper for several reasons. Both me and my brother's names start with J, it's the name of a red gemstone, means "treasurer" in Persian, and was traditionally assigned to one of the wisemen. Well he definitely treasures his toys and he does seem pretty wise and he has a red tail, so it works!

 

I've had Jasper since 3/20 (I'm having the hardest time finding a name that fits him perfectly!) and he hatched on 12/23/09. He started as a cuddly blanket loving, gurgly baby who loved being spoonfed and has become a whistling clown who loves to go everywhere with me and eats everything I give him! Here are the last 4 weeks in pictures!

 

Week 12:

He slept in bed with me a couple of times because he wouldn't sleep by himself and I could hear him rattling the cage all the way from my room. No bad habits though, he sleeps fine in his cage now.

 

Week 13:

I made him a paper toy to shred.

So curious!

He has always been super interested in my iphone because he sees me with it all the time.

 

Week 14:

I started taking him out on car rides at this point! He was already attached to me and I wanted to socialize him from a young age. He steps up 98% of the time even to my friends, even though he keeps a close eye on me. When I disappear from view, he whistles and calls for me. If I leave the house, my parents said that he always flies (more like falls since his breeder clipped his wings) off the cage and walks around looking for me. I finally took him to my apt and he met Boris the bunny!

 

He still liked to sleep in blanket caves at this point.

 

His first time eating corn! He loved it!

 

No more blankets, I got him his own nook

 

Week 15:

My little owl!

He went to the grocery store and bookstore with me this week. He gets a lot of attention!

 

Week 16:

After his first shower with me, checkin himself out in the mirror.

He enjoys being in the car, or at least I think he does. Whenever we drive around he is chirping and whistling when he's not eating or preening himself.

 

My boyfriend and I made him a play gym out of pvc. He LOVES climbing all over it! He also met my bf's husky and didn't mind him at all. Work in progress:

 

The finished gym! Complete with a ladder, swing, and spiraling staircase. I'm going to add more toys and the bf and I are thinking about connecting it to a water hose with a mister for a built in shower. The pvc is either wrapped in sisal rope or has a sandpaper tape on it for grip. I'll repost this in the toy forum with a better description of how we made it and more pictures. He climbs all over it!

 

 

That was a lot of pictures! But of course there's more too come! Hope you guys enjoy them!

Edited April 27, 2010 by jeanna

[Luvparrots]

Great looking pictures Jeanna. That's a great looking playgym you and your boyfriend have made. These are great pictures of your baby's first month. I notice that your grey is out without a harness. Please invest in a harness for your grey if you are going to be taking him out. Even if they are clipped they can still take on air under their wings. Many greys have flown away because their owners thought they couldn't fly. While a grey is young is the best time to harness train them.

Edited April 27, 2010 by luvparrots

[danmcq]

What a pretty CAG!

 

Loved all the photos.

 

YOU might try checking out different African dialect names and their meaning... Thats how wound up maiming our Grey Dayo...meaning "Joy has arrived". :-)

[judygram]

What an adorable baby grey and wonderful pictures, he does like snuggling in a birdie tent, there is nothing better than a picture of a sleeping grey, so precious looking. Thats a great playstand too, you can also use vet wrap to give it grip, it comes in many colors and would look nice on it.

 

Thanks for sharing the pictures of your baby with us and I am sure a name will come to mind soon enough.

[Dusty]

I loved all the pictures! well done on the play gym!!

I have bought a harness for Dusty and he in the process of becoming comfortable with it, but it would be great for you to buy your grey a harness so that you can take him out more often with peace of mind.

 

He looks absolutely adorable and im sure a name will just come to you that is perfect for him.

I like the idea of a traditional african name, something that's short and easy to say.

 

:-)

[Xtreme575]

Great pictures, fantastic playgym! It looks like your baby is settling in great!

 

My Paco is clipped from the breeder as well. The others are correct on the harness training, it'll come in so handy when your baby flies. I learned early, I took Paco out with his harness, a gust of wind came by, Paco was powerless, the wind grabbed his feathers, he puffed up and away he went. Had it not been for the harness, I'm sure I would have lost him, and he is severely clipped!

[Jayd]

Hi, here's a thread you might like to read, http://www.greyforums.net/forums/showthread.php?184572-OH-MY-GOD.-Pepper-took-off/page9 Nice "Play Gym" and beautiful baby.......Jayd P.S. Aviator is probably the best harness available...

[jeanna]

Thanks for all the compliments and concerns!

 

He cannot fly away because his wings were clipped by the breeder in a way that he can't even generate enough lift to land somewhat gracefully, it's more like a fall with flapping wings. It's so sad because he always flaps his wings and I know he wants to fly. I can't wait until he molts and can be fully flighted. I've already ordered the aviator harness a few days ago, just waiting for it to get here! Also, I was doing some research and there's a club for birds to freely fly inside a big empty building. So I'll definitely be looking into that when the time comes! http://www.nwavianflyers.com/

[SunnyBird]

Thanks for all the compliments and concerns!

 

He cannot fly away because his wings were clipped by the breeder in a way that he can't even generate enough lift to land somewhat gracefully, it's more like a fall with flapping wings. It's so sad because he always flaps his wings and I know he wants to fly. I can't wait until he molts and can be fully flighted. I've already ordered the aviator harness a few days ago, just waiting for it to get here! Also, I was doing some research and there's a club for birds to freely fly inside a big empty building. So I'll definitely be looking into that when the time comes! http://www.nwavianflyers.com/

 

 

That is great news Jeanna. Please work with him to exercise those wings every day by letting him flap while he's perched on you (preferably over a bed in case he falls). It's going to take a long time for him to change his feathers and he will need to not let his muscles atrophy in the meantime. You are going to have to teach him how to fly later on. You are lucky to have a free flight indoor club in your area. I wish I had one!

