African Grey Parrots's topics - tribe.net

Desperate question from new member

2008-02-19T20:06:38Z

Hi, all.

I have a 6 year old African Grey Congo, Charlemagne. He lately has been drinking a TON of water, and therefore has massive water poo. There is still green more solid matter, but the white matter is like a water torpedo (sorry for the analogy).

The ONLY thing I can figure is he keeps soaking his food all of a sudden, and he's drinking to get to the bottom of it.

He is a very fussy eater, but has not lost weight, his personality is just the same, and this has been going on a month. I keep vitamens in his water to try to replace what he's drinking, but it's like his obsession. I took out one of his bowls so he just has one, and only fill it half way, but he drains it every day. I moved it so where the blue fronted amazon is out of the room (which made Charlemagne VERY happy), reduced all things that stressors he may have, he's not feather plucking, his coat looks good....we have a water softener so we switched to purified water just in case--still the same. Beak and nails look good, eyes are bright.

Do any of you have ANY idea what may be going on????

posted in African Grey Parrots - 12 replies

Egg laying

2008-02-18T15:33:55Z

So I have had my little gray for about 4 yrs now and a bit after her first year or so she became very attached to me.
And then she started to nest. I mean nest. If you came home with a cardboard box it was her's.
Since her first egg laying we were some what freeked out. So we got rid of her bid nest box,changed up her cage and so forth.
Then a few months went by and she became more affectionate to my wife and less to me. Now three years latter she is in love with my wife
and you know i'm the back up for a little head scraching.
So every winter now she get's a little hormonal and lay's a clutch of eggs.
She will either throw them out or wait for us to.Then we replace it with a large marble,So she can play momma bird for a little while.
My question Is there anyone else that goes through this ? If so how do you handle it ?
I would just like to make sure We are doing the right thing.

Thanks Will.

posted in African Grey Parrots - 0 replies

Making a bird 'friendly?'

2007-12-11T02:36:01Z

Does anyone have tips on making a Grey more friendly.

Mine is OK, but he doesn't put up with anything he doesn't like. Like sit on my finger. He attempts a take-off, and usally hits the carpet (or a wall) with a THUD! We call him the gooney-bird because he doesn't seem to really be built for flight.

I've now put him in a cage in the 'home office' where I spend most of my day... I thought proximity would get him more used to me... and less bored during the day.

Do I just need to handle him more often?

posted in African Grey Parrots - 1 reply

Vitamin A in carrot juice: how much is too much?

2007-12-05T00:10:16Z

Does anyone know of a source listing confirmed safe and healthy amounts of vitamin A in micrograms per gram of body weight per day for small animals which enjoy drinking carrot juice, such as African Gray parrots?

People have killed themselves from vitamin A poisoning by eating polar bear liver and drinking too much carrot juice (although it took drinking gallons a day for a sustained period to do in a mentally ill woman in England -and she turned orange first) ...but maybe humans and African Gray parrots do not metabolize retinol, retinal, and retinoic acid the same ways and so have different sensitivities and LD 50s for the stuff. Certainly, African Gray parrots and humans seem to have very different toxicity tolerances for chocolate and avocado. RDAs for vitamin A for humans are 700 micrograms for women and 900 micrograms for men and may also be given in International Units (IU) or as retinol equivalents (RE), with 1 IU = 0.3 micrograms retinol, but this is not very useful if the ratio does not hold from humans to birds (and how many kilograms are that hypothetical generic woman and man, anyway?)

My African Gray parrot is delighted to drink as much carrot juice as I will supply her with; her subsequent droppings are distinctly orangish and more liquid than when carrot juice is withheld. She also has vividly red tail feathers (from all of the carotinoids, presumably) and is very active and happy -especially when she sees the carrot juice jug coming her way, welcoming it with a joyful chorus of whistles and cries of "Treat!" as well as head-bobbing and an excited dance. I am, however, hesitant to give her more than about 25 ml of carrot juice every few days for fear of accidentally vitamin A poisoning my little carrot-juice junkie; it would be good to know how much is healthy to give her and how much is too much.

Comments welcome. Thanks!

posted in African Grey Parrots - 2 replies

Does your bird speak to you?

2007-12-04T17:40:08Z

Well of course your birdie SPEAKS, and often more than you would wish! But does your bird use human language in a deliberate and correct way, in order to communicate with you?

Whenever I see a tape of Nkisi, or the late great Alex, I am sad that Jed refuses to use words to ask for things, or respond to questions, or just tell me what's on his mind. Once in awhile, he will say a whole sentence to me that makes sense---"You know, it's time to get up!"---but never will he say good night to me (though he can), or ask for a food or toy. He is an excellent communicator, and I admit that I do my half and try to understand what he is trying to tell me, but words? Nope.

