You give very knowledgeable+useful advice on your African Grey"Smokey".She truly loves & trusts you. I own 2 cockatiels(the older male hatched from a mating pair I once had & he is now 30 years young)! The female was purchased from a breeder & is now 18. They get along well-grooming each other, playing & sharing the same cage day and night. My third parrot is a Blue Headed female Pionus. She speaks very well & quite clearly even though Pionus parrots aren't known to be terrific "talkers". Results depend on how much quality time you devote to spending with the parrot. She doesn't have a companion parrot, but is now about 16 years old & is quite comfortable having a cage all to herself & amusing herself with various toys. As you may have noticed, I've gradually moved up in the size+type of parrot I've acquired over the years. In 2004 I decided to adopt a female Yellow Naped Amazon. I am her 3rd & final owner. She was 6 &1/2 years old when I brought her home. She talks & sometimes reverts back to speaking in a British accent (apparently her 1st owner was British-as I was told by her 2nd owner)! Her laugh sounds exactly like mine though! A number of years later I decided that I liked Amazon Parrots so much that I considered acquiring another. Upon seeing an ad from a local breeder, I purchased a male Blue-Front + a female Red-Lored Amazon! Unfortunately, the Blue-Front Amazon developed a heart problem & died of a sudden heart attack when he was only about 6 or 7 years old. My 2 female Amazons get along well with each other & love to play together & groom each other--sometimes quite vigorously! They have separate cages for sleeping, but are allowed out to roam, play+exercise during the day as long as I'm at home to watch them. The Amazons have their own sunroom, so this is a very friendly parrot-loving home.They are never at a loss for attention!
Good information - thanks for all your parrot care videos! One add to your comments about natural wood perches. I ran a self-funded, private animal rescue that included as many as 12 parrots at any one time. So it was essential that I used every cost cuttng method possible, while still providing the highest quality care. I lived in the mountains on the California Central Coast, where there was lots of native manzanita growing wild all over the place (since wiped out by an invasive fungus). So I potentially had all the natrual perches I needed. But as you mention here, it's too slippery for safe perches. Rather than buying expensive commercial sandblasted manzanita perches, I made my own version of them out of the free wild manzanita. I simply used a rasp file to make the surface where they stand or climb rough enough to grasp firmly without making it so rough it created sores on their feet. If you don't have one, you can buy it at any hardware store for a few dollars. To ensure the surface is smooth enough for them to perch on for long periods without sores, finish the branch with a sheet of wood sandpaper - the tiny grooves will still be in the wood for them to grip without any roughness on the top of the branch. When you frequently clean the branch (as you should do with all perches and cages), be sure to thoroughly clean with a brush not just a cloth, to get everything out of the tiny grooves. You'll need to use a brush on a wood perch anyway to get all the hardened bird food and poop off. [Remember to always totally disinfect with something bird safe anythiing you introduce into your parrot's world - especially anything brought in from outdoors like a branch.]
I am really enjoying this channel there is a lot of things people should know when owning a bird, and I'm pretty sure your channel covers most of it! You have such a beautiful healthy bird and I am so glad I came across your channel :) your videos really helped me a lot with my own birds.
I always enjoy your videos and think you do a wonderful job with them. Smokey is lucky to have you (and vice versa). I have a 19 year old second hand Amazon and have some issues to work out with her. She doesn't like anything new, like food or even toys. (I'm excited to try your drilling holes in blocks of wood and stuffing them with nuts and seeds.) She doesn't like to chew on things so her beak gets a little long (yes, I go to an avian vet). I wish my bird could hop in your aviary with Smokey and "learn" how to play and how to eat vegetables, etc. :) Keep up your videos. I enjoy them and love learning what you do to train and enjoy Smokey. You have a good, clear, and loving way of handling your bird.
I'm getting a Alexandrine parrot, my dad and grandpa are building a really huge aviary for it. Its massive! I will leave the bird there when i'm at school or busy but i have a cage indoors for sleeping and playtime/storms or stuff like that. I love Moluccan cockatoos i consider myself a beginner. Since my parents used to have 5 parrots i would kinda step up and go on to a bit bigger bird. I watched a lot of your videos and i think i'm ready. I might gonna have to wait a long time because of renovations for my new home. I'm moving and i don't wanna stress out the parrot. :3
hi wingsNpaws can you do a video on what kind of tree branches you can use as perches like trees in our backyard. can you show us the best natural trees to use or like where to find them in our backyard please and thank you
WOW!!! This is great!!!! I am an absolute fan, from Holland and merely 17 years old. I used to have a small Agepornis Fischeri for 12 years (At first Speiky it was my mom's but at some point I gave him so much attention he kind of became my second half). He has passed away a year ago and even though I was kind of to scared to start with another bird again (I was pretty hurt from losing Speiky) I would love to have a African Red. At first I honestly had so many doubts because I realize it is such a big commitment, and you probably think I am to young. But I have followed multiple courses, read all the books as the library here has to offer and I think it's better to get an African Red now than in 20 years. This due to the fact that the lifespan of a Grey is so long! Anyway, like I said I had a lot of doubts and didn't really trust everything I read or saw. Than I found your channel! It's amazing what you can do with Smokey, even though I realize it must have taken you quite some time to have such a bond with her. Your videos have cleared many things for me and I am still a little nervous but not terrified anymore. Also your videos made me excited about getting a bond with a bird again, especially after the Speiky died. I don't really know what I am trying to reach here XD I just figured you should know how much your videos helped me. So thank you so, so, so, SO much!
