Hello from Kentucky!

[Kya]

Hi, my name is Kim. We recently rescued a 10 year old CAG, his name is Kya. He came from a bad situation, the people meant well but they just didn't have a clue. He was not abused, but was neglected. His diet was terrible - the first morning we had him I went to his cage to say good morning, which he said back to me, and then went on to proclaim "I want a pop tart". The people had two greys, the other one was abusive to him and they were caged together. The lady had asthma and rehomed the mean one thinking she could handle just one with an air purifier and lots of baths. Her asthma continued to worsen, Kya got moved into a tiny cage and put off in a bedroom by himself. She did have a play stand for him in there, and he was allowed out on that, but didn't have much human interaction for the past few months. He started barbering then. (Read the sticky on plucking, great advice.)

 

So, here we find ourselves with a parrot that is probably smarter than both of us (my husband and I), and realize we are going to turn his whole world upside down with dietary changes, attention, etc. He's coping well, other than spending an hour this morning picking pellets out of his bowl and throwing them across the room. We have him in a large cage, he's been vetted and is basically in perfect condition, considering what he has been eating for 10 years. I am trying to introduce him to a healthier diet, and he is taking well to the fruits and veggies we are offering. We have the occasional squabble over peanuts and pop tarts, and pellets are apparently satanic, but we're making strides. He is tame, and has a huge vocabulary that is quite entertaining.

 

I am a nurse, and work 40 hours a week. I do small scale rescue on the side, as in "Hey, someone dumped a puppy, will you come get it?" I do, and I make sure it's healthy and place it in a good home. Apparently, I am now rescuing parrots, which will stay right here in our home. We rescued a cherry head conure 2 weeks ago who had been kept in an outdoor aviary in the blazing Georgia heat and humidity her entire life, she watched her mate be devoured by a snake the week before, has never been tame, but we're working on that. We have a total of 7 parrots - 2 Indian ringnecks, 4 conures, and the CAG. We also have 3 dogs, 2 of which are rescues. And, we have 3 outside cats. I think I am maxed out, but I say that every time and then something comes along that is in need of my help.

 

I look forward to getting to know everyone, and reading through the posts!

[judygram]

Hello Kim and welcome to our family. Thanks for giving Kya a new forever home and I know exactly what you mean by they are smarter than we give them credit for, keeps us on our toes to keep from them getting the upper hand all the time.

 

It sounds like you are one busy person and have a lot on your plate but you balance it with love and devotion, you make time for what matters, too bad some people don't and no wonder their pets suffer, enough on the soap box.

 

I look forward to hearing lots more about Kya and maybe seeing some pictures, is that him in your avatar?

[Timbersmom]

Hello and welcome to you and Kya! He may never eat pellets, mine won't. I've tried every kind, variety, etc. over extended periods of time. Not happening. I make sure he gets vegetables and a quality seed mix. He also shares dinner with us (I'm sure you've noticed that if you are eating Kya expects to eat too). He will eat nutriberries, which may not be the best choice but beat poptarts! My goal with him is to get as much healthy variety in his diet as I can. Sounds like you are off to a great start if he's receptive to the fruits and vegetables. Remember to limit the fruit since it has a high sugar content. If you haven't already done so, make sure you take a look at the list of foods that are a NO for parrots. If I hadn't seen that I would probably have killed Timber with avocado, which is something I eat a lot of. God bless and good luck! I'm looking forward to hearing more about your life with Kya.

[Kya]

judygram, that is Kya in my avatar! I will upload some pics soon.

 

Timbersmom, I have a few defiant ones in the pellet department. I can get most of the smaller ones to eat Roudybush crumbles mixed with Vitakraft Prima parrot seed, but it's only because it is so small that it blends in with the seed. If worse comes to worse and I can't get Kya to eat larger pellets, I will mix the Roudybush in with his seed. He was fed a TON of peanuts in his previous home, and demands one about every 15 minutes. Yesterday, I only actually gave him one. The rest of the time I have been offering pine nuts instead. This morning he had corn on the cob, unsweetened applesauce and a boiled egg with shell. Tonight, I'm going to make some pasta and spinach for them all. I do limit the time that seeds are in the cage, because they all fill up on that and don't want anything else. I am familiar with all of the "dos and don'ts" food wise, thank goodness. I have kept birds since I was a teen, and I'm old now!

