I brought home a 12 week old African Grey yesterday, she still likes to be handfed but eats out of a bowl as well. the problem is she eats like a dog from the bowl as shes not learned to use her hands yet and ends up with mush and open shell seeds stuck on her beak. She wont clean it on her perch like Billy does but makes a half hearted attempt on my shirt when she is with me. When i picked her up earlier she had just eaten a strawberry so i now have strawberry juice down my white shirt. Short of using a flannel after every meal and having a towel on my shoulder i dont know how to encourage her to clean herself!

She's young so that may come in time. For now you can wipe her little beak for her.

Take a look in our contest forum for the "Messy Beaks" contest! You'll get a few laughs. They all need help from time to time to get washed up after a meal.

My two big guys (18 years old) don't eat by holding food in their talons either. They will wipe their beaks on a perch after they eat, what they don't wipe off I'll wipe off with a wash cloth.

Congrats on the new baby, what's her name?

Her name is Bella, it matches Billy, means beautiful in Italian and my boyfriend is Italian so couldnt really be anything else! I dont think she is totally weaned though i was told she was, taken her an hour to eat tea shes had plenty but tried to mush everything up. When i went near her she came at me like a hungry baby so just mushed cauliflower brocolli with a strawberry and a bit of melon to make it slushy. Shes refused it but she must be full now, will try again before i go shopping for more fruit and veg! I can feel messy walls coming on! My shirt is full of strawberry juice from a mess she made earlier.

I would definitely call whoever you got her from and find out if she was still being fed. How old is she? Have you tried spoon feeding her?

I went through it with him yesterday and he was feeding her the same as Billy has and assured me she is fully weaned, shes not though. Just tried feeding mush from a spoon but she is full after spending an hour over her bowl and is now sat content on my chest nibbling my shirt. Will try again in the morning.

She sounds so precious! There is nothing like a grey! I will volunteer to come wipe that sweet beak!

This sweet beak is into everything! Just had scrambled egg for breakfast whats not splattered all over me and the dog has been tipped over the table! The dog is in love with her plenty cast offs from her.

Congrats, I am not sure s/he is fully weaned 12 weeks is very young for a grey. If you see head bobbing she is hungry for mash.

As others have said, your little one will learn hygiene.
All will be fine, until then,"keep up the great job you are doing".
Thank you for bringing that little one into your heart and home.

Arty