Azzie

Thanks guys = ) Cleo is turning into a real honey. She's so cuddly, and so funny when she wants more food from me, the way she runs at me with her beak open making little baby sounds. I just wonder how this little creature has managed to steal my heart away in just 7 days!

Thank you Dave =D

Finally managed to get my camera working. Here's some pics of all my darlings. I was unable to upload each pic on its own as it was too big, and I haven't figured out yet how to fix that. Sorry! http://s728.photobucket.com/albums/ww281/Azzie73/<br><br>Post edited by: Azzie, at: 2009/04/06 02:23

Congrats on stepping out of your comfort zone and taking the plunge! Sounds like it's a big sacrifice you are making, but I am sure it will pay off at the end. Good luck!

I don't think anyone who frequents this forum could ever get sick of hearing someone being happy and excited about a baby bird = )

I don't think anyone who frequents this forum could ever get sick of hearing someone being happy and excited about a baby bird = )

I know one way to check for red mites is to cover the cage with a white sheet at night, and check for the tiny tiny beggars in the morning. Not all mites are detectable that way though, and like it has been mentioned above, a thorough examination of the skin by a vet is needed.

My thoughts and prayers are with you and Sherlock. *hugs*

Toxic Food For Parrots: Onions While the use of limited amounts of onion or garlic powders as flavorings is generally regarded as acceptable, excessive consumption of onions causes vomiting, diarrhea, and a host of other digestive problems. It has been found that prolonged exposure can lead to a blood condition called hemolytic anemia, which is followed by respiratory distress and eventual death. From http://www.african-grey-parrots.co.uk/blog/2009/03/10-toxic-foods-for-parrots/ I don't know what consitutes "excessive consumption" in a parrot, but I won't be feeding Cleo any onions. I'd rather not take the risk = )<br><br>Post edited by: Azzie, at: 2009/04/06 00:48

He's SO cute!! And those little squeaks he makes just makes me melt.

Very entertaining to read all these posts about parrot likes and dislikes! I'm glad to hear your baby seems to be perking up Gorg. Antibiotics start to take effect after about 24 hours of regular dosing, where it will stop bacteria from multiplying, but the full effect doesn't kick in for about 48 hours when it actively starts to kill bugs. Antibiotics are great drugs, but remember they kill good AND bad bugs, which increases the risk of thrush. Yoghurt with liver cultures can help prevent that. And as I am sure you know, to finish the course of medication completely, because bacteria quickly become resistant to antibiotics if they aren't wiped out completely. Which means that if baby remains infected, it's gonna be much harder to get him/her better next time round.

Sorry to hear your wee fella isn't well. I wish him a speedy recovery. A list of tests would be very useful, as suggested by Happy in the above post. As for breeders not caring, I guess there are some very unscrupulous people out there who don't give a damn once they've got the money you paid for the bird.

Now I know E. coli is a bacteria that usually lives in the gut of humans. How on earth does a parrot end up with this nasty bug?

Ollo the Black Lab You passed away on 1 September 2009, age 11. You were my best friend for many years. You were always there for me, through the good times and the bad. You never judged and never abandoned me. You were just always there. I still miss you every day. I miss your cuddles and sloppy kisses. I miss how you used to try and steal the warmest spot on the bed and try to push me out of the way. I miss how you used to snore in your sleep. I miss how you were there to greet me when I came home from work. You were always happy and eager to please. When you became sick so suddenly, I was devastated. After taking you to the vet for the final time, the house was so quiet and empty. You were always a quiet dog, but your presence was obviously lacking. Taking you to the vet was the hardest thing I've ever had to do, and I would have given anything to have avoided it. Ollo thank you for everything. I love you, and I miss you. There is still a big Ollo shaped hole in my heart that will never be filled. Rest easy my friend.

That could well be it. One of my very sweet lorikeets turned into a terrible little monster that was all beak and sharp claws when he had his first moult. I just ended up giving him an egg and biscuit mix, and a vitamin and mineral supplement to help him through it. Once he finished moulting he was back to his sweet usual self. I guess it is a bit like teething. All those sharp prickly feathers growing through the skin.

Seems Cleo has this ability to remove just the layers of skin from my fingers. She grabs on, does a sideways slicing movement with her bottom jaw, and voila, a piece of skin ready for grafting >< I now have the bottle of iodine on standby.

Heehee stop it you guys. My eyes just filled with water...I don't think they're tears though *sniffle* Cleo is 12 weeks old. In the 5 days she's had me (ahem), her flying and landing has improved. We'll keep working on that! Spent 20 minutes this morning scritching and scratching CLeo around her head. She wasn't too sure at first about this fingers, but soon I was able to cover her whole head with my hand for a good all over head scratch. She sat there with her eyes closed. I wish I was my bird!

Sorry for your loss. It is hard losing a member of the family. It leaves a big hole in your heart. God bless, and my thoughts are with you. *Hugs*

I remember growing sprouts as a kid, using damp cotton balls sitting on a window sill. I'll be joining you lot and start that up again today!

My hat off to you = ) Wonderful to hear that someone cares so much, and is willing to go through all the worries that comes with having a sick animal friend. Good luck to you and Mali!

I've heard conflicting stories about whether you can feed lettuce to birds. Some sites say absolutely not, as it is toxic. Other sites say it's fine as lettuce is mostly water. Can anyone please shed some more light on this?

I'm pretty sure I just saw Cleo blush! The white skin around her eyes turned very pink, and soon turned back to the normal colour. It was when I offered her a piece of food. Was she excited?

Day 4 of being Cleo's mum, and for the second time she sat on my shoulder and watched me prepare dinner. I offered her the salad bowl to see what she would do. Madame beaked through the various bits and pieces, and opted for the largest piece of bell pepper she could find. She then sat there making little munching and crunching noises, and wiped her beak on my face when finished. I love it!!!

To get Cleo in or out of her cage, or out of an awkward situation (eg perching precariously on top of a curtain rail), I just use a wooden perch from another unused cage. She's pretty good at stepping up on that, as she is still wary of my fingers. Today puppy Jinx and I are going to the beach to gather driftwood for the lorikeets and Cleo to perch and chew on.

Actually, ya know, it wasn't easy to find you guys! Two weeks prior to Cleo coming home, I spent a lot of time surfing the net and reading just about everything there was to read on greys. I didn't find this little jewel however until the end of the two weeks. I stumbled across this site entirely by accident. Wish I had found it before though = ) would have saved me a lot of time and anxiety heh. Nevermind, I'm here now, and feeling right at home with all the lovely warm welcomes.