BMustee

I do love knowing a bird goes to a good home. I could go one for hours about the great homes that have been found for some older birds that have come through our doors.

I would get a tree stand and when you are in your room have him out with you. It sounds like he's getting enough attention so you shouldn't be worried.

You don't even have the right amount of time for a grey, let alone a cockatoo. They need 3 times the attention that a grey or amazon would need and if they don't get it not only will they make your life miserable but your neighbors miserable too. Think Jet engines...thats how loud they can get. Plus, without proper training and handling the larger cockatoos like the Umbrellas, Moluccans, and Greater Sulfurs will turn into pitbulls and bite whoever they are not happy with, and their bite is probably the worst of all the parrots. Baby cockatoos love the cuddling but it is a VERY bad idea to touch them under the wings and back once they get a little older...it's basicly sexual play to them. I get bit at work by cockatoos because customers will walk in and the first thing they do it start stroking the "hot zones" and get them fired up. When they stop the cockatoos get frustrated and start screaming and because we know that they are no longer safe for a customer to hold we have to take them off the floor and sure enough we take the heat and get bit.

I had a similar experiance at my work. It was a 20-25 year old "breeder" that wasn't breeding. He was said to be nasty and not to be a pet but back into breeding stock when he came in. Well, I guess no one told Whyman that because after about 3 days he wanted to be picked up by me all the time and I could snuggle and cuddle him. He was only $300 but it was $300 I didn't have. This other woman that used to work at the store noticed how big his vocab was and wanted him just because of that. He hated her and would scream and bite when she would try to get him out of his cage. She bought him and I could have died I was so upset. I still think about him all the time and wish I would have gotten him. So, if I were you I would try to get the cost down and if they won't budge then start savin'!:laugh:

Most birds that are in their 20's will look like they are in their 20's so if you TAG looks like it's only around 4 then I bet he was a captive bred bird with behavior problems due to the past owners. Most birds brought in on a "black market" are the ones that are worth the smugglers time and effort...like the Hyacinth Macaw...not readily available birds like Greys.<br><br>Post edited by: BMustee, at: 2009/02/11 02:28

Yeah, parrot men seem to be hard to come by...trust me I know.

LMAO! You know your a parrot person when a puke stain on your pants is better than a valintine card.:laugh:

sounds like she has a cateract in her eye. I've seen it in older finches before. I would take her to see a good avian vet to make sure she doesn't have any infections that a good medication could clear up.

Elmo's favorite song seems to be "Elmo's Song" and she likes to watch the clip of it on YouTube.:laugh: Elmo also will get vocal when I have 80's music on. She also seems to like it when I sing, so that goes to show she is tone deaf. Ethel at the store LOVES disco. Anytime a disco song comes on the stores radio he will start dancing and puffing up his crop.

Maybe putting a bowl of food down on the ground and standing back from it will draw him down. You could also try playing a recording of wild greys to see if that will get him interested in coming down.

That cup looks mighty comfy!:laugh: I'm going to guess female too.

HAHAHA!!! That is too funny! I've been trying to get Elmo to say "Aflac!" for over a year now and nothing, and here your Saphira picks it up right from the TV.:angry: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

I'm with everyone else. It's much easier to teach a grey to enjoy something if you make it fun. I'm sure your going to do great bringing up a healthy Grey. As for the toweling in an emergency, if it's really an URGENT thing that you need to get a hold of your grey you can do it without the towel. All you do is come up from behind with your hand and grab him around the neck at the bace of the head and wrap the first, middle and thumb around the neck with your other hand holding ether the feet or right above the base of the tail. Don't be afraid to get a firm hold to keep the head from twisting and biting...the airway is incased in cartilage so it's pretty hard to stangle them this way. The worst thing to do while holding is to hold around the body because their lungs don't work the same way humans/mammals do with a diaphragm...birds need to expand the whole chest to breath. When toweling you hold the same way, but the towel is placed loosely around the wings to keep the bird from flapping...plus some parrots are really good at twisting and are still able to bite fingers if not in a towel. I thought I would share that with everyone, cause' I mug birds all day long so it's pretty routine for me and a lot of parrot ouners don't really know exactly how to hold them.

