danmcq

Welcome Oliver! It's good to hear that you are wanting to provide Oliver a good caring home. Yes, Greys or any other Parrot for that matter will need some time to adjust to it's new environment and owners. Once He feels comfortable and safe, you will start to see his real personality start to blossom. :-) Again, welcome to the Forum. Post some photo's of Oliver when you get a chance. We love them here. :woohoo:

Fruit ....Fruit...Fruit... yes....off topic again Judy. Cactus Fruit, has anyone ever tried it themselves or given some to their Grey?

Thats greyT news Mark, I'll bet the little Budgie is very happy and it sounds like you are too !! B) Isn't this Forum just filled with great, good hearted caring people? Mark - karma and kudos to you!! :cheer:

The Shower works for my Dayo. I bring him down off the Shower Pole and get him about my mid chest and divert some water towards him and get him drenched :-) He does not like the Sink or the Spray bottle. You will need to try different things all have suggested and see what works for your Grey....Good Luck!! :woohoo:

Granted.....Start It!! I wish Judy would start her Idea :-)

All - Please ensure you Posts all Jokes here. As you have probably noticed, I have made this a "Sticky" to ensure it is in clear view.

Good information on Calcium in the Grey. Also, for proper Calicium absorbtion, it needs Vitamin D3. Exposure to natural, unfiltered sunlight (not through glass or plastic) or exposure to a full-spectrum fluorescent light or an ultraviolet light ( particularly UVB )and placed within 18 inches of the cage will provide this. Most formulated diets should contain adequate amounts of vitamin D3 also, but I personally prefer natural Sunlight and/or indoor lighting as described above. B)<br><br>Post edited by: danmcq, at: 2007/08/28 14:48

Thanks for the information on the Preen Gland Grygoose. Here is a little more information on the Preen Gland in a snippet from an AVM: "Examination of the uropygial gland should be a routine part of every feather-picking and seizuring bird's physical examination. Test this by gently rolling the wick through your fingers, and then checking your fingers for a greasy spot). If no secretion is seen, then gently massage the gland (bilobed, heart-shaped) and then check the wick again. The normal uropygial gland produces vitamin D3 precursors that are preened onto the feathers. Upon exposure to ultraviolet light (particularly UVB), the precursors will be converted to active D3, which will then be ingested when the bird preens again. So, if an African Grey is suffering from seizures, always check the uropygial gland and make sure that it is producing a secretion. Some birds with hypovitaminosis A will have squamous metaplasia of the uropygial gland, and it will not be functioning properly. Those birds should receive a supplement of beta-carotene to correct the squamous metaplasia. Beta-carotene capsules can be purchased at any pharmacy. It is provided in a capsule containing a red liquid. A hole can be poked in the end of the capsule, and the bird may then be given a drop orally twice per week, or as indicated. Since beta-carotene is converted to active vitamin A, and the rest will be excreted unchanged, it is very safe and non-toxic. Supplementation with vitamin A can result in overdose, which can be dangerous, even life-threatening. Red palm oil is another source of beta-carotene. Other birds may have plucked out the wick feathers, making extraction of the secretion difficult or impossible. For activation of the uropygial gland secretion, a bird needs exposure to natural, unfiltered sunlight (not through glass or plastic) or exposure to a full-spectrum fluorescent light (changed regularly as recommended by the manufacturer and placed within 18 inches of the cage). While formulated diets should contain adequate amounts of vitamin D3, any birds, especially greys, with calcium problems should always have the uropygial gland evaluated, and it should be recommended that they receive some sunlight or full-spectrum artificial lighting. Some species of psittacines do not possess an uropygial gland (including Amazon parrots, hyacinth macaws) and emus, ostriches, cassowaries, bustards, frogmouths, many pigeons and woodpeckers do not possess one, either. It has been observed that African Greys living outdoors (and exposed to natural sunlight) rarely suffer from seizures, so it seems clear that the interrelation between the uropygial gland, ultraviolet light and vitamin D3 are responsible for normal calcium homeostasis in the African Grey parrots, and most likely in other African species.

Hi Joe, Sorry they would not pass on their own. Atleast the procedure is not too intrusive, since I would assume they will use Ultrasound to blast those stones to pieces. It's good to know that it's not something more serious! :-) We'll look forward to seeing you and your Daughter broadcasting live from the hospital. Smile for the camera... <br><br>Post edited by: danmcq, at: 2007/08/28 13:59

Awwww, Joe, you and your daughter are too kind :-) Thanks for posting that from you and your daughter!!! <br><br>Post edited by: danmcq, at: 2007/08/27 21:41

I am not certain lovemygreys, infact, I don't know how long a person can hang upside down before passing out?