You aren't too young to have a parrot--sounds like you are a bird person. Like you said, birds live a long time. Why wait? The only thing is if you will have to leave her/him while you go off to college.
luckily i will stay home for college :) i recently by the way got a african grey of my own!! she is super sweet and we are already pretty close. i have absolutely no regrets bying her! thank you though for your encouragement that is really nice of you and very much appreciated! :)
Latesha I was in your position a few years ago(age and passion) I didn't get a grey. And I'm so glad I didn't. Between the age of 17 and 18, my entire life flipped upside down, everything changed. And I won't be able to get a grey for another 3-5 years when my life is finally settled down. I would urge you to wait until you have finished all education, gotten a stable job and a house! You don't know what the future holds
I enjoy your videos tremendously. They have been very helpful. I particularly like the fact that you drill holes in Smokey's wood toys to encourage foraging. I will do that from now on. Also, the video on going on vacation and leaving your bird behind. I wish I had the luxury of having a Mom or close relative to take care of Lulu and my 2 other birds when I go away. I rarely go away, once every 2 years or so. I have to board my birds which I don't like to do but I just don't have another choice. I feel really guilty about that. I will make plenty of holes in their toys to keep them interested. Also, your aviary is really nice for Smokey. She is lucky to have you as a dedicated owner. Thanks again for your helpful videos.
Good place which you may not of known about is on Facebook it's a group called The Parrot's Workshop! Great place to share toy building ideas and what you've created or your cage setup, etc.
I have a block toy just like yours that my african grey shows no interest in. I am going to try this! TY! your videos and knowledge are very appreciated!
***** Im planning on building an aviary for my grey. The dimensions are going to be 8 feet long, 4 feet wide, and 6-8 feet tall. I have an idea of most of the materials I am making it out of. The only problem is what do I make the bars for the cage. Im looking for something that won't be super expensive but good quality since my gray likes to chew and play with everything. What would you recommend for a strong, good quality, and safe for my gray cage material. Any response would be appreciated!
as always, great videos. please never stop posting. i totally agree on all points you've made in this video. i am the second owner of a CAG who was feed a "seed only" diet. i can't agree more that so many problems are solved with diet and enrichment :) question: what do you use to die this wood chew toys? i've been using plain wood but thought colouring wood would be a nice treat. edit: congrats on Smokes perfect feathers. they are flawless. a true sign of a healthy bird :)
Rick Abrams Thanks! I actually bought this toy and just drilled the holes myself. I am, however, in the process of making a couple of toys like this since I figured its much cheaper to make than buy. I haven't tried to dye the wood myself but figured I'll experiment with food coloring. I'll let you know how it goes!
Actually, I made the holes small on purpose. This makes it not so easy to get the treats out, so she really has to really work for it. Thanks for watching!
You always share such wonderful, helpful videos!!!! This one is so helpful!!!! Thanks so much for taking time out of your busy day to help others become better parrot owners!!!! :) I am Lyn, Dennis's wife. I follow you through his email. Thank you so much again!!!!
***** I have a Congo African Grey (just like your Smokey)! His name is Happy. He is a DNAed male and will be 3 years old in May. We have had behaviorial issues off and on for the last year. I'm working as hard as I can with Happy to help him "be Happy!" Please keep posting your videos!!!! They are so helpful!!!! :)
I just gave your wooden block trick a try with my Moluccan Cockatoo. She was a constant screamer, and To hear a Moluccan Scream is one of the worst sounds ever!!! If you want I can send you a link on how loud a Moluccan's scream is.Now she is not screaming as much. She is constantly forging for the nuts and seeds I put in there. As well made the holes small too so my Cockatoo has to work for her treats. Next My father and I are going to start her Aviary soon, I suggested we should do it but at first my father said no, But after seeing this he was convinced to tag along with me to build the Aviary.Of course it will be bigger due to the fact a Moluccan is the biggest of the cockatoos and I have to give her even more one on one attention. You are awesome!!!
Psilord87 I am so happy to hear that this has worked wonderfully for you! I'm even more excited for the fact that you guys are building an aviary for your cockatoo. You won't ever regret building the aviary. This is very encouraging and is exactly what I hope my viewers will be able to take away from watching my videos. Thanks so much for sharing! Keep me posted on your progress with the aviary and with your cockatoo.
Hello, I love your videos! They are so helpful! Thank you so so much! I have looked for your specific wood toy everywhere! I can't find it. Would you mind letting me know the brand/name of that toy? I think my African Grey will love it! :) thanks again!
I'll have to look into your water pumping tip: my hand also gets tired! Even though I am just showering my pair of budgies! (Thank goodness my canary bathes by himself... LOL!)
Thank goodness someone understands they should use Roudybush. Here in my town, I am the only one who gets it. My friend owns a pet store and orders them for me, six and stores until needed by me. Maintenance. Oak is poison for birds pine is good. I am going to drill holes and stuff with treats! I already use untreated pine wood. Maybe my biting maccaw will be happier. He or she is incredibly moody. I appreciate your efforts. Do you feed in a bowl or only forage roudybush and seeds.?
