Charlies Dad Posted May 19, 2016 Share Posted May 19, 2016 (edited) **Super long post warning, please see post 2 for pictures** Hi everyone, So here is a some background on Charlie and myself...hoping I can learn how to care for him better. Charlie and I are the best of buds. Yes, I have a very demanding job and hectic family/social life. But my Charlie Boy is my pal. And I hope to have him around a long time. We have been together since he was about 3 weeks old. He is about 15 months old now. I have a breeder/buddy guy I know, and he does some side breeding out of his home backyard. He had conures, lovebirds, vasas and greys. But being outside, there were dangers. He mentioned to me that pack of raccoons have peen raiding his place and that the greys did not make it. I honestly used to warn him to manage his trash disposal better and use better hardware cloth on his breeder cages, but I guess that was not his prerogative. The carnage was horrendous. Some greys were dismembered while some were missing altogether. He told me that if I wanted the one baby that survived he'd let it go to me. He no longer breeds greys. I was also told I would need to hand-feed it 6-8 times a days since Charlie was so young at 3 weeks. Well, being a commodities trader, I did not plan on getting a parrot anytime soon even though I planned on it "down the line". But since I am friends with the breeder, I decided to at least come over and help him beef up the breeding area, and clean up/disinfect the...mess. When I finally got to look at the carnage I almost threw up. I was shocked at how viscous these raccoons were. They literally pulled back the wire mesh and got into the greys nest box by ripping the front door off. How Charlie survived, I cannot comprehend. When I first saw the little guy, it was a special moment for me personally. I just looked into his black pearly eyes and saw so much innocence. His life was precious and I wanted to do something to give him a chance at living and growing up as he deserved. I wondered what would happen to him and would he go to a good home, then I considered....Why not my home!? And so....there went "down the line"... So I brought him home and in the beginning he was always sleeping...haha...eat, sleep, eat, sleep, eat, sleep. He was a lazy fatty baby. I figured, he probably is a little nervous not having his parents or brother/sisters around. So I didn't push him too much to socialize. I focused on making sure he was getting nutrition, getting rest and most importantly, felt safe. When he was about 6 weeks old, one day he just stood up and started walking around the house....for no reason at all. Just walking around checking out the place, haha. From that point, I would play with him all the time, I would sing him songs, show him different shapes. I would whistle to him and respond to him directly anytime he made any kind of sounds. He was growing developing right before my eyes, I was so proud of him!! Anyway, fast forward a little bit, I got him onto solid foods eventually and he was eating Zupreem Fruit Blend and some seed mix as well. I went and got him a ridiculously huge cage that could fit 2 grown people in. He would sing and play all day long. He showed me his potential at a very young age. We started working on flight recall as soon as he fledged and I am proud to say, we had it down pat by the time he was 6 months old. Then around 8 months of age, things went downhill rather quickly... He went into his first heavy molt. This was around winter time and I didn't know it at the time, but we ran the heater all the time. I think that made him uncomfortable and for some reason he started chewing his feather everywhere. I took him to not 1 but 3 avian vets around the Houston area and they all told me he was "just molting". I asked, how can you say it is molting when he is clearly breaking his feathers in half??? Their response, "oh then it is behavioral". I was frustrated because we did all kinds of test and thankfully they came back ok. But the vets did not seem to want to help Charlie in all honestly. They made me feel as though Charlies issues would be a liability for them to diagnose. So, I did what any good Parront would do...I buckled down and started working on things on my own with Charlie 1 day at a time. First thing I did was started lurking around these forums and getting tips from other posters. I learned that I had a lot of learning to do. Then I went and started reading books on parrots at Barnes and Nobles. I even started talking to my other avian enthusiast buddies about what they thought. Eventually, I started forming a game plan... 1: Get Charlie on a solid sleep sched. Before he was staying up late watching TV with me or sitting on my shoulder while I worked on my laptop. He was getting maybe 6-8 hrs of sleep. That had to change. I kept read parrots need 12-14 hrs of peaceful, uninterrupted sleep every night in a place where they have no fears and worries. Well, his cage was in the kitchen, up against a window where he would hear us getting a drink of water or walking around at night. He could also have gotten scared of something outside the window. So I moved his cage into a spare room in my house in a corner with a view of a window across the room. And now, I put him to bed at 8 pm every night, curtains shut and uncover his cage around 8 am everyday. This move alone has seems to really help him out. I will continue to see how this goes, but for now it is working better than anticipated. 