kiwibarb12

I am actually scab-free at the moment. I think for the first year and a bit that I had Beckett I always had a healing bit on at least one hand. I think as time has gone by we have shaken down with each other and can read each other, so we know what each other wants. Beckett has gotten to the point where if she pushes my hand away with her beak, I accept that and leave her alone. If I need to pick her up, then at that point I use my other hand behind her to distract her so she will step up without biting. Pretty much , the only time she gets stroppy now is if I am putting her away and she doesn't want to go. Go figure!! Of course, she will nip if I am not paying attention - just as a reminder that she is the most important thing in my pervey :laugh: but she doesn't break skin with that .

I have a couple of the sharper image purifiers - one next to Becketts cage and one in our bedroom. I have noticed Joes allergies are a lot better now, so am sold on them. I haven't noticed any dust reduction so still have to dust :angry: , but must be doing something positive!!! (allergies- sinus)

I had 4 dogs, 4 cats and a CAG - the dogs were afraid of Pepper, and the cats could have cared less!!! I had Pepper fly to the floor onto one of my dogs - you should have seen the pitious look the dog gave me - like get it off me please . She didn't try to move, just lay there. My four legged animals knew they would get the evil eagle eye if they even drooled a little while looking at Pepper. Even though I semi-trusted my 4legged friends I never left Pepper out unless I was around. I did have an instance where one of my cats grabbed Peppers leg, but that was an accident on the cats part. He saw something flash by and just grabbed. I paniced and called my vet and whipped him in to see him. Didn't want him to die from a neglected cat scratch. Anyway - congratulations on your self control. Its very hard to put off getting something that you want desperately! I just know when you get to a point where you can get your grey that you will appreciate it more for having to wait!

I'm not positive - but I think your bird needs a few more toys!

Thanks Guys - and that photo was very very cute I can see where it might inspire feelings of Budgie longings. I think he is doing well. Today I put my hand in the cage and offered him a nutriberry. He looked at it, made no motion towards it, so I backed off. I thought the fact that he didn't freak out at my hand was very positive! The millet idea as treats is great. I just put another sprig in his cage - chocolate makes everyone comfortable, so I hope he associates me with giving it to him. And I know he is eating it. Note to self - small steps, small steps!!!!!

Now am the proud slave of a blue budgie, about 9 months old, that is an adoption. A lady contacted me to see if I would take her budgie, that was bought for her granddaughter - who lost interest in it quickly. So I took possesion of him Friday. So far this "free" bird has cost me about $100 in new toys, perches, food, book about budgies, and a table to rest the cage on. I think I have a bigger cage under the house from many years ago that I kept two budgies in , so I shall have to root around and find it. As every one knows with parrots , more room is better!!! So far he is doing well- skittish as all get out, but adapting to having new perches and toys - and chowing down of a spray of millet. Apparently millet is the budgie equivalent of chocolate :laugh: Now, I need advice on how to tame him. Do I just grab him and let him calm down, or be more subtle, and let him get used to me? Advice please from people who have accomplished this feat. thanks, Barbara

My TAG , Beckett, I don't think was ever washed or showered with, and when I tried to take her into the shower , she freaked! I didn't want to upset her too much, but thought she needed to get wet. After reading about misting I bought a spray bottle, and tried it out on Beckett. She didn't object horribly, and , I think, may have even enjoyed it a little. I waited for a couple of days and tried it again, with the same result. She preens and seems quite happy with the result. Thanks to all the people who post with good advice!!!!

I agree with the no spray idea. that is why i use the electric zapper!

I don't have photographic evidence of Beckett thinking - but-- when I got her we let her stay out all day on her cage while I was at work. Joe, my partner would go to the kitchen at lunchtime, and make some lunch. Beckett could see this where she is. Then he would go to the table and sit to eat. And Beckett could see this too. After a couple of days of this, Beckett started going to the kitchen and then following Joe to the table, and climb the table cloth to grab some food. No asking involved either! A couple more days went by and Joe went to get some lunch - and he looks over and Beckett is already on the table - on the side where Joe sits, waiting for lunch to come to him. This story demonstrates to me that Beckett understands cause and effect - he realised that when Joe makes lunch, that he will sit to eat it, so instead of going to the kitchen, Beckett could go to the table and just wait, and lunch will come to him. Clever little dusty chicken!!!

My partner and I periodically host parties at our house - and as the guests come in the door, I warn them not to try and pet Beckett. She is a very social bird - if we go to another room, she calls "come here" until I get her. She really enjoys being in a large group of people. I have only had one problem - a man decided it would be fun to harass her - I had to step and and tell him that that was enough! and he hasn't ever come back(weep weep). People enjoy talking to her, and giving her treats - from a distance. I do enjoy my "dusty chicken"!

I had this problem - so keep seed in the freezer. I also got an electric fly swatter (online) and spent last summer running around the house like a mad thing zapping moths. It was particularly satisfying hearing the "zap" as I fried the little buggers!! The nice thing about the electric swatter is that all you have to do is touch them to kill them. This summer I haven't seen any at all - and find that I miss my moth hunting forays!

Beckett really likes avi-cakes. Is it better to give him those than a seed based diet? How many should she get a day? Does anyone else give them to their TAG's or CAG's as the main base of their diet? I got the free sample of Harrisons pellets today - thank you for the post about the free sample - and I nibbled on one in front of Beck - she came over and tried to take it out of my hand. She was very cute - and actually ate it, so I may end up getting some and try to get her to eat that as the base. Interestingly enough - I liked them too! glad I don't have a cat any more - imagine eating cat food!!!!

