Roy_smokey Posted May 12, 2018 Share Posted May 12, 2018 (edited) Hello everyone I'm new to the website and was using it a lot as a non member reading up on topics of food, behavior and so forth lol so I figured might as well join. So let me tell you about smokey the CAG hes I believe 17 and was bred in Tennessee according to his ankle ring I've had him for almost a week he came home 5-7-18 previous owner was older and could not handle the chirping and could not give him the attention he deserved before that she let me know he was abused by children poked with sticks and caged so I was a little scared at first how he might act with me him being an older parrot and all but let me tell you I was scared to get bit at first (those beaks look like they hurt) I was hand feeding him sunflowers by the 3rd day.. he won't step up from the cage Inside or outside we still haven't bonded I guess but today I was finally able to pet his head and touch him let me tell you its a great feeling that hes beginning to trust me I guess I cant wait to hold him and teach him all kinds of things. It's only been a week and hes brought so much joy to my family's and my life any tips or things I should do would be greatly appreciated thanks for this amazing website ... Looking forward to learning all I can thanks.....roy and smokey Edited May 13, 2018 by Roy_smokey Spell correct 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvparrots Posted May 12, 2018 Share Posted May 12, 2018 Welcome Roy and Smokey. Can't wait to learn more about the two of you. 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neoow Posted May 12, 2018 Share Posted May 12, 2018 Hello Roy and Smokey- welcome to the forums! Congratulations for bringing Smokey home! They are amazing birds. It sounds like everything is going well so far. One of the things you've probably seen mentioned on the forums is something called 'grey time'. This is the time it takes for a grey to accept new things or to cope with a change in their environment. 'Grey time' is different for every grey and it's important to understand that early on. An example would be if you were to introduce a new toy to the cage. Some greys can be very change adverse and will see the new toy as a threat/predator. Therefore you may need to leave the toy at a safe distance outside the cage so the grey can observe it before moving it closer and eventually putting it in the cage. The time it takes to get this toy from outside the cage to inside the cage is "grey time". So for example my grey, Alfie, would typically take a day or two before I could put a brand new toy in his cage without him getting scared or anxious. Other greys may take a couple of hours. Some may take a few extra days or a week.... etc. Either way, it's important to move at the pace that's comfortable for the bird. If a change or an action is clearly upsetting them... take a few steps back and try again a bit slower, to give the bird time to adjust, observe and learn. At this point, Smokey has been removed from everything he knows, is in a totally new environment surrounded by totally different people. He'll need a bit of 'grey time' to adjust to all of that. It sounds like he's doing well so far. Just keep talking to him, getting him used to your routines and socialising with him as much as possible. He'll eventually learn how good he's got it and start bonding with you and your family. 3 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayd Posted May 12, 2018 Share Posted May 12, 2018 Welcome Smokey and Roy!!! From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for being a rescuer...You are wise and are using the best tools available, searching the posts and archives on the Grey Forum. neoow's post is right on! Smokey brought a lot of baggage with him, some of it heavier than others. Our Joe was a mentally abused Grey and even after 10 years have surprises working with him. Rome was not built in a day...but the rewards in building in will be wonderful as you will find out. We feel the love....Now, we are all right here for you on your and Smokey's new journey. Let the games begin....😉 Jayd 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRSeedBurners Posted May 12, 2018 Share Posted May 12, 2018 Pics! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roy_smokey Posted May 12, 2018 Author Share Posted May 12, 2018 1 hour ago, SRSeedBurners said: Pics! I'm still learning how to use this lol and where to upload the pics on 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roy_smokey Posted May 12, 2018 Author Share Posted May 12, 2018 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roy_smokey Posted May 12, 2018 Author Share Posted May 12, 2018 3 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRSeedBurners Posted May 12, 2018 Share Posted May 12, 2018 Wow, he looks a lot like our Huey. Our Huey has had some abuse in his past too. Not his previous owner but before that. It took Huey about 3-4 months for the real Huey to come out which I guess is really short for a Grey. These guys bring so much love and joy with them when they blossom in the right care. 