2: Get some variety into his diet. Before he was eating only Zupreem and seeds. Then one day I thought, who the hell wants to eat the same crap everyday. No one. So I started getting him on some treats while making it fun. Greys need to use their mind to think and figure stuff out. This, in my opinion, not only keep them busy but nurtures their potential intelligence. I give him steamed broccoli, carrots, sweet potato and mango. I put them in foraging toys him his cage and offer it with his meal. In the beginning it was tough, but he eventually got curious enough to check it out one day and now eats a little veggie with his Zupreem/Seeds. One thing that has made a big difference is adding Red Palm Oil and Coconut Oil to his diet, I always add some to his veggies and I have noticed a lot of improvements in his moods, feathers and activity level. 3: Socialization/Play. Before, I admittedly underestimated the importance of toys. Especially for greys. I got him a few toys when I set up his cage, but he never played with any thing. Then one day, I was eating cheerios next to his cage and offered him some from my spoon. Instead of taking a cheerio, he took my whole spoon and starting playing with it. While cleaning the mess, the light bulb finally went off. I took a bunch of stainless spoon and jerry-rigged it somehow hang in his cage. Charlie went nut on them, he would hang upside down and try to annihilate them for hours. He was having a lot of fun. Most importantly, his mood seemed to be better whenever I gave him spoon or bell toys. That all he really wants to play with. He doesn't like wood blocks, or leather straps much. Some things we still need to work on.... 1: Bathing. My god. Charlie believes water is Satans blood. Nothing is easy with Charlie and water involved. I tried bathing him in the sink, nope. tried the shower, haha, nope. But then I recently read that grey like cold baths and showers, and no water in the face. So I have been doing it wrong. I have been using warm water and showering him all over....whoops. Going to try a cool shower and see how he does. 2: Fighting. My sun conure can be a punk towards Charlie. I think she scares him. But conversely, Charlie thinks their tails are toys and tries to pick them up upside down. My sun conure doesn't appreciate that and fights back. My gold capped conure wants to be his friend but Charlie beaks at him. It seems he is only bonded with me and doesn't want to make other friends. I am still having quite a bit of trouble getting everyone to get along. Does anyone have any advice?? It would be nice to have some harmony among each other. He tolerates my sister and my mom, but wont let them pick him up. Only I can without getting bit. 3: Lighting. He needs more sun. But I have hawks and coons, snakes and all kinds of crazy things that wants to eat him outside. Considering his family massacre, I also think he might be a little nervous going outside. I wanted to setup some artificial lighting for him indoors but am not sure of specific requirements for greys. Anyone done this before? Well, here you have it. Below you can see some of his pics as we have progressed in our journey together. If anyone has any advice, comments or criticism, please share. Edited May 19, 2016 by Charlies Dad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlies Dad Posted May 19, 2016 Author Share Posted May 19, 2016 (edited) Here are some pics from when his feather condition was at its worst and the progress my little guy has been making. I have to say, I am very proud of him so far. This was at the 8 month period. He looked like his feathers were really bothering them, so he chewed them all off.... adult photo hosting click image upload This is Charlie around 9 months old...he was looking really ragedy at this point. I was worried I was doing something wrong, but I just stuck to the game plan...and treated him like he was the most handsome guy around... image sharing sites 11 months...was a bad month for us...one day I woke up and found too many to count of these around his cage. I was devastated to say the least. image host As hard as this was...I just pretended like he was doing great...In my head I was mentally exhausted. But he is my boy and I refuse to give up on him... When he turned 1, we threw him a birthday party. gif uploader temporary image hosting At this point, I just focused on postive reinforment and encouraged him to never be afraid to try new things...After he turned one, he started talking almost the next day. He can call himself a good boy, copies a blue jay, plays peek-a-boo. He can say about 10 phases total. And just yesterday, he combined 2 sentences!! He said, "What you doing. Are you ok?" I was shocked...he is only 14 months old right now...anyway, since his birthday, he seems to be a lot more happy and content. And he looks healthier to me as well. Hopefully, we can keep progressing forward!! Here is a couple weeks after his birthday party. free upload pictures screen shot on pc And here he is today at 15 months of age. images upload Singing his little head off... image hosting free free upload image Got him his first Manzanita tree stand. It was a pretty penny, so I hope he likes it!! imag Thank you reading my super long post. I did this all for Charlies sake as I care