BMustee

Well, I go by the "flat test", so it can differ. It's been about 4 months now sense his last trimming, and he'll be going in for one on Monday. We have birds at the store though that need it almost once a month...their nails grow like there is no tomorrow. Now, if you have a bird that's nails are overgrown then you need to do it a little more often to try and get them down to size because you can't take it all off at once or else you got a painful bloody mess. I always take off an 8th of an inch at a time...some birds like Macaws you can go a little more, but not much. As for where to get your birds trimmed, my pet store trims nails and wings so if you have a "bird shop" in town that you trust you could see if they offer that service.

He is beautiful!!!! I love the older greys too, and if I had someone ask me to take one I don't think I could say no. I love the salmon colored red factor he has going on.

That store sounds wonderful! The way you discribe the woman sounds just like what me and the other sales girls tell people, and for her to tell you what it likes and dislikes, and predict the behavior then it shows she really cares for those birds. If I were you I wouldn't hesitate to buy from them. I think that you would be MUCH better off getting your next feathered baby from them instead of a breeder.

Just so everyone knows, just because the nails are not sharp does not mean they don't need a trim. When you put your grey on a flat surface like a table the entire bottom of the toes should be on the table...when the nails are too long the tips of the toes will no longer touch the table. I have the cement perch in Elmo's cage and his nails are never sharp, but in the next week or two I need to bring him in for a pedi because his nails are getting long. If you wait too long before getting the nails done and they get overgrown it will become very difficult to get them back down the the right length. My store does wing and nail clippings and I can't tell you how many birds come in with nails that are just WAY to long, and the owners always say "well, they are never sharp so we figured they didn't need to be done."

That is so good to hear.

The crop will empty...thats a good thing. Every time his crop is empty does not mean he needs to be fed. I'm guessing you are feeding in the morning, afternoon, and night. You need to drop the afternoon feeding. I know you think this will starve your baby, but it won't. Make sure to put all the food he likes in a little before the afternoon feeding would normally happen and keep an eye on him for a few hours. See how much he will eat on his own. When birds eat normal food they will not fill the crop like when they are hand fed, there will just be a little bit in the crop that you and feel with your finger (lightly). If it feels like there is some solid food in the crop then he is doing fine. If you never give him the chance to get hungry he will never want to eat on his own like he is hungry. You say he pecks at his food, and at 20 weeks he is more than able to eat, it sounds like he just picks because he isn't hungry.

Being a pet store worker, I would like to put my 2 cents in. Now, I do know that there are some nasty stores out there that don't know what they are doing when it comes to the care of parrots/birds but there are also stores like mine that have an entire staff of bird owners and know what they are doing. Don’t be afraid to ask questions about the bird’s history and about the healthcare they get while in the store. I actually hand out cards to the vet that my store uses and have taken my grey to him also, and can tell customers about him and how he was with my bird. When it comes to breeder vs. pet store, go with your gut. The only difference between the greys at my store and the grey I got from my breeder is the price, and I got to see the parents and ask questions about them as well. If I were going to buy another grey tomorrow I would actually buy one from my store. All our babies are social, healthy, and beautiful…plus there is one that I really have fallen in love with. Now, as for your pet store, take a few trips and feel the place out. If something seems off, investigate it and see what exactly is going on. Like, dirty water…at my store we change water about once an hour, but if the store is slam-packed busy we can’t always get to it as soon as we normally do. So, if you see dirty water in your store see how much activity is going on, how many people are on staff, and if everyone is busy. If there is employees standing around with their thumb up their butt and there is only one other customer it might be an indication as to how the birds are cared for. I know you are having a hard time with your little TAG because of her shipping trauma, so I think because you don’t have the option of picking out a bird at a breeder a pet store isn’t such a bad idea.

Mine will get on the top of his cage and start flapping like he is trying to pick the cage up. It's good for them and I know that it is encuraged to get Amazon parrots to do this because they are so prone to becoming over weight...it was the cover story of BirdTalk 2 months ago.

I think some of the “one person” trait is personality. My Elmo is with me pretty much every minute that I’m home and not very much time with other people. You would think this would make him a one-person bird, but he will go to 98% of people willingly. The other day I took Elmo out when my b/f Paul was over (first time he had been out when he was there for a month) and Elmo ran all over him playing, came up for kisses and scratches, and had a good ole’ time. I put him down on the bed when Paul had to leave and when I came back in the house maybe a minute later; Elmo had started searching the house for him (don’t worry, I bird-proofed). I also see a lot of greys at my work that come in for wing and nail clippings and some of them will run and act like we are killing them, others will step right up for us and don’t really put up a fight when we hold them for clipping. The stories I hear about how they behave with people in the house normally match the temperment they show at the store...the more relaxed greys like more people that the runners/screamers.

LisaM wrote: LOL...I know right! Although, thats nothing compaired to the mess of 10 finches...I am in a never-ending battle with tiny seed husks, and to tell you the truth they are winning! I LOVE the pic of him poking his head out from the cage...too cute.

