Sevi

I thought I might ressurect this thread to recommend The Parrot in Health and Illness by Bonnie Doane. It's a little dated since it was written in 1991, but it's still a very valuable reference and a great place to start if you're looking for something specific. I've read it from front to back and still refer to it once in a while.

I'm a little partial to Greely... I like how it roles off the tongue... But I still think that if you want to name him/her Gandalf, then you should- who cares how common it is :cheer:

Edison was hatched January 6, 1996 I brought him home at the start of March that year, but visited at the breeder all the time in between. :laugh:

Voted... Hard choice- they're all so cute.

That is a beautiful painting. Any idea who the artist is? I actually purchased an art book on American Impressionists just for the sole image of an african grey on a fruit bowl. For the life of me I can't remember who the artist is.. Now I'm going to have to find that book and post it...<br><br>Post edited by: Sevi, at: 2008/05/22 00:13

Congrats! That is fantastic! I can't believe I missed this thread when it was first posted. I was all tear-jerked when I read it.

Darn... I wrote out a response and my browser closed randomly before it submitted Here goes again: Hi Ross and Erin, I am inclined to agree with the comments so far. In terms of cage size, it's too small for a grey. And as Lovemygreys pointed out, it's an awkward shape. For the same price there are some very good quality, larger cages. Since you're based in the U.S. they are readily available and generally have free shipping. If you dog gets along well with the other birds, it will probably be fine with the grey. My CAG and dog tolerate each other. I think my dog is afraid of him. I'd just be sure to watch them when they're out together. I'm biased, since I love my CAG so much, but I'd suggest a grey over a cockatoo. If your biggest concern about getting a grey is a propensity to feather-pluck a cockatoo may not be the best alternative. They are incredibly intelligent, beautiful, wonderful companion birds; however, if you are considering one it is important to know everything you can before you purchase. I have met several people who are in similar situations to what is described on this site who purchased a cockatoo and did not realize the amount which is required to maintain a good relationship with the bird: http://www.mytoos.com I've never re-homed an older grey, so I can't advise you on that. However, I did raise my grey from a baby and it was incredibly rewarding. How early you are able to take your grey home also depends heavily on the breeder. Some will not let them leave until they are fully-weaned. Others will let you take them home while they are still hand-feeding as long as you attend some sessions with the breeder. Unfortunately I only have a list of some local Canadian breeders, but I'm sure there is one online for those in the States. I'd also suggest discussing this with an avian vet. They are usually acquainted with friendly, competant and reliable breeders and more than willing to suggest one. Good Luck!

I'd say she's definitely molting. Whenever Edison molts I always go through a little bit of panic... Especially when I look at the bottom of his cage and somehow there are feathers that I don't remember seeing earlier.:blink: I agree with Judy and Acappella, give her some extra head rubs and a few more baths. They get so itchy when new feathers are growing in and the casing is so powdery. I also save any flight feathers Edison may lose during a molt since he's fond of using them as a tool for rubbing his head. Perhaps you can try giving one to Bella?

I celebrate the hatch date of my Grey. Though I missed it this year and I felt horrible when I realized. He usually gets a new toy (but it's a fairly common occurrence so I'm not sure if he sees it as particularly special) and a small bite of cake. We sing happy birthday too- my guy has a great vibrato but still doesn't know all the words. There's a lot of operatic "ooOooOooOhhhs" Then I usually feel guilty for letting him have some cake with icing, but it's such a small bit and once a year. :unsure: My mother has a Quaker and doesn't have the hatch date but knows the month, so she picked a random day in December to do the same sort of thing. You are definitely not alone.

I certainly hope I'll have a lot to share. This forum is really an indispensable resource for grey owners, and any bird owners at that. I will seriously snap me a candid photo... I have one- and it was because he didn't realize my cell-phone was a camera. It made the faux shutter noise though, so I can't rely on it anymore. :dry:

Thanks everyone!

Definitely name him Gandalf if you want to. I think it's a great name for grey. I don't think cheese is really an issue in pet names... For example: mine is named "Edison" and I think it just wreaks of my nerdiness. But I love it, and as far as I can tell, so does he. Your bird will love whatever you call him

Richardsmommy wrote: Oh Jeez. Mine does that too! He has the click the phone makes when it's hung up down pat too. His conversations are hilarious. Sometimes he throws in random things he just likes saying... in the middle of his "phone conversation" you hear something like "how are you?... haha... ohhh..LET THE DOG OUT... yup... bye... CLICK" The most annoying sound is the dog's squeaky toys...which naturally needs to be said when the dog is also playing with a squeaky toy. It's bad enough when the dog does it *sigh*

I am glad I decided to join too. I did indeed get him as baby and I found hand-feeding to be one of the most rewarding experiences when I first got him. Though it pales in comparison to having him as a companion for so long. The trouble with pictures is that I can never get an action shot. As soon as he sees the camera he stops dead in tracks and drops everything he was doing. He was playing with a wooden spool in the one above, the little point-and-shoot came out and BAM, the spool was gone. One day, one day.

Mine gets up as soon as he sees the sun through the blanket, but he's usually quiet until someone uncovers him. As soon as he realizes others are up to he's ready to start the day. He's usually covered for bedtime around 8pm. I'd like to think he gets a full 12 hours, but I'm doubtful.

Chilli is a great name, and even better when you tell the story. That's adorable. Congrats on Chilli!

Hey everyone. I've browsed around these forums for a long time as a guest and figured I should probably attempt some form of active membership... finally. I've had Edison, my CAG (re: avatar and below), for 12 years. Wow... it definitely hasn't seemed that long. He's a big ham and a big suck- when he wants to be. He's also camera shy, it's a real chore to take a decent one. I'm looking forward to getting to know you all ~ Sevi. <br><br>Post edited by: Sevi, at: 2008/05/15 16:30