deeply for my little guy. I was hoping people can learn from my mistakes while I learn from your experiences. If anyone has any advice or comments, please do share. I am from Texas so I have thick skin!! Have a nice day! Edited May 19, 2016 by Charlies Dad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neoow Posted May 19, 2016 Share Posted May 19, 2016 Massive credit to you for being so honest and open about your life with Charlie. Honestly, I think you're being a little hard on yourself at times. You're doing the right things. You're learning, you're researching, you're asking questions and you're adapting to the needs of your parrot. I'm afraid I don't feel I can offer much advice at this point but I'm sure someone else will come along soon with lots of helpful information. Keep doing what you're doing. IT could have easily ended so badly for Charlie- but he ended up with you and is being suitably spoiled rotten. On a totally separate note- love the look of his play stand. Wish I could get something like that over here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acappella Posted May 19, 2016 Share Posted May 19, 2016 Here's a post from the health room by Dave007, our Dr. Flock, on lighting. http://www.greyforums.net/forums/showthread.php?157511-UVB-LIGHTING-IT-S-IMPORTANCE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRSeedBurners Posted May 19, 2016 Share Posted May 19, 2016 (edited) Regarding bathing: take a casserole dish ,fill it with water and ice and set it somewhere they you won't mind water getting everywhere. Most greys love an ice bath, on their terms only - let them see it and then let them make the decision to get in it. Edited May 19, 2016 by SterlingSL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greywings Posted May 19, 2016 Share Posted May 19, 2016 Running that heater most likely caused his skin to be dry making his molt itchy and uncomfortable. Ted Palm oil and coconut oil along with baths or spray misting should all help him feel good in his feathers. Another Texan here just South of town. Looking good now and he is one fortunate Grey bird! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdhouse Posted May 20, 2016 Share Posted May 20, 2016 (edited) When I say Phenix loathed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! baths!!!!!!, it's a gross understatement. We just don't have a word. But guess what? Eventually he got over it. However, if he wants a cold bath, he'll jump in the water dish right after it's filled (we have well water & it's cold!). Any sprayer on the other hand has to be filled w/tepid water, or else. What can I say? I don't make the rules. Lord knows I tried. But guess what? Eventually I got over it. If you haven't already, you might read the past several threads started by Elvenking. A lot of members have contributed a humongous bunch of info to them. They're a great crash course. Ref: boredom which certainly can be the enemy under any circumstances, let alone - theparrotenrichmentactivitybookversion1-0.pdf theparrotenrichmentactivitybookversion2-0.pdf Then there's food. Yes!! to pretty much everything you're thinking. Lots of varied food, sometimes offered in challenging ways. If you don't believe me, hang a whole ear of corn w/husk & get out of the way. No really. Go run & get dust pan & brush because there will be a glorious mess to clean after!! There's some discusson in the enrichment books about foraging which may help. Also, check the Health Room & Bird Food Forums for suggestions on mash. That ought to keep you busy for a while. Ref: spoons, I love that!! I don't know why I never thought of it. Can't wait to do something for Phenix. The same idea (only different") is the Greyt love of bells & beating the crap out of them. If there's one toy they're all going to go for, that would be it. Only you took it to a different level. Awesome! Ref: mistakes we all make 'em because these are some mighty complicated little bundles of feathers. It's been 26 yrs & Phenix can still surprise me. And not just because I'm not always that bright, either! lol You have barely been on GF & it's very obvious you're madly in love & devoted. You are not only doing everything you can, but it's obviously working ...for now ...subject to change without notice. Sorry, but that's just part of the Greyt adventure. Edited May 20, 2016 by birdhouse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inara Posted May 22, 2016 Share Posted May 22, 2016 Your post just brought tears to my eyes. Imagining the horror and carnage wrought by the racoons just devastated me. They can be such clever creatures and are notorious for getting into wherever they want. Foxes also. Charlie was meant to be yours. Your love for him and dedication to him just come shining through! You both are fortunate to have found one another. There are so many great threads in these forums, so my only advice is read, read, and read. Keep him busy, and fly him indoors every day so that he can burn off energy. My Inara loves her fly time. I set up freestanding perches in different patterns around the house, and we play a flight game together called "Over Here." She loves to play it and then when she has had enough, instead of flying to the next perch, she just turns her back on it and faces home. We play Over Here every mid-evening and then she settles in for the rest of the night. One thing that I did with Inara