[Jayd]

If your "breeder" did anything but a *Good Equal Wing Cut", then your bird in the slightest breeze can get lift and fly [glide] up into a tree, and as you said " he can't even generate enough lift to land somewhat gracefully" so when he would try to land from that high up, he would hurt himself or kill himself. A bird should be clipped [if at all] no more needed than for him to have a glide path that would safety get him to the ground....You'd better pad around his cage so if and when he falls, he won't split his breast bone or worst...A bird should never be clipped before he learns to fly...Your "breeder did a dangerous injustice to your bird by clipping him that short. If I were you, I'd make a Vet appointment to see if both wings were cut equal, so many problems can arise if there not.

Jayd

[jeanna]

If your "breeder" did anything but a *Good Equal Wing Cut", then your bird in the slightest breeze can get lift and fly [glide] up into a tree, and as you said " he can't even generate enough lift to land somewhat gracefully" so when he would try to land from that high up, he would hurt himself or kill himself. A bird should be clipped [if at all] no more needed than for him to have a glide path that would safety get him to the ground....You'd better pad around his cage so if and when he falls, he won't split his breast bone or worst...A bird should never be clipped before he learns to fly...Your "breeder did a dangerous injustice to your bird by clipping him that short. If I were you, I'd make a Vet appointment to see if both wings were cut equal, so many problems can arise if there not.

Jayd

 

I have already taken him to an avian vet, asked about his wings and she said they were fine. He's healthy and happy! I haven't thought of how he could catch air if there was a breeze, especially since he has only ever been out on really sunny, windless days. But I'll be harness training him by the end of the week so that there is no chance for him to be lost.

[Jayd]

Thank you!!! To lose one of our companions is to much to even think about, I've seen the heartache tears and pain from it......Your a good "paront"

 

Jayd

[JillyBeanz]

What beautiful, beautiful pictures - and how creative you and your boyfriend are! I particularly laughed at the one of "no name" in his birdy bag - another member (JoolesgreyUK) bought one for her baby Beau when she first got him and I laughed and laughed and laughed because I never thought in a million years a grey would entertain one - I don't think Beau ever did - but you've proved me wrong (soz Jooles)!

 

I echo everyone else's concerns about the harness. As they've all said - he can catch a gust of wind - but another thing is security. If you have him in public and he gets scared and "jumps" he will crash to the ground and damage will be caused. At least if he is on a harness you can keep a tight grip and only give him enough leash to move his body freely. Good on you for taking the advice and getting one.

 

I'm extremely impressed by the play gym - you two are too creative!!! Thanks for sharing your pictures x

[jeanna]

Jasper hates his new harness. Getting it on him is a bit of a process where I have to distract him with a treat to avoid being bitten. Once he has it on, as long as he's distracted by something, he doesn't seem to mind it too much. He wore it for like an hour yesterday in a car and at the store and everything. I bought him a medium, but it seems a bit big for him because he's kinda small at 400g. Should I exchange it for a smaller size? I figured that he'll probably gain some more weight and fill out more.

 

My friends have all noted that he eats better than most people. I make him scrambles, bird breads, veggie and fruit salads, and even spaghetti with wheat pasta, homemade marinara sauce, and fresh veggies mixed in. I've noticed that he swallows more food than he drops now, whereas before it was just a mess. I had him on Harrison's high potency course pellets, but we ran out and I tried to get more, but the store was out of them. So i had to get him Roudybush maintenance for the time being, he eats them but doesn't seem as enthusiastic about them as the Harrisons. I still give him formula at night, but he generally only eats about half of it now. And rather than having it fed down his mouth, he prefers lapping it up from the spoon himself.

 

He doesn't seem to like red palm oil much! I don't think I'd like it either though, it smells strange. Though when I was in Senegal and the Gambia, everything I ate was cooked with palm oil and it was pretty tasty!

 

Jasper's new favorite place to relax with me is underneath our grand piano. He also seems to enjoy being on my shoulder as I play, either preening himself or cocking his head to one side and listening.

 

I finally got out a nice camera to take pictures of him, I had been lazy and just using my iphone. So here are some nice pictures!

 

 

Checking out the piano pedals:

 

 

I got this one in mid-scratch and think it's hilarious!

 

Some pictures of him playing on the playgym:

 

The playgym is now right next to his cage so he goes back and forth from his cagetop all day long.

 

I'm kinda bummed this one is a bit out of focus. Dr. Evil!

 

 

Thanks for looking!

[Luvparrots]

I like the Week 17 pictures of Jasper. He looks very happy and relaxed.

[JJsHoney]

What great pictures!! He looks like a very happy bird!! I looove the Dr. Evil pic. I had everyone in the house come see it!!

[danmcq]

What a nice 17th week update and he is beautiful in those photos.

 

One note on the RPO: Most do not like it straight up. Most of us have to mix a 1/4 teaspoon in with scrambled eggs, oatmeal, mash, birdy bread etc. so they don't know it's there.

 

Thanks for the update!

[anu1again]

Thisn looks fantastic. You guys did a wonderful job!! My husband and I might try making something like this for our Smokey. I really enjoyed all the pictures too.

[Streetwise]

Was a great read and nice pictures. Thanks you for taking the time.

[rawleyd]

I love the pictures (don't know how I missed these before).

Awesome cute bird. =)