Marco's First Week (not even)--how ya'll think he's doing?

[MonkeyBird]

So, CAG Marco will be 4 months on Dec. 22, and has been home since Saturday (to all who welcomed me here yesterday, bear with me as I re-give The Facts). We visited/handled him since he was 3 weeks, so is adapting to his "new" flock without issue. As a new (again) "parront", I secretly worry over everything, of course.

 

Is it normal for him to be preening out down rather a lot at his age? Naturally, my worst fears of plucking are activated when I see him do it, even though there are no bare spots, and I check cage and house floor for full feathers with none found. He seems quite content, eats like a little piggy, is not fazed in the least by household activity/noises. He prefers to stay in or on his cage more than his java tree (which is in another room), but given that he just got home, it seems natural that he feels most happy/safe there. He is still learning to climb complicated maneuvers like the professional monkey he is, and has taken a comical dive or two into his bowls when he got a little over-ambitious. All his perches are different types, from rope (cotton and sisal) to manzanita to rough, and he uses them all. I basically set up his cage interior for maximum climbing, since that's pretty much what in-cage exercising is.

 

His breeder did clip his flight feathers a couple of weeks before he came home, so he is not currently flighted (boy, oh boy, was he before that!). He works his wings righteously just the same, and is always busy with either food, toys (foraging and shredding), or climbing about. No vocalizations (a tiny growl at a spaniel at his first vet visit) other than adorable baby squeeks/peeps, but he is clearly studying our speech, and we've gotten many peep-y responses to words we're using appropriately (welcome home when we come in the house, eww when he poops, thank you when given a treat, sweet dreams when we "tuck" him in for the night, etc.). We feel early speaking is the only way he'll get into a good school later. . .chortle!

 

So, there's his little history. How do you all think he's doing? Anything seem amiss in his happy world?

[DawL]

We feel early speaking is the only way he'll get into a good school later. . .chortle!

 

I seriously LOL'D at that statement! Anyhow, he sounds like a happy little guy. Have you posted pics of him yet? I would love to see him. I am expecting a little CAG baby boy hopefully in January. He is almost 7 weeks old now

 

I know everything has you worried right now, and you're asking yourself if you are doing everything right, but dont worry, soon you will be parronting with your eyes closed, and making birdie bread with one arm behind your back!

[Luvparrots]

Hello Marco, he sounds like a happy little guy. Pooh, pooh on the plucking. Don't worry about that he is much too young. If you want to make sure he does not pluck, just be a good parront, lots of interaction with you and family, lots of good food and talk to him about what is happening. Watch his body language and his eyes they tell it all. So just enjoy him and everyone will be happy!

[Ray P]

Luvparrots has said all the things I would have said.

With lots of attention and a good diet and lots of toys to play with I don`t think you will ever have to worry about plucking.

Love and affection will go a long way to make a happy grey and any other parrot that comes into your home.

Have fun and enjoy !!!

[MonkeyBird]

Thanks to all who help alleviate my parental neurosis! I'm not completely new to parrots, given that my white-eye conure, BoBo lived to a ripe age of 24+ (and I had at various times, greys (a Timneh and a Congo), macaws (a severe and a B+G), a Goffin cockatoo, and some other conures--why didn't I keep them you may ask: apartments are not the best places to keep "exotic poultry"!!), but it's been many years since I had a baby parrot. After BoBo died, it was odd being birdless after 24 years, and I enjoyed the poop-free life while it lasted, but I knew eventually another would take his place after some time passed.

 

Oh, about those pictures. Here's a link to Marco's breeder's page to whet the appetite for the true glamour shots to come. Marco is on the left, #60:

 

http://www.mdparrots.com/grey2.html

[DawL]

Gawwwww!!! How insanely CUTE he is! LOVE the second picture down. He looks so curious there!

[kins2321@yahoo.com]

MonkeyBird... found a problem, you didn't think about! Who's paying for his entrance into college? EINSTEIN level! LOL! Amazing! Doing absolutely fantastic. KUDOS to you. I think you should help new owners that have a new grey. I am serious! I have always desired to find a site, that had new grey owners help each other, with guidance from senior owners. You would be FANTASTIC! Nancy

[Life is Greyt]

I think all us new grey owners are cringing and the current preening and feather finding that seems to be going on with quite a few of our little guys. I, too, am a self-admitted worry wart about our new baby. She peeps back at us when we talk to her and say her name, and every day she seems to come up with a new noise. Yesterday she let loose with a "whoo whoo whoop." I about fell off the couch laughing...and I just sit there in amazement of her and how smart she is and what she picks up on. I think your little one sounds totally normal, because he sounds just like how little Chickie acts.