[Timbersmom]

Glad to hear you are experienced with birds! I wasn't when I got Timber so I always go overboard on the side of safety when a new member posts here and hope I don't offend.

 

Funny about the peanut addiction!

[birdhouse]

Welcome to the family Kim. I'd say it sounds like you've got your hands full. But some people don't ever quite reach their limit when it comes to giving needy beasts safe haven.

 

Looking forward to some stories, not just about your Grey. We also have a forum for your other birds, as well.

 

Re diet changes, let's say many Greys are not known for their willingness to embrace change, period. Flinging food is pretty typical. You can "cheat" & save yourself the extra mess, though. If you make mash for all the fids, you get to slip the yucky food in w/the good. Eventually, they get to where they'll eat a pretty expansive & healthy diet. Eventually you won't need feed pellets at all either.

[katana600]

Thank you for joining us Kim, welcome to the forum. It won't be long before you are wondering about Kya - who rescued whom? With Miss Gilbert we hear "wanna cracker?" repetitively and it just means she is hungry and wants attention. That is her go-to phrase for food of any kind. She has gotten to ask for a "treat" when she hears us in the refrigerator. That could be a grape, watermelon, a tiny tidbit of cheese, reheated beans or mash. Hopefully for you and Kya, the change of scenery, attention, a bigger cage and a varied diet will perk his interests and you will have him so busy he won't think of plucking. Unfortunately for Miss Gilbert it is a cycle. Any kind of stress, even good fun stress will see her revert to chewing and barbering her chest feathers. We don't get too worried about it. It will pass and she will be back into her "reasonably rumpled" little ole self in no time. I am looking forward to learning more about your life and adventures too.

[Greywings]

Glad you joined us and nice to hear Kya has a new begining, don't sweat the pellets he will do just fine with out them ( NO PELLET PLANTS OR TREES IN HIS NATIVE HABITAT.) Fresh veggies even dandelion leaves are nice, a little fruit he may enjoy a taste of unsweetened oatmeal. You can make a healthy omelette with chopped greens and maybe a little grated carrot or sweet potato. We will all enjoy following along as his personality blossoms. Welcome! (:>

[Kya]

Thanks for the welcome, everyone! Kya is doing really well. I haven't noticed him plucking since we got him, but we've kept him pretty busy getting acquainted with his new surroundings. And, I finally got him to step up for me night before last, which makes it much easier to get him back in his cage. So, there's a little trust there. He wasn't physically abused, just pushed aside and ignored. He does love the big cage, and seems very happy. Sometimes, we leave his door open for hours and he doesn't come out, but as soon as we leave the room, here he comes. He will fly and land on my shoulder every time. New words are coming out every day - apparently we had a revival at the house this morning - he was saying "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus" over and over again, and each time he said it, he would say "Good boy, Kya!" The other night he announced "I'm Frank _____!" I had to text the previous owner and ask about it. It was her father in laws name and he had been trying to get him to say it for years. He has a wonderful personality and we see more of it every day as he gets used to us and our home. He's pretty amazing. I cannot imagine putting him off in a room by himself. He loves company and loves entertaining. We are madly in love with him already.

[Ray P]

Our love affair with parrots is something most people do not understand and that is why we reach out to find others with the same feelings. I guess that`s why we join forums to share our life with our parrots.

Welcome to the both of you to our family.

[Kya]

I agree, Ray P. I am certain that my friends and family think I am certifiable. Thank goodness they love me! I am going to try to upload some pics tonight, and share the whole flock with you. Everything winds up on my phone and never goes any further!

[Inara]

Welcome to you and your family of fids! There's a special place in the tree canopy for people who take in unwanted creatures. Sounds like Kya is off to a great start. Look forward to hearing all about your flock both feathered and four legged. We love pics here so light us up!

[Kya]

Photobucket and I are having a disagreement, but I am going to try to post pics of my flock!

 

This is Mia. She is a cherry head conure, a rescue that we took in a few weeks ago. We have no idea how old she is. She was kept in an outdoor aviary in the blazing Georgia heat and humidity all of her life, and the week before we took her in, she saw her mate devoured by a snake. The older lady had multiple birds, and decided to get out of the business completely. Mia has never been tame, never seen a toy, and never had fresh food in her life. My husband has been working with her, and she has come a long way. She will not sit on his hand or shoulder without totally losing her mind, but still won't touch good food. Her feathers are in bad shape, but we're taking baby steps with this girl.

