momy442000

Thank you all for your kind words. I wouldn't wish this kind of heartbreak on anyone so if it means owning up to my mistake to make sure others are aware of how serious this is then it's worth it. No bird should have to suffer the way mine did if it can be prevented. I really have no other words I am just empty inside right now...trying to focus on my TAG and just taking it one day at a time:(

I have not been on the forum in quite sometime but in this moment I thought of you guys to retreat to since you all would understand the heartbreak I am feeling. I got up and midnight on Thursday to get ready to go to work the night shift. When I entered the room that had my Cags cage in it to my horror he was laying on the bottom dead. I was in shock at first and within seconds went to him trying to convince myself that this was a bad dream but no it was all too real. I then immediately turned to check on TAG in the other cage and she was alive but behaving oddly so I took her out and within minutes she was slipping away...I dropped everything grabbed a towel to wrap her in and drove to the ER vet immediately. On the short drive I kept saying her name because she was so close to slipping asleep...the were so good at the vet when I got there took her back to the icu area and took care of her quickly...she remained in oxygen for 5 hours and had bloodwork done. They kept her there and sent me home but I was able to see her before I left and they already had her stable and she had already went from not being able to hold herself up to sitting on a perch. She is home now and doing so much better...still keeping her quiet and resting as this will take some time to fully recover and get over the trauma of the nights events. But my CAG did not make it...he was only 7. My husband (not knowing) broiled a steak on a cookie sheet that night and the juice drippings on the pan burned around the steak and filled the house with smoke and the part he did not realize it also filled with nonstick fumes from being cooked on such a high heat. This is an awful learning lessen and as embarrassing as it is to tell you that this happened to my baby I feel it needs to be shared to stress the importance of getting rid of the non stick cookware and to not ever use the self cleaning setting in your oven. Monty's death happened in a matter of a couple hours and had I not gotten up to go to work I would have had 2 dead birds to wake up to. I would not wish this pain on anyone...the guilt and heartache is awful and I do not know how I will get past this..I hope that focusing all my energy on my TAG now and knowing I did save her and I removed every last piece of non stick stuff in my kitchen helps me know that I at least am correcting my accident but nothing seems to be helping. So please please please check your kitchens and be very very careful! It's a lessen no one should have to experience:(

They both step up...Monty will actually tell you to step up and then tell you "good boy". When I said training I really meant beyond the basics(sorry for the confusion)

I haven't posted much but I do read alot of the threads on this forum. So here goes another post...I have a CAG that will be 2 june 23rd and a TAG that will be 3 august 1st. I have never done "formal" training with them and want to know is it too late to start? Also if its not what would be the best way to begin and what would be a good thing to start with? Emma, my TAG is a girl(she was sexed) she is a hurricane katrina survivor- which I believe is why she is a little skittish,timid and jumpy she was born down there and a breeder from up here rescued her and then hand fed her till she was weaned...I'm not sure how old she was when the breeder rescued her.I got her at 18 months of age from a private person who just couldn't give her the proper attention...she took to me quite well...she just has her moods but I've really gotten to know her body language and when she wants to be played with and when she dosen't. My CAG on the other hand is abig play baby I've never seen a grey so acrobatic and wild when playing...needless to say we've had a couple broken blood feathers...Monty is a jabberbox and learns something new to say everyday. He likes to be where everybody else is in the family even though he won't let anyone except me come near him and I can do practically anything with him. He is always trying to get by Emma but she dosen't seem to want to be friends with him as much as he would like. Sometimes I think Monty is a little dog in the house rather than a bird(he even barks)previous owners had little yappy dogs. I've had Monty 7 months and the old owner is amazed at the attachment he has toward me almost instantly. So here is a little background on my babies.Oh one other thing has changed since I've gotten Monty-Emma has taken a step back from talking. I don't know if this is bad/good or just a personality thing...so do you think they could benefit from training and do you think with thier very different personalities I should have different approaches with training? I know this was a mouthful but I really value your opinions and felt in order to give me advice you should have a little idea about them. FYI Monty is not sexed just assumed to be male...not that it matters I just thought i'd mention it. so any advice/suggestions are greatly appreciated. THANKS SO MUCH!!!

Thanks for the link..I will try this one. He is a smart one...dosen't take much for him to figure out anything.

Thanks for the link..I will try this one. He is a smart one...dosen't take much for him to figure out anything.

This would be a good idea except he's not locked in his cage and therefore has access to all sides and if he dosen't get the bottle off from the inside he goes to the outside. It's funny how different personalities are because I have a TAG and she does not do these things but the CAG we joke about and say he's Mr. search and destroy...its like his mission in life..LOL..LOL

That one looks like it just might work. I had several types of bottles...one that just has the spring(which now looks like someone really stretched it out) & then one that had a holder that screwed onto the cage and then you lock the bottle onto it and he dismantled it in 3 different pieces in about 5 minutes.

I have a CAG that will not keep his water bottle on his cage...I don't know if dismantling it to get it off is some form of entertainment for him...but not so much for me. He also likes having a water bottle because he uses it to dip his food in when he's eating and it keeps the water fresher and if you give him a bowl he will just dump it over. Soooo does anybody have any suggestions on how to CAG proof this water bottle so he can't knock it off of his cage anymore. My concern is that he will go without water for a period of time if we are not home one day and I can't put a back-up water dish cause he dumps that too. So any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. He really is a good bird...just a little braty sometimes.

Is there a difference between full spectrum lighting and a plant light that gives off artificial sunlight to plants? I cuurently have avian fullspectrum lights, but am wondering if and when I have to replace bulbs could i just go get a plant light bulb...they seem easier to get your hands on.

Hello everyone...I haven't been on in awhile and i was just wondering if any of you feed your Greys soymilk. I only thought of this due to the fact that my 6 yr old son can't have dairy and we buy him soy milk...one thing lead to the other and i started to wonder about this.. seems like it might be good for them especially for the calcium benefit...I feed my greys oatmeal in the morning for breakfast and they love it , usually with some type of baby food in it...thought soymilk even the vaniila flavored would be a nice change. Any thought or opinions on the soymilk??

I have considered microchipping my greys. I have heard it can cause your bird to pluck their feathers. just wanting to hear other peoples experiences and opinions on this procedure?

Emma does this when she see's me coming or when she see's food that I have and she wants - basically it's her being excited.

Can or will a Grey change who thier favorite person in the house is? Emma is 2yrs old and behaving "naughty" so I'm trying to rule out what it is - terrible 2's, jealousy of new grey, changing who her person of choice is. Also if they do seem to be changing can you detour that and unchange thier choice. If she changes she'll be sorry my husband will talk to her and sing and play with her but he won't pick her up. LOL I on the otherhand feed, hold, play, spoil, etc... them.

When Talon goes to bite you do you continue to pick him up know matter how much he bites you or do you back off and do the ignore you method?