loviechick

I still have a little dent on my index finger where a couple months ago Red bit a huge chunk out of my finger! Basically in the same fashion that Mr.Spock gave LOL

I will copy everyone else and say research is best....what is better for your lifestyle? Zons tend to be much louder and IMO screamers, I love them, but I could never own one! I think they can be very agressive. However both CAGs and Zons have to have very assertive owners. I wouldn't recommend either bird for someone that hasn't had any birds before, not sure if you have or not. I'm saying this because most any bird you get as a baby will be very sweet and docile, which once they grow out of it, owners get walked on if they aren't agressive. Especially if you've never owned birds and aren't expecting it....once again just my opinion though. Just research the personalities, and see which one would be best suited for your household. Zons from what I understand do better with people around than a Grey. Both my CAGs don't do well with big groups they clam up and get shaky. CAGs are a bit quieter as far as screaming goes. As far as intelligence, I think they're both incredibly smart birds. The best way for you to get to know a bird's personality is to go and play with them. I don't mean go to a breeder or a pet store and play with them. I'm yet to meet a baby bird of any species from Hyacinth Macaws to baby Lovebirds that weren't sweet, docile, and cuddly. It will always change and I'm the type of person that would rather be prepared. If you can, go to a shelter, or find a rescue and go meet and adult bird. Get to know what these birds will be like the rest of your life, not just what they will be like the first couple of years you have them. I think a lot of people get CAGs and come about 3 years of age when they start to get bratty rehome them. I see more Greys being rehomed its just sad, mainly becasue I don't think people know how to handle them, or didn't expect their "baby" to go through such a 180 in personality. The best way for you to be prepared with this is to meet an adult if you haven't already. Obviously if you go to a rescue they won't hand you an untamed bird if you couldn't handle it, but I think it would be very beneficial for you! I haven't heard anything about odors. What I do know is my Greys, heck all my birds have a smell, not a bad one. The Greys just have a dusty smell to them, doesn't matter how often or how little I bathe them. Kinda like how dogs and cats just have a certain smell to them.

Both of mine have a certain noises they make that don't sound like anything they are mimicking...I would label them chirps personally...but for the most part mine just talk and are bratty!

It's ok MrSpock...I know whatcha mean! No I wouldn't have my birds anywhere near drywall or paints fumes, but I think I would have used a bit more precaution, and common sense, to prevent them from being eaten by coons. I would have had a friend watch them, or I would have sold them, being that they seem to be a "hobby" like basketball or something, it shouldn't have been a problem to just "dispose" of them. I wasn't attacking you, I just look at AG's as a companion, a life long friend not a disposable hobby, or something for me to admire from afar. Like I said if I wanted to admire a living creature for all its splendor I would take a picture.

judygram wrote: Ya know I hear about this fairly often, birds being afraida of vacuums...I must have the oddball birs as I can vacuum with all my birds out of the cages, and it doesn't phase any of them LOL

Hmmm I just don't see why someone who didn't have time for a pet would take on a pet just to breed it? Then to leave them outside to become raccoon food.....Wow I guess pets really can be disposable, I think I'll leave this thread alone.<br><br>Post edited by: loviechick, at: 2007/11/11 09:51

I will definitely keep everyone posted!!!! I know babies are so ugly but so dang cute!!

Sorry had to delete this post, I'm keeping it a secret from someone else on the forum...so all that saw this shhhhhhhhhhhhhh LOL<br><br>Post edited by: loviechick, at: 2007/11/09 07:58

I agree with Spookyhurst and going to meet the female, however I will ALWAYS promote going to get a rehomed bird rather than buying a baby, the more rehomes that are bought, the less that sit in homes being ignored by their owners desperate to get rid of them, and it also cuts back on the excess breeding of these birds. The nice thing about getting a rehome, and especially such a young one, is they are past some of the awkward stages of being a baby, although in about a year from now you will have to deal with the bird becoming hormonal. If you want my advice, go meet the female, but I would definitely be more apt to get the rehome, as someone has already laid down a foundation for you. Granted it may have "some" bad habits like maybe a bad diet, or something like that, but with her only being a year old it will be much easier than getting a 13 year old Grey to change their ways LOL Either way good luck, how exciting!

You just did, so apparently you can LOL that is too funny!

yeah, mine will yawn and actually make the noise with it, its so damn cute LOL

Checking the pelvic bone is not a reliable way of sexing, ESPECIALLY with Greys because of the fact that they can come in such varying sizes. This is usually more accurate in smaller birds such as lovebirds as they don't vary in size nearly as much as Greys do. I haven't check the pelvic spacing on either of my girls, as I like my fingers attached to my hands, BUT I can tell you that my 3 year old has a good 75 grams on my 13 year old CAG, and they have very different shaped bodies, so I definitely wouldn't take this with more than a grain of salt!

I will have to go with Mr. Spock on this one as I agree with what he's said. These animals avoid such things in the wild they don't build up tolerances like humans can. Then again we are also injected with such viruses as MMR and dPT so that we have the resistance, as we are not born with the immunities to Measles, mumps, rubella or dyptheria. Same with these birds, this bacteria is deadly to them, since it simply isn't a bacteria or virus they can be exposed to in a small amount and become immune. And also regarding your comment about the LSD in iceberg lettuce. There isn't actually "LSD" in lettuce, its a chemical compound that has a similar molecular structure to that of the hallucinogen, but does n't have the same shape, therefore changing how the body breaks it down and how it will then effect the body chemically, which is why you don't get high.

