birdgranna

I have 2 CAG's. Male Quinn age 4 1/2 and female Jiggy age 5 1/2. They have always been housed together. Quinn is very skittish and nervous and will bite if frightened or startled or sometimes if he just feels like it;) but on the whole is a sweet little guy. Jiggy will pester him. She will trap him at the top of the climber then knock him off. she will trap him at the end of a rope bridge, bite his toes till he falls. He is now spending a lot of time in his cage (their door is open all day till bedtime as they have their own playroom)His wings do not grow as he had chlamydia and hypocalcemia as a young bird. He drops like a stone and I am surprised he has not broken his keel bone. They do preen each other and are bonded, or at least have been up to lately. Is this hormonal do you think? I do want to breed them but not yet. My thought is I should put them in separate cages and I in fact have purchased yet another huge cage. Any thoughts?

I would like to know your insurance company. I have been searching for one. Thanks.

I live in Barrie which is miles from you but if you check the Ontario Parrot Owners Association website, you could post this question and have a better chance at a referral. My avian vet is near me.Her name is Cathy Emms, Ivy Vet Clinic. It seems all avian vets are expensive. Probably because they are exotic vets. Good luck.

Quinn, Jiggy, Tommy and BJ like Mighty Machines and Diego on Treehouse channel. They also like the sound machine I put on for them at bedtime which among other things is waterfalls and song birds. they listen to the waterfall/brook running every night and they know it is bedtime when they hear the water. They are instantly quiet and go to their beds.

There was a CAG stolen at one of our large pet shops a year or so ago. the thief hid in the store till it closed then made off with the grey.

Some of my birds have night frights,especially the cockatiels. I always have a light on in my bird rooms at night now just in case.

Ellie was about 6 months old in the pics with the conure. The one of her layng on the chair is recent. She still only weighs 3 lbs at age 2 1/2.She is a very good dog and does not bother the birds at all.

I have actually posted that before.It is lovely.

Sounds like too much moisture in your place. that will usually bring on the bugs especially spiders and creepy crawlies. Perhaps a dehumidfier?

I have a blue crowned conure that was quite nasty but now is pretty good. I did clip her wings as she was flying at/biting everyone and everybirdie but me. Since clipping, she stays on her own cage and is now much better when someone else goes to pick her up. She is secure with her own space but will leave it and not try to fly back. She took to biting ME if anyone cme near while she was with me, butis also better at that now as I just made her step up a few times after she did that(birdie pushups;) )You are not in control with a flighted, unpredictable bird.

U should PM Mr.Spock. He knows everything.

I have a pastel of my greys done by a gal at www.flewthecoop.ca. she actually has my picture on her website. It is really good and was very reasonable. She is goin to do one of my amazons for me too.

One of my greys sleeps on one of those platform things that hang on the side of the cage and the other sleeps in his tent.

Thank you for the finch advice! Their cage is next to a conure so perhaps that is the problem. I did consider a pair of society finches but never thought of 2 the same gender.good idea.

Also, check out Jollyfeathers for their recipes. I use a foraging layered salad recipe from there for my guys andthey love it.

I have 2 CAG's and 2 DYH amazons that live in the same room and are always out together. The amazons are more sedentary than the greys and pretty much ignore them. they do all get along though. Do not get a conure if you want a quieter bird. all mine are VERY noisey.Darlings, but noisey. My amazons have one noisey time a day, around senset/dinner time otherwise they are very quiet well behaved birds. Mind you, they are 28.

Beautiful star finch in there too! I have a beautiful pair of Gouldians. they keep laying eggs then abandon them, bury them and lay some more. Do you know why? They have a cage of their own, a nest, nesting material, green veg. and shredded carrots each day, plus egg mash. Good quality seed and vitamins in their water every day. The only thing I can think of is that they do not like to be in my bird room with lots of other birds. Any thoughts?

I would take the older bird. So many birds out there needing homes. If you can manage it, take the older one. We all can help you here with any "baggage" he brings:)

Vinegar and water and scouring pad here. Also that cage guard spray. Never use a cleaner with chemicals in it especially Windex.

Have you played the towel game with her yet? Play peek a boo while covering her slightly with a towel more and more. this will get her used to toweling should she ever need to be toweled. Good for you to get her in a flight suit! I have no hope of mine wearing such a thing as they would both freak.

Ny greys and amazons have their own room which we have decked out with ropes, balls,toys etc. Their cages are open all day even when we are at work.I have insured that all electrical cords etc. are hidden. the amazons are not as active as the greys so they do not have as many things to do around their cages. Mostly they just chew wood! I have a door on the room of course with glass panes so they can see out.They have full specrum lighting. Everybirdie gets along. they are out from 7:30 till bedtime. I work 6 hours a day/4 days a week so this room is a godsend. When I get home, they come out on their play stands or down in the kitchen with me. I have many smaller birds in another room. They all have different needs and some can't be out while others are etc,. so we play musical out time mornings and evenings.

Vet told me to use 1/3 to 2/3 as it is sticky and worry about bacterial growth from the juice residue. I also put it their water at night. they get Nekton feather vitamins in their water during the day also.

How much time do you have to offer your prospective bird? Greys are very social and intelligent birds and need lots of stimulation and interaction. Do you have room for a large cage and lots of toys? Can you afford an avian vet at least once a year and do you have one near you? You must read extensively about the needs of an African Grey and their environment. there are many toxic things that cannot be in their environment such as teflon found in frying pans and space heaters.Their diet is not compliated but time consuming as they need fresh foods as well as a good avian diet.Their food must be pesticide free.There are toxic things they cannot eat such as onions and avacodo. Their living space must be kept very clean as they can get sick easily from mold spores from old food and feces.An African Grey parrot is indeed a dream bird, but not for everyone. Be very sure you can handle the needs of any parrot before purchasing. And finally, please please DO NOT purchase from a pet shop. Find a reputable breeder who can help you with your new bird who may also have a suitable bird needing to be rehomed. There are so many birds who are looking for new homes because their owners did not know what they were in for.If you do get a young bird , it must be weaned before you bring it home. Good luck with your search and good for you researching BEFORE you get your bird!

1/3 Aloe vera juice to 2/3 water.

One of my greys, Quinn, has a chronic feather problem resulting from Chlamydia and calcium depletion as a baby. His wing feathers do not grow in properly. His feathers start to grow, then break just above the base of the shaft and then he chews them off. Because he has no working flight feathers, he crash lands and will break his feathers, including his tail feathers. He is almost 5 yrs. old now. He is on calcuim supplement daily, although no bird should have daily calcium with out the vets say so. He eats very well, all sorts of veggies and fruits, Zupreem pellets , chicken and chicken bones. I mist him with aloe vera juce and water every other day (he hates it). Also, his flight feathers were likely cut improperly as a baby and apparently this has had an mpact on his growth. He is a small CAG, quite nervous but has a cute personality. He doesn't talk much even though his cage mate yaks up a storm. He prefers to mimic the conures and does not have the cognitive abilities of Jiggy, my female. He lives a full life even without beautiful feathers. He is to the vets twice a year and she cannot give me any other advice.