:blush: Oh geesh, you guys are too nice. I can't wait till I can get him DNA'd so I know what to name it. I'm thinking sense Elmo is a girl with a boy name and Ethel we think is a boy with a girl name, I'm thinking to name this baby the wrong sex on purpose.:laugh:

I've had to leave Elmo home alone for 20 hours strait before...when I had to do inventory at my old job would leave at 6am and not get home till 1am. I think as long as they have plenty of food and water then they should be fine.

I'm in the same boat as you. I have a female CAG I have raised sense she was 6 weeks and she will be 2 next month. My boss just gave me a 4 1/2 week old baby grey that has a brokn leg that we couldn't sell and she knew I was the best home for him. I was worried about the bond with me and Elmo but because there are so many people I talk with on the forums here that have more than one grey I figure if they make it work than so can I. I say if you want the second grey go for it.B) So far Elmo has been giving me a little more attitude than I normally get when I have babies home because I think Elmo knows that the one baby is staying but he is still my baby that comes and gives me kisses when I ask for them and flips on her back in my hands...if she was THAT mad at me I don't think she would still be doing these things.<br><br>Post edited by: BMustee, at: 2009/02/04 17:13

Ummmm...is it just me or does anyone else get what they are asking???:blink:

I move around toys but I've never moved my greys perches before. IMO, I don't think the perches and food bowls need to be moved around.

In my neck of the woods the TAGs are much harder to get than the CAGs, but both are very popular. We get maybe 4 TAGs a year vs. 8 or 9 CAGs at the store, and they both will all sell before they are even ready to go home. The CAGs being bigger, having the red tail and just more well known is why I imagine that more people want them. It's pretty funny at the store people will see the Timneh and ask what kind of parrot it is. When I tell them it's an African Grey they ALWAYS ask "Where's the red tail?" The people that seem to love the Timnehs like smaller birds, where the people that like the CAGs just have a thing for bigger birds. I have found that people that like the TAG's also like the Conures, Mini Macaws, Goffins and similar sized birds where the Congo owners like larger birds like the Amazons, U2's, and full size macaws. Not always the case, but it's a noticable trend.<br><br>Post edited by: BMustee, at: 2009/02/03 18:15

I could just picture it...a guy says something about being nervous about meeting the parents and I explain that it's the birds he's going to need to worry about!:blink: :laugh: :laugh: Well, Elmo came up and checked out the new baby last night. He's not thrilled with the ball of fluff but what's weird is I think he knows there is something different about this one...that it's stayin'

{Feel-good-0002006E} Your too funny Judy! Now where is Dave and Dan with their smart mouths for this one

I still can't believe it. Who would have thought a week ago that today I would be mommy to TWO greys. I'm glad I ended it now rather than later with the b/f...I already waisted 8 years and he's not worth 8 more.:laugh:

Well the store owner talked to the breeder today and because she is on the other coast she said that is wasn't worth her time and gas money to drive all the way over here without a replacement so she said we could keep him at no cost. SOOOOO, the owner came to me and asked again if I wanted him and I said... ...YES!!!!! So now to think of a name for the little guy.

I think tomorrow I will tell the store owner that I will take him if the breeder doesn't demand him back for the refund. I know Elmo won't be happy about it at first, but I think he might come around. All I know is I can't let anything happen to this little guy and I know that I can deal with his needs better than most. This little guy also seems to have come to me during difficult time in my life. I left my b/f of 8 years the other week, and part of the reason for doing so was the birds. I guess he thought I was bluffing when I told him before that I would take the birds over anyone else.:laugh:

Here is a video clip of him moving a little bit. He's the one snuggling up to the food!