I noticed the baby finches are the ones that get them the worst, and when one finch freaks...they all freak. I can't remember where I got the idea from, but I have been using the light sense before I got Elmo, and as I said in another post all the birds are with me in the bedroom, he gets the nightlight too, so I bet thats why he never has them. I have cats that come in and out of my room as they please as well in the night and after the light went up they have never got wigged out over the cats ether (I'm guessing that because they can see where they are they don't get bothered by them).

My grey has never had Night frights, but my finches did. I would wake up in the middle of the night from the sound of the poor finches panicing. Covering the finch cage would cause too much stress so I set up a night light next to their cage and it has not happened sense. The light doesn't need to be bright...just enough where they can see what is going on around the cage.

Also, I live with my father and I have all 11 (1 grey and 10 finches) of my birds in my bedroom...and not a master bedroom, just a normal sized bedroom with one window. There are 3 cages in there with me that all are 36"wide. They all have F.S. lighting and I'm able to live with them all in such a small area...the birds don't mind ether because the finches breed openly (even my Gouldians) and the grey loves being right there with me and he has the finches to watch when I'm gone. Not to be "attacking" you, but the "cage is too big" reason for moving him really doesn't hold up in my book.

I'm with everyone else here...it would be too cold for him. I live in FL and I wouldn't put my grey in an unheated area when the temps drop here. My BIG issue is you say it is a "shop"...what kind of shop are we talking about here. Birds are VERY sensitive to chemicals, dust, vapors, and anything else that would be in a shop area and would kill your bird within hours. I don't know what you have in your "shop" but I'm covering the bases because I have had people come into my pet store and want to buy a parrot and keep it in their garage! The heat in FL would kill them, but also all the items around them. If there is any gas powered items kept in the shop, that would kill them. Any paint or varnish cans, that would kill them too.

No pictures of the poopy dog?!? :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

I'm sure he will get over the bath...mine always does, and when I give him a bath you would swear I was killing him! Sense he didn't seem to stressed he may just end up liking them down the road...fingers crossed! From what everyone says, greys like cold water baths, so next time try that (if you didn't the first time). Wow, so he really is blind as a bat. Thats funny how you say he feels the walls as he walks around...thats how I pictured a blind bird would get around but never got to ask if thats what they would do (never talked to anyone that personally had a blind bird before).

ohhh, that is such a sweet story. I love the way Nandays look with their black face and red legs...the one's at my work are real weirdos too. I can't wait to see some pics.

LOL...My Elmo (10 month old CAG) loves bells! He has this toy that I call the "triple threat ducky" that he LOVES! It's 3 rubber duckies each at the end of it's own chain with a bell at the bottom with one ducky at the top connecting the three. It's funny, he always chews the heads off first, and then goes for the bodies...imagine a toy covered in decapitated ducks LOL!!! Ohhh shucks...your so nice! :laugh:

Thanks Woody6! You could name him Rey...because gRAY is spelled gREY when used for the parrot. Here are some other blind names I thought of... Braille - inventor of braille Degas - French painter Stevie (Wonder) - American singer and composer (Helen) Keller - American author and philanthropist<br><br>Post edited by: BMustee, at: 2008/01/25 22:26

Well, at 16 weeks and given the regression I wouldn't be too worried at this point. Obviously she is a little more timid about change so I would give her as much time as she needs so she does not get nerotic in the future. Teluhlasmom - At 10 weeks your baby should still have a few weeks before it is weaned. If it's still on 2 feedings a day it will still need to go done to one feeding. You should aim probably around 15 weeks for it to be weaned...but remember it could take longer.

I was just thinking about toys... I would go for the toys with different textures and sound, seeing as though he can't see interesting colors and shapes.

I love the name Ray for him...thats sooo cute. Well, all I can say is GOOD FOR YOU! Taking on an abused, blind grey isn't for the weak and you seem to be handling it with flying colors. From what you have said it sounds like he knows that he is in a safe, loving home and for him to let you touch him shows that...esp. because he is blind and can't see you coming. Saying TOUCH right before is a genius idea. When it comes to the food take it slow, changing a seed junkies diet is normally the most difficult. I would try giving him the Zupreem friut pellets or weaning pellets because theu have a strong smell to them and because your grey is blind and can't see the pretty colors the smell is what is going to catch his interest. Also try strong smelling fresh foods. Taking him to the vet is deffenently a must, and you have that covered already. Keep us posted on how he is doing...I'm already hooked on his story!

LOL!!!! I couldn't resist!:laugh:

Yes, the second one looks better, but looks should never be the top factor in buying a cage...it should really be "this cage would be the best functional cage for my birds, and it don't look too bad ether." not "This cage looks great, and it'll probably be alright for my birds."

I think the band thing is also up to the state as well. We sell birds at my store that do not have bands. Most of them do but a few of our breeders just don't like to put them on (which is fine with me).