Beckett is 11and a half - and I have had her for 1 and a half years.:laugh:

uummmm . ..... I don't want to be a party pooper, but african greys nest in trees ie dark holes. My baby took that very seriously and decided to lay eggs after spending time in cupboards, and became egg bound. I could have lost my grey, in part because I let her play in dark cupboards. I too thought it was cute. I'm probably making too much of it, but Beckett is not ever spending time in cupboards again.

Julie your story made me cry. How sad that the TAG was overlooked for cute babies - and how wonderful that you could get him. I started with budgies - which became fast food for my cats. so I swore no more birds for me - I already had 4 cats and 3 dogs and 2 kids (human). Then my youngest daughter begged for a parrot for her birthday. I was very reluctant, but there was a pet store/breeder that had lots of different parrots, all in good condition. She begged and I bought her a quaker. She was afraid of being bitten, so (of course) I ended up feeding and cleaning up after him. I also played with him so he bonded with me, rode around on my head and one day rode outside and flew away. Then I got a CAG. I had his wings clipped so the previous incident wouldn't be repeated - until one day we went outside and off he flew - apparently the clip wasn't as good as thought. I was devistated, and one of the men at work who had a TAG gave him to me, he couldn't spend enough time with him, and his mother objected to the noise. Beckett has been with me a year and a half, and is the quietest bird I have owned. I think his noisiness was a call for attention, and since he gets plenty, he doesn't need to vocalise. Interestingly enough,his former owner said he was was a great talker, and now does very little talking. Love that bird!!! Am thinking of getting an aviator harness so I can take her outside without worrying.

Beckett loved to chew the house up (slight exaduration)- he would pull open doors to chew in cupboards. He also chewed the lino in corners in the kitchen. Turns out he was trying to find a place to nest, and was making the sawdust to lay the eggs on. now she is banned from free range and gets put back in the cage when she comes off the said cage. She is allowed to be with me though. Anyway, my point is maybe your bird is sexually mature and looking for a nest site.

yes - I have googled and yahoo'ed with nothing

me too, me too - Beckett wants one too - or maybe even two, so he can have one in my sewing room.

Does anyone know of a parrot rescue in Arkansas? I am having second parrot fever, and would love to get another TAG - or even a CAG (grins). I haven't been able to find anything to suggest that anyone does rescues here.

I always knew that Beckett - a TAG - wasn't common = now iknow that he is definitely uppercrust. A blueblood forsooth!

i've been giving calcium enriched orange juice to Beckett. I'm not sure he actually likes it, but i think he drinks it because i do.:sick: and i figure that the calcium will do her good!

Really enjoyed the video - and so did Beck - who stopped trying to take my glasses off, and watched. I liked especially the shot of the little devils clinging to the bird deterent wires. Very typical of quakers!!!!

caesarsdad - love the graphic - really:laugh:

thanks for the welcome - regarding the egg binding. Beckett is 11 1/2 years old. Obviously she is sexually mature, and for months she has been courting me - calling me, dropping her wings and regurgitating to me. I had also given her a cardboard box to chew on = outside her cage, so when she was out she could chew on something other than wooden mouldings and lino. She is also in an area where she gets at least 12 hours of light. all in all - a real recipe for disaster = so I found out. i got home from work one day, and didn't hear from Beckett. She usually calls until I come and say hello and let her out of the cage. I opened the cage dooor, adn she came out. She didn't strike me as being anything but quiet - and its hard to notice something that seems to be a good thing. After dinner I sat down to watch tv with Beckett on my shoulder. She crouched down and wanted me to pet her head. She put her head on my shoulder and closed her eyes. She was also breathing hard. I noticed that her poop was mainly urea - no green stuff. I really worried about her at this stage. I actually thought she might be dying. I ended up putting her in the cage and got up at 5 to see how she was, so I could decide if I needed to call in sick to take her to the vet. She seemed better so i went on to work, and called the vet near the house. The avian vet wasn't there that day. I called the other one I knew, who thank god was able to see her that day. He xrayed her and she was full of 2 eggs. the lowest one was sideways. I don't think there was any way that she could have laid it. He had to gas her down and take the egg out. the second egg burst when he touched it, so he left the shell in her rather than try to pull it out and possibly lacerate her. Over the next couple of days she did better, even though I noticed a bulge at her cloacae. She eventually did pass the pieces of shell - but it could have gone so wrong. I was very lucky to not lose my baby.I was lucky to know more than one vet that takes care of exotics. I was lucky to have the money to take her to said vet. I am very lucky to be the proud grandmother of a beautiful egg!! :lol: I have removed her box, and limited the amount of light during the day. I also have increased the amount of calcium that she is getting. She is now a calmer bird, and just friendly, not horny.

hello- happy to be on this forum. I need all the info on TAGs that I can get. I have a rehomed TAG that was given to me by a workmate. He felt he couldn't give her the attention she needed. Apparently she talked up a storm at his house - and speaks very little with me. Makes me think that her talking was a way to get attention - and that isn't a problem for her any more. I have had her 1 1/2 years now and just now feel as if we are getting to know each other really well. For the first time since I got her I don't have bird induced scabs on my hands. I think I am reading her better. Recently had to take her to the vet for illness. Didn't know what was wrong with her - and it turned out she was egg bound. With two big eggs. he gassed her down and removed the one, the second burst in her, so I had an anxious few days while I waited for the shell to come out. She is all better now. Now i just have to decide what to do about her name - Beckett. Yep - thought she was a boy!