Rachel

Thanks everyone for your replies. Each one has given me food for thought! I'll continue my research but Im thinking I'll probably end up sticking to an 'Australian made' bird, because of the stress factor. I agree that a baby grey is probably not going to cope very well with 30 days in isolation? during quarantine (and neither would I!). I would like to think authorities would have more sense that to place animals beside each other which would increase their stress level unnecessarily though, ie cat next to bird. In regards to Australian breeders compared to elsewhere, if anything I would have thought that Australian breeders, having such limited breeding stock would have more chance of onbreeding existing problems through lack of selection. I'm sure this is not the case though. I think it doesn't matter what country you live in, there are good breeders and bad breeders and you just have to arm yourself with knowledge to weed out the bad. Anway, am on the job! thanks again, Rachel

Thanks Mcgyver, I was expecting around the $3-5000 mark but not quite the $10,000! Wow! I would be really interested in contacting your NSW breeders either way though. I definitely have no interest in purchasing a bird from Africa! I've read a few different websites about what these bird catchers do and its terrible. I am curious about looking in to purchasing a baby from America, which will probably still end up cheaper than $10,000...but I'm not sure if this is legally possible in Australia. I'm still doing some research. Thank you so much for your reply, I appreciate your time, Rachel

Hi, I don't know how to get a link in here but this is a website which has HEAPS of ideas on making your own toys: http://www.birdsnways.com/birds/iedible.htm You would just have to be careful what materials you used, ie make sure they are non toxic. Rachel

Hi Rick, The best person to speak to, to make sure the facts are 100% accurate, would be an avian vet I would imagine. Firstly, I am no expert, the following is a few things I've read on different posts here. One is to not remove eggs from a laying hen as it may force the continued production of eggs leading to egg binding. Another mentioned the fact a Grey's skin can become dry and to make sure your bird is bathing, if not, then being sprayed reguarly or if not, a humidifyer. For egg binding this I imagine stops the bird absorbing moisture from within the body which may make it difficult to lay an egg. Another post mentioned a vet injecting a particular hormone into a hen who had been ill. This is what it said: "So we decided to go ahead and give her a shot of Lupron (a hormone) which should hopefully keep her from laying and calm her down sexually" Personally I think the above is a pretty extreme measure. I believe if you purchase a hen then there are going to be some things she is going to naturally want to do. From past experience with birds egg binding tends to be few and far between but you need to make sure you really know you bird to recognise any signs of distress. Before she gets to the age of laying, you should find out the approx length of time there generally is between each egg and how many may be laid. This way if an expected egg doesn't arrive and your bird seems slightly 'fatter' and shows any signs of distress - straight off to your vet! I don't believe there is anyway to 100% make sure it doesn't happen. Good luck! Rachel

I know bottle brush is safe for birds. I'm not sure if these trees/bushes grow in your area but it might be worth finding out... good luck, Rachel

Hi, I'm sorry to hear your bird is having a troubled time. I would be inclined to think if you're struggling to give one bird the attention he/she needs (according to the bird), then maybe two will be worse. Even if he doesn't like toys I would make sure they are always in with him (in rotation to keep his interest up) and maybe you could try putting a branch off a safe tree, like a bottle brush, in for him to shred. (I haven't seen a bird yet who doesn't like to climb all over a branch and chew it to bits). It will keep him amused for yonks! I'm interested to know what type of interaction he has with you outside of his cage? I wish you the best of luck, Rachel

I too agree what the breeder suggests sounds odd. If the bird is only sitting quietly because he can't see you in the dark, what happens when you try this elsewhere. I seriously suggest you get hold of a parrot training book - there is a fantastic one called The New Parrot Training Handbook by Jennifer Hubbard. The beginning of the book gives specific directions on taming a 'severely phobic bird' and by the end of the book there are simple tricks you can teach him. The biggest thing is building trust with your bird - you have to go at your birds pace even if you want to go faster. Master one step before moving to the next. I wish you heaps of luck, Rachel