Thank you for this! I have an Indian ringneck, her foraging toys go untouched. Drilling holes in her wood toy might work! I work in a pet store. I can take my bird to work, which is great. Today one of my customers told me about an amazon parrot at his uncles house living in a small cage, being hated & neglected! (He said he barks like a dog and it makes them angry) My heart is breaking. I want to save him! Im in Florida and I have an outdoor cage in a covered screened in lanai that I use for my bird everyday. It is 6" tall 3 feet wide by 3 feet deep. It can work, right? Ive only owned budgies, cockatiels and now a ringneck. I don't have 'large bird experience, but I just want the bird out of that situation! I plan to bring it to a nearby sanctuary after i provide some love and fresh veggies for awhile..it may even become part of our flock if he.ll have us. In my research on the specie i came across your channel and saw Buddy. He doesn't appear in your most recent videos. Do you still have him? I appreciate your dedication to helping us parrot owners with your brilliant tips. More videos please! ;)
WOW! Amazing owner and trainer. How can I contact you? I have an african grey parrot and it's always scared of everything and I really need advice from you. Is there any way that we could connect to fix this issue?
Stephanie Dagher do you go behind your parrot and doesn't know and you try to interact with him he will be super scared and won't trust you because in the wild predators sneek up behind birds and get them
Or try to introduce things slowly let the parrot be around the thing a lot they won't be scared of it when you finally introduce the thing they won't be scared
I have a Quaker and I'd lie to get her one of those toys or make it myself. What kind of wood is used to make it and what do they use to color it? And what are the things in between each block? Also is it safe to give my Quaker sunflower seeds?
I'm revisiting the idea of feeding my bird pellets. However I tried this once and she didn't touch em and I got concerned and went back to seeds. However you've won me over with your ideas. So what is the process in which I may take to accomplish a smooth transitions?
Camber Hill Try stuffing these wooden toys with seeds and offer pellets freely inside a bowl. For older birds who are not used to pellets, it will take a very long time. The bird has to see it every single day to know that it's "normal" and not dangerous to them. You might also want to try placing your bird's pellets in the same bowl as their fruits/veggies. My Grey loves eating them after she eats some of her wet foods. However, if you have a bird that's already eating pellets, you could place that bird next to the other one and let the other one see it eating pellets. This works best because birds will eat whatever other birds in their flock eats.
I am curious, what would your setup be like if you had no aviary and your bird had no real access to natural sunlight except during the summer season? We own a White Capped Pionus Parrot and she tends to prefer my boyfriend and has recently grown more temperamental, she's a little over 2 years old now. I have read up on using full spectrum avian lights and how sunlight is supposed to promote better temperaments and health, are these a good substitute when natural sunlight isn't available? Have you ever used such lights?
learning alot, have and had budgies for years, but got a yellow-sided conure around 4 months ago so trying to learn how to teach her and train her, she is bonded with me any advice on cage and setup would be great i can always improve also i have a nut allergy is there anything other then sunflower seeds i can use as treats
I'm thinking about getting a Macaw. Since I live in Sweden I can't have a aviary for him/her. But I would love to have one. So my question for you is: How big of a cage should I get if it's clipped? How big should it be if it's not clipped?
I put a rope ladder in my budgies' cage but he didnt use it so i stuffed his favourite treats (millet and wheat) into the fibers and now he spends most of his time up there and even sleeps there!
I'm having a really hard time finding the right materials to build an aviary and it seems like there is a lot of conflicting views on what is safe or non-toxic to use for exotic birds, so I wanted to ask: What type of wire did you use for Smokey's outdoor aviary? Did you buy it or make it yourself? Any suggestions would help greatly! Thank you. -D
What can I do if I live in an area where the climate is not conducive to having an outdoor aviary all year round? Winters where I live can get quite cold.
Love your videos, currently working on getting our african grey. Alot of people are scams so it's been hard to see who is legit. I had a couple questions if you dont mind. Where you from? If it gets cold where do you keep her_him? Also do you have a layout of your aviary absolutely amazing and want to make one like that. Thanks ahead of time !
Hello; I just purchased an african grey parrot. please how do i bath it? also what food can i feed it with? i live in nigeria and pellets or what they are called is not easy to find
I'm having trouble getting my bird to play with anything! He's a blue headed pionus so he doesn't really like hard toys. I made a few foraging toys like the wood blocks out of wicker. He would start to play with it and after 5 minutes when he couldn't get the food he would give up and never touch it again. What other toys would you recommend? Great video btw!
James Pellosma Try making the foraging toy easier for him. Like you said, if he's giving up before he gets any treats out, the foraging toy is too difficult. So, try making the holes a little larger and easier. Once he gets the hang of it, you could then make it more challenging.
Hi my african grey is 3 and 1/2 year old. I purchased her 6 month old, hand fed her the baby formula. and then I tried a blend of pellets which had a lot of sunflower seed. she only ate sunflower seeds and left the rest and i found out later that they are not very healthy if eaten in gross quantity. to make the long story short i have tried maybe now 3 or 4 different type of pellet specially for African grey and she does not like any. So I have been feeding her fruits veggies and whole grain bread + what I eat in breakfast. I like that your grey is eating healthy and pellets + treats and fruits and veggies. My question is how do I get her to eat this Roudybush brand of food. and second question is where do I purchase it. by the way I have seen all your videos and would like you to continue to make more for education purposes for people like me. I have learned a lot of things from your videos and will apply them in my African grey life. one more thing I forgot to mention last sunday she bit me normally she does not bite me that hard but this time she cut my finger open and I think that she bit me because I did not give her the popsicle that I was eating. I think I have already asked you enough in one post...thank you for your help!
