RobertsKitty

Thanks for the help! Post # 150. I think I'll stick with the flight harness just to make sure the bird doesn't get away and that way if it does fly its not a big deal...

Also debating flight harness or the harness used for walking and such. I worry about my bird flying and I since I will probably keep its wings clipped it seems silly to try and encourage flight...

lol. What are some of your birds favorite games?

Thanks everyone!

Ok here is a question: Things like deodorant, fingernail polish, and paint is toxic to parrots. Does this just entail eating said products or are the fumes toxic?

*waves for loviechick* I have a question!! lol I found something from Kaytee called Kitchen Creations. You just cook and serve. Here is the full ingredients list. Ingredients Wheat Flour, Rolled Corn, Rolled Oat Groats, Pre-Cooked Kidney Beans, Pre-Cooked White Northern Beans, Pre-Cooked Rolled Navy Beans, Split Green Peas, Rice, Whole Corn, Dehydrated Carrot, Pre-Cooked Pinto Beans, Wrinkled Peas, Maple Peas, Dehydrated Sweet Potato, Ground Corn, Corn Gluten Meal, Ground Wheat, Dehulled Soybean Meal, Dehydrated Peppers, Calcium Carbonate, Dehydrated Spinach, Dehydrated Tomato, Dicalcium Phosphate, Wheat Middlings, Dried Beet Pulp, Corn Sugar, Salt, Corn Oil, Dehydrated Alfalfa Meal, Brewers Dried Yeast, Wheat Germ Meal, Vitamin A Supplement, Choline Chloride, L-Lysine, Ferrous Carbonate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Manganous Oxide, Vitamin E Supplement, Zinc Oxide, DL-Methionine, Orange Oil, Anise Oil, Niacin, Riboflavin Supplement, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (source of vitamin K activity), Ethoxyquin (a preservative), Cholecalciferol (source of vitamin D3), Copper Oxide, Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Mononitrate, Folic Acid, Calcium Iodate, Biotin, Dried Bacillus coagulans Fermentation Product, Dried Bacillus licheniformis Fermentation Product, Dried Bacillus subtilis Fermentation Product, Cobalt Carbonate, Sodium Selenite, Beta-Carotene, Artificial Color. Is it any good? Also what kind of beak appetite do you get normally?

That sounds good. I also might tear up the muffin and put part in a toy you have to work to get the food (only after I know it understands how to get to it)

This may go on the food section but I'll ask here. In the mornings before school I won't have a TON of time to feed the bird so is one or both of the muffins(the recipes are below) along with pellets and a teaspoon of a seed mix good for breakfast? Home Made Parrot Muffins 2 cups Corn Meal Flour 2 cups Whole Wheat Flour 1 tablespoon Baking Powder 3 eggs (with shells mushed in small pieces) 1 cooked & peeled sweet potato/yam mashed 1 whole banana mashed 1/2 cup red kidney beans mashed, 2 cups fresh veggies/fruit chopped finely in a food processor 4 tablespoons peanut butter 1/2 cup of chopped nuts (sunflower seeds, hulled millet, pecans, walnuts, etc) Optional: 2 jars of baby food (veggie or fruit only) Mix all ingredients and bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes (keep a watch on them that they do not burn). You can substitute veggies to whatever is in your house. Can use frozen veggies to substitute for fresh. - Be Creative and have fun with it! Parrot Muffins 1 package of Hodgeson Cornbread Mix with Whole Wheat Flour 1 egg (with shells mushed in small pieces) Can add any or all of the following: 1/2 an apple (seeded & chopped), 1/2 sweet potato mashed, 1 whole banana mashed, 1/2 cup red kidney beans mashed, 1 cup fresh veggies (can substitute with frozen) chopped finely in a food processor 2 tablespoons peanut butter (can substitute with Almond Butter) Optional: 2 jars of baby food (veggie or fruit only) Optional: 1/4 cup chopped nuts (sunflower seeds, pecans, walnuts) Mix all ingredients and bake according to directions on the box. I use whatever veggies/fruit are in the house (strawberries, blueberries, cranberries, hot chili peppers, beans (kidney beans, navy beans, etc), etc) - Be Creative and have fun with it!

My parents make a 'health' smoothie that is about the consistence of baby food. It has lots of fruit and veggies and no dairy to my knowledge I might ask them about the exact ingredients.

Ok a few things:I just need to know good or bad on these. Whole Grain Bread with alittle butter? Things like chicken nuggets or fish sticks that you cook at home? Fried food? Just kinda curious on those. Thankies! How about home made smoothies containing alot of needed veggies and a few strong tasting fruits to hide the veggies taste?<br><br>Post edited by: RobertsKitty, at: 2007/08/06 23:21

You rock! Thanks again! I'll be back after a nap and some other stuff to harass everyone with more questions! *evil laugh*

Thank you SO much! I feel alot better having straight clear answers on diet! *scribbles down notes* I'll probably think of more questions later on but this is a wonderful base!! Thanks again!

Right I understand. Oh and regarding getting one it is really hard to wait but I'm going to have to! lol Now if only people would help me out on the Bird Feed thread I could write on my 'book' Grey care guide thingy! lol<br><br>Post edited by: RobertsKitty, at: 2007/08/06 20:23

Trust me I know the stories. I worked there after all. So I got to see them. Luckily in the store I worked at its only the small and furries that are affected with illness and not the birds. We never had a bird die or be brought back. I defiantly understand where you are coming from and understand what you mean. At the same time I want to be able to take my bird to places like I would take a child. I know I can't enter most stores with it but I still think it would benefit from walking around town with me and perhaps eating outside and that whole deal. Now my question regarding socialization still stands. Here it is again: I really want a bird who is socialized and all together willing to allow at least slight physical contact with strangers. Is the best way to enforce this to allow friends and family who come over hold the bird and give it a treat or something of the like then give it back and then over time build up to going out and doing the same?