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayd Posted May 12, 2018 Share Posted May 12, 2018 Fine looking bird, Thank you.. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roy_smokey Posted May 12, 2018 Author Share Posted May 12, 2018 (edited) Thanks you guys I never knew these birds were so amazing and the joy they bring I'm so happy i was able to rescue him and adopt him and give him the love he deserves Edited May 12, 2018 by Roy_smokey 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timbersmom Posted May 12, 2018 Share Posted May 12, 2018 Hello and welcome! He's beautiful You are making great progress. I still don't understand how they can so quickly grab your heartstrings, there is just nothing to compare it to. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRSeedBurners Posted May 12, 2018 Share Posted May 12, 2018 44 minutes ago, Timbersmom said: Hello and welcome! He's beautiful You are making great progress. I still don't understand how they can so quickly grab your heartstrings, there is just nothing to compare it to. I agree. Not even a dog can do what a Grey can do. I think it really has something to do with the ability to cross the communication boundary with us. For example just today Huey saw me sitting in the bedroom from his position in the aviary just outside our window. Next thing I know he's pacing the window sill saying "C'mere, C'mere, shower? Shower? Marietta..." Marietta is my wife, she's his favorite. I'm not sure he knew who was in there, he could just tell someone was. Yesterday he was calling me into the kitchen to get him some cheerios. They're like having a kid around. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray P Posted May 12, 2018 Share Posted May 12, 2018 Hi and welcome to the two of you. With socializing and bonding comes trust, With trust comes a relationship that will be a foundation to build your life together that will last beyond anything you could ever expect. To the future and your relationship. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roy_smokey Posted May 13, 2018 Author Share Posted May 13, 2018 Not the greatest picture but he tends to do this a lot he steps on the edge of the cage and lowers his head and starts flapping his wings... hes not clipped but he doesn't fly either ... he doesn't leap off the cage just chirps real low and flaps his wings lol ..the few times he's leaped off was the first day trying to get him in a travel cage to bring him home but he didnt get far he went straight to the floor flapping his wings ? Could it be he doesn't know how to fly or hes too heavy to fly ? Also could this mean he wants attention or wants to fly ? Thanks for the help and all the nice comments P.S. smokey Is in Miami, Florida 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roy_smokey Posted May 13, 2018 Author Share Posted May 13, 2018 My wife obviously takes way better pictures than me 😂😂😂 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted May 13, 2018 Share Posted May 13, 2018 Hello Roy and welcome to our family, so glad you and Smokey could join us. He is a handsome fella and your wife does do him justice, she knows a good looking man when she sees it. As the others have said give it time, he will let you know when he is ready for more intimate interaction but it looks like you are off to a wonderful start. 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayd Posted May 13, 2018 Share Posted May 13, 2018 (edited) 1 hour ago, Roy_smokey said: Not the greatest picture but he tends to do this a lot he steps on the edge of the cage and lowers his head and starts flapping his wings... hes not clipped but he doesn't fly either ... he doesn't leap off the cage just chirps real low and flaps his wings lol ..the few times he's leaped off was the first day trying to get him in a travel cage to bring him home but he didnt get far he went straight to the floor flapping his wings ? Could it be he doesn't know how to fly or hes too heavy to fly ? Also could this mean he wants attention or wants to fly ? Thanks for the help and all the nice comments P.S. smokey Is in Miami, Florida Hi, Smokey doesn't look overweight, and hanging low and flapping is normal, yes he wants attention, he communicating with you, this is great. Years ago and still to some extent, breeders wood hand feed the parrot and as soon as they ate, bam up for sale, never fledged... To fledge is the final step before the baby is kicked out of he nest. To fledge is to fly, the breeder would clip the wings at a early age, repeating and the bird would never learn to fly. If you can, please post a photo from the back..Have you tired "step-up" when he's posing on his cage? Edited May 13, 2018 by Jayd 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roy_smokey Posted May 13, 2018 Author Share Posted May 13, 2018 58 minutes ago, Jayd said: Hi, Smokey