cass

oops forgot this one...it looks tiny and a bit crap but for once i can say the pic doesnt do it justice...and there's alot more to do with it too to get it finished....ladders, nets, dishes etc.

Hi all, So the stuff came and here is Louis Homemade plastand....none of it has been drilled/screwed/any kind of work it all just clips together and is made from perches and toys(all parrot safe) that folds relatively flat and can be taken down in a sec and parts easily changed or added to... the pics below are the basic structure as we still need to get sisal to make a jungle net for one side for louis to climb on....thought as he's wary of new things he might not like this but he hopped on after 2 mins and sat for a good hour or so...mind he didnt explore yet he just played with the toys at the bottom....he was wary at first but by bedtime he was tucked up on this ready to go asleep....his cage is kitted out with new perches and goodies too.... decided not to go right to the floor in the end as the 90cm perches are quite heavy and the whole structure is leaning on the wall and doesnt wobble at all...just have tissues and wipes for cleanups easier than a base for now.... lastly will be watching him closely in case there are any possible parts he could hurt/snag himself on but chose things carefully to avoid such....

thanks for the great advice....i think you're right i will get the chains and only use rope for net and bits and bobs....thanks for the dish advice will look into that! i am kind of hoping to make it as unwobbly as i can so may get bamboo anyway to cover the chains in parts for him to chew....i live in ireland...whereabouts would i source bamboo from thick enough to go over chains? if anyone knows of anywhere to get cheap chains/lengths of chain( i need 720cm) from do let me know...cheapest i have come across are lengths meant as perch type chains 77cm long for 5gbp each(will need at leat 6-9)...if i get chains it will be a very easy thing to do.....no nuts or bolts no drilling just attaching bits together so will post up pics for all as its being done and when it's finished....am considering using brick in the base of some kind of a readymade(but hopefully aesthetically pleasing!) base so he can file his nails! a basin might even be a good idea(a little drilling but nothing major) so i can put water in it too for a bath!

Hi All so i got an idea from the ebay listing below of a hanging playstand...i want to make a variation that comes right to the floor(as my grey doesnt like wobbling all about the place!) and as i already have a ceiling hook(a monster of one!) it would be hopefully the perfect stand as it will fall down flat for storage if needed.... my question is, is the sisal rope likely to be chewed through by my grey and make thisunsafe?what width do i need? i have looked at plaiting 6mm sisal to make 18mm width....is this strong and wide enough for him? i am worried if i get a thicker one knots etc will be difficult to do and making a jungle type net on one side will be harder and too bulky....what do you think? if sisal isnt the way to go i've looked at the acrylic/nylon chains as an alternative..... all going well it should cost less than 100euro and be easily breakupable(if using chains) to add and remove toys..... lastly anyone any idea how i might fit a feeding dish on there? thanks in advance for any help heres the ebay pic http://cgi.ebay.ie/NEW-MEDIUM-ROPE-HANGING-PARROT-STAND-ACTIVITY-CENTRE-/120651713756?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Birds&hash=item1c17670cdc

hey there!i had been thinking of names for awhile too...heres what i came up with... Jean grey(for a girl...red hair andpowerful etc.) líofra(in irish it means fluent)(pronounce leeowfra) arrgyd(or airgead in irish means silver) mr. burns(if you like the simpsons i think greys have a look baout them of him...but you need to teacvh him to say eeexcellent!) naomh(pronounced knave...means holy in irsh) shredder...from ninja turtles...maybe more suitable for a timneh as he has a purple cloak... gandalf(the grey!)

thanks for the comments...he has just regurgitated on cormac before and that pic is cormac telling him not to do it again...hahaha he is much happier now he sits on a perch outside his cage right beside my shoulder and on the back of my chair...he talks and looks for me when i'm not there so some progress...he still is happier on cormacs shoulder but seems to think of me as a non threat for now anyway : o) he always gives me cuddles first thing in the morning through the cage bars he lets me pet his neck and head and bows for them : o) odd thing is sometimes he'll nod(eg. when i offer a treat) his head but then give me a nip instead of taking his treat? even if its a grape or soething he reallly wants? other times he will put a foot up like he's ready to step up and then nip (not bite just a darting quick but hard nudge with his beak) is he testing me or what???

please welcome louis to the forum....he is my foster grey that is now looking like an adopted grey : o) and with my other half cormac...