I know what you mean judy! We seem to have developed a bit of a friendship over the last 50 posts! lol FairY I haven't ever made a post on this section of the forum but I think you welcomed me in my other post!

Hmm. The Petsmart I used to work at we had birds come in alot with their owners and never had any problems. The disease going around right now might not be as bad in two years so we will see. Regarding the other I see your stand point but at the same time I do feel differently than you regarding this. I think in this area we shall have to agree to disagree so to speak.

Also another question. Does your Grey like to 'dance'?

Definatly! I can't wait to show off my baby when the time comes. I can't say they will be as amazing as your pictures but...

Ok. I know a TON about Greys from everything I have learned on this forum. My only confusion is diet. I want to make sure my Grey is as happy and healthy as I am totally unhealthy (kidding) so here we go: 1. I know pellets are better than seeds as a base in the diet. That being said should parrots get a small mix of seeds in their pellets or fresh food and if so about how much? 2. I live in an area where organic in the sense of no pesticides and such is pretty much NOT an option unless you want to pay huge amounts for fairly low quality food. That being said is there a way to make normal Walmart brand produce safe for bird consumption? 3. What are some of the MAIN fruits and veggies that should be fed for nutritional value? 4. Should a bird be fed more than the morning and evening feeding? Pellets are left in all the time but veggies and fruit go bad quickly. How long should they be left in the cage? 5. I am not much of a cook. What are good ways to serve food in new and interesting ways to help hold the parrots interest in its health food? 6. How often should dairy be served. Eggs boiled for 30 minutes and left then dried should be served how often? How often should egg shells be given? 7. What are the best treats for birds? 8. Peanuts: Good or Bad? 9. What are the best beans to serve and how should they be prepared? The questions just keep coming!! 10. I hear talk of giving birds 'cereal'? What is this exactly? 11. What kind of grains should greys be given? 12: Meat? I know they can eat it but how much how often? My husband eats alot of chicken. Is it ok to just give it one kind of meat? 13. Cuttle bone? Bad, Good? 14. Sunflower seeds. I plan on growing sunflowers because they thrive in the climate here and are very pretty. Is it safe to feed the greys the seeds off of the plant? 15. Whole wheat bread? Good or bad? Umm..I think that is it for now...More later I'm sure...

Ok. As some of you know my name is Kitty. I do not yet have an African Grey. I in fact have at least a year and a half ahead of me before I can get a Grey. That being said I will spend all of my time gaining as vast a knowledge of Greys as possible. I have read through 3 African Grey books, Parrots for Dummies, Parrot Problem Solver, over 200 websites, and milked the knowledge of everyone on this forum to the point I can't even believe I can still come up with questions! I am currently writing my own 'book' for myself to use as a guide in day to day parrotdom. It will hopefully entail as complete of a knowledge of Greys without actually owning one. Anyway, a little about me. I am engaged to Robert. I will buy the bird and such shortly after the honey moon. We are budgeting alot to be sure we have more than plenty of money (if things work out properly we will have an extra $3000 put aside for the bird AFTER we have bought the cage, toys, and bird itself. I am very friendly and love meeting new people. I am going to go to college to be an animal trainer. Along with the normal companionship a Grey offers I hope to use it as a way of reaching out and informing people of the hardships facing Greys and other parrots and to help them realize what they are getting into before they buy thus hopefully lowering the number of abandoned animals in the area. Well, thats me in a nutshell. I love to hear from everyone so please feel free.

Heres a question. Since I am going to be going out and showing people what a joy it is to have Greys (along with explaining the downsides and such) I really need a bird who is socialized and all together willing to allow at least slight physical contact with strangers. Is the best way to enforce this to allow friends and family who come over hold the bird and give it a treat or something of the like then give it back and then over time build up to going out and doing the same? I do plan on walking around in town with the bird on occasion and they do tend to generate some...attention to say the least. It will also, hopefully come to Petsmart with me while I pick up its pellets and such. Also, Greys and moving. I will have the Grey for 1 to 2 years before Robert and I are moving out of state. What is the best way to help a bird stay relaxed in that situation? Also, some play stands I've been seeing appear to be made of PVC pipe. Am I seeing things? Also if I were to make my own T stand should I glaze the wood in any way? Post edited by: RobertsKitty, at: 2007/08/06 07:45<br><br>Post edited by: RobertsKitty, at: 2007/08/06 18:19

{Emotions-00020070} Wow I haven't been on this in awhile. I am still pretty much at a loss for knowledge of a good Grey diet. I do have a few questions: Kitchen Creations and Birdy Banquet? Any good? I'm off to research more on Grey diet and I'll be back when I have an idea of what I need to know! lol

Not sure. I know in the wild they do eat dirt so I can't see how sand would be tons different. I don't think they would eat enough to hurt them...

Robert and I are trying to decide if it would be possible for us to start out renting a house instead of an apartment. If we could do a house I wouldn't need to worry so much about neighbors and the occasional Grey scream. Then I could also let the bird out into the yard(on a flight line of course) if I knew it wasn't being sprayed. The only problem is, like most couples starting out, money is not going to be incredibly plentiful! Still if we could find a house that allows birds and if I could get one with mainly tile or wood floors the bird could have much more of the run of the house. How do Greys respond to other smaller animals such as guinea pigs? I have two of them in a cage of my own design. I just wouldn't want my Grey hurting them by accident... Also, last night I read about some people put a kitty litter box full of clean sand like what is used in sand boxes and their Greys dig around in it since digging is so much a part of their nature in the wild. Is it safe to do that?<br><br>Post edited by: RobertsKitty, at: 2007/08/05 20:46

Wow sounds cool!