Dave007

Did you investigate all of the laws concerning transportation of animals from one country to another? It's important that you do this before making up your mind as to what you're gonna do. All parrots are wild animals and there's very strict laws concerning moving them. Even in the US, there's many laws concerning long term quarantine when moving from state to state. Then, you'll have to find special airlines that transport animals. Many airlines don't do that. It's very important that you seriously check out all of these things.

There's a magazine called BIRD TIMES. It's much better than BIRDTALK. Birdtalk is 75% ads. They put in the ads whether they're good or not. They don't deal with larger birds very much. BIRD TIMES is more expensive but their material is much more realistic and helps people with specific situations and teaches basic understanding. Unfortunately, 1 yearly subscription has 8 magazines per year but 1 of their magazines is worth 4 BirdTalk magazines.

First off, I'm not trying to give you a hard time. I simply asked a question and tried to explain the different sized cages and who they applied to, so instead of just leaving it like that I'll get into more detail------- In the US, leg chains are still used but the only ones using them are professional bird handlers. All of these birds are predators---eagles, falcons, hawks, peregrines, owls, kingfishers etc etc. These people travel around the country to show what predatory birds are like and how they live. These shows usually take place in areas that are as big as the inside of a airplane hanger. These places can usually accomodate about 2 to 3 hundred people. There's usually about 3 handlers with the birds at these shows. So, these birds are specially trained so that when they're on stage having a leg chain on them tells the bird that they can't fly away whether it's a short or long distance. They remain stationary. When the chain comes off, the handlers begin the seminar and show. At these shows, there's a lot of flying going on. So, these people use leg chains to train the birds--other people used leg chains on their birds to restrain their birds---basically parrots. That's where the problem arises. Parrots are birds of prey. Their first line of defence is to instantly fly away from any major or minor situation that may be going on. All parrots have delicate legs and they can snap like toothpicks. A parrot with a chain on it can very easily and seriously hurt itself. That's why I asked you about leg chains. Leg chains can still be purchased but few people use them anymore. There are other items that can help your situation but it may involved shipping from one place to another ( from 1 country to another) I say that because I have no idea what products are sold in your country. The cage--there's different types of cages for different species. A tall narrow cage that has a few toys in it can actually decrease the amount of free space in the cage. So, I'm not trying to make life difficult--just some facts. PS----*******There are other items that can help your situation but it may involved shipping from one place to another ( from 1 country to another**** Forget that sentence since you already did it

Are leg chains for birds used in your country? That style cage is the wrong type for a CAG. CAGs don't go up and down on a regular basis. 90% of the time, they move left to right or right to left. 10% is up and down.

Simple--- lightly tap him on his upper beak with your finger nail. That will distract him. If he starts again, tap him again. Eventually, he'll temporarily stop until you put him in an area where it's easy for him to bite/investigate all the appealing things, you and what you're wearing. When he continues, then do it again and again. It's not the same as hurting or being aggressive with him. After all, he's not being aggressive with you. He likes to bite things including your clothes, bare skin. Very natural. As far as bathing, both posts cover just about every scenario that could exist including growling, squawking, lunging, stubborness. You control everything. I also spoke about how a bird feels after bathing. At one time or another, you gotta believe in some of these methods and put up with things that he's doing even though he's making you think that it's a horrible, terrible experience. You're the one feeling that, not your bird. Gotta be brave. Gotta show who's the boss or his attitude will remain the same cause he'll know exactly what to do the next time. It's a matter of learning how to cope with a particular personality of a particular species of parrot and the biting and the bathing has nothing to do with the * terrible twos*. That term is used too loosely and shouldn't apply to so many things. Don't let your bird take over.

*****her cage with one or two toys,******* Yes --------- *****or her cage all tricked out with various amusements already in place.**** No, bad idea ----------------

Cage size---there's 2 sized cages. Both are close in price. My opinion is to get the larger one because it's also ideal for a TAG. The more room the better. This is an old pic of one of my greys in his cage. I have 3 of these same sized cages for 2 CAGs and 1 TAG all in one room. PS--the TAG and one of the CAGs were given to me because of serious problems. All 3 are adults. The cage is approx 35 inches wide x 28 inches deep x 55 inches high including the portable bottom. Sizes can vary a bit but this is a standard size. A TAG cage looks the same but it's smaller but the larger is the best.There's loads of brand new cages sold on EBAY--all sizes, all different designs, many colors. The most importantant thing is that whatever cage you pick should be powder coated because greys like to chew and pick at things. Powder coated cages won't break down. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v50/DaveVP/c.jpg