 

 

These are my ringnecks. Lyric is the green, and Karma is the turquoise. They are 8 and 9 months old. Lyric is trying to talk, and is my little hand raised monster of the two - she / he is learning that biting gets you nowhere, except a hand cupped over your head and a game of peek a boo. Karma is a real sweetheart, we got him / her right after weaning, she's never bluffed or bitten - just the perfect little ringneck. No clue on the sex of either, but the ring around Lyric's neck is getting brighter and brighter.

 

 

And, this is Billy (black capped conure), Sookie (sun conure, rescued also), and Lucy (yellow sided green cheek). Billy is special needs. He has a deformity in his feet, his toes curl inwards, and where his nails grow out, they curl immediately and will grow right back into his little toes if we don't take him to the vet every 3-4 weeks and have them trimmed. We got him right after he was weaned. He is the sweetest baby ever, about 10 months now. Lucy is another hand fed monster created by me - not sure why all the ones I hand raise turn into little terrorists. She is about 9 months. She is a joy, but you can't take your eyes off of her. Sookie was a little wild when we got her, she was a year old, almost 2 now. Now, she spends the majority of her time inside my shirt. She gets the other two in trouble quite a bit, but the three of them are inseparable. (None of them like Mia at all - it's as if they sense she is different. But the feeling is mutual. She doesn't like them, either!)

 

 

And, of course, here is our Kya.

 

[Kya]

Oh, and today I bought Kya a cow bell. Not quite sure what I was thinking at that point in time...

[SRSeedBurners]

I'll have GreycieMae give her some pointers on how to terrorize the home via the cowbell.

[birdhouse]

Hahaha. Yep, something most Greys have in common is how they love their bells. Suggest you do not hang any bell if you are not completely in love w/the sound. I've never been disappointed by pipe bells which also tend to be very durable. Just got these recently & they were pretty nice.

 

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01GPTQWU6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

 

While not quite as pleasant sounding, this is very doable & an awesome forager. Very versatile so it never gets old. Also seemingly quite sturdy. You'd never know to look at it that Phenix beats the crap out of his on a regular basis.

 

 

https://www.amazon.com/Caitec-Foraging-Ball-Chain-Bell/dp/B00EOOQCH8/ref=cm_rdp_product

[katana600]

Well now, who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks. I checked out those links and would you believe I have a couple of those hard acrylic foraging balls in different configurations? Originally I got them for food purposes, but the idea of putting interesting things in there that they really can't get out never would have occurred to me. Now that Miss Gilbert is at a new phase of life and beginning to play, I will get them out and see what I can do to stimulate her interest. As for the cow bells... just today I discovered the mysterious noise that no mechanic has been able to find for the past year. It was a cowbell!!! When we traveled, I used it for our dogs. We went to so many different houses, I would tie the cowbell on the door handle so they knew which door to go outside and to ring that bell when they needed the thumbs to open the door for them. It ended up in a small basket I keep in my trunk. I will bring that in for Miss Gilbert too. It wasn't the sound that was offensive, I just thought my car was falling apart. The beauty of this forum is the many minds coming together and helping us all to benefit from the treasures of the group. Thanks!

[birdhouse]

lol Okay. But you know the rules, right...?

 

1 - the more excited you get about the new toy, the more likely it will crash & burn

 

 

2 - the greater the thought & effort put into a thing, the greater the potential rejection

 

So maybe just jam as many coffee filters as you can into one, wipe the bottom of the stack w/peanut butter, RPO or coconut oil & don't look at it again until there's a mess on the floor. Then you can start getting fancy! ")

 

We have a few types & sizes, too. Best part is how I can keep them new w/o having to worry about the new thing rejection. But I love my 5" foragers the best. It always reminds me of stuffing Xmas stockings while I'm looking around for new & fun things to put in them.

[Kya]

Okay, birdhouse, I am loving the pipe bells, and that is the first time I have ever seen them! I've met my amazon quota for the birds for the week according to my bank account, but saved the link for next week.

 

What's a little cow bell noise when you have the noise level we have in our house??? I've had Kya telling the other birds to "Stop" and "Shut up" all morning - he learned that from his previous owner. He's also looking for Alex. (We have no idea who Alex is, but he did call my daughter Alex when she left the other night, however her name is Tia.) I have the windows open and it's a very nice morning, so all the fids are especially wound up. Kya is burping non stop, then laughing when he does it. It sounds just like a grown man when he does it. Mia (the aviary rescue) does not know what a conure is supposed to sound like, so she is cawing like a crow. My sun conure is a bit hormonal right now, I have the bites on my hands to prove it, so she is raising 10 kinds of cane wanting out of the cage to bite me some more. Kya woke us up at 7 am this morning yelling "Good morning! I want my apple!" And, of course the ringnecks never stop their baby jabbering.

