OlBenny

Thank you all for your help in this:) I'll be getting some pictures up soon of my new addition to the family. As always, I can count on the members of this forum for sound advice and helpful hints:-)

Hello All, I rescued a 11yr/old CAG this last weekend. The lady I got him from said that he had plucked himself because of the diet that he was on; which was solely a seed diet. Any way, my question is this, Its pretty cool where I have him and my mother has offered to knit him a sweater. I think that its a good idea, but I would love some input from every one:-) Thanks a bunch, Ben

Hey Devin, I am from Minnesota to. There is a rescue here in MN called MAARS. I think you should go there and spend some time there even if its only for a weekend. I know that you said that you want a special needs Grey, however spending time with some would be a good idea first. It would be a good insight for exactly what you are getting your self into. Also, being a first time bird owner (if you go through MAARS) will probably require you to take classes and do some hands on training at there site before considering you. Here is there web site: http://www.maars.org/index.php Please, please, please check into this before you get a Grey!!! I know from experience loosing a companion bird is VERY hard. I researched Grey's for over a year before I actually got one. There is a lot to learn and it CAN'T be done in a couple of days. I think it would be a good idea for you to get some Cockateils or another type of smaller bird before you get a Grey. In my opinion, Grey's should not be pets for first time bird owners. Ben Fort, Chanhassen, MN

I am in the twin cities area. Over by Chanhassen

Hello all, I know it's been a while since I have wrote any thing, but I am starting to look for another Grey. I would like to get another Timneh. I have been looking online and most of the people I contact "have just moved out of the country". Any way, I was wondering if any one knew of a good breeder in the area. I am not worried about driving. I would be able to travel a couple hundred miles for a pick up or half way...I am not to fussy about the mileage I would have to drive. Thanks again, Ben

I love photography and have been doing it for a few years now. I have the Canon 30D with a variety of lenses. SLR stands for Single-Lens Reflex, and DSLR means Digital Single-Lens Reflex. All this means is that there is a movable lens with in the lens that magnifies or de-magnifies(I hope that is a word) what ever you are looking at through the view finder. Since you said that you want to take pictures of animals and bugs and such I am going to recommend a Canon. The research I have done has led me to believe that Canon is better in the field than Nikon will ever be. The 30D is nice but a bit expensive. You would get similar results with the Rebel XTi, and the XSi. The nice part about the Canon 30D is there are different modes of shooting. While I was starting out I left it in auto and payed attention to the settings inside the viewfinder and then went on to the semi-manual modes (ex. Tv,Av,M) Just so you know the M means FULL manual. You have to set the ISO, exposure time, aperture, flash and all that. If you are going to be taking pictures out side please please please pick up an external flash! The external flash plays a few key roles. 1. It elevates the flash so you get a more even coverage of light 2. Eliminates silhouettes when shooting into the sun 3. there are more but you'll get the picture;-) Also it sounds kinda bad, but pick out the biggest flash you can afford. You will NOT regret it. I have the Canon Speed light 580 EX2. Excellent Flash!!! As far as lenses go if you are shooting out side at birds, deer, "animals" I would suggest a lens in the range of 17mm- 85mm, this gives you the ability to be semi macro (Shooting bugs) to semi telephoto (something across the field), this lens usually comes with the camera if you buy a kit(Just so you know, when you look at lens's "IS" means Image Stabilized). As time goes on and you find what you like to shoot, that will determine the next lens's you buy. If you like to shoot macro (Really small things) I would suggest the 100mm fixed lens. The auto focus is really fast for those little critters that won't stop moving with amazing clarity. If you like the longer range shots then the 75mm to 300mm is a pretty standard lens, how ever to get that one in IS is VERY expensive!! So, I use a standard (Not IS) 75 to 300 with a tripod. If and or when you get a tripod make sure you get one big enough for you camera and lens. This means future lens's as well. A lot of super-telephoto lens's weigh more than the camera and if not mounted on a pod that can even out the weight all that money tips over. Any way I am sure you are getting tired of reading so I am going to stop typing. If you would like more info or tips please don't hesitate to message me. I am ALWAYS more than happy to help any one with photography stuff. I am by no means an expert but I do know how to have a lot of fun!!! :-)