Hi, you're a good person concerning your feelings towards older pre owned birds. Normally, lots of replies would concern safety, housing, proper food, exercise etc but in your case, you've gone through the whole process by owning other parrots including the amazon which would give you a head start when getting a TAG. Parrots adjust to human lifestyles. All your other birds did and they're also with you at work so I'm sure you know about escape. When you're not around all of them have each other for company. So far, you're batting a thousand.There's lessons about bird clicker training but since you have experience with a clicker, that too won't be a problem. Can you meet the needs of a grey?---absolutely. A TAG may be a little larger than your deceased ZON but actually, they're in the same size catagory. Many people have plenty of birds that live together and they're all different sizes. All you would need is some very basic knowledge of a TAG's general personality. That can also be gotten here. ****This would be the largest parrot I have had and I think the most demanding, ***** I gotta disagree there. If you've had other birds and consider yourself a bird person, you should habve no problems. TAGS aren't hard to take care of as long as you're main concern is or isn't talking. People get greys for talking abilities and many rimes, they walk away very disappointed. So, my opinion is that you really don't have to do hard thinking. It should be easy for you and many people here will heelp out whenever you want be it asking questions or just chatting. The TAG is the one who's gonna be getting the better deal. Being experienced I'm sure you understand about accepting a pre owned bird's set personality from past experience. PS--I didn't say anything about the dogs cause you already know about watching that everything is safe. I have a Britteny spaniel and he gets along with my greys and he a bird dog who's used in hunting.

A reply is in the GREY LOUNGE section

You're lucky that your bird is even letting you do that much after only 5 days. You're gonna need much more time for your bird to settle in. 5 days is nothing and what you're doing with him doesn't mean that he's ready for all sorts of commands or training. ****but every time i touch his feet to say step up, or actually go to pick him up he skwarks & lunges to bite me hard **** He doesn't want his feet to be touched. he's making that very obvious and you can't push him into changing his mind. If you keep scaring him into flying away and constantly have to pick him up, eventually he's not gonna like that either. ****Im aware i need to just pick him up or he will never get used to actually being handled... but how do i go about picking my coco up without gettin biten???***** Well, you're wrong about that and what I said above applies to this too. ****Also he is very quiet, he doesnt make much noise at all... i dont mean talking as i know he is too young for that yet... i mean as in any chirps & squawks and stuff... he does sometimes if i walk out the room, or if im talking to him from my sofa he will chirp back, but only once or twice..***** Greys are very quiet parrots throughout their whole lives. As they get older they make more sounds, whistles, chirps, human language etc etc. So, you should be extremely happy that your bird is very quiet. Also, after only 5 days any baby parrot will be very quiet. You're expecting too much from a creature who's only lived with you for 5 days. All parrots need much more time to get used to things and before you ask how much more time, I'll say that all birds are different so there is no set time.

It's been talked about loads of times here and other places. It's an item that's very popular and it's used by hundreds of people all over the place. It's a different type of harness. A dog harness comes with a 7 ft leash. An aviator harness doesn't. You may need to see about the Aviator actual item so check it out.

Dremels are good but you definitely need a second person who's not afraid to hold the bird when it's wrapped in a towel. Wrap the bird in the towel having feet extended. Make sure head is sticking out. The person who knows how to use the dremel should do the filing with the other person holding the bird. Normally, a bird will immediately tighten up it's claws making them hard to get to so have a thick item such a perch or pencil nearby. The item doesn't have to be any thicker than a marking pen. So, hold the item and let the bird clamp down on it. They won't let go. Doing this keeps the claws partially open allowing the person to file the nails. Just make them blunt. Just blunting them won't leave the bird with any traumatic after effects. Expect the bird to squawk alot. PS---have the bird laying on it's back when doing this. More than likely, the bird will wind up biting at the towel that's nearest to his beak. After finishing, tell the bird ''Good Boy'' and give a favorite tidbit after going to the cage. The more the whole process is done, the easier it gets for the person and also the bird. This whole process is also used when a person wants to clip the tips of the claws.

It's not right to scold the pet shop owner concerning cage size or food. You can make some suggestions and tell him how you do things with your birds. Impulse buying? Well, if the bird is a young one, he'll probably be sold by Dec. People usually shop around when buying a bird and they usually take their time doing it. That means going far away if you have to. You should check out Westchester or Long Island or Jersey. Prices are better and quantity is better. Lots more shops to pick from.