doesn't look overweight, and hanging low and flapping is normal, yes he wants attention, he communicating with you, this is great. Years ago and still to some extent, breeders wood hand feed the parrot and as soon as they ate, bam up for sale, never fledged... To fledge is the final step before the baby is kicked out of he nest. To fledge is to fly, the breeder would clip the wings at a early age, repeating and the bird would never learn to fly. If you can, please post a photo from the back..Have you tired "step-up" when he's posing on his cage? Yes I have, he just runs away and when i get too close he starts cleaning his nails lol and looking at my hand. I do the 4 fingers with the thumb tucked in he test the perch so hes not biting me but won't come up on to my hand. Then he goes for my nail... I've only had him for about a week and all I've been able to do is give him treats by hand and scratch his head ... hes very territorial but surprisingly he let's me scratch him up top on his cage but he let's me know when he wants me to touch him he brings his head down pretty much giving me the ok.. also when I put him to bed he hangs from the top of the cage and brings his head in for a head scratch but I'm touching him outside the cage putting my finger in to him .... only time I got him to "step up" has been from the floor he does it with no problem but its not easy to get him down there or getting him off his cage 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kittykittykitty Posted May 13, 2018 Share Posted May 13, 2018 Thank you for joining this forum and bring Smoky also. I.m in love with him! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRSeedBurners Posted May 13, 2018 Share Posted May 13, 2018 The more you describe Smokey, the more I think you have our Huey's identical twin, brother from another mother haahaa... Regarding the flying issue: that's exactly what Huey did. Low, flap, then leap and crash land. It took him about two months and he started actually flying. We coaxed him A LOT to come in the kitchen from the living room. He also saw our other Grey, GreycieMae, fly into the kitchen constantly and he couldn't stand being left so he practiced a lot. I spent about two months bolting from my current position to try and catch Huey so he didn't hurt himself. He had way too many crash landings for my liking and we're lucky he never broke a wing or something else. He's well past that point now and can fly and land pretty good. He's not graceful and sometimes will screw up a landing but I don't have to chase around and give him a safe arm to land on anymore. 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acappella Posted May 14, 2018 Share Posted May 14, 2018 Welcome and thanks for re-homing. Sounds like you have a bird like my Dorian who was never allowed to fledge and therefore doesn't really know what his wings are for. I think the hanging on and flapping is adorable and a good indictator that he may fly one day. As for the stepping up, it took Dorian over two years to step up onto my hand. He came out of a pet store where many children, and frankly some adults, used to poke cat toys and fingers through the bars of his cage, so he came to me very afraid of hands. He would also step up from the floor but never from his cage. My first success was very much controlled by him. He decided that one of the outside perches on his cage was his step up perch, and that when he went to that perch he was ready to be picked up. I don't remember how long it took me to realize this, but the dumb Hooman finally clued in. Just continue to offer your hand as an option to him, and if he doesn't choose to step up that time just tell him that's ok and walk away until the next time. Your wife took an absolutely gorgeous picture of Smokey. I mean, yours were good, but . . . Of course, you both had a good subject. Smokey is beautiful. Keep browsing around the forums, asking questions, and tuning into grey time. Again, welcome. 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayd Posted May 14, 2018 Share Posted May 14, 2018 Sorry I thought I might mention that when a grey has a bad landing they usually split their Breast bone some times hard to check.. Put pillows around his cage if you wish....Thanks 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roy_smokey Posted May 14, 2018 Author Share Posted May 14, 2018 Are these the pictures you wanted from the back ? Jayd 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayd Posted May 15, 2018 Share Posted May 15, 2018 (edited) Yes, thank you so much... It appears that there is Flight feather damage from what i can see to the right wing, it appears secondary feathers have been clipped...It could be cage damage. Keep a check on flying. If he ever spreads his wings you can tell more, they should be symmetrical and of same length. Thank you... Edited May 15, 2018 by Jayd 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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