Percysmum

I'm with you Tari. In the upteen years that I've had 'tiels I'm yet to lose one due to injuries from night fright. I love my quakers but have just such a soft spot for the 'tiels. I mean honestly how can you resist something this cute. Yeah sorry Tari, I know I'm not helping you.

Well the little one isn't so little anymore. Not too long now before he? (still waiting for DNA) comes home. All bubby grey needs to do now is wean. I'm going to get the cage set up in the next week or so. So here's the latest photos. (if they're too big just let me know and I'll resize them)

My breeding pairs of cockatiels are in large aviaries and can still get night frights. A night light can help a bit but if it's going to happen there's not much you can do. If you're really leaning towards a quaker if you haven't already done it, check out the book "A Guide To The Quaker Parrot" by Mattie Sue Athan. It's a worthwhile read.

I love my quakers to pieces but they can get loud. Mind you I can't hear them over the suns and nandays having their morning screaming session atm. I have 3 of them, my blues are pretty laid back, Barney the green is very cage territorial. You also need to make sure quakers are legal in the state you live in. I also breed cockatiels and honestly a well handraised cockatiel is an absolute delight. There are so many mutations out there as well that are so beautiful. They don't have the volume of the quakers nor the quirks that seem to come with them. I've found the more "intelligent" (and I use that word with hesitation) the bird the more likely there are to be accompanying psychological problems too. Quakers whilst incredible with their potential speech etc. certainly come with a whole set of potential psychological issues. Cockatiels also have the potential to talk and are very smart but without quite as many neurotic issues.

Thanks for that. I'm probably one of the worse culprits for using shortcuts.:blush: We have some different names for our native 'toos in Australia so when on international forums I just translate in my mind to the shortcut international version rather then the long hand version.

Depending on weaning I've got about 4 weeks now until bubby grey gets here. Still no idea on sex but will find out soon enough. I've got the cage (will take pics once it's set up), will be ordering Harrisons fine in the next couple of weeks and have an assortment of toys etc. Couple of questions... It is a large cage (3.4ft wide and about the same internal height) and I'll be making sure all toys and perches are there already. How many toys should I put in there initially? Also number of perches. The main perch will be natural eucalypt (I live in Australia and use branches from the backyard for all my birds) but there is also the choice of a tuity fruity, cholla perch and rope as additional ones. Should I just put these in from the start? I'm fine about feeding, the rest of my birds (remembering I breed parrots too) are on a mixture of small parrot seed, pellets, fruit and veg, sprouted seed/beans, and quinoa a couple of times a week. I'm looking at the red palm oil also to put on whole grain bread a couple of times a week. is there anything I haven't thought of that's more grey specific? Also I've started training the family to call out before they come into the bird room. (Hubby is rolling his eyes at this but going along with it:laugh: ) I've got an aviator harness ready for when bubs is a bit more settled in too. (I won't be clipping espiecially at this very early age, as a breeder I have strong feelings about allowing birds to fledge fully) Now is there anything I haven't thought of?

I've had a few 'toos growing up. One of them was a bare eyed and I've got one coming within the next month from a rescue (she's a disabled bird). They are one of the quieter 'toos but to be honest that's not saying much. It's like comparing a 10 earthquake to maybe an 8. They are a little less neurotic then their larger cousins (ie greater sulphur crested) but none the less can be quite demanding. One of my concerns is how much disruption will a baby 'too cause to your grey.

OMG there are so many incredible photos. It's not just the subjects but the photography itself. Best of luck to you all. They are all fantastic shots.

Thanks for that. I'll get some ordered in the next couple of weeks. Will start with the fine and see how things go.

I've been really looking forward to this lot of photos. Bubby now has the gorgeous red tail feathers. Breeder seems to think the way things are going we mat be looking mid October for him/her to come home. He's doing DNA later this week so will hopefully know by the end of the month whether I have a little boy or girl. Starting to get excited. Umm actually I haven't stopped being excited from the time I knew I'd be getting my dream baby.

I'm glad to see this. I've been looking into Harrisons for when my little one comes home. I've only found a couple of suppliers in Australia but after seeing the recommendations I'm happy to pay the freight costs and get it. Just wondering which size of the high potency would be the better one for a just weaned young grey (CAG). I was going to go with the coarse.

Sorry, gotten used to using the short cuts. GSC2 = Greater sulpher crested cockatoo. RB2 = Rose Breasted Cockatoo (or as we refer to them in Australia a galah)

Oh yeah they nip and they hang on. It's like being pinched hard by someone with really sharp nails espiecially when they get that area between your thumb and finger. Ouch. I grew up with GSC2s and RB2s and had a really nasty bite from one of the GSC2s while transferring it from transport cage to aviary (beak wrapped around the wrist) but while it hurt and broke skin it wasn't the sharp sting that budgies manage to inflict and given a chance will continue to if they're in a mood and on a roll.

