karunk

Home at last.. <br><br>Post edited by: karunk, at: 2009/06/19 11:03

All.. Chikki has come home today.. I will soon post a few snaps.. A few questions to you all.. Before that, a bit of a background. I myself am not for clipping.. but, the breeder was so worried and concerned for the bird as Chikki was flying all over the place and requested me to allow her to clip him. She suggested, it would grow back in 6 months and by then I would have a better control over her. So I had to go with it.. he was clipped only yesterday.. I can hear a few swears.. but trust me.. i love chikki.. my questions now.. 1. He seems to be very comfy on his perch in the cage or on the open top. But he isnt very confident when he is picked up. I can feel a shiver on his foot and he starts flapping his wings and makes me feel he is not sure about perching on my hand.. Will this be ok soon? 2. Being a nerdy person myself, i tried to get him step up today.. but he wouldnt.. he wasnt lured by my treats either.. how do i time my training sessions.. is it too early?? do i wait till he starts trusting me more?? 3. also, i bought a packet of treats for him, but he wont have them.. so how do I choose a treat for his training sessions.. Is it generally done by noting down what he likes over a period of time? Will post some snaps tomorrow..

Honestly, I was a bit startled at the size when i went to the breeders yday.. my wife was seeing him for the first time, and she was a bit shaken as well.. took sometime for us to sink it in.. and i also got a sweet little scratch from his sharp claws .. the conservatory is pretty much done for him as well.. just flooring and painting remains.. will get some snaps once i get him home next weekend.. 13th is the day.. cant wait!!

-- Latest pic of my CAG.. plan to bring him home on either the 13th or 18th of this month.. <br><br>Post edited by: karunk, at: 2009/06/05 20:57

hey guys thanks a lot.. btw myafricanqueen, i have read a few books on CAGs.. couple of books on Alex.. including Alex studies.. The birdkeepers guide to CAGs by Greg Glendell, and one other book. I will get this one you have recommended as well.. thanks for your inputs..

more..

Some snaps.. at the breeders with Chikki <br><br>Post edited by: karunk, at: 2009/05/10 00:19

Thanks everybody.. JoolesGrey, my wife doesnt use a hairspray, so shouldnt be an issue i hope.. i will post some more snaps once i have them formatted to the right size.. Chikki has grown bigger since i saw him last.. even the red tail is coming out slowly.. spent an hour with him at the breeders and just back.. shuld be going again next weekend or a week after that.. judygram i hope to get my conservatory done by late may or early june.. will send you the snaps once done..

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all.. thanks for your comments.. we initially thought of Samba as the name.. but then decided on Chikki as the breeder felt it would be easier for the parrot to pronounce as well.. should be starting to see him in the next couple of hours.. though its my second time, i feel very excited about it.. cant wait to bring him home.. mid june seems to be very very far off..

.. <br><br>Post edited by: karunk, at: 2009/05/08 14:26

all.. i am paying my second visit to my birdie tomorrow.. we have decided to call him Chikki.. the conservatory is coming along well and shud be done by end of may i hope.. hoping to bring chikki home by mid june.. have got him a travel cage that i will give the breeder tomoro.. btw have advised my breeder not to clip the bird.. so its going to be fun managing him.. Got some pics for you.. the one in the green pot is our Chikki..!! <br><br>Post edited by: karunk, at: 2009/05/08 14:29

All.. I am planning to buy my CAG in the next few weeks.. Rather I have placed my deposit already and hope to bring chikki home by mid june.. I have already read quite a few books and one of them advised against clipping wings.. When I spoke to my breeder regarding that, she suggested that clipping would mean there wouldnt be any more crashes against windows, and it was better to have a bird with a clipped wing than a broken neck.. So I logged in to the forum hoping to get some advise and i guess i got what i wanted.. My concern though is, I have been getting a conservatory built at home which I am planning to make a play area for chikki.. but conservatory is an area made of glasses, and I am really concerned about chikki flying into the glasses.. I can get some blinds on, still, it may not be safe all the time.. I am happy to train the parrot about the windows.. but i wont be able to do that with the glass roof .. I would be happy to do the best to keep chikki from being clipped.. Any suggestions for the glass roof please??

The conservatory build should start in the next 10 days.. and should be done in a months time.. I should be paying the first visit to my bird in the next week or so.. I hope one of the two chooses me.. Really excited about it.. have waited a long time for the day.. once i get the conservatory in place, i must start setting up a good environment for my bird at home.. have planned a few play things for the bird already.. will keep u all posted..

Hi Guys.. havent been very active here for sometime.. but i have been actively planning out for my Grey.. I am in touch with a breeder in Kent UK.. Just 30 miles from where I live.. when i first contacted her she said she expected the eggs to arrive in a week.. its been a month since then and there are now 2 chicks.. one arrived on the 31st of march and the next one on 2nd of april.. i am yet to choose them.. i hope to pay a visit in the next couple of weeks.. Meanwhile I am also getting a conservatory done at home.. i can use it as a play room for my grey when it arrives.. i hope to get the grey home by mid june.. and the conservatory shud be done by then.. i am planning the conservatory more as an extension, so that i can use it as a sleep room for my grey.. hope it all goes well.. i will get a few snaps of the birds as soon as i have them and post it here..

