ScottY

JillyBeanz & LuvParrots: Sorry to hear you both were underwhelmed with the podcast. As far as her so called 'loony' ideas go, I just figured all parrot owners have got to be at least a little loony to want to keep a parrot (aka: wild animal! :woohoo: :laugh: Despite perhaps a couple of the more esoteric notions expressed, I still believe the podcast provides some sound informative insight about African Grey Parrots that both owners and potential owners whould appreciate. In particular for me,learning that CAG's and TAG's each have a different maturation rate, of which results in how to best raise them during the critical first 2-3 years, and the discovery that African Greys are 'partial ground feeders', of which may contribute to the reason for their heightened sensitivity and reaction to new toys and objects when first introduced.<br><br>Post edited by: ScottY, at: 2009/08/30 03:08

I just stumbled upon this terrific MP3 radio podcast featuring Maggie Wright, African Grey expert & author of African Grey Parrots: Complete Pet Owner's Manual . Well worth listening to :cheer: from begining to end . Click below: Birds of a Feather (59 minutes, 03 sec)

chimaysmommy wrote: Alexander's 12.2" from tip of tail to top of head, and weighs aprrox 410 grams, so the regular Medium Size Pak O'Bird carrier provides him > adequate room. Celltei also has a custom Congo Grey version for people with larger sized Congos than Alexander is, but interestingly enough, the actual inside dimensions of the two carriers is identical. The only difference is that the perch is positioned slightly further back to allow more head room in front to keep a larger bird's head from hitting the front mesh. The seed cup positioning was also moved slightly. Just my personal opinion, but I don't think it's worth $70 for that minor customization. I suggest calling the manufacturer CELLTEI and speaking with Angie Yeung to go over your parrot's weight/size to determine which carrier (Medium or Custom one for a Larger Congo Grey)is best for your Grey. She's very friendly and helpful. Be sure to tell her hello from me. - Scott Yee <br><br>Post edited by: ScottY, at: 2009/08/26 01:45

rbpittman wrote: You can view pics of Alexander in his Pack O'Bird carrier on my profile page: CLICK HERE! I just uploaded a new set of him taking his first BART Train ride !

caitb2007 wrote: Though I generally agree with what the other respondants said, I was 14 when I first got Alexander and look at us NOW . . . 25 years later. :)

Thanks for posting the cool pics of Chimay in the AP. That grapevine perch sure looks a lot more comfortable & easier to grip onto than the slippery plastic thing included. especially when carrying around on your back. Not sure if it's just the pic, but it looks an awfully tight squeeze for Chimay in that limited space. If as you hinted earlier, you plan on getting a Pak O'Bird carrier too, it will be interesting to get your comparison review of the two. Happy adventure pak travels to you and Chimay. Ok, I'm off for another a Pak O' bird day trip outing with Alexander now.

Alexander's 25 years old now and I raised him from a baby. I'd say he's generally as active as he was when he was 4: still loves hanging & swingin wildly from his toys etc, but that said, I think his personality's mellowed & matured, and a lot more easy going now as well. He remains my lifelong loyal buddy. I love this guy. B)

chimaysmommy wrote: Chimaysmommy: I've been following this thread closely so glad to hear your pack finally arrived especially after all the hoops that 'flyin' south' put you thru. It's really a shame to hear about it's under whelming quality, workmanship, and being short changed the mosquito netting to boot. Anyway, now that you have it, I'm really looking forward to seeing pics of Chimay riding around in it. btw: love the shot of 'Tigerlilly' riding in her adventure pak. B)

Here are Bobbi Brinker's, renowned & highly respected African Grey expert and author of "For the Love of Greys" recommendations: Wing-clipping And The African Grey Wing Clipping 101 - a picture essay<br><br>Post edited by: ScottY, at: 2009/08/21 05:23

lovethatgrey wrote: Hi Adina, This was my initial concern as well, as I recently purchased the Pak O'Bird for my grey "Alexander" and use it nearly everyday to take him on day trip car rides, train, walking, hiking, and just about anywhere I go . That said, I found that there's plenty of adequate flow thru ventilation on all 4 sides thru the mesh as long as the outside temperature doesn't get extremely hot. When walking around with Alexander in the carrier, the outside breeze flows in and around him to keep him comfortable yet without creating a chilling draft.Both Alexander and I love this carrier because it's so convenient to take him everywhere and discover new places (beach, outside cafes, mountains, etc). This said, I wouldn't recommend the Pak O'Bird if your bird's a heavy duty chewer. Luckily (so far) Alexander prefers to play and chew the toy I hang inside it, but in spite of the great lengths Pak O'Bird has put into its carrier to prevent chewing (stainless mesh, panels to hide zippers) the carrier still could become chewed up eventually, as there are admittedly a couple of spots that Alexander attempted to chew, but i subsequently applied bitter apple to that area and he's not chewed that area since. Fingers crossed. The other issue is that the carrier doesn't include a debris tray, but simply a vinyl sheet of which you need to lay paper towels over to catch the droppings & debris. Problem is that the paper towel can't lay flat because of an aluminum carrier support bar which sits across that location. I suppose you could situate it under the bar, but then the bar would become soiled with poop. a minor inconvience. In spite of these minor reservations, I highly recommend the Pak O' Bird Carrier. See my full in depth review HERE.