Jed's his own bird. Everything happens on his schedule, and if he is not interested in doing something, it's largely not going to happen without loads of protest. We all know that birds do not have the motivation to please us the way dogs do. Still, I have the fantasy that one of these days, he will surprise me and actually make use of all the language modeling that I do for him.

Care to share a story?

posted in African Grey Parrots - 3 replies

RIP, dear Alex...:(

2007-09-12T04:18:29Z

http://scienceblogs.com/grrlscientist/2007/09/alex_the_grey_parrot_colleague.php

posted in African Grey Parrots - 2 replies

Hi from Jed's human companion

2007-09-08T21:26:46Z

Just saying hi.......I clean up after Jed, a domestically bred 9 yr old grey. He was a rescue---I got him when he had just turned 2, but counting his breeder, I am his fourth human! When I got him, he was a featherpicked ball of fluff, but all he needed was lots of folks telling him what a great guy he is, because he let his feathers grow in and within six months was Mr Handsome Guy.

Except for one thing---that pesky right wing. He's what the vet describes as "self pinioning". His left side flights are fine, but the right ones are chewed right down and bitten off. The styptic powder is my friend, and there is spatter all over my walls that refuses to go away, because he MUST flap when he has the potential to aerosolize blood. More drama! I don't think Jed really learned how to preen those big feathers, because they are always on the ratty side. He preens what he can easily reach like mad, and his front view is picture perfect. His issue is with excessive preening, not plucking (though he had me madly worried).

I adore my baby bird, he is a wonderful and entertaining companion, in spite of being the king of destruction. My feathery toddler! Next this week is the dreaded NAIL TRIM. What could possibly be worse? He lies in my lap doing his very best macaw impression, acting as if I was filing his toes off at the bone, then gives me a kiss and climbs onto my shoulder for a tail wag and a poop. Definitely not a grudge holder. :)

posted in African Grey Parrots - 2 replies

The dreaded FEATHER PLUCKING!

2006-10-09T19:17:24Z

I am Guabi's Person. Guabi and I have been together for over 25 years. Guabi was under a year old when I purchased her. She was wild caught (that is the way it was done most of the time still in the late 1970's). Guabi started feather plucking, oh, about 5 years ago. It has not gotten any worse, but Guab's breast is almost always plucked naked, along with small areas at the shoulder edges of her wings. She plucks the little feathers of her legs off only intermittantly. The plucking seems to be worse around some molting times, and other molting times it is not so bad. Guabi gets a lot of attention. She is not a cuddley parrot: She has that wild caught edge. She does enjoy someone just hanging with her within view and talking to her, and she loves her head rubbed and scratched. She eats both a seed based Parrot Mix (no sunflower seeds in it, only occasional sunflower seeds as treats, but she has only been off sunflower seeds a year or two) and a variety of fruits and vegetables are offered daily (she plays with some, rips some to bits, and actually does eat some. I did not know that she was a she until she layed a couple of eggs 2 1/2 years ago. I do give her an avian vitamin supplement and extra calcium sprinkled on her food. Any observations, information, or recommendations regarding feather plucking would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

posted in African Grey Parrots - 1 reply

A couple of YouTubes of Einstein the African Grey

2006-10-03T18:34:39Z

These are fun to watch:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhW3Vvv_qgQ

http://youtube.com/watch?v=z_SVKubGX78&mode=related&search=

posted in African Grey Parrots - 0 replies

My Parrot Screams Like A Girl

2006-08-04T16:39:52Z

This is your pet. This is your pet yelping and burping and chatting on the phone. All true
By Mark Morford, SF Gate Columnist
Friday, March 31, 2006

She used to just squeal and chirp and squeak and burp like a tiny feathered sailor. She used to just make adorable little noises like a moderately hyperactive little monkey holding a banana and looking at the sky and talking to the clouds.

But not anymore. Now, the SO's African Gray parrot, 1 foot tall and 2 feet of wingspan and 1 solid pound of tiny-boned flesh, named Anaya and cuter than a drunk squirrel and more exasperating than a knotted shoelace and more lovingly spoiled than a blond grandchild in the Hamptons, this bird, now nearly 2 years old and maturing a bit and moving away from her fledgling awkward vocal confusions and into a more adult phase of happy confident incessant noisedom, this parrot has learned to scream. Like a girl. Exactly like a girl. And also chat on the phone. Sometimes at the same time.

Parrots, you should know right now, are enormously weird. Surreal. They bring with them a bizarre sense of wild and unfamiliar nature and you cannot feed them or watch them move and preen and waddle awkwardly down the hall without this sense of trippy otherness; you cannot hold a parrot in your hand and stroke their funky tiny pencil-thin neck bones and not feel like you are in the presence of something just a little out of the human range of cosmic understanding. Personally, I think it's the wings that do it. Or the black tongue inside that shockingly powerful beak. Or the eyes, black and sharp and eternally vigilant.