to help move her to a healthier diet (when she came to live with us, she was a 2 year old and was living on McDonalds fries, and other stuff that while delicious was not a good idea), was I started putting organic baby food vegetables (sweet potato, squash, etc.) onto an organic buckwheat and berry toaster waffle in the mornings. I would toast the waffle, spread a skim of red palm oil on it, then spread some of the baby food on top of that and warm it for 8 seconds in the micro (making sure that it was not too hot by poking my fingers into it at various spots). I would then pinch little bites of it and feed it to her while she sat on my arm. She loved the closeness, and she loved the warm food. She still likes it, only now instead of the baby food, I just do a very fine minced veggies and fruit chop and put it on the waffle. She likes to sit on my arm and eat it off the plate. She usually eats most of the top off the waffle. It's like "birdie bread" only more fun for her to eat. When she's done, the outside ravens get the bottom of the waffle. Your Charlie might enjoy something similar. It also helps if they see *you* eating the whatever stuff. They learn in the wild from their parents what is safe to eat, so if Chas doesn't see you eat it, he may remain suspicious. . . Much love to you for taking in this sweet and wonderful orphan! If you were anywhere near, I'd hug you so hard you'd fart! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlies Dad Posted May 25, 2016 Author Share Posted May 25, 2016 Such a crazy work week... Thanks for complimenting me on becoming Charlies Dad, but honestly, I am sure any one of you'll would have done the same thing if you encountered the same situation. Plus, one look at Charlie and you can literally melt...so...yeah! Oh my you guys are funny!! And so much more awesome than anticipated. Just the advice given to me in this thread alone has been super helpful!! The ice bath video with a casserole dish is something Charlie and I are working on. Right now, he just looks and perches near the water. He hasn't gone into the water yet.. This past week, he did chew 3-4 of his newer feather...so that was kind of a bummer.... But I did move his cage recently and there was one day where I overslept and forgot to take him out of his cage on time. I'm guessing that didn't help the situation either... Does anyone know anything about vests and cones? Are they even beneficial? Will they be too traumatic for him? What if I put a vest or cone on Charlie until all his feathers grow back? Will he still be unconformable and chew them? I honestly think he is chewing due to a combinations of itchiness of the skin and plain old boredom. But then again, I'm no doctor. I'm also going to go pick up a cold humidifier...I think it will help. Thoughts? Again, you guys are a great support to Charlie and I. Hopefully I can pay some of this support forward as Charlie grows and improves. Thank you!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdhouse Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 (edited) I kind of feel like cones are for mutilators. They will probably let the fid heal & grow feathers in. But, when they regain access, they often go straight back to clobbering themselves. Similar case w/vests. Maybe more comfortable. Also good if the fid needs to be kept warm. Misting a couple of times a week w/w/o organic aloe juice (check out Walmart.com) is great for a lot of reasons. A humidifier may certainly help. I like my fountains because I like the sound of flowing water & so does Phenix. Also recommend getting a Hygrometer. Then you'll know the actual humidity level vs whatever it may feel like to you. This is just a long, slow, often heart breaking process that will by-golly teach you the definition of patience, devotion & love. You learn to celebrate the good days because any one day, you may have to start all over again, again, again... Then you take your best guess from those pivotal episodes & move on. Hopefully w/a new piece of the puzzle. I think lots of people blame themselves &/or their fid. That's just more stress & so pointless. Once you learn to put it in perspective there comes a balance point. You can actually care w/o (most of) the negative emotions that the fid is most certainly going to pick up on. And I'm kind of convinced that's a big part to the healing process. Albeit one of the hardest to master for some parronts. EDIT forgot to mention that the bath dish & sprayer are a big part of things. Some of the sprayers I've used have made my fids crazy. And w/my ekkie, I have to use a slow, steady rhythm. If I spray too "aggressively" things usually go sideways quickly. Finding the right bath tub can be equally challenging. So maybe eventually try different dishes if that first one doesn't work out. Some fids also like to stick their heads under a trickling faucet. Some like a shower, too. You can set up a perch & take them in w/you which is great. Edited May 31, 2016 by birdhouse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inara Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 Here is a mister that I use on HRH Inara -- she loves it! The mist can be set to such a superfine level that it is like a whisper of water and with several pumps to get the pressure up, I can mist her for a long time. She even now has gotten to the point where she is so unfazed by the bottle that I