All the things you want to supply to a new bird are great. The rules you wanna adhere to are great. The only problem here is the reason for getting another bird, especially a rehome. A person can't get any parrot that guarantees friendliness certain people in a house. Basically, a family has to try to socialize a brd into a home. A bird may like certain people but not all people equally. That's common for all parrots. Conures are a generally good all around family parrot but it doesn't mean that it's guaranteed. Someone here named has a grey and conure and cockatiel. The grey and the conure don't get along but all the birds get along with her. Again, older parrots that have lived in other places have set personalities gotten from the previous home that can't be changed no matter where they live. The choice is yours depending upon what appeals to you. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v50/DaveVP/NandayConureTBCn_AcB188.jpg

******Are all non-stick pans coated with Teflon? How do I know if my pans have it? Is it the dark coating?**** Just about all non stick cooking utensils are Teflon coated or are coated with another material just like Teflon. The smell is what harms them. Most of the time, it's the dark coating which is Teflon. Under certain conditions, it can be used but the bird needs to be in a part of the house where no odors get there. Then, a person needs an high exhaust fan to pull the smell out. It's best that you replace all Teflon items with stainless steel, heavy aluminum or iron cooking utensils because unfortunayely, people can't smell the actual Teflon odor. ****She uses Pine Sol, which I read can be toxic. Does that mean if they get into it or does that mean that just breathing it can kill them?***** Both. It can be used but the bird has to be far away until the smell disappears. Vinegar and water are good for cages. No chemical products should be used in or on cages or the immediate surroundings.

