Caspersmum

Hey md2020 - just pm'd you, but will reply here anyway. The problem as I see it is the 'hopefully' bit. If your girlfriend lives with you its not so difficult, but I think that given the hours you seem to work, it'd be really difficult to get 2 birds and still be able to pay them both enough individual attention - especially since it's your first 'big' bird. Although it COULD work out, its a big chance to take and you'd need to think what you'd do if it didn't. I hope this doesn't confuse you further, but I thought I should maybe play devils advocate! Julia

CD and Judy are absolutely right. I have heard of people using upside-down washing baskets to 'contain' their parrots, and as yours had been abused previously, this would be a possible expalination. Whatever the reason, it sounds like you're just going to have to carry the washing by hand for a while! But as the others have already siad, you really need the patience of a saint. Stick with it. YOu've already seen what you can do - and 2 steps forward, 1 step back still gets you there in the end - it just takes a bit longer;) Julia

HI, I know a lot of people have lots of birds, but from personal experience I'd say don't do it! Before I came to medical school I had 2 birds. I bought the second bird to keep the first company. They hated each other because they saw each other as competition for my attention. This meant that I couldn't give either of them as much time as they wanted, because I could only have one out of their cage at a time. I think it's fine if there's more than one person in the house, so each bird can have their pet human, but if it's just you I'd go for just one bird. It sounds like you're making great progress though - are you really set on the grey now? Julia

That's seriously cute! He doesn't look too impressed about being on the scales. And he deffinitely looks more like a parrot than a vulture:) Julia

Hey beccy, I completely agree with Monique. I'd also add that it's possible that as he gets older he's able to take more nutrients out of his food, and so there'd be less waste coming out - I know this happens with humans - it just takes a wee while for their digestive tracts to develop fully, and it's likely to be the same with birds. Julia

...Then again,they can open walnuts!

Hi, welcome to the site, and thankyou for actually thinking this thing through! I really can't comment on the family thing, as its just me and my bird. However, I used to have a ring necked parakeet (and a CAG at the same time). To be honest, my CAG wasn't the sharpest tool in the box, but the parakeet was MUCH more intelligent, and a much better talker. Added to this he was really out-going - he'd be happy to get his head scratched by anyone willing to scratch it, and never bit anyone. In short, don't rule out other birds. I think for people who live alone it's difficult to have more than one bird, but in a family, there's no reason why you can't start off with one, then get more. And if you do this, ring-necks are a great place to start. I love my CAG, but even I'll admit that there are other GREAT birds out there! Julia

Yeah Karla, are you sure he's not an African Grey Vulture?

No idea! I've just checked Casper's and they're all grey. Have you googled it? Let us know what you find out, J xxx

It can go the other way too. Casper's nearly 2 now, and I've had him since november (I know he's still a baby!). When I first got him he'd bite me even when he 'asked' for a head scratch. Now he's beginning to snuggle in close for cuddles. As the others have said, I think it just depends on how they're feeling. And I love CDs hair analogy! J xxx {Characters-0002005D}

Thanks both of you! I'm planning on spending about £150 (I guess that's about $300 - though I bet you get alot more for your money in the states). And it has to have a pretty decent zoom, so I can take lots of pictures of far-off animals! I also need it to be simple (kind of like me!) J xxx

Hey Rae, I think the lab people would have to be really dumb to get it wrong. The DNA testing looks at the whole chromosomes - Sex is determined by a pair of chromosomes. In birds, male birds have two Z chromosomes, and the females have a Z and a W. They're very different in size - so if there are two sex chromosomes the same size, it's a boy, and if they're different sizes its a girl - this is the opposite way round to humans - I tried to understand why, but my brain hurts! Julia

Hey Beccy, I wouldn't worry too much about calcium. I read an article saying that initially, it was thought that African Greys need extra calcium, which is why a lot of their food has extra calcium added. However, this article said that they don't need as much as was first thought, and that it's unusual for them to have dangerously low calcium. You've also got to be careful not to give them too much calcium, as it can be bad for their kidneys, and cause as many problems as a low calcium level. Hope this isn't too confusing - I've had a long day, and my head's a bit mashed! Julia

Hey greylover, I've had problems with casper biting, and I've tackled it in the way that Beccy says - I just ignore him - even though it can be really painful - he's taken a fair few chinks out of my hands. Part of the solution is to learn chico's body language - with Casper, he'd seem to be wanting a head scratch, then he'd bite. When you're being bitten regularly, you need to observe his body language REALLY closely, so that you learn when he's being affectionate, and when he's being sly! Alot of people on the site have said the beak book gives really good advice on biting. I've used a book called a guide to taming and gentling your parrot. I'd strongly recommend getting one of these books - they go into parrot psychology, which may sound a bit batty, but is very useful to know, Hope this helps, and let us know how you get on, Julia