hi snoozy...ii am doubting this is the same bird for a few reasons...firstly this birds was lost in february....this grey was found in august...also the bird in the picture looks alot younger(am i wrong in seeing blackish eyes?) and nothing really like the grey i have...the grey i have is at least 4 years old if not older...the person also says they contacted everyone and put posts up on net....all ads for lost parrots in ireland have been replied to....thanks though and if anyone sees anything like my guy do let me know : o)

well im definitely up for the challenge...in it for the long haul if needs be so will do my best...its just funny cos before he met cormac on the first day he stepped up and sat with me happy as anything...since cormacs arrival onto the scene he has no time for me...even this eve cormac is sick so i let him out of his cage..he wouldnt step up to come out but climbed out and wouldnt step up to come over and sit with me(as he did a few days ago)...he did take treats happily and chat away to me...will keep trying eventually he will see im a good guy....tried sitting with eyes closed now and then too and noticed him relaxing...will keep trying all the tips and tricks to show him im on his side....he is a clever clogs and its very early days yet(5 days now) so time will tell : o) as a side note...arent they funny these guys?cormac has no idea about birds, what they like, how to handle them, behaviour and body language...and yet he is the chosen one???

diego sounds like a sweetheart....yeah i read about treats at the wrong times so he only got a treat when he said proper words or attempts(some words are a bit slurred!) not for any of the high pitched chirps...he seemed to pick it up and it was a nice game for us to learn together....he was almost as excited doing this game as i've seen him with cormac....almost....hehe

thanks jayd....will do all that.....(just to note he/she isn't a baby) we dont know how old he/she is but reckon over 3 anyway as he's talking a decent amount and from other details about him/her....also no name yet or idea of sex...think shes a girl though ; o)

hi judy...this grey looks like he's gonna be staying with us forever...his owners cant be found and if they arent in future he will stay with us..so it does matter...also i will be the one at home and taking care of the grey, i'll also be the one taking him out of his cage and interacting with him so he won't get much time with cormac... so far i'm giving him a treat every time i come into the room to greet him and any time he talks(as he mostly talks when we are out of the room?!) while we are in the room....i am sitting next to him and talking to him and i will be the one to take him out of his cage and let cormac put him back in for a while....any toehr tricks for him would be appreciated to buy his love..haha

hi! thanks for the reply i love reading about diego!!!so you think he will always be bonded to cormac more because of this initial reaction? well i guess i was more careful around him in the first day but more trying to give him space and letting him come to me as i didnt want to stress him in his first few days...then cormac came in not knowing anything and swooped him up and that was it...if what you said about cormac being more comfortable but not necessarily the preferred one would he be regurgitating on him?he also does this dance up and down cormacs arm like he is trying to impress him??? thing is cormac isn't even a bird person...i am the one who will be the greys owner...should i allow him to come out and sit with cormac in the evenings or should i take over?it just seems if he's int he room the bird wants him and not me...also to take him to a different room every evening would be no fun for anyone! yes the country has been searched and every ad that was up for a lost parrot have been replied to...he has a silver tag on his leg john hayward was contacted with the number and no owner found still???

so i am fostering a grey at the moment...he will step up for me when its just me and sit on my shoulder and allow the odd cuddle....when my other half cormac comes int hough his attention(not sure of sex) is totally for him...he will do anything for cormac, calls when he leaves the room and regurgitates on him...allows all kinds of cuddles and cormac can move and touch him without him being anyway hesitant...i move my hand and he darts to look at me... how do i change this bond for him to bond to me? we have only had him/her a few days and he was a rehome(he bonded instantly to the male in the house who found him wandering the streets)

