Thugluvgrl187
Joyriding the Neighborhood
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Cool thread! I enjoyed the photos 
He has his own room, which is 10x9 there is a tarp covering the floor and lots of perches and swings throughout. He has a cage that I put him in at night but sometimes during the day he goes in on his own. If we are not in his room then he is either on my shoulder or if it's not safe ( we have 3 cats) then he goes in a little portable cage. He hops right in when I open the door....he is usually the centerpiece at our dinner table or on the counter while I do dishes.
Hello Roo Bird!
I haven't been on this site for a while, but as you know I too have a grackle, male, about the same age as Leroy. It sounds like you and I are in the same boat, rescuing a juvenile that has become part of the family! They have such sweet personalities, and are so clever. Our setup at home sounds similar, although my guy will sit happily in his cage for part of the day if I am nearby. I do that primarily to give him sunshine on an enclosed window ledge or when the cats are in the same room. Luckily they are not that interested in him, but I would not want to take any chances. Sometimes I lock the cats in a different room and let Big Boy fly free through the main part of the house, which he really enjoys.
I hope you had a good vacation solution. So far, that's not been an issue for me. I have gone to the vet for scissor beak a few times, but it's cleared up for now. He had quite the moult earlier this month and looked pretty awful, as if he had been shaved. New feathers have grown in nicely. However, in the last several days he has lost all but 2 of his tail feathers! Apparently this does occasionally happen with grackles but it is somewhat worrisome nevertheless. Are you encountering this with Leroy?
Lula
Hello,
Last summer I rescued a young common grackle who has become ensconced in our home. I don't know if anyone here has a pet grackle, but he is really delightful, at times a bit screechy but very sweet. He is approaching one year old and is very tame. He flies free in a large 8 X 15 room with 12' ceilings and occasionally in the rest of our house. I have him on a softbill diet of various brands (Zupreem, Orlux, Unibird), feed him meal worms, fresh fruit and a few veggies, and the odd treat of a peanut and bread. He has an avian vet and is in very good health, although his beak tends to scissor a bit, so he get regular trims.
Since February 11 he has gained some weight, from 142 g to 155g. Do you think he is getting a bit too big or just coming to maturation?
Two things I'd like to accomplish with him are to get him to let me pet him. He will pet and kiss me and braid my hair and sit on my head and shoulders, but he does not like to be stroked or handled. And I would also like to train him to go to the bathroom exclusively in his cage, rather than anywhere he pleases! Any suggestions would be welcome.
Thank you,
Lula