I recently purchased the Pak O'Bird carrier, by Celltei, for my congo african grey parrot 'Alexander' because I wanted a backpack style carrier to take him around in for car trips and all day walks &, and hikes. I needed something portable, lightweight, and above all, safe, comfortable, and adequately roomy to take him just about anywhere and everywhere I travel. I was impressed with the pics I saw of it on the Celltei Website, but wasn't sure which size best suited for Alexander, as the website suggests either "medium'($169 US) or the considerably more expensive custom designed one for a larger 'congo' grey size ($239 US). I called Celltei and spoke with the Pak O'Bird designer herself, Angie Yeung, and she was very friendly and helpful, asking me about my bird including his weight and length (tip of tail to top of head) measurement. After giving her these details (410 gm/12.2" length), she recommended the $169 Standard Medium with Stainless Steel Mesh for Alexander. That came as a nice relief as the larger 'congo grey' version costs $70 more. She also told me that the exterior & interior dimensions of both carriers are identical and that the only difference made to accomodate 'larger congo greys' was the perch positioned back further to allow more headroom in front. The Pak O' Bird carrier is available in "olive green" or "yellow" but having seen the yellow one in person, I chose olive green because it seemed a more eco friendly looking color. Because of Celltei's limited production runs to ensure good quality control, I had to wait 2 weeks for my PakO'Bird to arrive. What surprised & impressed me during my 2 week wait was receiving a pic (from Angie) showing my Pak O'Bird carrier at the current point of its production cycle. OK! Fast forward to the day of it's arrival. The Pak O' Bird arrived folded almost totally flat in a box. I was anxious to get it put together so forgot to read the enclosed setup instructions. That said, I was able to set it up in 4 minutes because everything was so self explanatary. The first thing I noticed was the EXCELLENT quality materials & stitching, and attention to detail paid in every aspect. The carrier has fine stainless steel mesh on all FOUR sides which allows the bird to easily see out without feeling confined. It also includes metal rings attached to the interior top four corners of the pack to hang toys from, and 2 stainless cups/holders. The bottom of the carrier has a removable thick plastic vinyl sheet that secures with velcro. You can then place a couple of sheets of papertowel on top to catch droppings/debris. The bottom of the carrier easily unzips allowing the bottom to drop down for convenient cleanup, which only takes a couple of minutes. For added privacy, the Pak O'Bird also includes roll up side windows and and an additional drop down panel to cover the front steel mesh area as well. Other features I appreciated right off is the included natural dragonwood perch, aluminum stabilization bar at bottom and along top to provide added carrier stability and shape. In addition, the carrier includes straps to carry it either: on your back, or in front, as well as a shoulder strap for carrying it on one shoulder. There are also belt loops on the back for securing it with your automobile's seatbelts to the seat of your car. Ok, it's time to get to the most important thing, whether Alexander will like or at least accept the Pak O'Bird. When he first saw it he definitely wasn't willing to sit even near it, forget about going inside. I decided I would need to acclimate it to him slowly so first placed the carrier about 5 feet away from his perch stand for a an hour, and then slowly moved it closer as he became more comfortable. A few hours later, I hung his favorite toy inside. I then had Alexander step up on my hand and placed him closer to the carrier and rewarding him for his calm demeanor at each step. If he became nervous, I'd move him a feel inches further away until he became relaxed again. By the next day, he was timidly stepping up on his own onto the carrier's perch, and by the end of the day, happyily plaing with his favorite toy inside. By the 3rd day, he was stepping in and out of the carrier whenever I asked him to and eager to take his first Pak O'Bird outdoor adventure. As I mentioned earlier, the Pak O'Bird has 3 carrying options: shoulder, in front, and on your back. I quickly discovered that attempting to carry Alexander around on my back not the best option because the kind of movement created when walking made it difficult for him to stay on the perch very easily. That said, Alexander has no problem at all riding comfortably on the perch when the Pak is secured by the shoulder straps in front of me at chest level or on my side using the shoulder strap. Because the pak is so LIGHTWEIGHT (I can hold it up by its carrying strap with only ONE finger!) there's barely a noticeable inconvenience to take him with me walking along the sidewalk or on trails. In addition Alexander's easily able to see clearly thru the mesh on all four sides. I confirmed this by sticking my head inside the pack, and similar to a home window screen, able to see out pretty well. In my car, I found a perfect spot in the back seat to position and secure the Pak O'Bird with the shoulder straps attached to the back of the arm rests, offering him a view of not only the direction traveled (windshield) but side and back window views as well. He really enjoys watching the passing scenery, playing with his toy, eating from his seed cups, and whistling and chattering along the way as well. When I arrive at our destination, I can quickly unzip the the front mesh allowing him come out and hang out with me. One big inital concern I had with getting a nylon backpack style carrier was whether alexander would eventually chew it up. So far, he's shown little or no interest in chewing it or its stainless steel mesh. I believe the Pak's design and construction contributes to this, as plastic panels are used to hide and prevent access to zippers or other possible vulnerable chewable areas. That said, I suspect a heavy chewer parrot (like a cockatoo) might eventually chew up the Pak O'Bird, at least the nylon fabric portion, but Alexander remains content to play and chew on his playtoy instead (fingers crossed). He's never been a heavy chewer afterall, prefering puzzle toys instead. At home, I take the Pak O'Bird carrier outside and suspend it from the arbor awning (via the carrying strap) above my back deck so Alexander can enjoy the fresh air, plants, trees and wild birds nearby. In conclusion, I think the Pak O'Bird has greatly enhanced Alexander's exposure to & enjoyment of the world around him. I highly recommend the Pak O'Bird carrier to African Grey owners. Here are some pics of Alexander enjoying his Pak O' Bird Carrier: <br><br>Post edited by: ScottY, at: 2009/08/16 09:17