I am here to tell you, large parrots make for the most fascinating of pets, entirely rewiring what the hell you think a barely domesticated creature is supposed to do because they so easily flout and mock any and all of the things a dog or cat of hamster would do -- which is to say, they can talk, they can read your meek little human mind, they will only get angry if you get angry and will only laugh and shrug and nip at your feeble attempts at punishment and will stare at you in utter unblinking fascination as you have sex -- because large parrots and especially large African Gray parrots are a) preternaturally smart, b) creepily observant and c) neurotic as a Jewish comedian on meth.

Plus, of course, parrots mimic. Especially Grays. Especially well. They are legendary for it. Did I mention they can live for 50 years? And that this bird isn't even 2? It's a long haul, baby. You'd better love the bird thing. Otherwise, it's all "Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill," you know?

In fact, the weird-crazy-beautiful parrot Anaya is sitting on my shoulder as I write this, right now. She is making strange gurgling noises to accompany the Arctic Monkeys. Also, smooches and wolf whistles and long, sustained raspy sounds like pineapple being dragged across a cheese grater for 10 solid seconds. This is normal. This is to be expected. After a while you barely notice and the SO and I can be watching TV or talking in the living room and the bird will be yammering away in her own little world, conversing with the spirits for a solid half hour and unless she chimes in with a crystal-clear "I love you" or "Hello" or "What's up?" you just sort of tune it out the way a parent, I imagine, tunes out the sounds of the children imbibing lighter fluid and stabbing each other with little plastic forks.

Unless, of course, she screams. The screaming is new. It is piercing and startling and, well, surprisingly cute, probably because it sounds exactly (and I do mean exactly) like my girlfriend.

See, parrots go through phases of mimicry as their tongues and brains and observational skills develop, and this particular bird has recently added to her astounding orchestral repertoire the exact same high-pitched, ear-rattling, neighbor-alerting yelp emitted when I jump out from behind the door to scare my SO (which I do frequently, as a way of keeping the relationship fresh and snappy and ever on the verge of, you know, murder). It is, in a word, uncanny. Hilarious. Adorable. The screaming, I mean. And, I suppose, the girlfriend.

She will scream without provocation (the bird, but also the girlfriend). She will scream as part of her normal twice-daily verbal gymnastics wherein she runs through every noise she knows and rearranges them on the fly, like her own built-in GarageBand. She will scream when you leave the room. She will scream when you enter the room. She will scream whenever she hears a woman scream on TV, a sort of scream-à-tête. Thankfully, she does not scream so often, or so loudly, that we have to consider duct tape and a sedative.

But then again, screaming is not her favorite thing. Not by a long shot. For that, we have the telephone.

Parrots, as I said, are terrifically weird. Parrots are highly unpredictable. Parrots attach to random things and are utterly freaked out and terrified by other random things (example: Wave a big broom in front of Anaya and she just looks at you and rolls those tiny black eyes and yawns. But bring a simple toothbrush within five feet of her and she will jump and flap her wings and growl like you're a drunken Dick Cheney carrying a shotgun), and there is little explanation for it. Telephones are, for now, just her thing.

She is amazed by them. You will be talking and laughing and muttering into the handset, and you glance over and the bird is leaning way in and cocking her head sideways and watching every ... single ... syllable ... as it passes your lips. She is absolutely mesmerized. She is taking it all in. Recording. Studying. Analyzing.

Hence, she can now imitate, with freakish precision, the exact tone and cadence of the ring of my SO's home phone. She will ring the phone two or three times, answer it with the exact same beep as the on button, say, "Hello, how are you?" in pitch-perfect girlfriend intonation, proceed to have a full conversation in human-pitched bird gibberish (with all appropriate pauses and cadences), say, "OK, OK, bye-bye," and hang up with another perfect beep. She will do this over and over again. All day long.

Parrots happily, effortlessly smack around your normal perceptions. Parrots make you look at the world anew, every single day, perhaps more than any other sort of pet, though I've never owned a potbellied pig or a miniature pony or a three-toed Republican, so I can't speak with absolute authority. In fact, we don't even know for sure if Anaya is male or female (requires a special blood test we have yet to get around to) and so in about six years if she lays an egg, we will know for sure.

Hopefully, she will scream when it happens. And so, probably, will we. How much fun is that?

posted in African Grey Parrots - 3 replies

A most amazing action or conceptual idea your Grey exhibited?

2006-05-23T03:17:55Z

I'm sure you all know how incredibly intelligent and emotionally deep Greys are... one of the most amazing concepts that I discovered Luna (my female Grey) understood was that of conscientioussness....

