Intorducing Ozzy

[OzzyCAG]

I am a new grey owner. I just brough Ozzy home Friday night so we are still getting used to each other.

He is 15 months old and seems to be quite a character. I could tell a few stories but I am sure they are similar to other's here.

I told a breeder friend I was looking for one and the next day she got a call and here we are.

I do not know much about him although we do not know if he is a he or a she. I know he lived with a women who's husband hated Ozzy and made her get rid of him which probably explains why he is scared of my hubby. I know he lived with 7 dogs and some teenage boys which probably explains his obsession with cheetos. He has never had a shower so eventually we will have to address that but for now we are just getting him comfortable with stepping up, our schedule, and getting to know everyone.

I am just trying to take it nice and slow right now.

Looking forward to getting to know everyone here and I love reading all your stories and I have gotten tons of info here and wish I had more time to read all the valuable information here.

[MarcusCAG]

Welcome to Grey Forums, OzzyCAG/Sonya! At this point, like you said, "nice and slow" is the best thing for all of you, but despite whatever negatives Ozzy's past home might have brought to his life, it sounds like he's ended up within a loving new situation. Ask all the questions you want here, we all love Greys and are more than willing to help if we can.

[Ray P]

Hi OzzyCAG and welcome to the grey forum.

Yes give Ozzy a cahnce to settle in and get to know you.

Sounds like Ozzy came from a active house so

Just give him some time.

[Luvparrots]

Hi Sonya, welcome to you and Ozzy! Looking forward to learning more about Ozzy and hearing how his settling in goes!

[OzzyCAG]

Thnaks for the welcome everyone. Ozzy is doing well so far. He is understandably still nervous but is doing better every day. He doesn't shake near as much and he steps up much easier.

He says more words every day.

He is quite the character.

Yesterday morning, I was still in bed and hubby got up and uncovered Ozzy and went downstairs. Ozzy starts saying Hello lots and in all different voices. After a bit he is silent for a little bit and then he says plain as day Am I all alone? It was so funny.

Last night he was sitting on a chair with my son and he said "Give Ozzy a cookie:" I have no idea what a cookie is to him and I have been searching for a treat other than cheetos for a treat for positive reinforcement. Does anyone have any idea what he might mean by a cookie besides a cookie. I cannot get any information from the previous owners so I have to just guess. He still won't eat anything fresh but likes his seed mix and pellets. He won't eat sunflower seeds either. I haven't found anything he will go crazy for besides cheetos. Any ideas?

I know he is still setteling in and needs time and I am still taking it slow. He is asking for head scratches more and more and doing less biting so I know we are making some progress.

[katana600]

Thanks for the nice intro and for joining us with Ozzie. We have a rehomed grey that calls every kind of food a cracker. If he hears a bag rattle he wants a cracker. I keep telling him what it is when I hand him food but in six months, it is still a cracker. If you try an almond in a shell for a treat, it helps keep the tip of the beak from being needle sharp, I think. At first, I would use a pair of pliers to just break off the tip of an almond but in short time he will learn how to demolish the shell in seconds. Just because he rejects any food offering at first doesn't mean he doesn't like it. If someone unfamiliar offers Gilbert his favorite goldfish graham cracker he will fling it to the floor and will do the same with his coveted almond. It just takes repeated offering until you find the receptive time to the favorite food and the trusted person. You will learn so much more about him as he relaxes in your home. We would love to hear your stories, every grey is unique and wonderful and you and Ozzie are so welcome to share.

[OzzyCAG]

Thank you all for your responses. Sorry its been so long since I have updated. Katana600 your post was very helpful and I went back and read your journey posts and they were so helpful.

Ozzy has been doing great and talking up a storm, he does step up but mostly for my son. It has been a few weeks and we are continuing progress.

When I got him my goal was to take him to work with me and my breeder friend told me not to wait too long so I took him to work the day before yesterday and he seemed to do great but the following day when I fed him in the morning he seemed to eat as normal and I left and went to work same as always.

When I got home his water was clean (he is a major food dunker) and it didn't look like he had ate much. Then he seemed to eat alot when I got home.

He acted mad at me and would not look at me for a long time. Then he let me scratch him from the back of his neck all the way down his face to his beak (thats a first) and then he still wouldn't step up but later he decided to step up. It took him a while. I don't know if I did too much too fast and taking him to work was too much stress or what, but he was definetly mad at me. And last night for the first time ever he stepped up to hubby from his cage it was so great.

I am really enjoying him and hope to start including him more and more in our activities but I dont' want to take it too fast.

Thanks again everyone for the warm welcome and I will try to stay more in touch. I had a cute video but someone stole my phone and I lost it so I will work on some new stuff.

[OzzyCAG]

Oh I finally found the treat to use. Safflower seeds. He loves them. He will take them from anyone so that will be our treat and I have phased out the cheetos he only gets a couple a week now. I am so happy to have found a treat that he loves.

[Luvparrots]

My fids all like safflower seeds, less fat than sunflower seeds and good for your little buddies. Glad to hear Ozzy is doing so well! And pctures please we LOVE pictures!!!

[Cupid]

Welcome to grey forums!

[Gwen]

Welcome, Welcome !!!

 

All of us with our re-homed CAGS are learning day by day. Most of my revelations have come from what he needs not what I want out of him. Roscoe shows me more every day; but it was slow going at first. He had alot of baggage and past abuse but the last few months have been pure heaven. He's just coming out of his shell and beginning to show me he loves and trusts me now.

 

Baby steps... and, yes, they are moody !!

[OzzyCAG]

It has been a very long time since I updated but wanted to come here to my origianl thread and give an update on Ozzy. We have had him for almost 6 months and he has been such a great addition to our family. He has been everything I hoped for and more. He is so much fun and he is very entertaining.

He loves to travel and that was one of my greatest concerns but he askes to go bye bye and is so happy traveling and if its just us without additional travelers, he is quite the entertainer and chatterbox. He loves short trips and long trips.

I love to listen to him talk and he can say the funniest things at times.

I will post a video in the grey lounge of his chatters. It is not of the best quality and it was while he was at a job with me so he is sitting on his travel cage. It is my first video so I was too far away but I will work on others.

He is silent around people he doesn't know unless they are a teenage boy then he loves them instantly.

He loves being held and having his head and neck rubbed. He loves to hang out on the bed and play in the evening while we watch tv. He doesn't care what is going on as long as he is in the middle of it. He is such a blast to have around.