Conrad Guzman Hi Conrad, for an older bird, it will take time to convert them to a pelleted diet. In some cases, it may take months or even 1-2 years. Don't give up, it will definitely be worth it in the end. I would recommend you stay away from brands that have pellets mixed in with seeds. Your bird will simply pick out the seeds and not eat the pellets. Try to make it look like you're eating them in front of your bird; they usually want to eat whatever their flock is eating. I get my pellets from www.drsfostersmith.com/?t=1&ref=4397&subref=AA&cmpid=PPC-G-4397
I wonder what your thoughts would be on my own (albeit limited) experience. Our late budgie Babi LOVED to forage for toys and had a high capacity for self-entertainment (see, e.g., ruclips.net/video/gB7POEzk5cI/видео.html). Though he had our finch as a best friend he was alone of his species. Now we have a (mating) pair of budgies and their outlook on life seems to be entirely different! We've had foraging bins, etc. for which they show very little interest: their idea of foraging is to go in the canary's cage and feed from his bowls! They are mostly content to perch and fly about the room, chasing each other and the canary, as long as there are a few toys available and some chewing materials. It would seem that when one has a lone bird of its species, especially a species-specific one such as a Grey, one must put a lot more emphasis on self-entertainment than with 2 birds of the same kind. In my mind, 2 birds are definitely the way to go.
Can you request some foraging toys for a cockatiel? My little guy just loves to be out and rarely plays with his toys I have out for him! Also, he’s so spoiled with being out of his cage and having us around him that when we walk out of the room he starts to scream until we get back ! Help?!
Hi, i have an african grey & he/she is about 4/6 months old,, i try to make her stand on my hand or any other thing like a stick but i think she is scared from falling so it keep flying away every time when i handle her, i'm thinking of Trimming her feathers, what do you think?
i never keep her in the cage, i keep the cage open from the top & mounted a stick above the cage where she sit most of the time & guess what,, when they left the door of the living room opened she flew away,,, was lucky that she stand on one of the trees & didn't fly out of the house,, so i guess i must ftim the feathers as long as i'm not willing to keep her looked inside the cage,,, one more advantage i think that after she realize that she's no longer able to fly away when i handle her then she'll try to hold her self on my hand instead of running when she feel i might drop her down
could you please spell out the woods of the perchs for me? because i am not a nativ englissh speaker and don't know what kind of wood this actually is and need to google it.
Nuts are nit healthy ...they are only for your parrot as treats or if you feel he is too skinny and stuff ... Parrots are more trainable at the morning and in evening...
Hi. i like the way you have trained smokey and its a female its alot of effort! Please get smokey a partner. As the Almighty God have created everything in pair! think about it and i am looking forward for smokeys partner and family to be....
hey :) It's me again I really watch every single of your videos ... and I was just wondering if I could get your skype or something to talk to you more easily ? You could private message me :) Stay awesome bro :)
![I.N "HALLUCINATION" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/n5B5q1Hwt_U/mqdefault.jpg)
You give very knowledgeable+useful advice on your African Grey"Smokey".She truly loves & trusts you.
I own 2 cockatiels(the older male hatched from a mating pair I once had & he is now 30 years young)!
The female was purchased from a breeder & is now 18. They get along well-grooming each other, playing
& sharing the same cage day and night. My third parrot is a Blue Headed female Pionus. She speaks
very well & quite clearly even though Pionus parrots aren't known to be terrific "talkers". Results depend
on how much quality time you devote to spending with the parrot. She doesn't have a companion parrot, but is now about 16 years old & is quite comfortable having a cage all to herself & amusing herself with
various toys. As you may have noticed, I've gradually moved up in the size+type of parrot I've acquired
over the years. In 2004 I decided to adopt a female Yellow Naped Amazon. I am her 3rd & final owner.
She was 6 &1/2 years old when I brought her home. She talks & sometimes reverts back to speaking in
a British accent (apparently her 1st owner was British-as I was told by her 2nd owner)! Her laugh sounds
exactly like mine though! A number of years later I decided that I liked Amazon Parrots so much that I
considered acquiring another. Upon seeing an ad from a local breeder, I purchased a male Blue-Front + a female Red-Lored Amazon! Unfortunately, the Blue-Front Amazon developed a heart problem & died of a
sudden heart attack when he was only about 6 or 7 years old. My 2 female Amazons get along well with
each other & love to play together & groom each other--sometimes quite vigorously! They have separate cages for sleeping, but are allowed out to roam, play+exercise during the day as long as I'm at home to
watch them. The Amazons have their own sunroom, so this is a very friendly parrot-loving home.They are never at a loss for attention!
4:24 Smokey said "what the hell" 😂😂
Stephanie Kohout yep. She dose indeed
Good information - thanks for all your parrot care videos!
One add to your comments about natural wood perches. I ran a self-funded, private animal rescue that included as many as 12 parrots at any one time. So it was essential that I used every cost cuttng method possible, while still providing the highest quality care. I lived in the mountains on the California Central Coast, where there was lots of native manzanita growing wild all over the place (since wiped out by an invasive fungus). So I potentially had all the natrual perches I needed. But as you mention here, it's too slippery for safe perches.