Below is my experience with a grey I am fostering as his owners were not found...the whole of ireland was searched from top to bottom with no owner in sight...so he will stay with me until his owners turn up or if not he will have a forever home with me... I had planned to get a grey in the coming months but fate brought me this wonderful grey instead!!! My first days with an African grey Having read a huge many articles and books about the African grey i had many ideas of how they might behave or react in different circumstances-truth be told i am finding out they really are like a 3 year old child...predictable to a degree but you never quite know what they are about to come out with! Like a parent of a child too there is the worry. I wish someone had told me when I had a child to be prepared to worry about them every second of every day...same goes for a large parrot! Here’s just some of the things I worried about today: Is he eating enough?too much? Have I given him enough attention?too much attention? Is he too cold?too hot? Is he safe in his cage? (I tried to imagine how he might possibly be able to pick the lock from the inside!) Does he need a bath?Have I sprayed him one too many times for his liking? Are we being too loud around him?or too quiet? Does he have enough toys with him? What TV channel should I put on if I leave? Is he in enough of a routine, is the routine too strict? Will the open window be fresh air or a draught for him? All these things I considered and a million more in the first 24 hours of him coming to our house. All of which he was totally oblivious to as he is too busy chatting and taking the world of our house in. What immediately struck me upon bringing him home is a huge feeling of responsibility-but not one like when you start a new job and have to do well-like one of having a child and being so excited to care for them and someday if ever reap the rewards for your efforts...it is a wonderful feeling to be responsible for and the guardian of such an amazing being. I have PR constantly in my mind every time I approach him....positive reinforcement....everything he does that’s good get’s big praise and the undesirable parts get ignored like with my toddler or just a crisp no and distraction! I always have a treat to hand in case he does something I want him to do again. Although its just about 48hours he’s in our home he has told us very quickly the way he works...for instance he sat on the back of my chair happily last night and I had the idea to attach a perch to it for him....the second i had the perch in hand and move towards him he stepped away....hmmm....i asked if he wanted the perch to sit on he shook his head and as my hand had wandered further than i intended while asking(as i tell him everything before i do it eg. Get ready to stand-when on my shouklder, there’ll be a loud noise etc.)he gently but very quickly put his beak to my hand and back in defence mode....we now have reached an agreement and i know if he wants or doesn’t want something...and i also know he will tell me how he feels before he takes my finger off which is very reassuring...i am just making sure to always watch his body language and discuss with him if i do something he has to do and coaxing so far and gentle words have really worked...(and of course cedar nuts and grape!) Another thing I still can’t get over is his degree of understanding...there is always a watchful eye on me...and he comments very precisely at the right times on things i do...he lets me know when he wants to play and be chatty and it is very obvious when you watch his body language how he is feeling or when he wants to be left to his own devices... It is a funny bond we have this far into knowing each other...he has now told me how he wants to be treated and how he will react in certain circumstances so before he has had a chance to put a beak near me we are on to a happy game or a cuddle. He nods when i laugh and he closes his eyes when i pretend to go asleep...we are friends at the least today but he has a different kind of affection for my daughter and my other half cormac...we really are like a flock and it’s clear the position each of us holds within it...catherine rose is the younger sibling he looks out for and i am the one with s on my forehead(the slave to his needs..hahaha) and cormac is his mate(so far he’s regurgitated on cormac and when he walks into the room mr. Greys eyes light up and he says every word he knows trying to look good to get his attention....it’s very amusing really!!! Other things i was struck by in our first days together is the physical presence mr. Grey has...apart from being very aware of his beak in the first while when he sits on my shoulder and stretches i can feel the strength in him and how powerful he is...this is a nice feeling as he is completely calm and if he didn’t want to be there i would know all about it...so already there’s a wee bit of trust there.... One very odd thing i’ve noticed is although many have said how messy grey’s can be In our experience so far he is MUCH less messy than our kakarikis...they fire seed all over the room, they tear paper to shreds, they poop EVERYWHEREand they are generally messy messy birds!!!mr. grey yes does bigger poops but he is pretty confined with them and as they occur less often are easier to spot and remove asap....also he isn’t at the stage yet of firing food (no idea if he will start this!) so we are having little to no trouble in keeping his cage and spaces clean... I have no idea how long Mr. Grey will be with us but he fits very well into our family ...this all sounds very well and perhaps i have the rose tinted glasses on but i think to a very big degree it’s down to this individual grey the experience i/we have had...If i was to go back and change anything i wouldn’t.....the only advice i can give to anyone who is in the first days of owning their grey or about to get one is to READ....reading huge amounts about behaviour and body language as well as food nutrition and how to deal with different issues plus talking to people who own greys and having a support network of people around(through forums or personal acquaintances) makes a huge difference and was the only way i would even consider owning/taking in a grey. What has armed me for everything in the first two days that were crucial were: Knowing a parrots/greys body language-how to tell signs of aggression/excitement/fear... Knowing how to handle a parrot/grey-how to ask for step up without having fingers taken off! Knowing how to distract a parrot/grey-with treats and soft words Knowing what is likely to make a parrot/grey afraid/insecure-appropriate cage placement...not coming at him from above or behind Knowing how to get a parrot/grey to do what you want...this is the tricky part...read about lots of ways people coax their birds! And lastly but most importantly-knowing how to create a stable bond-always doing things the same way, being respectful, always being positive, having huge patience...

thanks for the advice this gives me a lot of peace of mind as i was hoping to introduce lots of new things and places but was afraid it may be too much too soon...i have the info and confidence now thanks to reading alot about body language and behaviour and of course in getting to know my grey i will keep hims afe and happy while we enjoy the outdoors and new places : o) perhaps a silly question but if i bring him to the park in his harness how do i go about putting the harness on in a safe secure space?eg. the car??? also in your experiences how safe are harnesses inside a home?he isn't likely to get tangled or hurt flying to a different room or something is he???as a totally new user of a harness a link would be great to when and where i shouldnt use it...

not sure if you've looked into it and not up to date on cookers(lol) as to a halogen hob but you can buy hob covers that guard your hob while it cools...some are stainless steel and some a tempered glass type...they look good too!!!

