I think im getting along ok, am I?

[Kentuckienne]

What a fright! You might go search for posts about egg binding...this can happen, and it can be fatal if not caught in time. Some people take the egg away, boil and cool it, then put it back so they stop laying. It is hard on their bodies and she needs extra nutrients especially calcium. Now that you've spoiled her with lingerie, she'll be a real diva!

 

[bigfellasdad]

Im not going to live that down am I :08: I promise never to reply on my phone again....

Yes ive been reading about being egg bound and im looking for the signs, I think she was trying for quite a few minutes to release the egg but once she started it was only a minute or two until it was out. Apparently the greys can lay 3-4 eggs with a days gap between. I worked from home today before i realised this so im leaving the towel in the bottom of the cage to allow her some comfort if she's alone tomorrow. To be fair today she started a little subdued but I did give some camomile tea after her breakfast of egg on a little toast and more yoghurt. I realise shes getting a lot of natural organic yogurt at the moment but she loves it and its high in calcium.

For the egg, she hardly gave it a 2nd glance, although she did sort of mother it later in the night for a moment. I've taken it away now and she hasn't fretted once.

This post has gotten out of hands quite quickly, from proud, 'thinking this easy' to holy hell panic mode!

 

[LeaKP]

Aw do I say congrats or what? �� We've gone thru the same thing years ago with our gcc. She only laid one egg after many years and then scurried up to the top of her house until we removed it. Nothing since.

Greys are great, so happy yours has such a loving place to call home.

 

[bigfellasdad]

Haha. Thanks

I wish I could rename this thread what to look for in a broody parrot as I'm sure it would help others as nobody including myself put 1 and 1 together.

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

How is Enzo getting on today? Maybe getting on the kitchen cubboards was interesting to her to lay her egg? maybe you should try to discourage her from getting up there? Just a thought..





Jim

 

[bigfellasdad]

How is Enzo getting on today? Maybe getting on the kitchen cubboards was interesting to her to lay her egg? maybe you should try to discourage her from getting up there? Just a thought..

Jim

Thanks Jim, ive done exactly that. Ive removed the towels and left just stainless metal boards on the bits of the kitchen tops that she chewed. She no longer spends a lot of time up there and what im really happy about is, if she goes up there she will step down to me if i ask her.
Thinking about life with Enzo recently the signs of a broody parrot where obvious but i am so new to all of this that i totally missed the signs and thought it was just normal behaviour. She still flies to me if i open a cupboard door as she wants to see what is in there and if its safe and clean I allow her to stick her beak in and have a look around. This could have been looking for potential nesting places but now i think its an inquisitive bird thing.

From last night she was back to how i would expect a bird to act, apart from the bottom/belly plucking she has been doing (im worried about this!). Im dreading going home this evening in case another egg is on its way but ill miss the 30 minutes of saying hello when i return from work, again i think that was a sign of being broody. The thing where she would turn around trying to brush her tail feathers against me have stopped as well, that was such a clear sign that i missed im kicking myself.

Im learning that life with a parrot has its challenges and its a steep but enjoyable learning curve.

 

[bigfellasdad]

Hi guys, just to let you know, her 2nd egg arrived on Friday, 4 days after her first and this one was a lot easier and less stressful than the first. Ive also started to get her to come to me upon request, she doesnt always come but certainly more often and more. I have to have an excited voice. Heres a slo-mo of her in my TV room, 1/8th speed

[ame="https://youtu.be/W-0FB6x1Fqg"]22193677 658102791247212 3723995099584004096 n - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Billdore]

Glad things are going more smoothly for you.

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

Dad...now that Enzo has laid two eggs,I think it will greatly benefit her if you supplement calcium in her diet,after all,egg shells are calcium.
I know a lot of Parronts grind up egg shells and put it in their diet/chop.

Smokey had an experience once so long ago,when I was quite stupid on parrot care,where one day she was walking around like she was drunk staggering and falling over!
I immediately rushed her to her CAV and he found her calcium level was nearly non-existent.
He gave her an injection and within minutes she was Smokey once again.
He instructed me to give her,AND Amy,a table spoon of the liquid calcium in their water bowls as a supplement,and never had a problem afterwards.

Yes indeed,Grey's are very intelligent,Enzo will be teaching you how much so in the next 50 or 60 years lol.

I'm glad you two found us..seems to me you're getting the hang of things!


Jim

 

[bigfellasdad]

Hi Jim and thanks for that. Im glad ive found you guys too, ive learned so much from your advice and just reading the forum.

Ive been giving her a little scrambled egg on toast and she likes a little natural yoghurt for breakfast over the last week. Ive also been steaming her fresh green vegetables and a little more yoghurt of an evening, i hope this is sufficient. I also put a tiny pinch af calcium suppliment in her water or on fresh veg but she seems to be lees interested if i do. Ill see if i can get some liquid calcium upon your recommendation.

