2Girls

Thank you Nychsa. Good luck with your move. Bella and Josie seems to really enjoy all this, much more than we are!!!! Our big move is in 6 days time. Cannot wait to get Angie to the other side and settled asap. It seems like Bella is going to be just fine. Please let me know how things have gone once you have settled in.

Unfortunately I do not have an outdoor aviary. We take them outside during weekends, weather permitting and sit with them while they play in the tree. They absolutely love it. You must see after a good playing session both are very eager to climb back in their cages for a snooze.

Thank you all. Very proud when it comes to my 2 babies.

Hi siobha9. I wish I could reassure her more than I am already doing, it's impossible though. She takes very badly to anything unusual around her. I pray that she will not take too long to settle down. Already planned exactly where her cage will be in the new house, in the entertainment, TV area just like it is now. That is where we are all the time and during the day I leave the radio or TV on for them when at work. Josie is still taking things as calmly as ever!! She is such a little "tart". Must tell you all the latest. When I get home in the afternoon I take the little dust pan and broom and clean up under their cages - whilst doing this I will look up at them and say "sis man, look at the mess". Well clever Josie has taken to this big time. She now sits in her cage and flicks her food out, peers down to look onto the floor and say "sis man, look the the mess". What can I do, be cross, no way!!!! It is the most adorable thing ever!!!!

Just to show you what my poor Angie is doing to herself since we have started packing boxes for the move next week. She is not taking to this at all. We reassure, we make a fuss of her, give her all her favourite treats, to no avail. I am dreading taking her to our new house, this girl does not like change at all.

Nice meeting you too Lupa. If you have any idea how we can assist new owners, let me know. I have recommended this forum to a lot of people I know. Hopefully they will use the info so readily available here. We have you moved to?

Hi Lupa I also live in South Africa, and the post I read was in our local news paper. This forum has assited me so much you have no idea. I go on it daily to read all the new posts. I am not running our country down but I think most people that buy CAG's in this country are totally clueless. I know of people who have been feeding their Greys only sunflower seeds and water for years, that is all a Grey needs.....???? Secondly, Greys are sold much too young in SA, with this come behaviour problems, etc. A lot of people are amazed about the fact that my babies have veg, fruit, egg, chicken, and only little sunflower. I wish we could start some form of educational assistance for 1st time Grey owners in this country.

Sorry, lets try again, my image was too big. Hope my gorgeous girl can be viewed this time...

Thank you for all your replies to this topic. I fully agree, it makes me mad when people go out and buy a parrot purely for their own entertainment because they can talk. I guarantee you that is why so many people want to get rid of their birds because they are dissapointed when they do not turn out to be great talkers, and guess what to all those stupid people out there, if you do not give your Grey enough attention, affection, proper nutrition, it will not only lack in speech but also in their amazing loveable nature. A Grey is not something you can stick in a cage purely for amusement!!! They are children.

Amen Judy. You said it all. I cannot wait to get home today to give my babies a huge hug and kiss and tell them how much I love them.

I agree with you guys. Was just so upset and frustrated this morning after speaking to the arrogant fellow. And to top it off the post on the internet from the woman who called her CAG two-faced. I sometimes also get dispondent with Angie who feather chews, never angry tough, but I took her in at 8 weeks and she is part of my every day life and I love her dearly. Josie might be the looker but Angie has the personality. All I wish for is that breeders stop breeding CAG's as a money making business and be more selective and much, much more informative when selling them. I personally know of a few breeders who cannot be bothered to whom they sell their babies, as long as the money flows in, and this is what results in people buying a bird with no idea of the time, patience, efforts in raising them.

Hi Guys. Just had to share this with you. Firstly this morning in our local newspaper under "Pets for Sale" I came accross an ad for a 3 year old CAG including cage. Curiuos as to why someone would want to sell their 3 year old, I phoned the number. Spoke to a guy who said that they decided that a CAG was not the right pet for them, that he finds them to be destructive, untrainable and a total waste of time. Can you believe it, I suppose he only divudlge this info to me because I told him I have 2 CAG's. I was so upset. I wish I could go over there and fetch the little one. Then just a little while ago I was looking up something on the net and came accross this : Our African grey did the same, had no feathers around its neck and looked more like a vulture than parrot. He had loads of freedom, loads of entertainment but i believe it is caused by stress, how ours got stressed i would not know. He once managed to fly away and the neighbours found him and returned him to us, they then asked us if we weren't ashamed to letting him fly around looking like that. I eventually gave him to a chap who bred them and he still does the same there. Even though he lives in a huge aviary in Jhburg. Must be the crime stressing him. I am glad he is gone he hated my husband and was so two-faced. Used to say good-morning in the sweetest little girl voice and when you removed his cover he would snap at you and shout go away, go awayyyyyy, go awayyyyyy in a piercing high-pitched voice. We did not buy him as a baby but as half-grown bird . Never want another parrot again even though he was entertaining.) This was posted by some female a few months ago. TWO-FACED!!!!!!!! This stupid female also lives in South Africa .... If I had her address, she would have to fear for her life right now. Thanks for reading, I am trying to get rid of my frustration. Cannot believe how stupid some humans can be - and we are suppose to be the intelligent ones....