Kind of an update: I called the land lord again yesterday(Monday) to see what he found out. He finally called me today, and after about 5 minutes of him babbling about what he found on Parrots, he told me I should call the owner of the complex and talk to her. It's like he needed to check out what I told him to see if I was lying or some thing (how irritating), any way I called her and ironically today was the first day she had herd any thing about it; and she herd about it through an e-mail!! By this time I was good and mad, any way the sum of it turned out that she is going to check some unbiased sources and get back to me tomorrow after noon. I'll let you all know what is found and or decided. Ben Fort, Chanhassen, MN

I talked to the Land lord to day and sure enough he had the carpets steam cleaned. When I asked him about the smell he said that it was cinnamon. The cleaner added it to the mix for a nice smell. Any way, he said that he would call the company and ask about the chemicals they used and contact the owner of the complex. I also gave him the number to my vet so she can better explain to him what she explained to me. I'll keep you all posted as what I find out on the matter so this NEVER happens to any one else again!!!

Thanks all, I really do appreciate every thing :-) I was thinking of an autopsy but when I called the vet she said that they could only do one if she wasn't frozen, unfortunately I had all ready done that so I could take her where I want to bury her. The vet said some thing about some things in her body change and don't give the right reading's after they have been froze. I am going to do some calling around to the Land lord and see if there was some thing on his part or one of the tenants as far as the smell. Either way, I am going to get some answers. I'll keep you all in the loop as far as what I find out. And THANK YOU ALL for your kindness and for your thoughts and prayers. I'll be staying on the sight and see what every one else is up to;-) Ben Fort

Well, I have some VERY BAD news. Last night around 3:00AM Bell past away{Feel-bad-00020072}. I am still investigating as to why this happened. My Vet and I have been thinking of different reasons, but between the two of us the only thing we can come up with is that some-one some where in the building had scented the hallways for Fall. When I walked out my door the scent was so heavy I had a hard time breathing it. As far as we can tell, its the only thing that's changed. Any way, Thank you all for your help these last few weeks.{Feel-bad-0002006A} Ben Fort

Thanks Dave, That does make sence. I just wanted to make sure. About the beard, I just wish mine would just grow evenly. Thanks again, Ben

I am sure there is a ton of threads on here that discuss molting and the like but please bare with me. I was giving Bell a shower last night and I am almost positive that she is well on her way into a molt, but the thing that's peaked my curiosity are the feathers on her chest closer to her wings and almost under the wings. Some feathers turned a shade of blueish purple, but only when they are wet. When she dries off they are all Grey again. I don't know if this is some thing that she's had and I never noticed or if its some thing new. I just had her to the vet about a month a go and had blood work done and she came up clean as a whistle. While at the vet her doctor told me that the band thats around her leg indicates that she was wild caught and imported. Not sure, but the Vet thinks she is around 20- 25 years old. This shattered me and the previous owners original estimate of around 7 years old.What do you all think? I'll see if she will let me take some pictures Thanks, Ben

I have always been a little cautious of clipping my babies wings and it tore me in two to do it:( , but the area where I live, if she were to get out it would most defiantly be the end. I live in an area that has a very unforgiving weather. In the summer it can be unbearably hot and in the winter subzero. I keep her wings and my teils wings clipped all the time, how ever I don't trim to the point where they fall like a rock. Usually when they are trimmed they have enough flight feathers to make a VERY smooth landing. I like it this way because I know the farthest they could fly is to the deck door and at the very worst make it to the deck. When she is on the floor every thing she can be on has a cotton rope attached to it and she can crawl up it to get to go where ever she wants. I guess the moral of this story is; where ever your area is, its going to decide whether or not to let her fly or not. If you have the wide open spaces, I'd say get her a harness and let her fly or clip her wings and find other ways that she can get around, but Janfromboone is right, going back and forth would be traumatic. I hope this helps, Ben

This more of a question than any thing, but I have noticed that Bell (My TAG) fluffs up when ever my teils get to close to where ever she is; so that makes me think that when she does fluff she is irritated, But when I watch training video's of other types of birds they say that when a bird fluffs up it's a sign of being comfortable. What do you all think? Does fluffing mean irritated? Thanks, Ben

Hello, Just curious, but why would I need to strip the bark if I bleach it? If I soak the entire stand in a %10 bleach water solution, wouldn't that take care of the limbs to? The only reason I ask is that I like the way it looks with the bark on. Let me know what you think, Ben Fort I'll put some pics of it on when I get a chance ;-)