 

I picked up Chia seed and sesame seed yesterday to add to Kya and Mia's diet, trying to help with their feathers, and I know greys need the extra calcium. My husband was watching me unload groceries and said (in a pitiful voice) "Did you get me milk?" No, but I have this nice kale and nuts and chia seed you could use in your coffee.

[Timbersmom]

LOL to the chia seed with the coffee!

 

Timber has that forage ball, and though it is simple he never tires of it. He will hang off the chain by one foot to root around in the open areas.

 

No more cowbell, said no bird ever.

[birdhouse]

btw somehow, I managed to forget to mention what a pretty flock!! No disrespect or disinterest intended. Just got sidetracked there for a minute.

[judygram]

No grey should go without some kind of heavy duty bell, they love banging them around and making noise and you have a beautiful flock of parrots.

[birdhouse]

And I forgot that I wanted to let you know about the "Parrot Enrichment Activity Book v.1 & v.2" downloads. Both sites are well worth exploring, although Kris Porter is the actual author. Mostly though, I just thought I'd do my bit to help ensure you'll have milk money for your long suffering hubby. Assuming you remember to pick it up, of course.

 

 

https://www.parrots.org/search/results/270e2abafe3f565f18555f5895d7608f/

 

 

http://www.parrotenrichment.com/

Edited September 12, 2016 by birdhouse

[Kya]

Thanks for the link, birdhouse! Once I get all the birds fed their fresh chop for the day, and one of my little dogs shaved and bathed and doused with coconut oil (allergies), I will try to read through it.

 

It has been a crazy week around here. Kya has decided my name is "Applesauce" - this came from me putting applesauce on his pellets and making a huge ordeal out of it in an effort to get him to eat them. Not happening...I have decided that I am not going to fight him, just hope and pray that someone comes up with a pellet he will eat at some point in time. But...There is nothing that will put a smile on your face quicker than waking up to "Good morning, Applesauce!" And I am NOT a morning person. I've changed his seed mix over to Vitakraft which has a lot of grain in it. (Can't remember which formula it was as I have it dumped in a large air tight container and didn't keep the bag.) He's okay with it, and I've also got him eating a few dehydrated fruits and veggies, fresh, too. He is a junk food junky thanks to his former owner, so it's a constant battle to keep him eating healthy. He does love apples, just wish he showed more enthusiasm for fresh veggies. I got some aloe vera juice and have been spraying him down with it every day, and it seems to have helped with the scratching. I honestly don't believe he was plucking, I really think his skin was so dry that he was scratching himself too hard. His vocabulary is absolutely amazing, new words coming out every day. He's very interactive with both my husband and myself. He still prefers perching on the back of the recliner and chatting back and forth, but if I leave the room he will fly to my shoulder just to see what I am doing. I have not introduced him formally to the other birds out of cage, and not sure that I will. They are so much smaller than he is. Mia is in her own cage now because she and Kya started fighting. So, it's a juggling act to make sure everyone gets the attention they need, but we're making it work. He will step up for me onto my arm, but he just looks at my husband like he is insane when he tries.

 

This morning, all of the smaller birds started out being very vocal, very early. We were lying in bed and could hear Kya saying "Stop it! Stop it RIGHT NOW!" and then he would mock them with "all the birdies go chirp chirp chirp". He's so smart. I saw a video this week of a lady working with her grey with flash cards (shapes, colors and animals) and it was absolutely amazing, so I think I am going to pick some up. Kya is going to need more mental stimulation than the conures and ringnecks do, and we've had him 3 weeks now, so I think we've allowed enough time for him to settle in and it's time to get to work.

[SRSeedBurners]

Kya has decided my name is "Applesauce" - this came from me putting applesauce on his pellets and making a huge ordeal out of it in an effort to get him to eat them. Not happening...I have decided that I am not going to fight him, just hope and pray that someone comes up with a pellet he will eat at some point in time. But...There is nothing that will put a smile on your face quicker than waking up to "Good morning, Applesauce!" And I am NOT a morning person.

 

 

That's hilarious!