Thank you for that Talon. Will do whatever we can to make it as stress free for Angie as possible. Cannot wait for it all to be over and get them settled in their new home. I lie in bed at night planning where to place their cages, etc. Must tell you though, Josie climbed down her cage last night whilst I was cooking and started chewing a corner of one of the packed boxes, just once again shows how little she is perturbed by what's happening. She is a real clown I swear! It's Prozac Annie (Angie) as my Fiance calls my little girl, that hates being unsettled.

Hi Terri So you are going through the same as we are!!! Not nice. I have also tried to keep as much as possible normal around my Angie, but when I got home yesterday from work the evidence is there, she had a ball with her feathers yesterday. I also find that until I opened her cage she was very restless, climbing around more than usual. She also for the 1st time came for me when I tried to get her from the top of her cage to take her to her play gym. I am really also now starting to stress. We have thought out the day of the move, over and over again!!! We will be taking Angie and Josie to the new house early in the morning, placing their cages in a room where nobody will go into and where they will not be exposed to the movers. Will put all their favourite goodies and eats in their cages. Josie is still as relaxed as always, was super playful last night. Her favourite saying at the moments is "what's wrong my chicken pie". We call them our chicken pies. Good luck Terri with your move. I sincerely hope your babies will be ok. Wish we did not have to do this...

Thank you Tracy. Will try and keep as much normal as I can. I do re-assure her all the time. Make a huge fuss of her, sing her favourite songs, etc. Just such a pity she started up again. Wish I could avoid it. She definately does not like changes around her. Strange how they all differ, I suppose just like us humans. Then they are so human, are they not. My little girls!!!

We are moving house end of March. Started packing boxes over the weekend. Wow what a job. Now for my dilema, Angie who use to feather chew and stopped the habit about 6 months ago, has started chewing up her beautiful new feather all over again since we started packing. Josie just watches with much interest, nothing phases her. What can I do!!! I cannot move Angie's cage as she will then totally stress, we cannot avoid packing up things around her, stuff must go.... I am so dissapointed, she really started to look great. Any ideas guys??? Please.....

Sorry pic was too big ... here goes hopefully. Romeo and Juliet

This is Romeo and Juliet. They arived one after the other at our town house and moved in. Lots of romance occured in the air ... but poor Juliet did not like any of it!!! I believe Romeo (darker one) is a Chinese Goose and poor Juliet, well we are just not sure.

Thank you so much for the replies. I was at home for 6 weeks recovering from an operation and spend a lot of time with my 2 girls. Soon after I returned to work, Angie started her chewing business. It did not affect Josie at all. I was told to dilute the Aloe Vera 50/50. Will use up what I have and next time use undiluted.

My Angie is plucking more than ever. She has been to the Avian Vet, has a very balanced diet, the same as Josie who is in perfect shape. She started about 5 months ago with chewing on her feathers. This has now progressed to plucking them. No chest feathers left. I bought Aloe Vera Juice 2 weeks ago, deleted it 50/50 with water. I have been spraying her with this twice a day, the afternoon spray I make sure she is totally soaked. Still when I get home there are feathers all round her cage. Has anyone else had any experience with Aloe Vera?

My Angie is plucking more than ever. She has been to the Avian Vet, has a very balanced diet, the same as Josie who is in perfect shape. She started about 5 months ago with chewing on her feathers. This has now progressed to plucking them. No chest feathers left. I bought Aloe Vera Juice 2 weeks ago, deleted it 50/50 with water. I have been spraying her with this twice a day, the afternoon spray I make sure she is totally soaked. Still when I get home there are feathers all round her cage. Has anyone else had any experience with Aloe Vera?

Hi Sheri Sorry to hear about your sick Baby Grey. There are numerous different liver diseases in Parrots. Did the person who you bought your CAG from or the Vet tell you exactly what the diagnosis is. The most common liver disease is called Fatty Liver Disease. Seeing that your Baby is only 4 months old, not likely as this is mainly induced by a high in fat diet, such as sunflower seeds. Liver Necrosis, Hep C and Bacterial Hep are also some of the diseases CAG's can contract. Avian Psittacosis (better known as Parrot Disease) causes severe liver damage and is attributed to overcrowding of birds and low hygiene standards. Please check with the Vet what exactly your Baby is being treated for. As for saving your bank account, I have 2 CAG girls, and they are my bank account, no one on this site can tell you it is cheap to keep a CAG. Not if you going to do it properly. They need a well balanced diet, loads of toys, play centres, appropriate size cage, Veteninary bills (for check ups, etc, just to name a few. Good luck, and let us know how you Baby is doing.

Hi Lady Jane and welcome. I am also from SA. Where are you from. This site is amazing and you will definately receive a lot of valuable advice. Do not stress about Toby's weight, my Angie also weighed 375 grams at that age, she will be 1 year on 7 November (almost time for huge birdie party) She has filled out nicely and has picked up weight. Unfortunely she is a "feather chewer"!!!

Oops, no pic, try again.

Thank you so much. It is really interesting. I never thought of it like that. Both Angie and Josie eat exactly the same food, same amount of time outside, etc and I was really curious as to find out why the colour difference. It all makes sense now. Besides the colour, they are totally diffent in personalities as well. Truly these birds are unique!!!!