madisimmons

I asked the vet yesterday about taking Sammie out in her cage for direct sunlight and she told me that 30 minutes a couples times a week is plenty. She said they come from the rainforest and live below the canopy, ie. shaded and do not need much more than that. She said they do not have sweat glands and can overheat very easily. I live in Oklahoma where we get pretty hot weather in the summer. 90's to 100+, she said that would be to hot. While the weather is mild she said it's fine, just make sure you keep an eye on them because they can overheat very fast. She also said they should always have a place to get in the shade. Maybe 9am would be much better when it is cooler.<br><br>Post edited by: madisimmons, at: 2008/05/14 23:41

Your welcome, There is a chance the bird would be fine if kept far far from the fumes, but I have been around those fumes my whole life and I don't think there is such a thing as proper ventilation. The fumes from the laquor will not go away just by airing the house out for a few hours. It's about like painting fumes, they will linger on for at least a few days, at the very least. I really don't think this would be safe, I wouldn't chance it with my Grey, not in a million.

Dave007 wrote: These are my Grey's hang outs, compliments of MoJo, with a few adjustments of course, ie. proper size toys. I've had to take off the high perch because she fell off of it twice now. (bad for the feathers and everything else). http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n215/angel74014/IMG_1983.jpg http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n215/angel74014/Picture009.jpg http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n215/angel74014/IMG_1984.jpg

BondsMom wrote: I love your stand, have any instructions? Here is Sammie's stand. My boss made it for me, its had a few adjustments since then, but I like it.

What I have been doing is covering her cage around 9pm or so and it stays covered with a sheet until 7am. During the day nobody is home so she get total quiet in the house, except when the lovely dogs in the back yard are barking at passer bye's.

Hmmm good observations you have both made. I thought I was being cruel to have her in the cage while I was home, but yet, I was only spoiling her. Thanks for the tips. Acapella, thanks for the tissue and spray bottle comments. I will try those also.

Talon, Do you think the bird is sleeping while your son is on the computer? I know they need 12 hours but my question is where in the house do you find total quiet for the grey to sleep?

My father has a wood floor company and I can tell you right now the fumes are very deadly for your bird. I would not chance it. The fumes can make people higher than a kite without wearing a mask, not to mention the chemicals are very bad for humans, imagine what it could do to the Grey. I wouldn't chance it if it was me. Just an opinion.

Speaking of bowls, Sammie perches mainly on her food bowl. Very strange since she has really nice perches and toys. It can't be good for her feet I'm sure, but one good thing about it is she isnt poohing in it.

Okay, yes i'm inexperienced so expect lots of questions from me, all for the good of Sammie of course. So please bare with me. Grey's need 10 to 12 hours sleep. Her cage is in the living room corner and she has a playstand between kitchen and living room. Bad place I'm sure, no where else to put it for the next few months (remodeling). Question: Should I get an additional cage for her to sleep in a bedroom in? Do they get really cranky without 10-12 hours sleep? My nephew gets up at 6am and I don't go to bed until 11pm. Can she still get sleep in the day with the quiet or do they not sleep during the day because it's sunny? What is a good cage cover to use. I have just been using a sheet. Thanks so much, Kim

Yes, two times of grabbing some pooh has taught me, haha

Yes, she is an Avian vet. She had her 3 Greys in her office. All very beautiful. I was willing to pay for the blood test, she didn't seem to think it was necessary. Maybe I will take her back in a few months and tell her to do them anyway. Just for good measure. Maybe she thought the bird had been through enough, I really don't know. She did give me tons of info on them. I hope trusting her was the right thing to do.

Sammie likes to pooh while perched on the door of her cage, which is right above the handle used to lock the cage. I'm thinking its time to start hanging out on the playstand instead.

I took her to the vet who actually owns 3 African Greys. She told me she looked good and that her feather loss may be because of being in the small cage hitting her feathers and that they may just need to come out. It could also be a combiation of falling (Sammy has fell off of her cage a couple times that I know of) Which may be due to not fledging. She didn't do any blood work on her. She told me she looked fine. So I'm trusting her instincts.. She told me to just keep doing the mist thing even if she doesn't like it because she has to have baths. She also told me to do just as some of you have about taking her in the bathroom. Sammy was really good at the vets. I was shocked but she never tried to bite the vet. She didn't care for getting put on her back in the towel though, but all in all a good visit.

I will try that.. put her on the counter thing. I gave her a mist last night, she made a very loud noise when I did it!! I will just keep up with the one a day thing until I think she can handle two a day without tripping out on me. Thanks all.

That is horrible, I can't believe people would squirt their birds like that. Actually yes I can, but you would think anyone with half a brain would get rid of it before getting to torturing. Thanks Acapella, drinking the water didn't dawn on me.

I found an Avian vet, Sammy has an appointment tomorrow. Will let you know how that goes.

Haha Judy, I don't think I'll be trying the shower thing... Sammy would be flinging herself into the walls. She seems so well socialized/happy, yet she hates the cage and water. Almost like she has been tortured with both.

Just used water one time, going to try aloe vera tomorrow.

Acapella, I did the water thing and boy did Sammy freak out on that one. If she wasn't in the cage I'm pretty sure she would have bit my arm off, lol. I held the mister above her and let it fall down like rain, then I tried to mist her belly a couple times. She was really irate. I guess I will try a big bowl of water with some aloe vera juice in it and just stick it in the bottom of her cage. What do you think? Should I still keep trying the bottle maybe a squirt or two every couple days and see if she gets use to it? Or not?

The man I adopted Sammy from gave me 72 hours to get the vet check completed not counting this past weekend. I have been calling around to check on vets and the people aswering the phone are asking me what kind of blood work I want done. Shouldn't they know the answer to this? I know I don't. What am I checking for? Are there specific diseases etc?

This is a different one. Hopefully your right Judy. I only put her in the cage when I'm leaving the house or there is nobody in the same room with her to watch her.

I actually tried to do it in a big bowl in the kitchen sink and tried to get her to perch on the side of it, this was yesterday. She was having no part of that so this morning I went for the mister. Yes, I asked her if she was ready to take a bath and then I told her it was bath time. I will try the big bowl approach on the bottom of the cage with a little aloe vera juic and just leave it there for awhile and see what she does. Another thing, she absolutely does not want to be in her cage. she tries to grab the sides with her beak and sticks her talons onto whatever she can grab onto on the way in. either her owner hardly ever made her go in or her owners kids never let her out before i got her.

Wow, this morning i misted her with cold water (from the faucet) she did not like that one little bit. If she would have been out of her cage when I did it, I'm pretty sure she would have drawn blood. I know she needed it though. I misted above her so it would fall down on her instead of squirting her. I assume this is the correct way.

Okay I'll do that. She is the sweetest bird, I am so happy I found her.