chelseaB wrote: When Alexander first saw the Pak O' Bird carrier, he wouldn't willingly on his own go inside it, so I used clicker training & treat rewards to first acclimate him to feeling comfortable near the carrier. By the 2nd day, with clicker training & target stick and rewards, got him to climb in himself and by the 3rd day, he willingly climbed in and out whenever i ask him to. He really LOVES riding and going places it it now. I realize your Grey's just a baby, but I highly recommend 'clicker training' for teaching your bird to teach basic behaviors (step up, toilet training, etc) and tricks, as it will make their learning stimulating, fun and rewarding as well. Alexander anticipates and loves his clicker training sessions. I've read & highly recommend these books: Bird School : Clicker Training For Parrots and Other Birds, by Ann Castro The Click That Does The Trick Chelsea: Looking forward to seeing pics of your new arrival.

Hi Roseilee: It's GREy-T to join 'Grey Forums'together at the same time as you. This place is GREy-T ! B)

Thanks to everyone here for the warm welcome. I'm looking forward to becoming an active forum participant.B) danmcq wrote: Great. I'd love to see pics of your Grey enjoying himself in it. danmcq wrote: In addition to the pics of Alexander in his Pak O'Bird carrier, I just uploaded a few more recent pics of Alexander to my profile page HERE if you want to check them out. <br><br>Post edited by: ScottY, at: 2009/08/13 05:10

Hi, my name's Scott and my Congo African Grey's name is Alexander. He's 25 years old. I handfed and raised him from a baby. Parrots have been in my life from the age of two, beginning with our family half moon conure, of who liked to ride on my shoulder. Quite a few years later, I got my very own first bird, a handfed cockatiel followed by a lovebird, grey cheek parrot, and a society finch. I got Alexander in 1984 from a local bird enthusiast/breeder and helped wean him. I later purchased a Lesser Sulfur Crested Cockatoo and B&G Macaw, but a few years later had to rehome them because the cockatoo became too difficult to handle (unpredictable nervous biting behavior) and the Macaw unrelentingly terrorized Alexander. From then on (20+ years), Alexander's remained the one and only bird in my household, so we've grown up together to form a wonderfully close owner/bird relationship. Though I never taught him to talk, he's picked up quite a few words and phrases on his own over the years. He's shy speaking in public, so reserves his talking only when myself or other family/friends are around, yet is uninhibited at whistling & making any other non word vocal sounds at will. Rather than teaching him to talk, I taught Alexander (via clicker training) to perform behaviors like: "step up", "Wave", "turnaround", head bob yes/no, etc. Recently, I've been teaching him to respond 'verbally' to my commands (cues) like getting him to make a kissing sound when I say: "give me a kiss". At 25, Alexander has retained everything he learned back early in his life and continues to pick up and learn new behaviors as quickly as he did when he was 2, and continues to get excited about learning new things/behaviors I teach him. I left Alexander fully winged (un-clipped) until he was about a year old, but have since kept him clipped as one of my other birds flew away because someone in the house accidently left a door ajar briefly. Though I initially regretted clipping Alexander's wings, after 25 years, he's remains well adjusted and happy in spite of this. I continue to debate the possibility of allowing his wings to grow back and perhpas getting him an Aviator Harness for going outdoors, but everytime I do, I hear of another parrot owner who lost their parrot because they left a door/window open briefly. Ok, this brings my story up to now: Two weeks ago I purchased a Pak O'Bird Backpack style carrier to take Alexander around in. I think this may be the best thing got for Alexander in a very long time as I'm now able to take him just about ANYWHERE I go. I can take him in the car, on the bus, train, subway, on walks & hikes, and he's able to enjoy the surrounding view easily yet on first glance, passerbyers don't know that I've got a bird in what looks like a backpack. Here are some pictures of Alexander in his Pack O' Bird (with stainless steel mesh) carrier. Feel free to check out pics of Alexander in his Pak O' Bird carrier on my profile page. I look forward to sharing and exchanging experiences with other African Grey owners on this forum.