sxedanimalsxe

Just wanted to check in with everyone. I haven't been on here in a while. I have been busy with work, rescue and paramedic school. I got a cockatiel. I call him Bibbls. I will post more photos in time. Hope everyone is well!

Thanks for the info. I have been so busy with school and running my rescue shifts I haven't had time to drool over any birds lately. Nicky keeps reading about some of the smaller toos being less needy but it doesn't seem that they are much better if any. I still love the idea of having a pet bird. I am pretty set on a grey. But those cockatoos are really sweet and fun to cuddle. I love this forum! Everyone is so helpful and supportive. If only I could find an EMS forum like this! Maybe I could figure out an easier way to do this med math! Thanks everyone!

I too am very sorry for your loss. Reading your posts though I know your Macey had a very loving flock and that will forever be with you both. Stay strong and try to keep your chin up.

WOW... I thought I was busy! Well I am sold on a grey. For our life style, time issues, living space.. I think its a good fit. Nicky LOVES the cuddle factor. She keeps looking up cockatoo stuff. She has found sites saying the smaller cockatoos are less needy, and not AS loud. Also many sites said as long as you start off spending the same time with the bird that you plan on spending years from now, the fits tend to not happen or not be as bad. I LOVE cockatoos as well. Every time we go to the pet store, I find my self holding them and cuddling with them. They are sooooo sweet, also one likes to spaz out and he is a blast to watch (probably not as fun if he was in my house) I would like to think we could pull of having a cockatoo but I don't see it. My Nicky on the other hand is TOO crazy and just keeps looking what she wants to hear. IF we did get a cockatoo, and things didn't work out, I think my parents would love to have a cockatoo again. My Mom would be pretty deep in "empty nest syndrome" so maybe a bird would work well. Who knows... I am still pretty set on a grey. What does your son play in band? You guys have a crazy life! Also that sounds like one responsible kid you have there. I am not sure I am that responsible!

He was pretty gentle... but his "gentle" bite was still pretty hard. He decided to climb up and down my back via my shirt.. and he decided to hold him self steady with his beak by biting down on my butt. My thumb got between the beak and my butt. He did a number on another guy. Bit his ear pretty good. But wasn't trying to hurt us. We all know the size and strength of this bird, he could have taken my thumb off as well as that guys ear. First time holding a hyacinth. Very silly bird!

Thanks. I just hope that I don't end up in over my head. But I have over a year, and if in that time I am still interested in getting a grey I am sure I will be good to go. My girlfriend still really wants a cockatoo.

Nicky talked me in to going back today before she went back home to NC. So here are a couple more pics. BIG BIRD!!!! I will tell you, these birds.. if they want to go some place or do something, there isn't much you can do to stop them.

Thats where we have been going. They have 12 or 15 greys right now. But the way they let just anyone walk in there... me and Nicky where there yesterday and I almost choked a 7yr old who tried stepping on a cockatoo. Kid said he worked there. It just seems like anyone can go in there and do anything to the birds and no one really says anything. I don't want to buy a first bird that has a fear of people because some stupid kid hit him, or dropped him. Animal Jungle has some cool stuff and back in the day used to have really good people working there. Now it just seems like a bunch of kids who know as much or less than me. So I don't know. I guess if I got one from there who was young enough that hadn't had time to be abused by some kid.

Well everyone thank you soo very much for your help. As I stated on another post I have been on forums before, all kinds, drums, music, guitar, paintball, EMS, and NONE have been as helpful and full of kind, supportive, and knowledgeable. Thank you all so very much. Here is where I am at. Next summer my girlfriend Nicky will be done with her 2nd teaching year in NC and will be moving here to Virginia Beach with me. We will be getting an apartment (maybe a townhouse...) and we will be saving to afford a bird, cage, toys, vet, and all that stuff. In that time, and probably before we will be looking at breeders for CAGs in the Virginia Beach/Hampton Roads area. I feel like out of all the parrots, the grey will fit out life style the best. So by this time or a little later next year we should be all set to bring home baby grey. Any thing I am missing? Also anyone know of any good breeders in Virginia Beach? Also being an EMT is a blast. EMT-B is a easy certification to get, and most cities have a volunteer system. If any of you are interested look in to it. Its fun, exciting and very rewarding!! Nicky is pushing me to go to the pet store again so we can play with the birds. haha. She didn't used to be an animal lover until she met me!

I watched a bunch of your youtube videos. Very cute! I can't wait to have my own!!!

I am pretty sold on the grey. I have always loved the macaw though. Nicky likes the greys but she just LOVES the cockatoos. So I am now looking at other birds. I would hate to have a grey and Nicky not like it.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA I love stories like this. My parents told me about the grey they had before I was born. My Dad was in the navy, so he would be gone a lot. So this meant the grey LOVED my Mom. Dad would come home and Mr. Grey wanted nothing to do with him... well kind of. Mr. Grey (I forget his real name) would in my Mom's voice call out "MIKE!!!" (my Dad) and he would, like a good husband, come running in to the room. Mr. Grey would just laugh at him. Mr. Grey also didn't much care for the shitzu they had. So again in my Mom's voice he would call "Sasha" and here comes the dog... My. Grey would swoop down from atop his cage and try to bite poor Sasha hahahaha. These stories of how funny and clever a grey can be is what makes me want one.

Thanks for the advice. This is kind of what I was thinking any ways. I remember we had one when I was pretty young, so all I remember was the cuddle time. We had to move and he wasn't getting the attention he needed so my parents got rid of him. I think to a friend, or maybe a rescue. I was thinking a Mccaw from the get go. Blue and Golds I think are just about the best looking birds to me. But they seem a bit to loud, especially if we are in an apartment. We had one of those when I was young too. If I recall we lived in navy town houses at the time and he got to be too loud. I got to tell you guys, I have been on all kinds of forums before. Drums, paintball, computer, music, guitar, and who knows what else. NEVER have I been on one with such nice, helpful, supportive, and knowledgeable members! Thank you guys so very much. Now since we are on the subject of Mccaws what do you guys think about them for a first time bird owning couple. I know these birds are among the louder ones (even the smaller guys I saw yesterday had some volume to them) I know they seem to talk pretty well... they can be cuddly, and they seem to be a bit more silly, as far as hanging upside down and acting like colorful clowns. I really like the greys. I think they are just so cute, they are brilliant. They are the best talkers, but they seem a bit more shy, and reserved. I have seen them act out, get noisy but overall they seem more reserved than a cockatoo or a mccaw.

So I posted earlier today about me and Nicky (my girlfriends) trip to the pet store. Well every time we go Nicky LOVES the cockatoos. They are cuddly and seem a little more outgoing then greys. Well we have read and heard they are MUCH more needy and get much louder than greys. Anyone here have cockatoos that could give us some advice about them. How much time a day would one need to be out of the cage with us. How loud do they get? We heard they will sometimes just scream for the sake of screaming, sometimes for a long time. We found a website called mytoo.com or something like that. It made it seem like cockatoos couldn't be owned by anyone shy of a cockatoo specialist. So we are thinking this web page might be a little over exaggerated. Any advice? Info? -Dan

Oh yeah... we where there for about 2 hours! Nicky LOVES the cockatoos. I do too. But I feel a grey will be more fun, interesting and a better fit for our life.