Rather than buying expensive commercial sandblasted manzanita perches, I made my own version of them out of the free wild manzanita. I simply used a rasp file to make the surface where they stand or climb rough enough to grasp firmly without making it so rough it created sores on their feet. If you don't have one, you can buy it at any hardware store for a few dollars. To ensure the surface is smooth enough for them to perch on for long periods without sores, finish the branch with a sheet of wood sandpaper - the tiny grooves will still be in the wood for them to grip without any roughness on the top of the branch.
When you frequently clean the branch (as you should do with all perches and cages), be sure to thoroughly clean with a brush not just a cloth, to get everything out of the tiny grooves. You'll need to use a brush on a wood perch anyway to get all the hardened bird food and poop off. [Remember to always totally disinfect with something bird safe anythiing you introduce into your parrot's world - especially anything brought in from outdoors like a branch.]
This is easily the most helpful bird channel out there. Keep it up!
Love the cage and yard!!!! ❤️❤️❤️
Love your setup and channel! Oh and of course your birdie!
nancee Lowcarb Thanks Nancee! :)
I am really enjoying this channel there is a lot of things people should know when owning a bird, and I'm pretty sure your channel covers most of it! You have such a beautiful healthy bird and I am so glad I came across your channel :) your videos really helped me a lot with my own birds.
Ariana cardinal I'm so glad to hear that! Thanks for watching! :)
I always enjoy your videos and think you do a wonderful job with them. Smokey is lucky to have you (and vice versa). I have a 19 year old second hand Amazon and have some issues to work out with her. She doesn't like anything new, like food or even toys. (I'm excited to try your drilling holes in blocks of wood and stuffing them with nuts and seeds.) She doesn't like to chew on things so her beak gets a little long (yes, I go to an avian vet). I wish my bird could hop in your aviary with Smokey and "learn" how to play and how to eat vegetables, etc. :)
Keep up your videos. I enjoy them and love learning what you do to train and enjoy Smokey. You have a good, clear, and loving way of handling your bird.
I'm getting a Alexandrine parrot, my dad and grandpa are building a really huge aviary for it. Its massive! I will leave the bird there when i'm at school or busy but i have a cage indoors for sleeping and playtime/storms or stuff like that. I love Moluccan cockatoos i consider myself a beginner. Since my parents used to have 5 parrots i would kinda step up and go on to a bit bigger bird. I watched a lot of your videos and i think i'm ready. I might gonna have to wait a long time because of renovations for my new home. I'm moving and i don't wanna stress out the parrot. :3
I've watched a lot of your videos now and I'm hooked they are great and you mention everything I need to know definitely worth a subscription
hi wingsNpaws can you do a video on what kind of tree branches you can use as perches
like trees in our backyard. can you show us the best natural trees
to use or like where to find them in our backyard please and thank you
WOW!!! This is great!!!! I am an absolute fan, from Holland and merely 17 years old. I used to have a small Agepornis Fischeri for 12 years (At first Speiky it was my mom's but at some point I gave him so much attention he kind of became my second half). He has passed away a year ago and even though I was kind of to scared to start with another bird again (I was pretty hurt from losing Speiky) I would love to have a African Red. At first I honestly had so many doubts because I realize it is such a big commitment, and you probably think I am to young. But I have followed multiple courses, read all the books as the library here has to offer and I think it's better to get an African Red now than in 20 years. This due to the fact that the lifespan of a Grey is so long! Anyway, like I said I had a lot of doubts and didn't really trust everything I read or saw. Than I found your channel! It's amazing what you can do with Smokey, even though I realize it must have taken you quite some time to have such a bond with her. Your videos have cleared many things for me and I am still a little nervous but not terrified anymore. Also your videos made me excited about getting a bond with a bird again, especially after the Speiky died. I don't really know what I am trying to reach here XD I just figured you should know how much your videos helped me. So thank you so, so, so, SO much!
+Latesha Well thanks so much for the encouragement! :)
You aren't too young to have a parrot--sounds like you are a bird person. Like you said, birds live a long time. Why wait? The only thing is if you will have to leave her/him while you go off to college.
luckily i will stay home for college :) i recently by the way got a african grey of my own!! she is super sweet and we are already pretty close. i have absolutely no regrets bying her! thank you though for your encouragement that is really nice of you and very much appreciated! :)
Latesha I was in your position a few years ago(age and passion) I didn't get a grey. And I'm so glad I didn't. Between the age of 17 and 18, my entire life flipped upside down, everything changed. And I won't be able to get a grey for another 3-5 years when my life is finally settled down. I would urge you to wait until you have finished all education, gotten a stable job and a house! You don't know what the future holds
Latesha goed bezig ;) hoe gaat het nu met je roodstaart?
I love your idea for the toy
Informative and a high quality video! Thank you.
Thank you! This is awesome, now I know I need to change up my Grey's diet and toys!
gigglefartt Thanks for the feedback :)
I enjoy your videos tremendously. They have been very helpful. I particularly like the fact that you drill holes in Smokey's wood toys to encourage foraging. I will do that from now on. Also, the video on going on vacation and leaving your bird behind. I wish I had the luxury of having a Mom or close relative to take care of Lulu and my 2 other birds when I go away. I rarely go away, once every 2 years or so. I have to board my birds which I don't like to do but I just don't have another choice. I feel really guilty about that. I will make plenty of holes in their toys to keep them interested. Also, your aviary is really nice for Smokey. She is lucky to have you as a dedicated owner. Thanks again for your helpful videos.
kapaluatime Thanks for your feedback! I'm glad they're helpful :)
Good place which you may not of known about is on Facebook it's a group called The Parrot's Workshop! Great place to share toy building ideas and what you've created or your cage setup, etc.