can adjust the spray to a stream and shoot it under her wings and soak the heck out of her. I don't hit her with the stream full force, I go light on the trigger pressure and she likes to reach down with her beak and get a drink from the jet. I also have always misted her with filtered water because we have really hard water that dries my skin and hair so I figure that it also does the same to her skin. I also without fail give her a treat at the end of her shower. When I first started misting her, right after she came to live with us, I would put her on my shoulder and mist us both while making fun sounds and acting like I was just loving the entire thing. It didn't take long for her to figure out that it felt good and that it was not scary. Now I just put her on a mobile perch in the shower area and mist her until she decides she's had enough and flies off and then she demands, "cookie!" A small price to pay for getting a girl to love her showers. When she first came to live with us, she had just turned two. While she had not been plucking per se, she was a really rough preener. Many of her feathers were shredded and tattered. When she would try to preen my hair she would pull it really hard! She also had not been showered and bathed on a regular basis because she "hated it." My philosophy was hate it or not, itsa gonna happen because we live high and dry up here. Eventually, as she continued to mature, her preening became more gentle and methodical and her feathers became sleek and nice. When she is molting, she will often 'assist' her downy feathers out and I will wake up to a little pile of snow in her cage. Now, I know that it is just her way and that it is fine. Charlie is such a youngster, that he too may learn as he goes along that his feathers aren't toys and that preening doesn't have to be a lumberjack type of effort. You are such a good parront and your love and great care for him are so obvious. Whether he decides he prefers a more punk-bird look or a sleek 007-bird look, we all know that you will adore him as your best feathered bud. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdhouse Posted June 2, 2016 Share Posted June 2, 2016 (edited) Hi Birdhouse, Yeah I saw it, but quite honestly (and embarrassingly) I don't think I'll have time or patience to make my own toys with work demands. I wanted to try to make some straw toys with some bells and other trinkets but I need to go to Hobby Lobby for that and that will need to wait for the weekend. I did see and read through the link you along with the other nice people here have given me...just need to study them a bit more. I felt like we were kind of hijacking that other thread, which is why I moved back to yours. For me, the best toy making is quick & easy. Destruction makes fids happy. So the most successful toys are the ones that get destroyed the fastest. Pointless to spend gobs of time on much of anything unless it's a stand, orbit or boing or such. Or unless it's something I make w/the fids help because that's quality time & lots of fun. The strawburst in the pic is a quick link & a big ole handful of straws, wrapped in a zip tie. We can go thru a couple each week per fid sometimes. It takes longer to hang them than make them because of where they happened to work best in the cages. Sometime they get stolen before I can get them hung & that can slow things down a bit, too. ") And just to give you a heads up, when Phenix wants to be a brat, he clips the zip tie open & watches the bundle explode all over the place. Then he laughs & starts chasing down & destroying the individual straws. If I added anything else w/the straws it would likely end up in the poop tray. So the no frills approach is actually self defense around here. Also, just a reminder to use parrot safe bits. Bells, for instance, need safe, strong clappers. They can't be coated w/epoxy. If they aren't specifically bird safe they're made out of unknowable metal alloys that might contain zinc & lead which build up in a birds system over time. A member just post a couple of weeks ago about losing a young fid to heavy metal poisoning, actually. It should be a very real concern w/any metal objects we give them. Edited June 2, 2016 by birdhouse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acappella Posted June 2, 2016 Share Posted June 2, 2016 Would you believe that mister is $15 in the States and more than $40 on the Canadian Amazon, plus shipping. Sometimes, not often, living north of the border sucks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlies Dad Posted June 2, 2016 Author Share Posted June 2, 2016 (edited) Here is a mister that I use on HRH Inara -- she loves it! The mist can be set to such a superfine level that it is like a whisper of water and with several pumps to get the pressure up, I can mist her for a long time. She even now has gotten to the point where she is so unfazed by the bottle that I can adjust the spray to a stream and shoot it under her wings and soak the heck out of her. I don't hit her with the stream full force, I go light on the trigger pressure and she likes to reach down with her beak and get a drink from the jet. I also have always misted her with filtered water because we have really hard water that dries my skin and hair so I figure that it also does the same to her skin. I also without fail give her a treat at the end of her shower. When I first