Paco and Ryan

[Xtreme575]

Hi all, I'd like to start by thanking all of you for the great information that you have provided to me! I've just signed up yesterday, but have been reading posts since I found the site about a month ago, really great stuff here!

Anyway, I am the pround new companion to a Congo African Grey which I have named Paco. Paco just turned 4 months old on Saturday, and I have had him for one month today.

Prior to Paco, I had already had four male Zebra Finches which fly and bounce around in their cage happily, but without much interest in me, except for when I'm reaching in to give them fresh water, then all hell breaks lose.

Anyway, Paco and I have been bonding over the past month, he has been meeting friends and family with my supervision, and although he prefers me over them, he will "Step-Up" for them as long as they don't "rush" him at all.

Paco was hand-fed by his breeder, and had actually been reserved for a woman who was injured and was unable to take the responsibility. So I was lucky enough to be chosen by the breeder to adopt him.

Due to the way that things happened,and the distance between the breeder and I, I was unable to spend any time with Paco before I met him. However, I brought him home, gave him space, and before I knew it, he was showing signs of excitement to see me. It's been great.

He's been to the vet, who called him a very "Skookum" bird, all healthy, but has shown some signs of feather chewing just below his crop. I'm showering (cool temparature) with him almost daily and spraying the area with Aloe Vera Juice and just waiting to see if I see results. I have also added a number of "foraging" toys that are full of food, although I don't get to see the joy he takes in the discoveries, it's obvious by the mess he makes that he has had fun. I worry that it might be the lonliness that he experiences when I go to work that might be what is leading him to chew, so I'm trying to find ways to keep him busy. I know I will continue to love him even if he is a feather chewer, I would prefer that he not be, obviously.

Overall he seems to be a very happy boy (DNA tested), he loves to "talk" back and forth with me when I am out of the room, and has begun saying "Hello", "Paco", and tries "Pretty Bird" but it still sounds very Parrotish. He spends a minimum of 5 hours a day out of the cage, and loves to hop in his travel cage for car rides. He gets an hour a night on my shoulder before his bed time where he cuddles into my next and rubs his beak along the back of my ear.

I am going to continue to surf the forum to continue to learn from those of you who are more experienced Grey Guardians, but I am looking forward to the future with Paco.

Thanks again!

Ryan

[she]

Ryan, thank you for a great introduction.I hope you continue to enjoy your visits hear and that your visits help you and Paco.Please ask any questions you have and we would all love to see some photos of you and Paco.

[judygram]

Hello Ryan and welcome to our family, we are so glad you could finally join us and we look forward to hearing more about you and Paco.

What a wonderful introduction and you tell us so much I feel like I already know you and this is great, we like to know some about our members and their birds as it helps when a problem arises to give advice.

You may want to consider getting another bird, not a grey but a smaller species of bird to keep Paco company during the day while you are at work. I have a sun conure along with my grey and even though they are in separate cages they are in the same room and probably provide some companionship.

You are so right to include all the family in on interaction with your bird, Paco will be more socialized and will be more willing to be handled by others if the need arises.

Even though you didn't get to visit with Paco before you brought him home it sounds like he is settling in nicely and you two are bonding, keep up what you are doing as its working.

Please do continue to read thru the many threads for lots of useful information and do ask questions you may have and we will help you in any way we can.

We love pictures here so if you have some of Paco you would share with us we would love to see them.

[luvparrots]

Hi Ryan, welcome to you and Paco. While you are at work do you provide Paco with music from the radio or tv to keep sounds around for Paco so he won't be lonely? I know my fids enjoy the radio being on when I'm not around. Would love to see some more pictures of Paco. Congratulatsions on his saying Hello, he is a very smart grey!

[Xtreme575]

Hi all, thanks for the very warm welcome! No, Paco doesn't get the radio on while I am away, he gets the television. I noticed that he actually watches it once in a while, so I try to find something that he might enjoy while I am at work - a channel without garbage that he may start repeating to me! So, he does have that, but I've really been noticing that I am having quite a bit of success with the foraging toys that I've been buying for him. I load them up with his pellets, Pretty Bird (he won't touch Harrison's)and I come home to a huge mess, but he seems more entertained then before I figured this out.

[Xtreme575]

Hi gang, I figured out how to add a picture (I hope), so here is Paco on his 4 month birthday.

[hill]

Hi your cag looks very well and nice intro

[danmcq]

Welcome Ryan and Paco!!

GreYt photo and it's wonderful having you here.

Thanks for sharing the photo and looking forward to hearing and seeing more. :-)

[luvparrots]

Ryan glad to hear the foraging toys are helping Paco. He seems like a very intelligent guy and needs all the stimulus you can provide to keep him busy. Great pictures!