I haven't heard of vinegar helping to boost them and help build up their bodies if that is what you're asking. However, if your Grey has a yeast infection(one of mine did when I got her) you can give them about a half teaspoon of it in with one cup of water to help clear up the yeast infection. Aside from that I've never heard of any other uses for it other than cleaning cages!

Firstly, DO NOT tap the beak, period, at all. This bird has to trust you in order to not bite, and emotionally Greys are fairly fragile, and beak tapping purposefully is very bad for them and they will learn to NOT trust you, and hense bite you more often. Now granted both my birds are older, one in her teens, and she came as an untrusting biter, and a 13 year old, terrified, abused bird will bite harder than any baby will IMO. What I would do is let them explore your fingers, this is basically a teething stage for them. The second they put pressure, slowly pull your finger away and say no bite, DO NOT tap the beak! Then put your finger back for them to feel out again, and keep repeating this process. I would keep a treat nearby and so when they explore your finger and it doesn't bite you, reward it. My 3 year old Grey is still "teething" but I have done this approach with her, and I would say she puts pressure on my finger enough to hurt, at most once a week. She was doing this everytime I tried to touch her when I first brought her home in June. I use the time out method with my Sun Conure, as it works for her, I do not do this with my Greys as they have very differnet personalities, and they usually catch on the first time I say it, unlike my Sun LOL You could try this, although I think it wouldn't be very helpful, as I don't see many Greys do well with time outs. Just let your baby "teeth", and don't forget reinforce and reward all POSITIVE behaviors. Don't punish Greys as emotionally it can be devastating to them depending on how you do it. If I can turn a mean, biting, scared, insecure CAG into one that will now give me smooches on command without prior Grey experience, anyone can tame a baby one! Also about the second question, I highly recommend a wing clip. I think it's beneficial for babies as you can learn their personality a bit better and see if you can have them fully flighted as I think that some birds make better "candidates" for being fully flighted. It's also helpful due to your bird being jumpier as a baby getting to know its new environment, this will help him from seriously hurting himself!<br><br>Post edited by: loviechick, at: 2007/11/05 19:51

I've got a 3 year old CAG and she can only say about 10 words clearly. Don't get your heart on this bird having a phenomenal vocab I think this is why some parrots become throw away birds because they were bought in the first place so that they could speak, it may NEVER speak. Just love your bird as a companion, and if it talks, consider it an added bonus!

I've got a 3 year old CAG and she can only say about 10 words clearly, everything else is just mixed up jargon. So don't get your heart on this bird having a phenomenal vocab just because you sit and repeat phrases to her all the time. Just love your bird as a companion, and if it talks, consider it an added bonus!

I sure hope you got the money back, oh man that poor thing..... One things for sure I'd be VERY hesitant of going back to that breeder!

I agree with what Love and Dan said, but also wanted to add that your bird may never say anything more than a couple words. I've got a 3 year old CAG and she can only say about 3 words. So don't get your heart on this bird having a phenomenal vocab just because you sit and repeat phrases to her all the time. I would just love your bird as a companion, and if it talks, consider it an added bonus!

Well research or not, if you were looking at GOOD sources, you would have seen that birds in general aren't very cuddly, especially Greys. Your research has doubted credibility that's for sure. And in my opinion, our words weren't short of violent, there were no threats made, so I think you're being a tad too dramatic. It's hard for some people to not get upset at someone being selfish and short sided, despite it being a lapse of judgement!

Love my Greys I'll lower myself LOL Regardless if he did his research or not, I don't think anyone should put ANY expectations on ANY animal. Just because Black labs are supposed to be great hunting dogs doesn't mean that they all are! I think it's extremely selfish that you would do something like that...and what exactly were you wanting to accomplish coming onto a forum and telling a bunch of people who are commited to their animals 100% that you want to throw away your bird because it wasn't what you expected?! Wow is all I can say. I'm especially shocked that you actually came on here and asked people WHO OWN Greys if they're touchy feely birds, everyone told you no, and somehow you decided to say screw it I'm going to do it anyway because I have the power to change a birds deep rooted personality. :angry: How completely arrogant. The birds I have ARE throw away birds that people like you didn't want, instead of getting a bird cause it talked or it looked cool, you should have done your research, as now this bird by no choice of its own will lose its so called friend because you're a self centered individual?! Oh and for the record Caiques aren't cuddly birds either. It's now VERY obvious that you haven't done your research. If you want something to cuddle GET A DOG, then again I agree with BMustee, you should have "disgraceful pet owner" tattooed on your damned forehead, and never be allowed an animal again. Somehow I'm not surprised that you haven't responded to this....turning around and cowardly running away from an issue of responsibility seems to be your forte!<br><br>Post edited by: loviechick, at: 2007/11/03 23:41

My CAGs and my Senegal are all freaked out by white or light beige things, as in they start squawking and trying to fly, I've neevr figured that out. All of mine eat the red colored pellets, then orange, then green, basically in rainbow sequence LOL

I've got 2 CAG's and hopefully one day a TAG

Maybe try mixing her seeds into a mush mix of oatmeal and see if she picks through it to eat the seeds!

I take mine outside, they're both clipped, we pretty much just hang out and play in the grass for short periods of time, I don't usually take them out when it's breezy, I've thought about a harness but to be honest I think they would rip my hands off if I tried LOL