Typically in the morning she wakes up and begins vocalizing so that I will get her and start our morning routine.

Sometimes I've been out partying late and I'm so tired I just want to sleep in for a bit. Greys like to stick to a schedule it seems...

So, I tried on many occasions telling her to be quiet - she does understand that concept (another story) - but she would just ignore.

Now, I have been labeling objects and actions since I got her at 12 weeks old. Whenever she was sleeping or taking a nap I would say "Luna is a sleepy-head", "Luna is taking a nap". Sometimes I would want to hang out with her but she would put her foot up to let me know she wanted to nap. Again, I would repeat the labeling of her action...

So, one morning I had an inspiration - what if I tell Luna that I AM A SLEEPY HEAD, that I am taking a nap - would she understand? Would she be considerate? Conscientious of my state?

I went into the living room where her "house" is and very softly said "Stasy's a sleepy-head, Stasy's taking a nap, Luna Quiet, Luna Quiet". I picked up my arm and curled my hand to my chest (like she does when she's sleepy) and repeated the statements...

Would you believe she was totally quiet for over an hour? And then when she started peeping. From my bedroom I said those statements again and she was quiet for another hour. AMAZING!! She actually got it!

I still use this method and it works about 80% of the time. Sometimes her dish is empty and she will make me get up (I would too, if I was her...!) or sometimes I'm sure she's just determined to be with me, just like you and I are sometimes...

posted in African Grey Parrots - 0 replies

Grey photo places #2 in IBM employee Pet Photo Contest

2006-05-22T21:10:25Z

http://people.tribe.net/25130fd2-6674-4a09-9c83-7f3ef888cf39/blog/d4a03320-2d3c-4807-9607-0313425a9126

posted in African Grey Parrots - 0 replies

Toe amputation

2006-05-18T23:25:42Z

My grey somehow ripped out a claw last week and started bleeding... he was un-attended for a couple hours.

We used a kwik-stop medication to try and stop the bleeding, and went to bed; but in the morning we found he had picked at the wound and was bleeding again... so a quick trip to the vet.

Long story, short version:, he had his toe amputated, and was VERY anemic. We bring him home soon for recouperation for the next several weeks; And of course the vet bills (with overnight stays) was VERY expensive.

posted in African Grey Parrots - 1 reply

treats

2006-03-30T18:35:55Z

where are the treats?!

posted in African Grey Parrots - 7 replies

Buying an African grey

2006-03-25T14:51:04Z

WHere can I find baby greys in the Southbay/ Torrance area???

Thanks,

Bruce

posted in African Grey Parrots - 1 reply

metal nest box

2006-02-05T17:06:39Z

I need a metal nest box for my African greys. Know how i could order one from? a wooden one is a chew toy.

posted in African Grey Parrots - 1 reply

Our new addition...

2006-02-02T15:00:03Z

I keep a lot of finches and grass parakeets in an aviary and we have been after an african grey for years. We were lucky to be in the right place at the right time in December to pick up a 5 month old hand reared chick. We have called her Holly and we have been getting to know each other of the past few weeks.

She has been getting lots of attention (and loving it) and is already having attempts at saying, "Hello". She has also started potty training and will already allow us to put her harness on to take her out. She still seems to tire quite quickly... so it's a little and often at the moment. We are looking forward to years of fun with her.

posted in African Grey Parrots - 1 reply

Oliver the Grey

2006-01-30T22:09:05Z

Oliver belongs to a dear friend of mine. I only get to see him about once a year, though I used to see him more often than that when he lived closer to me. I'm not sure how old he is, but my friend has had him for over 10 years now. He doesn't talk much when I'm around. Once he announced, "Oliver!" when there was a crowd of people around his cage -- almost as though he were asserting a boundary.

He makes a knock-knock sound and an excited sound, "WOO!" that is really cute. He likes to build a fort out of the newspaper on the bottom of his cage and go inside it. :)

posted in African Grey Parrots - 0 replies

Web site of famous greys

2006-01-27T15:00:24Z

http://www.alexfoundation.org/index2.htm

posted in African Grey Parrots - 0 replies

African Grey Parrots's topics - tribe.net

Desperate question from new member

Egg laying

Online now: hear Dr. Pepperberg talk about Alex...

Making a bird 'friendly?'

Vitamin A in carrot juice: how much is too much?

Does your bird speak to you?

RIP, dear Alex...:(

Hi from Jed's human companion

The dreaded FEATHER PLUCKING!

A couple of YouTubes of Einstein the African Grey

My Parrot Screams Like A Girl

A most amazing action or conceptual idea your Grey exhibited?

Grey photo places #2 in IBM employee Pet Photo Contest

Toe amputation

treats

Buying an African grey

metal nest box

Our new addition...

Oliver the Grey

Web site of famous greys