Very interesting behaviour and photo SpookyHurst. Do your parents think that Nikko was actually passed out? Your discription of this incident seems to indicate that.

Hi Joe, Family first, as you know and are doing. Please know your Daughter is in our thoughts. :-) Thanks for even thinking about this Forum, which I know would be the last thing on my mind, if I were in your situation. Your a great Man Joe!

Thanks for clearing that up itzazu2u :-) Chinchilla Dust is different than Diatomaceous Earth used for pools. Whew, you had me scared there for a minute!!

Hi Gazza and Welcome! You will find we have an experienced user population here that can answer any of your questions related to Greys. Please post your questions on finding the right Grey for you, in the Main African Grey Room.

I tried to Judy....LOL, BUT now since you wasted the free pass I gave you, you are really in for it now!! I wish the impossible wish.....To have this turn into "The Dream come true" Game.

Granted, but the Beach is at your local Pond and is infested with Mosquetoes, Chiggers, Ticks and Leeches. I wish Judy would have a dream come true, without it being corrupted.

dblhelix, That is a great story. :-) It's great you have taken the time and shown the concern you have over this cute little Budgie. Hopefully, the owners looking for him will be in the area you scour, but if not, you may have a new member of the Family. Thanks for posting the photos. It sounds like everyone is giving good advice and options. Which I am certain, you had also been considering. I'll look forward to hearing on this little guys future.

Glad you all had a laugh from it....Thats what you call a "Hot August Night". :-)

But, the freezers compressor goes out and all contents thaw and melt. I wish I was on the Sacramento Delta fishing for Salmon.

LOL Fourtrap!! Speaking of Hot Lips.... Yes, I was not prepared for the "HOT" pepper dust that is a fine coating over all the contents of the seed/pellet blend from Browns I use for Dayo. The first day I gave it to him, he pretty much had half his body in the stainless bowl going to town on the Peppers. After sitting on my shoulder, sleeping on my chest and basically wandering all over my body and head throughout the day...He left a trail! I a woke around midnight with my scalp, cheeks and neck burning. It really freaked me out for a second until all my processors came online and analysed the possibilities..Stroke, mysterious disease, chemicals I used during the day :ohmy: ....Then the "Pepper Factor" came to mind :laugh: I got up, washed my face and hair.....scary issue resolved. :woohoo: That is some REALLY HOT stuff ;-) and Greys (Dayo) loves it!! :woohoo:

Great information itzazu2u, thanks for posting it!! :-) One question though on the Diatomaceous Earth or DE as most call it. I use this for my Pool Filter and am very cautious using gloves and breathing mask (paper, not special) due to the "Dust" cloud that comes up as you poor it for mixing with water before dumping into the skimmer. The reason I am so cautious, is due to the fact that inhaling it can cause severe breathing problems and it is also known as a Cancer causing Carcinogen. Is this DE the same as you are describing and using?<br><br>Post edited by: danmcq, at: 2007/08/26 17:46

Have a Great B-Day and Cruise Frank, You deserve it, even though you will be greatly missed here in your abscence!!!! <br><br>Post edited by: danmcq, at: 2007/08/26 15:56

Connie - Very good graphics and it made me laugh :-) I like it!! Thanks for this entry!!!

In reading this thread, I thought it odd that roasting peanuts was being promulgated as removing the aflatoxins. In doing some research on this theory, it is partly correct. Roasting does remove a percentage of the aflatoxins, but not all. Here is a snippet from a scientific study conducted on this topic: "Peanut seeds were prepared with variations in roasting conditions. Positive correlations were obtained between loss of aflatoxins in the products and the roasting conditions. Seeds dry- roasted at 140C for 40 min resulted in 58.8% and 64.5% reductions in AFB1 and AFG1, those roasted at 150C for 25 minutes resulted in 68.5% and 73.3% reductions in AFB1 and AFG1, respectively. Roasting at 150C for 30mins led to 70.0% and 79.8% reductions in AFB1 and AFG1 respectively." As you can see from the results, the best results obtained was between 70 to 79 percent removal. Personally, I buy only in the Human Grade, shell roasted and unsalted peanuts (Monkey Nuts). Then I open them and check for any suspicious presence of aflatoxin and if detected, throw it away. This is the only way to ensure your parrot is receiving 100 percent aflatoxin free Peanuts. So, be warned, simply roasting does not remove all the aflatoxin.