Is it me or....?

[matt74]

It seems like a few baby Grey's on this board have or have had toe issues (Nova had one too...missing three complete nails that looked like they would never grow in...skin/scale over the entire toe front). I was told they would never grow, but it wouldn't affect his life. It never did, and they actually started to come through when he was about 2 1/2-3 yrs, and now they are full, got him at 10 weeks and he's 7 now (I guess he is lucky?). I was told one of the parents chewed them off and I was wondering if this is a common occurance in Grey Parrots because I haven't noticed a mention of this about any other genus?

[Nazir's]

I really wouldn't know if it's more common with Greys. My grey has all of her toes and everyone that I've personally saw had theirs as well. However, I have heard a lot about missing toes, fequently, here on the board.

[pippy]

I'm one of the people who's Greys have bits missing!

HERE are my little amputees!

I'm having Mojo and Shinda once they're weaned (as I've mentioned before on here, it's illegal in the UK to sell unweaned chicks).


This is Mojo...




This is Shinda...




As you can see, they both suffered damage to their toes when their Dad chewed them in the nestbox. Of the clutch of five, he killed one and chewed three. Only one escaped unharmed and that was only thanks to the breeder bringing her indoors.

The breeder I chose usually leaves the chicks with the parents until they're six weeks old as research now shows this makes for happier parrots later on in life, that they're less likely to go on to develop 'issues' if they're part parent reared, part hand reared.

She's never had problems previously. This pair had successfully produced a clutch a year for several years.

The first two hatched and the parents were doing a great job with them (so we thought). Mojo was the first to hatch, Stubbs the second.

The third hatched then the following day was seen on the nestbox camera to be dead. The breeder couldn't be sure whether it had died naturally or had been killed so she gave them the benefit of the doubt and left the remaining two eggs in the box.

When the fourth chick hatched, Dad immediately started throwing it about the box so Lesley ran out and brought him in. That was Shinda, my little boy, and he had damage to his toes.

At the same time, she took the fifth egg and popped it under another pair of Greys who had eggs she knew to be infertile but would have been due to hatch any day. When that egg hatched the Dad in that pair started attacking it! Lesley was horrified and couldn't believe what was happening to her breeding pairs this year! Her speedy response meant this chick (Bogie!) came indoors with all her bits intact!

So, Lesley was hand rearing Bogie and Shinda and the parents were rearing Mojo and Stubbs and all appeared fine.

When she went out to put Mojo and Stubbs rings on at two and a half weeks old she only then discovered that they too had damaged toes! Dad must have done it as soon as they hatched as by this time the toes (what was left of them!) were nice and clean and had healed. Lesley brought them in too, just in case.

So now we had the two oldest and the two youngest indoors being hand reared!

My two are now just over nine weeks old (Mojo) and exactly nine weeks old and both are coping remarkably well as you can see from the latest video clips of them. Mojo can now perch, on one foot, while having a scratch with the other! She has also started climbing the cage bars! We should find out very soon how Shinda copes perching.

[Lisa B]

other species do it as well, but greys tend to be a bit more high strung.
I know several that are missing tips or toes. Could be new parronts, overpreening parronts, or high strung.

however it does not affect the babies,(other than feet issues) and they are perfect in every other way.


pippy, your babies are beautiful!!!

[pippy]

Originally Posted by Lisa B

pippy, your babies are beautiful!!!

Thank you! I just can't wait to bring them home!

[Cricket11]

we have a grey with one white toenail - all others are normal. When we went to collect a couple of sun conures, the two that we ended up taking home were the only 2 with all toes intact, several had nails missing.

[babypiggy]

pippy u are getitng two now?!
holy cow!

congrats

i'm so glad that someone is willing to take an animal home even tho they are miss parts

i too have a grey that got missing toe tips

hmmmm it happens to other parrots too

i once met a cockatoo that were named timbits cuz his had nubs left of ALL toes
but a very sweet bird





some of his toes grew some part of the nail but it's kinda on the angle and one toe looked like it was growing out but it was white and i thought maybe it was a bone.. well that part fell off... or ajax bite it off i'm not sure i jsut noticed it gone one day.. it was only 2-3mm


this nail is still intacked but it;s growing weird so i was advised to keep it short
so it won't get hooked and rip off and have a disaster

[pippy]

Originally Posted by babypiggy

pippy u are getitng two now?!
holy cow!

congrats

Yes!

Mojo, CAG with tips of toes missing.

It was always my intention to buy a second bird so I couldn't pass up the opportunity to get them both at the same time! This way I know they'll get on well together having been brought up together

[babypiggy]

hehe super exciting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Amie]

Originally Posted by pippy

Yes!

Mojo, CAG with tips of toes missing.

It was always my intention to buy a second bird so I couldn't pass up the opportunity to get them both at the same time! This way I know they'll get on well together having been brought up together

Yeah, I totally missed that, too. Stupid honeymoon and house buying!!

Congrats!!