Thanks for sharing Nikki! I'll make sure to check it out.
Man, I'm jealous of that outdoor aviary! I'm from MA, so one of those would be buried in snow in winter...
I have a block toy just like yours that my african grey shows no interest in. I am going to try this! TY! your videos and knowledge are very appreciated!
No problem! Let me know how it goes :)
***** Im planning on building an aviary for my grey. The dimensions are going to be 8 feet long, 4 feet wide, and 6-8 feet tall. I have an idea of most of the materials I am making it out of. The only problem is what do I make the bars for the cage. Im looking for something that won't be super expensive but good quality since my gray likes to chew and play with everything. What would you recommend for a strong, good quality, and safe for my gray cage material. Any response would be appreciated!
thanks John - again very interesting and educational!
as always, great videos. please never stop posting.
i totally agree on all points you've made in this video. i am the second owner of a CAG who was feed a "seed only" diet. i can't agree more that so many problems are solved with diet and enrichment :)
question: what do you use to die this wood chew toys?
i've been using plain wood but thought colouring wood would be a nice treat.
edit: congrats on Smokes perfect feathers. they are flawless. a true sign of a healthy bird :)
Rick Abrams Thanks! I actually bought this toy and just drilled the holes myself. I am, however, in the process of making a couple of toys like this since I figured its much cheaper to make than buy. I haven't tried to dye the wood myself but figured I'll experiment with food coloring. I'll let you know how it goes!
food coloring. works great
....it seems that some food-wholes are a touch to small....( but your bird live in a paradise )...greets from germany and thanx for loading....
Actually, I made the holes small on purpose. This makes it not so easy to get the treats out, so she really has to really work for it. Thanks for watching!
Wait, did Smokie get it? LOL Part 2 needed. Enjoyable videos.
Ohhhh I wish I'd seen this before I commented on you other video asking this exact question lol! I am going to try this!!!!
ZiggyBird LOL! Glad you found the video! :)
I really like all you're teaching!! Where do you get your different toys for Smokey?
I enjoy your videos alot It has helped me with all my birds thx
Kingmoe5 I'm so glad they're helpful!
You always share such wonderful, helpful videos!!!! This one is so helpful!!!! Thanks so much for taking time out of your busy day to help others become better parrot owners!!!! :) I am Lyn, Dennis's wife. I follow you through his email. Thank you so much again!!!!
Well thank you so much for the kind comment, Lyn! I'm so glad the videos are helping. What kind of bird do you have?
***** I have a Congo African Grey (just like your Smokey)! His name is Happy. He is a DNAed male and will be 3 years old in May. We have had behaviorial issues off and on for the last year. I'm working as hard as I can with Happy to help him "be Happy!" Please keep posting your videos!!!! They are so helpful!!!! :)
great video, keep them coming.
I just gave your wooden block trick a try with my Moluccan Cockatoo. She was a constant screamer, and To hear a Moluccan Scream is one of the worst sounds ever!!! If you want I can send you a link on how loud a Moluccan's scream is.Now she is not screaming as much. She is constantly forging for the nuts and seeds I put in there. As well made the holes small too so my Cockatoo has to work for her treats.
Next My father and I are going to start her Aviary soon, I suggested we should do it but at first my father said no, But after seeing this he was convinced to tag along with me to build the Aviary.Of course it will be bigger due to the fact a Moluccan is the biggest of the cockatoos and I have to give her even more one on one attention. You are awesome!!!
Psilord87 I am so happy to hear that this has worked wonderfully for you! I'm even more excited for the fact that you guys are building an aviary for your cockatoo. You won't ever regret building the aviary. This is very encouraging and is exactly what I hope my viewers will be able to take away from watching my videos. Thanks so much for sharing! Keep me posted on your progress with the aviary and with your cockatoo.
Hello sir, superb information thanks a lot. Well please let us know, how do you colour the wooden cube's or home made wooden toys..?
What type of indoor tree would be safe for a cockatiel to play in? Any suggestions?
denise layer ik bamboo
Thank you, very nice and interesting video.
Shakhnoza Khodjakhonova Your welcome :)
this is great stuff
can u make a vedio on diet for macaws ?
plzz
Hello, I love your videos! They are so helpful! Thank you so so much! I have looked for your specific wood toy everywhere! I can't find it. Would you mind letting me know the brand/name of that toy? I think my African Grey will love it! :) thanks again!
I'll have to look into your water pumping tip: my hand also gets tired! Even though I am just showering my pair of budgies! (Thank goodness my canary bathes by himself... LOL!)
love your videos man... lots of good information ...
Thanks! I'm glad you find them helpful.
Thank goodness someone understands they should use Roudybush. Here in my town, I am the only one who gets it. My friend owns a pet store and orders them for me, six and stores until needed by me. Maintenance. Oak is poison for birds pine is good. I am going to drill holes and stuff with treats! I already use untreated pine wood. Maybe my biting maccaw will be happier. He or she is incredibly moody. I appreciate your efforts. Do you feed in a bowl or only forage roudybush and seeds.?
