Some Grey Questions...

[jewels2112]

Hi again everyone! Since you were all so helpful in the past I decided I would harass you once more. As a refresher: I have an 18 month old CAG (Katie) and a 1yo rescued Sun Conure. My Sun started flying about 6 weeks ago and is now fully flighted and loving life. She had severely damaged beak (neglect suffered at a local pet store) which is finally healing and although she hasn't had a full molt (that I've seen anyway), she has a beautiful set of flight feathers. Katie, on the other hand, still can't fly and it appears that her old cut feathers are still where they were when we got her over a year ago. I'm starting to wonder if they will ever be replaced by flight feathers and if she will ever be able to fly. We exercise every day..she allows me to hold her under her wings and she pretends to fly while I hold her up but on the rare occasion she tries to do it herself she drops like a stone. I was told to give her baths more frequently (which she hates) but it didn't seem to help. Am I worrying over nothing or could something be wrong with her? I really want her to be more mobile. Its just sad to see her have to climb down to the floor to get to me.

My next issue is a bit more minor. She hates everyone but me. I know they're typically shy and "one person" birds but is there a way to help her accept the rest of the family? With me she still pants like a baby when we play and she will sit with me for hours and will never bite but the closest she'll get to anyone else here is to sit on their hand and she is very unpredictable when it comes to biting. She's starting to talk up a storm so they are really wanting to interact with her but I have no clue how to make it happen. Any suggestions?

And last, but not least, does anyone know of any bird related groups that meet in the Virginia Beach area? I can't seem to find any

 

Thanks again in advance for all your help! -Jo

[BMustee]

Well, I had a Sun Conure before and he never seemed to go into a full-blown molt...it was more of the year round kind. When I was still training him I kept his wings clipped and I had to clip the all the time because they grew in so fast. I have had my Grey for about 4 months and I have yet to see one feather other than down come off of him...so I'm thinking that sense your having the same experience that I had that Greys just don't molt as fast as Suns do. I don't think baths would do it...I'd try more fresh food or some supplements for plumage.

 

As for the aggression I too have had an issue with that. My grey screams at anyone that gets near him. He did this with my boyfriend so I had him do a “dominance” technique with him. I told him if he bites, let him do it, ignore the screams, move slowly and tell the bird in a soothing voice that he isn’t going to hurt him and it’s going to be ok. By doing this, the bird realizes that the temper tantrum won’t work with this human and that there isn’t any threat to him so there not much else he can do except be a good bird. It’s very important to reward the bird when he behaves and ignore the bad behavior. If the bird screams and bites and whoever is handling the bird pulls away the bird now learns that and continues the behavior. Hope this helps you.

[Tari]

Sorry I dont have much to say except be very very careful. There are many many household dangers for a flighted bird and thats why none of mine are flighted.

Good luck