Ive tried to get her on to pellets (harrisons i think) and she just flicks them 3m away from her cage and play stands. I do buy a good quality seed/dried fruit mix for her and apart from the chilli and dried banana she seems to like it all.

For interest i have found her 'must have, get out of my way, i must eat NOW' treat, plain unsalted potato crisp's. She will even go in her cage at night without issue for just a little corner of crisp. I know its not great, but what treats are?, but i think she is doing ok otherwise.

Getting the hang of things yes, it seems to be we are really relaxed of each other with absolutely no fear of each other. I know when she wants to be left alone or really really wants to play with 'this' item. She also knows what annoys me 'chewing door frames and pooping on me!' so I try and swap frustration with trying to work on the solution, slowly but surely she seems to be getting the idea. Life long buddies i hope!
im 50 this Sunday so may not 50 or 60yrs, this is why its important that I encourage my youngest son to get hand training with the bird at least. He is afraid of her but loves her loads.

 

[bigfellasdad]

Noooooooo. I found another egg in her cage this morning (no 3). Last night she wanted to go to her dark corners that I don't allow her in any more and she clearly didnt want to just chill with me last night, she wanted to be else where, i now realise it was a nesting place she really wanted. When I put her to bed she wanted her cuddles on my chest and in my arms (this is not normal), she refused to use her legs to support her own weight so in an effort to discourage being 'too' close I put her to bed a little before her now normal 10pm (sleep time 10pm->7:30am+naps). I feel really bad as now i realise she was trying to lay the egg..

Ive just ordered a UVA/UVB bulb and will place it near her cage to combat these shortening days and also help her calcium/vitD levels which must be really low. Ive read this can help the broody autumn/spring seasons as the days are now getting a lot shorter.

Im running out of things to do so I hope this helps stop the egg laying.

 

[LordTriggs]

lamp won't really help with calcium, or at least no actual evidence has been shown to prove they do, will definitely help in controlling day light hours though. Sprinkle some calcium on her food and I personally say just let them do their thing with the eggs. More often than not from what I've seen it seems to get them through it easier

Oh and lay off any warm mushy foods for now

 

[bigfellasdad]

lamp won't really help with calcium, or at least no actual evidence has been shown to prove they do, will definitely help in controlling day light hours though. Sprinkle some calcium on her food and I personally say just let them do their thing with the eggs. More often than not from what I've seen it seems to get them through it easier

Oh and lay off any warm mushy foods for now

Ok, I did watch an avian vet on youtube suggesting that the lamps are beneficial, oh well its bought now.

Warm mushy foods...... well, im steaming her veg in the mornings and she is eating it warm,She definitely prefers it slightly cooked rather than raw, so not mushy per-se.
Thinking about it, we both eat it that way at the kitchen table, she has her own bowl but steals from mine most of the time!
Ill change to steaming it at night and put it in the fridge until the morning, maybe I stop eating with her as well although she definitely eats more fresh food with me and its now part of our routine.

I really cant believe Ive got so much wrong keeping Enzo. I'll get there!

 

[CKP]

I really cant believe Ive got so much wrong keeping Enzo. I'll get there!

It's all a learning experience, and you're on here trying to figure out how to keep your fid happy and healthy. That's doing a lot right!

Enzo is lucky to have a devoted parront!

 

[LordTriggs]

different vets will always suggest different things. They go with what has helped in the past but they never see everything so it can never be determined, like I say it's a disputed subject both ways without any real experiment being done

always a learning curve with such a different type of creature than humans are used to caring for so to do things "wrong" is part of it. Most of the time some warm food is nice but when they get in the mood it can prolong it. Ultimately they just aren't domesticated yet so we still need to work with their wilder attributes

Sounds like Enzo is pretty happy anyway! Gotta be to attempt to have children

 

[KevH]

Buy some nutrobol from pets at home all the vitamins and calcium she needs just sprinkle a pinch on her food or wholemeal toast with palm nut fruit oil.

 

[bigfellasdad]

Thanks Kev, Ill get some asap. I have her at the vets tomorrow morning for her first, possibly ever, check up.

 

[bigfellasdad]

One thing to add, i have already been giving the calcium powder to Enzo, i didnt realise it was called that.

 

[bigfellasdad]

Just an update, I took Enzo to the avian vets on Saturday so it feels good that I have a point of contact in an energency. He was very happy with her weight and temperament. He didnt suggest any further work or analysis that she needs other than I was to weigh her weekly and keep records. His advice was fantastic on pretty much every topic of new parrot ownership so the journey was 100% a good experience and at £48 for pretty much an hour of his time was really good value.
On his advice ive got to get her on to pellets, which ive failed at to far other than a pellet porridge mush. He advised to look like I was eating it myself and make happy yummy sounds, which i did. Enzo took about 30 seconds of looking at me before she flew to my hand and dived in to eat. This is further than ive managed before.

Feels good