TinyTimneh

good point dan :blush:...there's really no amount I'm not willing to spend to keep Jacko healthy and happy but if I can save it's always a bonus. I'd feed him whole fresh foods exclusively except that I'm gone all day to school so it would spoil and go bad in his bowl--which of course I don't want.

Whoops--guess I should of clarified judygram sorry about that. I meant that there's no added 'vitamin d, calcium etc.'

Look for those with seed catchers around the bottom and avoid cages with slanted solid sides on the bottom (don't know how to explain it) because the birds tends to poop on them. In general as well look for a good paint job that cleans up well. Also bite the bullet and do a mini-clean every day instead of one big one once a week (it's soo much easier).

Jacko LOOOVES bananas. If not bananas then oatmeal or scrambled eggs. Although really if I'm eating something he'll try it.

Just wanting some opinions as to which are better. Jacko's on Harrison's high-potency coarse and he has been for nearly 6 months. He loves them--so no problems there. But I'm considering switching him to TOPS because: -there's more varied ingredients -it's peanut, soy, wheat (and according to their website corn) free -it's not as crunchy as the Harrison's apprently(end up with a heck of a lot of pellet powder right now) -it's dramatically cheaper (10 pounds for $ 40 compared to 5 pounds of harrisons for that price) -there's nothing artifical or synthetic I'm considering NOT switching him to TOPS because: -there are a few ingredients in harrisons (the clay and palm oil etc.) that aren't found in TOPS -it's lower in fat (and since switching Jacko to the higher-fat harrison's high-potency he looks much better) -I remember reading on a linnie forum that TOPS is lacking specifically in Vitamin D3 -I know it isn't complete (neither is Harrison's of course as birds all need fresh food--but at least Harrison's has vitamins) Regardless of what pellet he's eating I will be: -offering him fresh mash daily (either Shauna's Mash Diet or Mike's Manna Mash) -adding palm oil to his mash -setting up a UV lamp for him over his cage

Hi everyone, Back after a long hiatus--sorry I ended up rehoming my cockatiel and my linnie died suddenly while I was away so it's just me and Jacko for now (am considering another TAG-sized parrot in a couple months). So anyway finally got the financial situation and Jacko will be getting a new cage in the next two weeks. It's a big cage measures 40 inches long by 30 inches wide by 53 inches tall. Haven't decided if I'm getting a dome-top or a playgym on top (Jacko tends to be a bit of a shmuck if he's got access to a playgym on top of a cage). So my question is, what should I do for layout inside the cage? One big perch across the length? A couple rope perches at different levels? A maze of toys and perches with it getting sparser near the bottom? Boings? Swings? Pictures or websites with pictures would be amazing

Anyone actually successful in getting their grey to wear a flightsuit/bird diaper? I'm really looking forward to letting Jacko and Sully the cockatiel out and about to fly around in the house---envisioning many hanging gyms and whatnot. I've had no luck potty training Sully and Jacko is hit and miss. I don't want poop all over the place. Also, can an aviator harness fit over the bird diapers? I would love to take them out and about without getting parrot poop all over my shoulder too and I do NOT trust those flimsy leashes that attach with velcro and little tiny rings.

Well guys I already live with a dog (and Jacko lived with a large sheperd mix for many years before I got him) so it's not so much that he is afraid or isn't used to them... He just thinks it's great fun to charge them, bite them and chase after them while they run yelping from the room (obviously I don't let him now that I know)and if he is in his cage he runs to the bottom, puffs up and begins strutting back and forth... so I should I give him treats everytime he's around the stuffed dog or something for positive reinforcement??? I could also do what I've been doing in terms of the tiel and that is whenever Jacko is out of his cage and is aggressive towards the tiel I go over and towel him up quick (he hates towels) and put him back in his cage for a minute or two for a time out. Seems to be working...

Hey all, Although I am still living at home I plan to gradually become more independant over the course of the next few years. I am disabled and suffer from Spastic Diplegia (form of cerebral palsy), I am mobile but am shaky and it doesn't take much for me to slip and fall (wintertime is a particular nightmare) and it can be tough for me to stand up again. I also have problems with coordination and strength so lifting/carrying things and moving around while carrying things can be difficult as well as climbing stairs. As such I plan to (hopefully) get a service dog to be able to get around my community and do things on my own safely. I am worried about Jacko though because he hates dogs with a passion---but I will need to have the dog with me. Anybody have any tips or thoughts???

Like anyone with a chronic habit he has good days and bad days... sometimes something will trigger him and he'll do a lot of plucking and remove all the progress he's made. But it's gradually going down and the bad days are getting farther and farther away from each other it seems. He may never stop completely and that's ok by me I love him regardless. It's mostly just working out too much sleep vs too little, keeping him occupied and bathing/misting him as often as I can etc. So in short, sometimes we have rough days and he plucks like crazy but on a grand scheme of things I think both he and I are headed in the right direction

Sully is, if my memory serves me correctly...is 3 or 4 years old...will check again for the barring.

Oh there's no particular reason I want him to sleep either outside or inside his cage or carrier--the door is left open and he can go in to sleep or sleep outside of it, I've just decided to give him the option because he does spend most of the day in his cage because I'm gone. Because he is right there in the room with me (door closed and clicked shut) and the room is relatively parrot proof I have faith in him and I also know that once the lights are turned off he picks a spot and doesn't move till morning (and I get up when he gets up). I like that there is just a natural flow of him living with me doing his own thing instead of him being in a cage until I let him out. He also does a lot of plucking at night so I'm attempting to see if letting him live as cage-free as possible will help him as it seems to be.

Well I have enough trust in Jacko that he'll behave and be ok, although I totally understand luvparrots. Generally speaking if he has things to chew and food to eat he'll stay in a particular spot. This was night number two and all went well actually. Less plucking overall and no poop on my stuff lol.

thanks judygram yeah...but at this point it's still functional so yay for my cellphone :laugh: so what are your thoughts? boy or girl tiel?

here she is lol--srry it didn't work the first time