started misting her, right after she came to live with us, I would put her on my shoulder and mist us both while making fun sounds and acting like I was just loving the entire thing. It didn't take long for her to figure out that it felt good and that it was not scary. Now I just put her on a mobile perch in the shower area and mist her until she decides she's had enough and flies off and then she demands, "cookie!" A small price to pay for getting a girl to love her showers. When she first came to live with us, she had just turned two. While she had not been plucking per se, she was a really rough preener. Many of her feathers were shredded and tattered. When she would try to preen my hair she would pull it really hard! She also had not been showered and bathed on a regular basis because she "hated it." My philosophy was hate it or not, itsa gonna happen because we live high and dry up here. Eventually, as she continued to mature, her preening became more gentle and methodical and her feathers became sleek and nice. When she is molting, she will often 'assist' her downy feathers out and I will wake up to a little pile of snow in her cage. Now, I know that it is just her way and that it is fine. Charlie is such a youngster, that he too may learn as he goes along that his feathers aren't toys and that preening doesn't have to be a lumberjack type of effort. You are such a good parront and your love and great care for him are so obvious. Whether he decides he prefers a more punk-bird look or a sleek 007-bird look, we all know that you will adore him as your best feathered bud. Inara, I like the fine mister. So much so that I actually ordered it through your link!! It was pretty inexpensive. Thanks for that....I am currently using ice cubes and the cold shower head thingy in my moms kitchen sink....so she will be happy about this as well... You mentioned that your bird was a previous "overpreener"....am I understanding this system here on how this issues progresses? ....over-preening > barbering/picking > actual plucking > mutilation...??? Let me be clear...I hope for Charlie to be my best pal for a long long time...but since he is not even 2 yet...I am actively trying to get this feather issue under control. If he still does it years down the line...I will just have to accept and love him for what he is. I wouldn't have it any other way. With that said, it is comforting to read your bird is doing much better...give me something to look forward to with charlie. Thank you for your advice. Edited June 2, 2016 by Charlies Dad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlies Dad Posted June 2, 2016 Author Share Posted June 2, 2016 I felt like we were kind of hijacking that other thread, which is why I moved back to yours. For me, the best toy making is quick & easy. Destruction makes fids happy. So the most successful toys are the ones that get destroyed the fastest. Pointless to spend gobs of time on much of anything unless it's a stand, orbit or boing or such. Or unless it's something I make w/the fids help because that's quality time & lots of fun. The strawburst in the pic is a quick link & a big ole handful of straws, wrapped in a zip tie. We can go thru a couple each week per fid sometimes. It takes longer to hang them than make them because of where they happened to work best in the cages. Sometime they get stolen before I can get them hung & that can slow things down a bit, too. ") And just to give you a heads up, when Phenix wants to be a brat, he clips the zip tie open & watches the bundle explode all over the place. Then he laughs & starts chasing down & destroying the individual straws. If I added anything else w/the straws it would likely end up in the poop tray. So the no frills approach is actually self defense around here. Also, just a reminder to use parrot safe bits. Bells, for instance, need safe, strong clappers. They can't be coated w/epoxy. If they aren't specifically bird safe they're made out of unknowable metal alloys that might contain zinc & lead which build up in a birds system over time. A member just post a couple of weeks ago about losing a young fid to heavy metal poisoning, actually. It should be a very real concern w/any metal objects we give them. Yeah sorry about that...I didnt mean to thread jack...just got a little carried away. So about those toys...I went and got Charlie this squiggly rope thingy since I saw him hanging upside down and wanted to give him something to climb and play on....here it is: adult image host But of course, Charlie got suppppper skinny and kept trying to hide behind my neck everytime I showed him...he was terrified of it....so I am doing this thing where I leave it in sight but far away and I'll slowly creep it up to him. I even hugged that silly toy and kissed it to show him how cool I thought it was...he is not having any of it right now though...I think he is scared because the toy is bigger than him, just a guess. So in the meantime, I am trying to get ready using some of your and other peoples tips...Went and got me some non toxic glue...went through the hoard of destroyed toys from my conures and ringneck for spare parts and trinkets. Got me some hemp sting, box of colored straws, salvaged some leather strips from other toys Charlie is petrified of. My plan is to wing it and do it with Charlie with me...so he can see how much fun I am having, hopefully he can help me pick out some things he likes while also helping his new toys phobia. Would you believe that mister is $15 in the States and more than $40 on the Canadian Amazon, plus shipping. Sometimes, not often, living north of the border sucks! I love home, but Canada is awesome. I went to the BC area a few times and could not believe I was still on planet earth...but then again here in Houston, all we have is flat land, heat/humidity, lots of cows and trucks, too much construction and traffic...oh yeah and hurricanes... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlies Dad Posted June 2, 2016 Author Share Posted June 2, 2016 Oh yeah, forgot all about my update... So Charlie has been getting better lately...he still snaps the random feather off and drives me nuts but what can I do...but I dont react and just try to stay vigilant with his needs... Bathing is one of those needs and so when one of y'all mentioned Aloe Vera Gel at Wal-Mart...I went and literally found this ginormous TUB of "100% pure Aloe Vera Gel"...it was $10 so I scooped it up...The mister i just got is not here yet so what I did was put Charlie in the sink with ice cubes...ran some cool gentle water and filled the sink about 1-2 inches...then I added a couple of caps of the gel, then I took a new sponge, soaked it, and squeezed so it dripped all over his body...he still wasn't happy about bathing. Then I took the shower thing and sprayed him down...he seem to stay wet all day long and I could tell he was not happy. Just look at his face...you can tell he is mad at me for making him all wet: free image upload But when he started drying off, I noticed how much better he looks...I could really see him filling in where there has been white fluff for so long...but I try not to get too excited because chances are, he will not leave all those handsome new feathers alone for long. Its ok though, Charlie is trying really hard to be a good boy because he knows daddy is stressed and worried for him and you cant help but to love him to pieces. post a picture Thanks for all the help! I am always appreciative. Have a nice day! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giannine Posted June 2, 2016 Share Posted June 2, 2016 (edited) I really enjoyed reading this thread. You paint a good picture with your words and are very thorough in your explanations. Charlie is lucky to have you and you him. I don'y have my Grey yet so I can't offer any advise but you are in good hands here. Lots of support:) Edited June 2, 2016 by Giannine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acappella Posted June 2, 2016 Share Posted June 2, 2016 Yeah, a lot of our greys act like they're going to melt when they get wet, but he'll forgive you, and those feathers coming in will feel soooo much better. The perch you got is what we call a boing. Very popular with the feathered set. My Dorian also acted like it was going to kill him when I first showed it to him. You're on the right track showing it to him from across the room. I slowly moved it closer to his cage, then attached it low on the outside of his cage, moving it up slowly. Then started it on the inside just laying on the bottom of the cage. Now it's hanging on the inside of his cage and he's happily perching on it. A boing is on most grey owners must have lists, so good on you for getting one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acappella Posted June 2, 2016 Share Posted June 2, 2016 Oh, p.s. I couldn't tell from the picture, is there a bell on the bottom of your boing? If there's a place to attach a bell to the bottom I recommend it. Seemed to make it more attractive to my Dorian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timbersmom Posted June 2, 2016 Share Posted June 2, 2016 Timber loves his boing, but not when I replace it (he shreds on it and it has to be replaced periodically so he doesn't get his talons tangled in the threads). Even if I buy the exact color etc., he looks at it like it is the devil for almost a week. Charlie will warm up to it, you are doing it right just letting him get used to it until he is ready! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlies Dad Posted June 6, 2016 Author Share Posted June 6, 2016 I noticed I didn't post any baby pics of Sir Charles...so here is baby Charlie when he was 8 weeks old!! free image host And here is drying off from todays ICE ALOE SHOWER...which he doesn't seem to hate as much anymore. free adult image hosting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRSeedBurners Posted June 7, 2016 Share Posted June 7, 2016 He's a serious cutie-pie! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kins2321@yahoo.com Posted June 9, 2016 Share Posted June 9, 2016 Hence... the appropriate name! All looks great! Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdhouse Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 That boy gives good face! There's something sweet & adorable about his posture in the second pic, too. ... more please!!! lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acappella Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 OMG that baby picture just makes me want to cuddle him. He actually looks kinda proud of himself in the second one. Glad to hear the cold shower was a little better received. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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