Not all of thiese items are needed but seeing what's available and what might be needed is a good idea. What applies is what you need--------- THE AVIAN FIRST AID KIT One of the most important items a responsible bird owner should have is a special First Aid Kit just for your bird. Having a well stocked avian First Aid kit handy can prepare you to handle minor emergencies yourself or enable you to stabilize your bird's condition while getting your bird to your avian veterinarian. A sturdy, medium sized, plastic or metal tool or tackle box makes an ideal Avian First Aid Kit. Decide before hand where you wish to keep this kit. Any easily remembered place....kitchen, bathroom or the bird room itself are good locations. Write your regular avian veterinarian's name, address and telephone number taped in the lid of the First Aid Kit, along with at least one 24 hour emergency hospital, clinic or doctor's name and number. Also keep a copy of your bird's medical records, particularly any chronic diseases or recent injuries/illnesses the bird has been treated for in the kit. Basic First Aid Kit There are some "musts" for your kit. The following are items we suggest for inclusion in a Basic First Aid Kit, with a brief description of their uses. Towel - for wrapping and securing your bird Scissors - for cutting tape, bandages.....and strings which can wrap on birds toes Quik-stop and/or Styptic Pencil (silver nitrate stick) - to stop bleeding from broken blood feathers or cuts. Avian blood has very few clotting agents in comparison to human/ mammal blood. A bird can literally bleed to death from a broken blood feather. Hemostats and tweezers - for removing broken blood feathers, and/or splinters Plyers, needle nose - for pulling blood feathers or unbending chains and quik links which birds are known to injure themselves with. Wire cutters - once again, birds are known to wrap themselves in chain and/or wire. Gauze pads - for covering wounds, burns Cotton balls - for cleansing Q-tips - for cleaning out small wounds, getting stuff out of a bird's mouth or throat. Vet wrap (cut into strips and rolled) - for wrapping broken bones, wings, or binding gauze pads to wounds. Micropore tape (paper surgical tape) - for holding gauze in place Penlight or small flashlight (A head-mounted light is even better.) Magnifying glasses or "jewelers loop" - especially necessary for those of us at "that certain age"....but since birds are so small and delicate, a pair of magnifying glasses can come in handy for anyone trying to do detail work. Sterile water - for flushing wounds or mixing with food Pedialyte (or generic equivalent)- for rehydrating a dehydrated bird. Can be mixed with food. Pedialyte contains sugars and electrolytes which avians quickly lose when dehydrated or sick. Must be discarded within 24 hours of opening since it is a wonderful media for bacteria to grow in. An alternate to Pedialite such as Gastrolyte, Rappolyte powders can be used. These should be mixed with sterile water. Both are available through veterinarians. Pedialite, however, is readily available at any grocery store in the baby food section. Hand feeding formula, jars of human baby food such as veggies, cereals or squash. Often sick or injured birds will be too weak to eat on their own for a few days. During this period of time we may find ourselves having to spoon or syringe feed the bird to help keep their strength up. Feeding syringes, spoon with bent up sides to facilitate feeding (for above.) Pellets/seeds - If your bird needs to stay at the hospital, they may not have the type/kind of food your bird is accustomed to. It is a good idea to have several baggies of fresh seed and/or pellets available to take with you. Betadyne or hibitane (chlorhexidine) - as non-irritating disinfectant. Avoid hydrogen peroxide which is caustic to skin Aloe Vera - for very minor burns. Many creams and lotions made for humans are toxic to birds, so make sure that you get 100% pure Aloe Vera Additional Supplies: For those who are more experienced you may want to add: Popscicle sticks - for immobilizing broken legs Ophthalmic ointment - for scratched eyes, minor conjunctivitis Suturing materials (surgical needles and thread) Gelfoam - stops bleeding from flesh wounds. Available from your veterinarian. Tegaderm dressing - helps healing for burns and certain open wounds. Encourages granulation (healing/scabbing.) Lactated Ringer's solution - used for IV rehydrating of dehydrated avians and flushing wounds. Syringes - for injectable medications and irrigation of wounds. Danger Signals and Emergencies There are many problems which you should be prepared for. We do not intend to list them all. Any time a bird has any of the following symptoms: stops eating, sits fluffed on the bottom of his cage, is bleeding from mouth or vent, has uncontrollable bleeding, has runny eyes, can't breathe, sneezes with discharge, has diarrhea, has constipation (straining to defecate), has loss of balance, depression, lethargy....do not wait! Take your bird to the veterinarian! Birds do not have much clotting agent in their blood. A broken blood feather, or a minor cut can be life threatening. The blood feather must be removed, or bleeding stopped by use of Quik-stop or a styptic pencil. If bleeding does not stop, apply pressure and rush the bird to the veterinarian. Books A small Red Cross type first aid booklet may be kept in the avian First Aid Kit. An avian book with descriptions of first aid procedures may be even more handy. A good book to have around the house is THE AFRICAN GREY PARROT HANDBOOK BY MATTIE SUE ATHAN AND DIANALEE Traveling and Carrying Your Bird Even if you only are traveling an hour away, take your First Aid kit with you. Bring additional water and food. If your car breaks down, or worse, you are in an accident, the first aid kit and additional supplies may save your bird's life! A safe, traveling cage or carrier is also necessary. Covering the carrier minimizes stress on the bird as well as keeping the bird out of drafts. Antibiotics The question of antibiotics has been raised on many occasions. Should the bird owner administer antibiotics without having the bird seen by a veterinarian? The answer must be a resounding NO! The reason for this is that not every antibiotic can eliminate every bacteria. And, of course, antibiotics do not work on viruses. It is most important that the bird is seen, that blood work or cultures are done by the veterinarian before any antibiotics are given. Most antibiotics need to be taken for specific amounts of time, with varying dosages not only by weight of bird, but by species, since some birds are far more "sensitive" to drugs than others. Also, most veterinarians will wish to administer an anti-fungal medication along with the antibiotic. Avian internal systems are extraordinarily susceptible to yeast and fungal infections, which can sometimes do more harm than the original bacterial infection! There are antibiotics available over the counter at pet stores. Do not use them. The most common antibiotic available "over the counter" is tetracycline which is of value in very few, and only very specific, avian illnesses. Tetracycline can cause severe fungal infection if not used with systemic anti-fungal drugs and should be avoided unless under veterinary care! In closing..... I'm sure I havent not covered every possible emergency which will arise. The suggestions made are based on experiences as well as the experiences of other bird owners, breeders and avian professionals. I hope that in an emergency, the information we have provided you is helpful.

OK, steop by step Feeding him--all parrots need to have food in their bowls 24 hrs a day. They don't eat like people. There's no breakfast, lunch and supper for a bird. Different foods including parrot mix, veggies, bird pellets and once in a great while friuit is given. Fruit isn't important. Veggies stay in a bowl for a few hrs until they shrival or dry up. It'll be hard to find out which veggies he likes. That takes time. The other foods ( pellets--parrot mix are always there. Water must be changed once or twice a day depending on how dirty the water gets. Crop emptying---that only applies to unweaned baby birds that are being fed formula. A full crop means that the bird is full. Weaned birds have no visible crop. Seizures in birds can't be predicted. I can say that they're extremely unusual but birds can get them for specific reasons and that happens when a bird is much older. Any species of parrot can have seizures but again, it's rare. Cleaning supplies---cage bottoms need to be covered with newspaper and changed daily or every other day. You should have some cvinegar which a little is mixed into water so the cage bars can be wiped down.

