Well Tinker is home. (Sad update post #865)

[BertAllen]

Tinker hatched May 3rd 2018.

No idea of the sex but we will treat him as a male till future evidence says different.
We have been visiting him every week for the last month. I believe that was the reason for his move to our home being so influential to his moving day. Today he had his first car ride of two hours and never seemed to flinch one bit.
His first two hours at home he sat and looked around and enjoyed some sweet corn fresh from the fields. He then tore into some sweet potato biscuits from the local pet shop. He then ripped apart some clothes line pegs minus the springs.

Looking around he saw the day play station I built and flew right up to it and was dazed by the view he had of outside over the front yard. He then had a nap. LOL

Flying around his new surroundings he landed on my bald head when I wasn't paying attention. Nasty 1" bleeding scratch was the result. In a couple of days he is going to learn about the nail file I used on my Amazons. LOL

So he finally needed to be put in his home cage and that went so well I was amazed. He now has his head under a wing and I swear he is snoring.

Tomorrow could be a whole different game but I think he is comfortable here.

 

[rockoko]

What a beautiful Grey! Sounds like you had a great day together!

 

[WendyN]

Congratulations!
Tinker is beautiful.

 

[NirAntae]

What an amazing first day!



One thing that can give you an 'educated guess' on sex, once your new buddy is more comfortable (or on the perch), is to look at the little red vent feathers beneath his tail (not the actual tail feathers, the vent feathers). Females tend to have a delicate silver edging on the feathers there. It's a teeny tiny detail, and by no means 100%, but unless you get him DNA sexed or end up with an egg, it's the best basis for a guess I've seen.

Visual guide, from my former female (DNA confirmed):

 

[TikiMyn]

Congrats! Sounds like he is already feeling at ease and settlin in great! Gorgeous baby

 

[expressmailtome]

Congratulations!

 

[BertAllen]

Well day two was uneventful. He watched as I went about my daily morning chores eat my breakfast and drank my coffee. He hen started to fuss and I got him to step up and took him to his breakfast table after a fun cuddle.

He just did a couple of circuits around the open concept living room, kitchen and dining room. Landed quite well on his big play station and is acting real proud.

Now to learn how to climb down the perches to get around.

 

[BertAllen]

Well here is day three. I'll try not to bore anyone to death but this guys is funn to be with.

His first thing to do is fly around when I get him to step up and out of his cage. I figure it's about 65' for the circuit and he did three before he landed on his play station. He then digs into his pellets and his chop.

Today was much needed yard work and he ended up back in his cage till I was done. He was patient till I finished four hours later then he fused till I got him out.

So this endless bundle of energy flew around all afternoon praticing touch and goes as if he was looking for a job with air Canada. I had a ball watching him. He is gonna be a good flyer for sure.

Later today he flew over to me and wanted a cuddle.

He then pushed his head under my hand a proceeded to sleep for 10 minutes.

What a trooper. I am so happy he is setteling in so well.

Tonight he flew around like a kid with a new toy. Looks like he is going to run the house from now on. LOL

 

[zoo mom]

Congratulations and welcome Tinker.

 

[TikiMyn]

Nonono I adore Reading his progress!! He sounds like such a doll Too sweet!

 

[Lodah]

Please keep up the posts... Greys are one of my favorite fids!

Yes Pilo... I said one of! (Sheesh)

 

[NirAntae]

You are making me miss my little snuggle-bug so much. Bittersweet reading it.

This was how she spent at least a third of her day for the first 2-3 months I had her (a little hard to tell in the pic, but she's all nestled down in the hollow of my crossed legs.) And if I didn't cover her up, she would try to do it herself!

I miss her significantly more than any of the humans who are no longer in my life (with the exception of my grandmother). But at least I content myself knowing that she is happy and with someone who loves her as much as I did. (She hated my spouse, who came into my life when she was about 3... the interloper...)

Someday, I will convince my spouse to let me get a Grey baby again, that we can raise together... *sighs wistfully*

 

[Chopper]

Such a cutie. I love hearing the stories and it helps those who get babies later.
Love the pics too.

 

[Max83]

OMG your post make me want a baby grey ahah

 

[hopesmom]

Sounds like Tinker is settling in very well. Congrats on your new addition!!

 

[BertAllen]

Well here is an update for the end of day three. I had to dim the lights to get him to settle down and stop flying around so much. While he was sitting and relaxing I got the little red dirt devil hand vacuum I bought just for him and vacuumed up around his stand and cage. He flew down to it and had a good look at it then flew back to his favorite spot in fron of the TV. I then put him to bed and he was quiet all night till about 8 this morning.

DAY 4

I think he wore himself out yesterday as he is being a bit quiet today. He did fly to me twice when I held out my hand and waved with the command come. A few circuits and then back to his stand and a snack of fresh carrot sticks from my garden. He hates boiled egg, carrots, broccoli and cauliflower but eats the veggies if they are fresh.

He flew from his play station to the one on top of his cage for the first time, saw a pine cone and grabbed it and flew back. Landings are certainly improving.

Tinker says hi to all you folks.

 

[hopesmom]

Such a cutie!!

 

[BertAllen]

Well it's almost bed time and Tinker has been eating like a trooper again. He also told me under no terms does not want fresh banana, mouthed it and flung it back at me then turned his back to me. LOL
He does like my black walnuts I harvested this year off my 30' tree. He had better ration them because those trees only produces every other year and I claimed them as mine. Got 10lbs though.

 

[Begone]

Looking around he saw the day play station I built and flew right up to it

Great that the breeder didn't clip him.

Tonight he flew around like a kid with a new toy. Looks like he is going to run the house from now on. LOL

He is practicing and building muscles. They know how important that is, and now is the only time he can learn to create skills in flying.
If you ones have a flighted baby, you will enjoy every skills that they later will show you. And that is now we understand how sad it is to cut a babies wings.
Thanks for allowing the bird to be a bird.

Tinker says hi to all you folks.

Hi Tinker!

I'll try not to bore anyone to death but this guys is funn to be with.

That wont happen. As long as you also post pics of him

He does like my black walnuts

I'm not in your country, but doesn't they have a fungi warning?

 

[BertAllen]

Great that the breeder didn't clip him.

He is practicing and building muscles. They know how important that is, and now is the only time he can learn to create skills in flying.
If you ones have a flighted baby, you will enjoy every skills that they later will show you. And that is now we understand how sad it is to cut a babies wings.
Thanks for allowing the bird to be a bird.


Hi Tinker!


That wont happen. As long as you also post pics of him


I'm not in your country, but doesn't they have a fungi warning?

The breeder doesn't believe in clipping wings that's why I picked him.

I have not heard of any fungi warning here in Ontario today. We have American Walnut farms around the province but Black Walnut that are around today have a gene that protected them from years ago, same as the true Butternut tree. True Butternuts are a protected tree and you cannot remove them since they were nearly wiped out by a fungi. That might be the one your thinking of. There is a group that collects the nuts to germinate and then replant. We also have a cross between the Butternut and Black Walnut but that nut meat is a real pain to get out and I don't like the taste so never bothered again.

I clean the husk off and check for floaters, I then throw them away since they have no nut meat in them. I then wash real well and dry for 3-4 weeks before opening them with a band saw so I can get two full halves of nut. PITA job but I like them and they grow in my back yard for free. LOL I then bag then in one cup freezer bags and the put in the freezer till needed. Last for two years this way.