Deanna

my bird loves tangerines he goes crazy for them and does not seem to get bored! you could also try some muesli with some of the pomegranite juice. hope this helps

Thanks suppose I worry too much, just want to make sure I am doing everything right

hi at the moment im having to spray marley as he wont bath but the problem is his beak and the surrounding feathers arn't getting a good wash should i worry about this or will they clean as he drinks?

hmmmm, im gonna have a good look at my tree and see what its like, I could go hunting for other trees but there is always the pesticide question with that also! its very difficult to decide what to do, thankyou for your imput its as always very helpful

yeah hopefully, he whistles at me and kind of mumbles so perhaps hes not to shy!Maybe hes just practising or actually said 'oi come here' lol, you never know

Thanks i was quite shocked as I assumed anything suitable for babies would be fine, but to think these chemicals are in babies toys is disgusting. Did'nt want to cause any panick im sure all effects of the toys are based on them being ingested over a long period of time and its the soft flexible ones as its the chemicals that make them flexible. I was unsure of giving my bird the flexible teethers anyway because i thought he might chew bits off and eat them.

Well, today Marley is definately saying something but i hav'nt a clue what it is he seems to only say it when im out the room! Ive been talking to him lots but knowing my luck it will be 'no Marley no, behave' lol, which is what i say to him when he is a bit pushy and tests my fingers with his beak!! He is definately the best birthday present I have ever gotten!!<br><br>Post edited by: Deanna, at: 2009/02/17 11:01

'NEW YORK, Sept. 17 --- Greenpeace today released the results of a scientific study showing that toys made of soft polyvinyl chloride (PVC), or vinyl, contain toxic chemicals that can leach when chewed or sucked on by children. The tests were conducted on 63 PVC toys from the United States and 16 other countries, which are designed to be put in young childrens' mouths, such as teething rings. All of the toys contained between 10 and 40 percent by weight of toxic chemical additives used to make the toys soft and flexible. These softeners belong to a group of chemicals called phthalates and are known to leak from PVC products during use, especially when pressure is applied, such as when a small child sucks or chews on a PVC teething ring. The dominant chemical found in the tested toys is toxic when ingested by animals, with health effects ranging from tumors and liver and kidney damage to reproductive abnormalities. Several of the softeners have been identified as possessing the ability to disrupt the hormone system, a phenomenon known as endocrine disruption. ' http://www.birdsnways.com/wisdom/ww18eiv.htm I read this today whilst researching PVC piping, its insane! As you can read its saying the soft teething rings contain traces of lead and over harmful chemicals. on a baby teething ring! I gave my parrot some soft teething keys which I have imediately removed, you would think baby things would be safe!if you visit the website it lists toys that contain chemicals, but don't panic the harder PVC seem to be fine!

Thanks for your replys! added a photo only one I have at the moment this is when I went to pick marley! my first hold he sat there for ages and looked like he wanted to eat the camera lol

im getting my parrot insured from exotic direct (01444 412118) it covers vet fees, theft, loss, i think you have a small excess to pay! but i think its well worth it if your parrot ever needs vet treatment mines only about £10 per month!

I think if you want to have a parrot as a pet and not for breeding purposes or anything like that, it is best being in your home close to where you spend alot of your time. This way when you come in from work you can talk to it and it will bond really well with you. Plus it allows your parrot to become part of your family community which they enjoy! i have my african grey in my living room, he is'nt very noisy apart from first thing when he wakes up and a throughout the day but in the evenings when it starts getting dark hes very quiet. Just remeber not to locate your bird in the kitchen, near drafts or bright sunlight!

Hi i got my African grey Marley tuesday the 10th feb and just before i felt exactly the same way as you! I probably still do a little, wondering if im doing everything right and worrying that im not. But believe me it is definately worth it Marley seems very happy and he took to me straight away, i feed him lots of different things but his favourite so far is tangerine! I think it is completely natural to be nervous and they are alot of work, I don't think leaving your parrot to go to work will be a problem once he gets used to you going, just spend lots of time with him when you can! i have to work odd shifts and I find Marley likes to sulk a little when I get back hes very quite but as soon as I get him out and play with him hes very hapy! good luck and most importantly enjoy your parrot because they are brilliant!

hi I am completly new to African greys and got my first ever one on tuesday 10th feb! Hes called Marley and hes great he can wolf whistle and mimic the phone and I reckon hes trying to talk hes about 14wks old as he was a little late coming home as he stopped eating his seed! he is very friendly but very bossy and I have to be very firm with him I think he has learnt 'No' very quickly. The only fruit he really likes is Tangerines! He is very funny when he comes out of his cage I get all his bricks out and give him a bowl of differnt foods but he charges across the table growling and throwing his toys about and thanks to this forum I realise this is normal playing behaviour. I am going to try and make him a playstand soon. Before I got him I read lots of books and visited this site quite regularly, the only thing I find very strange is that marley is'nt scared of his new toys or new foods.I always show him the toys and hang them on the outside of his cage and within minutes he is playing with them. im sure this must be a good thing. Right?

Okay thank you for your reply! have decided to attempt a wood playstand first might be a disaster (DIY Deanna lol) found some of the messages about pvc very worrying! thanks again

hi i am going to try to make my own playstand since all the ones ive seen are a piece of tree and very pricey! I have an apple tree in my garden but ive only lived here about 6 months so i don't know if it was ever treated before we moved in though i thoroughly doubt it, my partner is convinced the tree has some sort of fungus but i reckon its probably moss. Do you think it will be safe to use? I would'nt want to cause any harm to my parrot just to save money!Also if i oven treat the wood anyone know what temp to do it at ?Many thanks