Michellec

Thank you for the response. Will make sure I order it in plenty of time.

I have read online that you are not supposed to house greys and macaws. I have also read you can IF you have air purifiers. Conflicting information. We are planning on ordering an Austin air cleaner before our macaw comes home. What do you do? Thanks, Michelle

Congratulations to you too! I'm going to the aviary tomorrow and Saturday to work with the trainers and have time with my guy Ziggy. It's in a neighboring state. Michelle

I want to thank you all for the help you gave me over a year ago when we were getting ready to bring our CAG home. She is doing very well! Our lives are so much richer with her. In late Nov or the first part of Dec, we will add a greenwing macaw. I am getting extensive training at the aviary when I visit him but I value the input from others who have a grey and a macaw. I'm nervous. Really excited. He's at an aviary I volunteer at. I have watched him grow from a tiny baby and didn't think about him for our family. This last visit, I just knew he was the second bird we've been considering. (Edited to add:we had been discussing a macaw so this is not out of the blue) I've had the wonderful experience of interacting with him over several months. He's about 5-1/2 months. Thinking he will be weaned late Nov to early Dec. Anyway, I'm hoping to hear about life with a grey and macaw. Michelle

I'm going to copy and paste this into the macaw sub forum.....saw it after I posted this.

I want to thank you all for the help you gave me over a year ago when we were getting ready to bring our CAG home. She is doing very well! Our lives are so much richer with her. In late Nov or the first part of Dec, we will add a greenwing macaw. I am getting extensive training at the aviary when I visit him but I value the input from others who have a grey and a macaw. I'm nervous. Really excited. He's at an aviary I volunteer at. I have watched him grow from a tiny baby and didn't think about him for our family. This last visit, I just knew he was the second bird we've been considering. Anyway, I'm hoping to hear about life with a grey and macaw. Michelle

Thanks all. Checking back today and I appreciate the responses. I'd never burn anything in my home. Been volunteering at a aviary and they use lavender diffused....I noticed it when there but will ask more questions next time I'm there.

Thank you all. I'm not going to bring him home yet. Will visit over the winter and really go slow. I do t want to do anything that may be a mistake for my CAG and our family.

Thank you all. Going to spend another day with him next week. I'll probably do that for a few more weeks and will ask more questions. He was a very protective parent bird and very good with his babies.....does this mean he will be that way with me to the extent that he would begin to reject others and be aggressive toward my grey? He's at least 20 yrs old which I like since his personality is probably pretty set?

Thanks Ray and everyone. If we were to do this, would it be smart to foster the YNA? What are the big changes from going from one to two parrots? I know double the work.......but what else.

Thanks. Do I need to be worried about how the amazon acts at the aviary? If I hold one of the other amazons, he flies over and lands on my shoulder. He does not mess with them but he did nip my ear as if to say "hey you are my human". He is a BIG yellow nape. Former breeder bird. I will ask a lot more questions when I go volunteer next week and I'll handle him again and see how we do. I don't want to jump into anything and have more visits and would foster him for a while.However there is the part of me that believes when a bird chooses to attach to you like he seems to have done with me, then he'd be a great bird for me. However, I am not experienced and don't know amazons.

Thanks. Lots to ponder. I found the aviary online through a bird store.

I volunteer at an aviary and an amazon appears to have decided he really likes me and I think he's pretty neat too. He is 20+ yrs old and is an ex-breeder bird. I have a 15-1/2 month old female CAG at home. Is it even possible to have two? The amazon is a dominant bird. I'm just kicking around the idea. I could possibly foster the amazon and see how it goes. However my grey is my first larger bird. (Had a budgie as a child and a conure in my teen years) I need to read a lot so if you have good websites about the reality of two parrots, about amazons, or if you can share your experience. Like I said I'm just sharing what I'm thinking and considering and am asking for information. You all have been amazing when we brought our CAG home ten months ago. Thank you. Michelle

Thinking of you all! That must have been scary. Michelle

Oh my gosh! Cheyenne would be awesome! I didn't know there was an avian vet there!

Thank you.

I scheduled Nalas first wellness check. She is 14 months old and beautiful...happy. The closest avian vet is a 7 hour round trip drive. CSU Teaching Veterinary Hospital. I have read that annual checks are recommended. I am concerned the trip, stress, and exposure to sick birds (there will be some at a teaching hospital?) will do more harm than good. Am I being unreasonable with these worries? There is a vet in the same town we got Nala from and is the vet that the bird speciality shop uses but is not certified avian. However he serves all the birds in the area. Would this be ok for her first wellness check? Need some advice. I hope I presented my thoughts clearly. Michelle

Thank you for the reminder, I appreciate it. So much to learn. I do love being a parront, even with all the worrying I do! (I don't remember this level of worry with my human children) Michelle

Thank you! I have been putting her red palm oil on her daily dry food and never thought of adding it to scrambled eggs!

Are hard boiled eggs ok? I was thinking a half egg with the shell on would be a good food for protein and isn't there calcium in the shell? What about the yolk? Thanks. Michelle

Thank you. I won't be diffusing around Nala, but on the HUMANS and in the cleaner I make, I feel ok using lavender EO (only pure authentic) and German Chamomile. Regarding Parrots, there just isn't solid research. Thanks for the responses. I've been researching this for hours and hours.....glad to get back to homework that I've neglected!! Michelle

I, at this point can't imagine diffusing it in our home...any risk to Nala is too much. However it is something I want to hear about from those here with knowledge. I'd never put Nala at risk. I am hoping I can use oils on my own body as a part of overall health and wellness but worry even the scent lingering on me may be harmful to Nala. Currently I make my own natural cleaners and they do have essential oil (lavender) but don't have Nala in the same room I am cleaning in. I am curious about people who DO diffuse oils in homes where parrots are.

I've been reading on a Facebook page that is all about parronts who diffuse/use specific pure essential oils in their homes. They say only two brands are safe around parrots, and they all lean toward one, Young Living Essential Oils. The group, if you are on Facebook, is called Aromatherapy for Parrots. There is also a book published that was authored by Angela Nelson called Aromatherapy for Parrots. Here is the authors webpage http://www.aromatherapyforparrots.com And a vet who advocates this http://www.oilyvet.com I do know EO's help humans but I've not used any since getting Nala. What do you all know about this topic? Thanks. Michelle

Following Isaac's progress. He is a beautiful bird! I love his expressions in the photos, especially the one where he is looking over the edge of the counter at the camera.

Thank you all. Nala has had a big impact one a kindergartner (not my student this year but will be next year) who has autism and is mostly non-verbal. His speech therapist was walking with him down the hall and when they passed by my room he stopped in front of my open door and said "want to see Nala." That was HUGE!!!!