Hi Mattsemoto, I've been to so many websites now, I don't know which one was I was reading, but there is one out there which goes into indepth information about the mutations of CAGs over time. It also has a picture of a CAG with a white tail. There's also pictures of CAGS with red shot through their feathers! Doesn't mean there's anything wrong with him...he's just unique! Rachel

Hi, I'm so jealous! Congratulations! I don't have hands on experience but I've pulled out my books and this is what they say about building trust: 1. When you reach toward your bird, speak softly and move slowly, turning your hand over in a non threatening manner. 2. Don't force physical contact. 3. You can use 'time forced' feeding, where you feed your bird three to six times a day and stay quietly with your bird while he eats. This does two things - it allows you to determine which seeds are the 'favorite' and allows a postive association of you being nearby while he consumes the seed. (Please don't confuse this with withholding food). Your birds favorite seed can later be used to 'lure' your bird to you by placing these foods on your hands before the food bowls are placed in the cage.) You can always keep pellets in the cage during the day, if you're not there during the day, knowing these won't be as welcome as the seed. 3. Spend time talking to your bird 4. Be patient 5. When the bird accepts your presence, move the cage to a place you spend quiet time, ie TV, Computer etc. This will allow him social interaction without pressure. 6. Imitate the noises your bird makes - this builds a relationship - it makes him realise you are part of his flock. It is communication. I could keep going forever, if you're interested to hear more, please let me know. I don't want to bore you! Good luck, Rachel

I've been reading some pretty funny posts today about cute (or annoying!) things some grey's come out with (sometimes when least expected). I'd love to hear what your birds like to say and how they've made you laugh! :laugh: Rachel

Thanks so much for your reply. What you've said makes sense to me, a healthy combination of all! thanks again, Rachel

Hi shvlaguy, From old experience (and in my opinion), it is best to let your bird run its natural course of laying the number of eggs building inside her and let her sit on them until she loses interest. It is hard to know how many eggs she may need to lay, maybe someone on the forum knows an average number of eggs greys can lay. Sometimes if you remove eggs they will continue to try to lay and you can have trouble with egg binding or calcium deficiency. For this reason make sure you are offering her extra calcium in her diet. If her hormones have kicked in she will feel the need to lay and sit on eggs (as she is doing), so its best to let nature take its course. I hope this was of some help, Rachel

Hi, I realise I may be broaching a touchy subject here, but as a potential grey owner I think its important I know the facts! I've read on many different websites, about many different birds, the great debate on pellets vs. seeds. I wonder - are pellets are only recommended due to their nutritional value? And, most importantly, if so, does this make a diet based on seed, fruit and vegies insufficient? I understand seed it high in fat and a bird with clipped wings is not going to be able to burn fat as well as a flighted bird, but isn't sufficient exercise something an owner needs to be responsible for? I'd love to hear different owners thoughts, especially those who have tried seed and pellets separately and have a comparison. thanks very much, Rachel

Thanks very much for your replies. I'll expand my search on the internet to discover more. Thanks for the welcome to the forum, I don't think I'll be able to contribute much but I'm sure going to enjoy reading and learning. I'm very much looking forward to a grey feathered friend for life!

Hello everyone, I'm another new person here... I don't own a Grey yet, but I LOVE birds (and all animals!). I bred and showed budgerigars when I was younger, and although they hold a special place in my heart I have been birdless for some time. I am finding myself leaning toward a Timneh Grey through some pretty amazing stories I've read on different sites (good and bad). I'm looking forward to learning lots about greys before making a final decision. One thing I'm not sure about is the cost of a Grey in Australia, but I'm sure its going to be an unpleasant surprise! Does anyone have any information on prices in Australia...or if there are any breeders in QLD. To tell you the truth I'm not even sure if Greys are only imported here, or whether we are allowed to breed them. Any information would be so welcome. thanks for your time, Rachel