In terms of a handreared bird who is trusting how far can one go with regard to socialising them with people and places? How much is too much and apart from telling humans how to behave what should and should not be done and how long should it take to introduce a parrot to different things. for example being outside in a harness,being in a car, visiting other houses that may have dogs(obviously caged/harnessed)...should each individual thing be worked on over time before moving to another or for a handreared baby is it better to get them used to many things at the beginning(as long as they seem undistressed and once they do go back and start again later...or will they be distressed if it is all positively reinforced?)... am i crazy in wanting my bird to travel with me if i visit close relatives???(once a fortnight?) i know greys need stability and routine and to feel safe so what i'm really asking is how adaptable they are to change if it is part of their initial training???

kakariki: it takes one of us one milli second...but if it doesnt happen in that split second forget about it(we are off to bigger and more exciting pastures)!!! great read thanks : o)

thanks judy....of all the bird traits and "baggage" my partner is most afraid of egg laying!!!he simply can't cope with that idea...lol....i have a 3yr old daughter so socialization and preventing agression will be very top of my list....she won't be allowed contact with the grey until she is older and able to understand clearly my instruction with regard to our grey....she is good with the kaks who have never even nipped her...they sit on her head and shoulder and play with her hair...she is very good around them and helps with their feeding time but a grey is a different matter.... also if anyone has small children with a grey do you allow access?how does your grey get on with them?

don't know dimensions(lol) of a conure but they really are crazy fellas...when they swoop high and low i hold my breath they are FAST....their cage in the background if almost 6ft by 3 ft by 3ft or so so they have lotsa space and fun....just put up the sisal attached to the ceiling which i'm hoping to make an atom(is that what you call them?or orbit???) for my new grey....that's halo in the pics...you can see in the low pic. he has one yellow feather on his head???!!!and white feathers under his wings....he is definitely the joker of the two alright...loves the camera!

hi judy...aha i have photos aplenty...here's some recent ones of my lil guys....thanks for the warm welcome...can't wait to share my new baby pics of my grey...will be a long while away yet....sigh....we've already looked into some names though: líofra(fluent in irish-pronounced leeofra) naomh(holy in irish pronounce knave) arrgyd(airgead-silver in irish) cliath(part of the name for dublin in irish!pronounced cleeyah) and my partners favorite : shredder(if it's a timneh-from inja turtles...shredder is silver with purple cloak...lol)

thanks dan and diego....i've been a member of the irish parrot from for some time now but don't want to burden them with every grey question under the sun!!!hoping you won't mind me joining in here...it is a wonderful resource i am sooo enjoying reading about all your companions...have been contemplating a grey seriously for a year or so but the next 6 months will be crucial for me as i simply HAVE to know every up and downside to owning one before welcoming one home...after all they live 50+ years so 6 months preparation will be well spent reading time for a lifetime of learning and fun : o)

Hi All I have a few questions with regard to choosing a grey I hope to welcome next year? Firstly is there much of a difference in temperment or bonding between male and female greys?(I'm female!...lol) Also do Female afican greys lay eggs routinely? If so do ALL females do this and at what age? Maybe sounds like a stupid question but i am at the beginnings of my research! Any advice you may have in my choice of sex of grey would be greatly appreciated...or links to this info thanks cass

Hi all, I'm cass from Ireland...owner of two kakarikis(yoshi and halo) and will be getting a grey in 6 months or so....Have wanted one forever and finally in a position to own one of these beautiful parrots....I'm here 6 months before getting one to learn all I can and plan and prepare for my new arrival : o) Look forward to meeting you all and reading about your experiences...have read ALOT already but i'm sure it is no replacement from learning from all your dealings and experience with greys....any prelimiary info you might have would be greatly apprecdiated....have read most of the obvious stuff but if there's anything to learn based on experience rather than reading i'd love to hear about it : o) cass