Sugarbeth.. i did suggest to the breeder that I could get a cockatiel to serve as a company for the African Grey.. that would also reduce his boredom and wouldnt be financially too much of an ask on me.. also i have heard that cockatiels arent that demanding either.. so lesser responsibilities.. but she was not ok with that as well.. !! also something on the sleeping hours.. i read that AGs need 10 to 12 hours of sleep everyday.. and it is very important that the lights are off in the living room during those hours.. how do you guys manage with that.. coz, i stay in my living room atleast till 10 pm.. and come back in the morning at 7 am.. that isnt enough time for the bird.. and on weekends nights are going to be noisier and longer.. as a solution i can only think of a sleeping cage for the bird, and put it in a closed storage space under the stairs.. what do you ppl do to help your bird sleep in peace when you are enjoying your weekend nights!!

Exactly.. that was my concern.. its not just the cost.. its the responsibility that comes with buying 2 AGs.. and being a newbie to parrots, rather pets even, i am a bit hesitant to start with 2.. i have also plans to train my parrot.. and 2 makes it even more difficult to concentrate and train them.. i hope i can spend 2 hours in the morning and 2 in the evening and then let the parrots sleep around 10 hours..your inputs have made me a lot clearer in what i am going to do.. thanks a lot..

Many thanks DanMCQ.. i have been talking to many breeders.. and i spoke to one very responsible breeder yday.. she was the first to ask me about my work schedule, and when she found that the parrot would be alone from 9 to 6 pm every working day, she said she wouldnt let her parrot babies go through that. she said, if i had to buy something from her, it has to be 2 AGs.. so that they could spend time with each other when we werent around.. which would push my budget to 2000 pounds including a huge cage and accessories.. i am not worried about spending so much, but just want to make sure if it is really the right reason to get 2 AGs and not just a marketing strategy.. i just wanted to get your thoughts on this, before i make up my mind for that budget ..

Hi Guys.. a few questions .. looks like i will soon be getting an ag.. i am thinking on the setup and initial things i have to get.. 1. i have to first throw away all the teflon wares.. is there any other type of wares that has the non stick feature that wont hurt the bird? 2. I have planned a location for the cage.. it is in the living room, close to the dining area, 10 feet from the kitchen door.. i hope that shud be a good spot.. because the stairs go just above the place, it looks a bit protectiv.. from there the bird can things happening in the lounge, kitchen and dining room.. 3. that being the setup planned, i might have a mini curtain arranged to hide the bird from view if i want to.. that might benefit the bird durin sleeping hours.. and i have heard that, such a setup might induce talking capabilities faster than usual.. 4. we cook a lot of spicy food at home.. sometime fry chillies and stuff.. what do we do with the bird in such cases.. would it affect the bird.. we have got used to all the spices in the air, but any bird i buy would not be prepared for that.. would it affect the bird..? 5. my wife uses hair dryer.. would that affect the bird?? 6. Is there any other equipment we should look into before he arrives??

Hi MazyAK.. thanks for the inputs.. i am reading the posts and so is my wife.. just to make sure she has all her concerns addressed.. i am talking to breeders here and also a couple of ppl who want a new home for their AG.. I am just planning to time the entry so that i take a week off initially and spend all the time with him during the honeymoon period that the baby spends at home..

all.. thanks for all your thoughts.. I would have him in my Living room, now that i have an idea of what it means to him.. I just have to figure out a suitable space so that he can watch tv when i am out.. i have a big list of questions.. i would soon compile them and check the forum for answers.. if i am not able to get an answer, i will post them here.. feels good that now i can post my questions in here and sort out any issues/concerns i might have.. Hope to buy a good AG soon..

Will do judygram.. Many thanks for your inputs..

Danmcq.. i am a newbie to pets.. i want a pet as a long time commitment and stay with me for a few decades.. i have already decided its going to be a parrot and an intelligent one.. i felt AG is a good choice.. i have started to look into local breeders and collect information on what i have to do to make my AG at ease.. i could easily get a cage, but was wondering if the bird could fly and could feel at ease in a larger space such as my garage.. hence the thought.. if he would feel happier in the living room, i could get a good sized cage to have him there.. and may be i should train him not to fly to my lcd tv or my desktop

Hi She.. many thanks for that input.. i am already workng out some space in the house for the new entry to the family.. i was a bit concerned abt the flying space that it would have in a cage.. i did also think about an outdoor cage, but i am concerned about the winter.. in any case i should have a dedicated space for the grey.. i am going through the forum and looking for some tips to start off..

Hi.. I am planning to buy an African Grey.. ANd i am trying to make sure I prepare myself well for the commitment.. reading some books.. making my day longer so that i can spend more time with it.. and things like that.. i have a concern though.. i have a big garage which i dont use for a car anyways.. is it a good idea to make that its place.. i am worried coz it might be a bit cold in the shed for the bird.. as the garage is really big it will provide the bird enough room to fly when i am not around during the day.. i can keep the garage lights on if that might help as well..