Thank you for this! I have an Indian ringneck, her foraging toys go untouched. Drilling holes in her wood toy might work!
I work in a pet store. I can take my bird to work, which is great. Today one of my customers told me about an amazon parrot at his uncles house living in a small cage, being hated & neglected! (He said he barks like a dog and it makes them angry) My heart is breaking. I want to save him! Im in Florida and I have an outdoor cage in a covered screened in lanai that I use for my bird everyday. It is 6" tall 3 feet wide by 3 feet deep. It can work, right? Ive only owned budgies, cockatiels and now a ringneck. I don't have 'large bird experience, but I just want the bird out of that situation! I plan to bring it to a nearby sanctuary after i provide some love and fresh veggies for awhile..it may even become part of our flock if he.ll have us.
In my research on the specie i came across your channel and saw Buddy. He doesn't appear in your most recent videos. Do you still have him?
I appreciate your dedication to helping us parrot owners with your brilliant tips. More videos please! ;)
WOW! Amazing owner and trainer. How can I contact you? I have an african grey parrot and it's always scared of everything and I really need advice from you. Is there any way that we could connect to fix this issue?
Stephanie Dagher do you go behind your parrot and doesn't know and you try to interact with him he will be super scared and won't trust you because in the wild predators sneek up behind birds and get them
Or try to introduce things slowly let the parrot be around the thing a lot they won't be scared of it when you finally introduce the thing they won't be scared
Or put it by the parrot and give him treats so that will mean that good things happen around that
I have a Quaker and I'd lie to get her one of those toys or make it myself. What kind of wood is used to make it and what do they use to color it? And what are the things in between each block? Also is it safe to give my Quaker sunflower seeds?
I'm revisiting the idea of feeding my bird pellets. However I tried this once and she didn't touch em and I got concerned and went back to seeds. However you've won me over with your ideas. So what is the process in which I may take to accomplish a smooth transitions?
Camber Hill Try stuffing these wooden toys with seeds and offer pellets freely inside a bowl. For older birds who are not used to pellets, it will take a very long time. The bird has to see it every single day to know that it's "normal" and not dangerous to them. You might also want to try placing your bird's pellets in the same bowl as their fruits/veggies. My Grey loves eating them after she eats some of her wet foods.
However, if you have a bird that's already eating pellets, you could place that bird next to the other one and let the other one see it eating pellets. This works best because birds will eat whatever other birds in their flock eats.
I am curious, what would your setup be like if you had no aviary and your bird had no real access to natural sunlight except during the summer season? We own a White Capped Pionus Parrot and she tends to prefer my boyfriend and has recently grown more temperamental, she's a little over 2 years old now. I have read up on using full spectrum avian lights and how sunlight is supposed to promote better temperaments and health, are these a good substitute when natural sunlight isn't available? Have you ever used such lights?
Smokey is very cute!!!!!!!!!!!!
learning alot, have and had budgies for years, but got a yellow-sided conure around 4 months ago so trying to learn how to teach her and train her, she is bonded with me
any advice on cage and setup would be great i can always improve
also i have a nut allergy is there anything other then sunflower seeds i can use as treats
Alex Galati my caique parrot crazy on grape :)
Alex Galati let me know if you found any snack alteratives for treats because I also have a nut allergy
Getting a Grey April 8th. Please what screens are you using for the Aviary?
ty
I'm thinking about getting a Macaw. Since I live in Sweden I can't have a aviary for him/her. But I would love to have one. So my question for you is: How big of a cage should I get if it's clipped? How big should it be if it's not clipped?
Harrison's High Potency Fine is my Grey's favorite food.
I put a rope ladder in my budgies' cage but he didnt use it so i stuffed his favourite treats (millet and wheat) into the fibers and now he spends most of his time up there and even sleeps there!
I'm having a really hard time finding the right materials to build an aviary and it seems like there is a lot of conflicting views on what is safe or non-toxic to use for exotic birds, so I wanted to ask: What type of wire did you use for Smokey's outdoor aviary? Did you buy it or make it yourself? Any suggestions would help greatly! Thank you. -D
What can I do if I live in an area where the climate is not conducive to having an outdoor aviary all year round? Winters where I live can get quite cold.
What would you suggest as an alternative to the aviary for people who live in colder climates?
Nice idea
Love your videos, currently working on getting our african grey. Alot of people are scams so it's been hard to see who is legit. I had a couple questions if you dont mind. Where you from? If it gets cold where do you keep her_him? Also do you have a layout of your aviary absolutely amazing and want to make one like that. Thanks ahead of time !
what country are you situated in? because I have so much trouble finding any pet stores as I live in Asia
Hello;
I just purchased an african grey parrot. please how do i bath it? also what food can i feed it with? i live in nigeria and pellets or what they are called is not easy to find
what r the names of the toys u bought
I'm having trouble getting my bird to play with anything! He's a blue headed pionus so he doesn't really like hard toys. I made a few foraging toys like the wood blocks out of wicker. He would start to play with it and after 5 minutes when he couldn't get the food he would give up and never touch it again. What other toys would you recommend?
Great video btw!
James Pellosma Try making the foraging toy easier for him. Like you said, if he's giving up before he gets any treats out, the foraging toy is too difficult. So, try making the holes a little larger and easier. Once he gets the hang of it, you could then make it more challenging.