The budgies have been pretty easy to feed, it's the over the top personalities that wear a bit thin at times.:blink: I really enjoy feeding the cockatiels, they're real sweeties. They literally fall over themselves when it's feeding time wating their turn. My GCCs are on their first lot of eggs atm so hoping for bubs in a few weeks and then with any luck the Nandays will go down too. I've been breeding on and off for about 20 years but this year has been my first time handraising. I love it but it can also be absolutely heartbreaking when things go wrong. Having said all this my grey will be fully weaned by the breeder. I may know how to handraise, but would prefer my grey to be done by someone with alot more experience.<br><br>Post edited by: Percysmum, at: 2007/08/25 23:47

Pepper is gorgeous. Great markings. I'm with the others beccy. There are a number of times I've turned to my hubby fluttered the eyelashes and said "but I had to, it made me". Yes he goes off in a grump for a little while but gets over it. I figure if it's not putting your family at risk financially, socially or emotionally go for it.

I've ended up handraising some budgie babies. Short version, young first time parents who were very fertile with limited parenting skills. I have to say never again, these guys are most incredible brats. They're loud for their size, borderline hyperactive and really hurt with the nips. However they are so incredibly cute you just can't help but love them. Anyway one of the little brats gave me the cue that it was time to move onto the weaning cage when I cam in to see this happening.. and next door is a couple of baby 'tiels that I'm h/r atm too. These guys are absolute sweeties. <br><br>Post edited by: Percysmum, at: 2007/08/25 00:28

Just wondering if there's any other Australians on the forum who are regulars. I know greys aren't very common here (in Australia) partly due to the price tag and availability but would be great to find some other Aussies who know where you can source supplies (ie Harrisons)etc. from. Could really do with some local experience.

This is Olly my sons rainbow lorikeet upside down as usual.:silly:

Thanks for the replies and I did have a look at those other 2 threads. When bub gets here I'll probably be finishing off GCC babies and may have Nanday babies too so he/she will be getting used to things from the start. I will cover as I think it works best for this situation.

This may be a dumb question but I'll ask anyway. I'm getting slowly prepared for when my grey gets here and was thinking. The room that my grey bub's cage will be in is also my handraising room. Given that I'm often feeding babies at 10 at night I need some light. Grey bub also probably needs a good 10+ hours sleep a night so this is not the best. I was thinking of just covering the greys cage up at say 8pm and leaving the light dimmed enough for me to see what I'm doing before turning it off after the final feed. Do others cover their greys at night and do they seem ok with it of it's a regular routine?

Been awhile since I posted but just to let you know I now have a 5 week old baby CAG. Of course bubby is still with the breeder and will be until weaning. He's sending me regular photos though (lives about a 3hour drive away) so I'm getting to watch my little darling grow up. I'm just a little excited having wanted a grey for something like 20 years. Can I put photos of bub here or do I need to use the gallery?

I waited with my blue quaker breeding pair and my girl sun too. The boy sun was more a case of taking the girl to see her breeder him raving about how yellow she was (she has some "pied" in her) and talking me into getting a boy with the same colouring to go with her to breed. Needless to say my little princess is totally in love with her boyfriend now and only gives me lip service when it suits her.Brat. MY point is (raving again) once I decide where I'm getting a bird from having chcked out the breeder I'm happy to wait for however long in order to get a really nice bird that has been raised well. It's also pretty normal to go on a waiting list for macaws, greys, caiques and quite a few others in Australia.

Monique wrote: It's all up to the parent birds. At this stage they're showing all indications of going down at any time. Could be 6 months or so. That's fine, I've waited 20years for the opportunity, another 6 months or so isn't going tomake too much difference. I'm getting a CAG. CAGs are most readily available here in Australia. I suspect I'd have to look over in another state for a TAG and this breeder has been recommended to me by another top breeder. I like the idea of being able to go and see my bub every few weeks while it's growing up.Even if it is a 4 hour round trip. Thank you for the welcome everyone too.

Hi guys. I'm an Aussie getting my first grey (all going well with the parents) late this year. My name is down at one of the few breeders here so now it's just a case of waiting. Thank goodness I'm reasonably patient. I've been a fan of these guys for about 20years and only just now have the opportunity to buy one. They're not terribly common here, I've seen only one other pet grey since I met my first ones and that was at my avian vet this year. I'm owned by an assortment of other parrots too that I breed and handraise. I'm sure I'll be asking lotsa questions as the time gets closer and promise to play the doting mum and put up lots of cute pics as my bubby grows. look forward to getting to know you guys.