greyday87 Posted May 31, 2013 Share Posted May 31, 2013 Little Thane is doing great! I havent posted in a while but only because i dropped and broke my phone. He is still completely sweet and a cuddle bird! He is flapping his wings a lot now, they are clipped now, i wanted to wait longer but due to the store setting they clip them younger so no one gets hurt. He has tried a lot of veggies and the only one he doesnt seem to like is carrots. He is starting to bite (which i know is just an age thing) does anyone know how to correct this?? I try redirecting him with food and toys but when he bites he really chomps!! This usually happens after he flaps his wings and gets excited. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffNOK Posted May 31, 2013 Share Posted May 31, 2013 Hi! You have an adorable bird in Thane. I tried to read some of your earlier posts, but I couldn't find anywhere a mention of him being fledged. Did he get to fly before he got clipped? I'm guessing he is about 12 weeks old. They usually take flight by 10-11 weeks or so. Fledging is an important part of their development, so I'm hoping he had that chance. As far as biting...well many young birds use their beaks to grab on to things and sometimes it may be one of our fingers! It may just be that, or it could be actual biting. There are several threads here that address this issue because unfortunately it is a rare grey that doesn't go through biting phases. The main thing is to read body language and avoid the bite if possible. Redirecting is very good and trying not to react too much, but simply say "no bite" gently but seriously works for many. Keep us posted. You have a real sweetheart there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greyday87 Posted May 31, 2013 Author Share Posted May 31, 2013 Hey JeffNOK thanks for your reply! Unfortunately the pet store I am purchasing Thane from does not allow their baby birds to fledge, claiming that it is unsafe for them and other birds they could fly into. When I found this out I tried to convince them to not clip Thanes wings but they said the best they could do is wait as long as they thought it was safe. I was able to get them to wait until last Friday, but he was only able to fly two or three times. The only other option they gave me was to take Thane home before they clipped them and finish hand feeding him. I was tempted but after reading the dangers of hand feeding I just wasn't comfortable with this. I did try to convince them to give him a light clip and I know he can glide pretty smoothly to the ground vs a harsh fall. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timbersmom Posted May 31, 2013 Share Posted May 31, 2013 Thane looks like such a sweetheart! I have no experience with babies so have no advice about the biting. Sure enjoyed the pics though, thanks for posting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danmcq Posted May 31, 2013 Share Posted May 31, 2013 Nice photos. It is good to hear they did a good clip that allows him to flap and glide down. I had a similar situation with my breeder in not letting me have Dayo unless they clipped him in a similar fashion. I and my wife both argued with our breeder (which was also a close friend), yet they believed they were doing the right thing in protecting from a possible fly away (Old School thought). Obviously we loved Dayo too much to let that stand in the way of bringing him home. The good news is, since is not a drastic clip, as they flap tohse wing as they go down, they build muscle and strength. Over a period of a few months they will learn to calculate how far they can make it to a play stand, couch etc. and launch, flap like a demon and make it most the time. Thus still building some limited flight skills. It may take up to 2 years form all those primaries to be replaced, but as each set comes in, they gain more lift and and fly further, have more control in turns, hovering etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray P Posted May 31, 2013 Share Posted May 31, 2013 At least he got to fly a little and that is good. Corky was able to fledge before they gave her a light clip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brat Birds Posted May 31, 2013 Share Posted May 31, 2013 I am so glad they gave him a good clip. Peanut had a horrible clip when I brought him home. It took him months before he could even flap his wings correctly. I felt so sorry for him. He does fly now though, but is not the best at it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talon Posted May 31, 2013 Share Posted May 31, 2013 Greydane, I do not agree with what some believe...that if you clip their wings before they have learned to fly, that they will have problems flying down the road. ALl 3 of my birds (2 greys and amazon were clipped before they came to me. My tag was just clipped at 10 weeks when I got her, my cag at 2 1/2 years all her life up until I got her, and my amazon until 6 months. All 3 learned to fly, my amazon needed to be worked with. The others learned on their own and are unbelievably good flyers. To see the 3 of them yelling and flying thru the house having a blast is an incredible sight. Y=I wiuldnt worry about your bird coming to you clipped. All will be fine when they are ready and able to fly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted May 31, 2013 Share Posted May 31, 2013 Thane is a beautiful baby but wish they hadn't clipped his wings. I personally think they should be allowed to learn to fly before clipping them, it makes for a more confident bird and if they are denied the ability to fly then they never achieve excellent flying skills. My Josey was clipped after she took several flights then she either chewed off or pulled flight feathers from one side so she never gained a full set of flights until just last year, she can fly but not like she should be able to if she had been left unclipped. Penny maybe your birds have been the exception. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffNOK Posted June 1, 2013 Share Posted June 1, 2013 So when is little Thane coming home? I know how excited you must feel. It seems like just yesterday when I was visiting my Gracie at the breeders. It seemed like an eternity before I got her home. Now I can't imagine life without her, although at times I wistfully remember weekend mornings where I could sleep past 7. Those days are gone forever, but so much more has been added that it is a small sacrifice. If I'm lucky Gracie will let me nap on the couch sometimes, but if she gets bored she will tell me to "Step Up Daddy!". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelseaB Posted June 1, 2013 Share Posted June 1, 2013 He is really getting big, and so adorable! I remember when Biscotti was his age, so, so sweet. He did the exploratory finger chomping also and like you I just redirected his beak some where else. By the time he came home he really didn't even do it any more. I was very lucky to get Biscotti's breeder to NOT clip his wings, every time I visited him she would ask me & I told her no, I do not want him clipped. She would look at me like I was kinda nuts & said she never sent a baby home unclipped. Thankfully she complied with my wishes. When is Thane coming home? You are going to have so much fun with him, enjoy his cuddly babyhood! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greyday87 Posted June 2, 2013 Author Share Posted June 2, 2013 They have not given me a date he is still on three feedings per day hopefully two soon! I really can't waiting get to visit him about three times a week and I just want him home! I just moved so I am glad he wasn't home for that but now everything is unpacked and he has a spot for his cage just waiting for him lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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