Hey guys, I'm wondering if anyone's bought an ultra-compact digital camera recently. I've been looking at a couple - a casio and a cannon ixus 70. Just wondered if anyone had any experience, and if so what. I'm wanting it to take to South Africa with me - so lots of wildlife stuff - but also for pics of Casper (and the odd other thing when I get back). I'm really after something VERY compact that'll take good snaps - I'm no photographer and I'm not going to have much space in my luggage. Thanks! Julia

Hey estresm - I think you win on the fab cage front - where did you get it? And don't the birds eat the lovely wood? I'm not going to let Casper see the pictures, because he'll be FAR too jealous! Julia

Hi Kat, Not sure about all your questions, but the ring should have the year your grey hatched on it. I've not heard of the sex being put on rings, but it's possible, Julia

Hi Karla - I know what you mean! I've heard that the minimum size should allow them to fully stretch their wings in all directions, but it should be as big as you can afford/have space for (it's another of those 'how long is a piece of string' things). As someone (I think it was Fairy) said - the important thing is how happyyour bird is. If you can keep him well entertained, and he's happy, then that's ok. Julia

Thanks both of you. I'm coming out to do my elective - as part of my medical degree. I'm going to be spending 6 weeks at Manguzi Hospital - I think it's a bit remote - when I tried to sort out public transport to get there, the closest I could get was 50km away! Julia

Hey Splint n Karla. Didn't realise you're both in South Africa. I'm coming out your way in 7 weeks, and i can't wait. I'm going to be in Cape Town for 5 nights, Durban for a night, and rural KZN for 6 weeks - any suggestions for what i shouldn't miss while I'm in your neck of the woods? Julia

Hey Splint n Karla. Didn't realise you're both in South Africa. I'm coming out your way in 7 weeks, and i can't wait. I'm going to be in Cape Town for 5 nights, Durban for a night, and rural KZN for 6 weeks - any suggestions for what i shouldn't miss while I'm in your neck of the woods? Julia

I just found this on the BBC website, and thought I'd share it with you all. It certainly cheered me up on a wet Tuesday afternoon! Suspicious sex toy panics posties Bomb squad officers called in to blow up a suspicious package found it contained a packet of chocolate buttons and a vibrator. Post Office staff in Harland, Chesterfield called in police when they heard the package making a noise. Mansfield Road was closed off for an hour and a half while the bomb squad carried out a controlled explosion. A police spokesman said: "Officers had no way of knowing what was inside the package. But it gave us a giggle." He added: "They had to act on the information available and had to do what they thought was right. Thankfully it was nothing more serious." {Emotions-00020070} Julia

Hi ambrosialyn, My mum used to sprout Mung beans (it was the 1970s!). It was a horribly long drawn-out process - if you want to get decent numbers, you really need a big plastic sweety jar. Clean it out, punch holes in half of the lid. Rinse your beans in lots of clean water. Put some water in the jar , and turn it onto its side. Put the washed beans in the jar, spreading them out well, and screw the lid on, so the holes are towards the top. Put the jar, still on its side into an airing cupboard. Then every day you have to rinse the beans, throw away the water. After afew days the beans will sprout. Feel free to give it a go, but frankly I think life's too short! And I've tried Casper on bean sprouts from the shop - he was totally unimpressed! Beccy - as for the palm oil, I'm sure I've seen it in my local Tesco - but if you don't mind me getting on my high horse for a minute, palm oil plantations are ruining borneo at the moment, and may wel be responsible for the extinction of orangutans if they carry on expanding at their current rates. Sorry, just had to get that out! Julia

CD - I love the idea of rainbow poo! Julia

Hey beccy, I use Hagen Tropican, which I get 24Parrot online. They also sell Harrisons, and ususally have a 2 for 1 offer on it. I used to use Harrisons when I had birds before, but I'm broke at the moment, which is why I went for Hagen. Casper likes it, and it seems to have everything he needs in it. However, I'd go for Harrisons if I could afford it, and will probably try to switch Casper to it once I'm earning decent money again. If you go for Harrisons I'd advise you to use the fine grind, as it's a lot less wasteful than the Coarse grind. I seem to remember you live in the north west - and there are quite a few avian vets (one near Chester and one in south manchester that I used to use) that stock Harrisons if you don't want to get it on line. Julia