Well first, you made a wise choice in insisting that the bird be fully weaned before taking him home. That aside, just what are you referring to when you say that you're nervous and scared.?What have you read that frightens you? Be more specific.

Fruit isn't very important in a grey's diet. They don't get much from fruit. Concerning veggie, there's at least 50 types of veggies for sale and yout parrot will more than likely not like 80% of them so a person needes to check out different types until the bird shows an interest. Also, there's different wayys yo handle veggies. Some birds like them cooked, some like them raw and some like them steamed. You can also pick up pellets and try those. Yes, parrot mix has essentials in it that are good for parrots. There's hundreds of parrots in the world that won't touch veggies and they,ve survived pretty well throughout the ages.

This is a yellow crowned amazon--naped amazons have the yellow on the back of the head/neck. I should have included it in the list. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v50/DaveVP/YellowCrownedAmazonWBA_AcB210.jpg

Using more PVC piping, add legs to the bottom and connect to the base. Gives more stability and less shaking especialing since the base has wheels. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v50/DaveVP/IMG_1362.jpg

Common Amazon Parrots Blue Fronted Amazon: Said to be a little more easygoing. Excellent talking and mimic ability. I read some great stories about their ability to sing songs. Cuban Amazon: One of the smallest Amazons and considered a bit rare because they are so hard to find in the U.S. Reported to be relatively a quiet bird. Double Yellow Headed Amazon: Considered one of the best talkers. They are comical, head strong and usually outgoing. Lilac Crowned Amazon: A favorite among many because of it’s sweet disposition and it’s beautiful colors. Known to have an even-tempered disposition and a little shy. Not known for their talking ability, but many become good talkers and singers. Mexican Red Headed Amazon: Owners say these parrots are gentle, cuddly, affectionate and not as moody as other Amazons. Some owners say they are not the best of talkers and they are said to not go through as long a hormonal stage as the other Amazon Parrots. Orange Winged Amazon: These parrots are often confused with the Blue Fronted. They are similar in personality and looks but there are differences. The Orange Winged is said to be a little more even tempered and an inch or two smaller. It’s upper mandible is lighter colored, often with dark streaks. It’s orange feathers are the best give-away, the Blue Front has red feathers instead. Red Lored Amazon: Owners say these parrots are gentle, cuddly, affectionate and very loyal. Some owners say they are good talkers, but there are never any guarantees. Spectacled Amazon: Also known as White-fronted Amazon. This is the smallest of the Amazon Parrots. It is said to make a good pet bird for both adults and children. Owners say it’s a fairly good talker and quieter than the larger Amazons. The female lacks the red edge on the wing. Yellow Naped Amazon: Known to be very intelligent, affectionate and gentle but still headstrong. Can be very good talkers, and will form strong bonds with their owner. Noise Level All Amazon Parrots are loud at some time. Most are loud at sunrise and sunset, and when you aren’t giving them the attention or item they want. If you provide lots of toys for them to destruct and play with, and change them out often it will help. Also, you must spend quality time with your Amazon Parrot. Proper nutrition is also essential.

Enjoy your new status. We all look forward to having you as the amazon board moderator. Good luck.

In my personal opinion based on actual facts, it's a very bad idea to set up a visiting program with a bird that's been previously owned by someone. That causes confusion and the bird's focus should be strictly aimed at the new owners. When a relartionship is severed, it should stay severed. The only time that something actually happens like that is when a bird is taken from a shelter/adoption/rescue area. The usual rules set up by the organization is that they are allowed to visit the bird once or twice in a year to make sure that the bird is being taken care of properly. One or two visits are all that's necessary. AND, the organization has no personal ties to the bird.

Well, the only thing I can say is to ignore those types of things. If you have qustions about new birds coming home or diet or cages or health or a nursery or medical info, etc I'm positive that you'll find it here. There's thousands of posts, answers, questions , help and opinions in a load of specialized rooms to post in. All grey info concerns CAGs and TAGs. Many people have both--young or rehomed. There's something for everyone here. You can always contact the admin or mods here if you're bothered by something.