Hi I love smokey's Aviary! May i know where you purchased it? or bought the materials to build it?
Audrey Lim-Hing Hi Audrey, I'll message you directly with the info :)
+wingsNpaws I would also like to know where you purchased your aviary.
Thanks
Hi what kind of vegetation do you provide at the bottom of the cage
Hi my african grey is 3 and 1/2 year old. I purchased her 6 month old, hand fed her the baby formula. and then I tried a blend of pellets which had a lot of sunflower seed. she only ate sunflower seeds and left the rest and i found out later that they are not very healthy if eaten in gross quantity. to make the long story short i have tried maybe now 3 or 4 different type of pellet specially for African grey and she does not like any. So I have been feeding her fruits veggies and whole grain bread + what I eat in breakfast. I like that your grey is eating healthy and pellets + treats and fruits and veggies. My question is how do I get her to eat this Roudybush brand of food. and second question is where do I purchase it. by the way I have seen all your videos and would like you to continue to make more for education purposes for people like me. I have learned a lot of things from your videos and will apply them in my African grey life. one more thing I forgot to mention last sunday she bit me normally she does not bite me that hard but this time she cut my finger open and I think that she bit me because I did not give her the popsicle that I was eating. I think I have already asked you enough in one post...thank you for your help!
Conrad Guzman Hi Conrad, for an older bird, it will take time to convert them to a pelleted diet. In some cases, it may take months or even 1-2 years. Don't give up, it will definitely be worth it in the end. I would recommend you stay away from brands that have pellets mixed in with seeds. Your bird will simply pick out the seeds and not eat the pellets. Try to make it look like you're eating them in front of your bird; they usually want to eat whatever their flock is eating. I get my pellets from www.drsfostersmith.com/?t=1&ref=4397&subref=AA&cmpid=PPC-G-4397
I wonder what your thoughts would be on my own (albeit limited) experience. Our late budgie Babi LOVED to forage for toys and had a high capacity for self-entertainment (see, e.g., ruclips.net/video/gB7POEzk5cI/видео.html). Though he had our finch as a best friend he was alone of his species. Now we have a (mating) pair of budgies and their outlook on life seems to be entirely different! We've had foraging bins, etc. for which they show very little interest: their idea of foraging is to go in the canary's cage and feed from his bowls! They are mostly content to perch and fly about the room, chasing each other and the canary, as long as there are a few toys available and some chewing materials. It would seem that when one has a lone bird of its species, especially a species-specific one such as a Grey, one must put a lot more emphasis on self-entertainment than with 2 birds of the same kind. In my mind, 2 birds are definitely the way to go.
Can you request some foraging toys for a cockatiel? My little guy just loves to be out and rarely plays with his toys I have out for him! Also, he’s so spoiled with being out of his cage and having us around him that when we walk out of the room he starts to scream until we get back ! Help?!
Could I trim and edit the perch it comes with so it is different throughout?
Where can i buy those pellets?
What Sub African Grey Species is Smokey?
Thanks for the info
Are wooden toys safe for parrots , because he will chip them and small pieces might hurt them ?
how old is smokey
brilliant !
you are the best
Why thank you!
Good BIRD!
I just got a new Bird ^^ by the way im your fan
Thanks for watching! :)
what can you do when a Macaw keeps picking feathers out. he is almost yrs
Hi, i have an african grey & he/she is about 4/6 months old,, i try to make her stand on my hand or any other thing like a stick but i think she is scared from falling so it keep flying away every time when i handle her, i'm thinking of Trimming her feathers, what do you think?
i never keep her in the cage, i keep the cage open from the top & mounted a stick above the cage where she sit most of the time & guess what,, when they left the door of the living room opened she flew away,,, was lucky that she stand on one of the trees & didn't fly out of the house,, so i guess i must ftim the feathers as long as i'm not willing to keep her looked inside the cage,,, one more advantage i think that after she realize that she's no longer able to fly away when i handle her then she'll try to hold her self on my hand instead of running when she feel i might drop her down
yea i'm thinikg if that to, cause i'd really like to see her flying toward me in the future
***** fu
I have a parakeet can you suggest some good toy brands plz
EMERALDeverythingplayz there is really not bird toy brands just look for some high quality toys
i wish i could make an outdoor aviary for my bird but I'm in Canada...... so yea
could you please spell out the woods of the perchs for me? because i am not a nativ englissh speaker and don't know what kind of wood this actually is and need to google it.
How do I train my african grey if he won't eat any treats?
what are you feeding him on daily and when are you trying to train him ?
Well he won't eat any pellets so I give him fruits and some nuts and I've tried to train him at like 3:00 pm but he's not eating any treats?
Nuts are nit healthy ...they are only for your parrot as treats or if you feel he is too skinny and stuff ... Parrots are more trainable at the morning and in evening...
That cage is bigger than my room
what to do when parrots are scared for toys?
Any cage is too small for a bird :)
Hi. i like the way you have trained smokey and its a female its alot of effort! Please get smokey a partner. As the Almighty God have created everything in pair! think about it and i am looking forward for smokeys partner and family to be....
hey :) It's me again I really watch every single of your videos ... and I was just wondering if I could get your skype or something to talk to you more easily ? You could private message me :) Stay awesome bro :)
Klemen Kocet Thanks again for the feedback. Unfortunately, I'm not doing any consultations through skype at this time.