CRYROLFE

Hi guys.....here's Tesla's cage....I think it's the same kind, only white. He loves it!

Hi guys, Just wanted to check in and say hi! Been pretty busy but here are a few updated photos of Tesla for your enjoyment. He's doing very well and talks up a storm!

Tesla was 14oz the last time he was weighed at the vet. He is a big boy to me, but I don't know what the average CAG weighs.

Here's a video of Tesla showing off some of his phrases and such. He is still warming up to our home and pretty much only talks if we leave the room.

Well, now the Advantage seems to be doing the job....I don't notice any more fleas on anyone. I have to vacuum up the salt now since I just noticed that my older dog is licking it ALL up!!! This morning I refilled her water dish again and I just did it last night. She peed like a gallon of pee and I was starting to wonder about that when she came in and laid down in the dining room and started licking the carpet. UGH. There is a lot less salt everywhere too.....

Alirighty....I am ordering one of those as well....found it on Amazon. I like the shape of it too. I'm getting a new one for Keegan my Hahns as well (only smaller). Who knows what color I'll get....doesn't really give me the option. Safety Perch-Medium

Well, I was worried that he might not eat as much, so now it's on the outside of his cage for awhile. I want to order another one...but maybe not blue. Also, what size is the one that Neo has? The one I got says size Med. and says it's for Greys and Amazons....but yours looks a lot smaller. Sandiperch-Med Mine looks a lot bigger than that photo on the site also.

He didn't growl or anything like that....just stayed to the back of the cage. I was planning on getting another one too for the back of the cage for him to sleep on....soo now I guess I'll just wait until he gets used to this one and maybe get a yellow one ....ugh!

Well, now I got Tesla a brand spankin' new Sandy Perch....it's a blue one and I attached it to the door of his cage. Unfortunately now he won't have anything to do with the new perch and is a bit freaked about it. He's still talking and such but won't go near it. So now it's back to step one w/ training which is at a standstill until he gets near the perch again. Ideas??

Thanks guys! The fleas are still here and I have salt EVERYWHERE....LOL. I am using Neem sprays to relieve them, it does kill fleas on contact and is supposed to keep them away but I'm not sure about that. There is no way I'm bathing my cat that often though....he's a killer when you try to get him wet I don't see them anywhere in the house, just about 4-5 on each dog. I am still waiting til Friday to put Advantage on everyone and hope like hell that works. My vet says they seem to be having a big problem w/ the Frontline this year. Also, early Fall is the WORST time for fleas since they like the cooler weather also. In Summer months they tend to stick to the shady areas like under porches and bushes....where unfortunately so do pets. I'll let you know how it goes after the Advantage.

How long do I leave the salt on the carpet? How often? Last night when I vacuumed up the salt, it freaked out Tesla and he flew off his cage....doh! The good news is HE STEPPED UP ON MY ARM!!! I had a sweatshirt on so he didn't scratch up my arm. He only hesitated a tiny bit. So now I know to lock up Tesla when I vacuum....the macaw LOVES the vacuum and anything else really noisy.

Great ....I am trying the salt thing ASAP! What does this do to your carpet....anything? We have wool oriental rugs (not that they're fancy anymore by any means). The bad thing is that I already gave the 3 dogs and the cat Frontline so now they say I have to wait at least 3 weeks!!! Ugh! I've been bathing them to help ease it a bit, but that doesn't last long. What a nightmare....the worst is our little Boston always hops up in our bed to sleep so we wake up with him under the blankets....yuk! I haven't been bitten yet, but washing my comforter over and over is really raising my electric bill....lol.

I have NEVER had a flea problem in my home. My home is FULL at the moment and apparently our little foster dog brought in fleas. So I did the normal thing....bath, wait 48 hours, Frontline Plus....NADA...STILL FLEAS!! It's going to drive me insane!!! I have NEVER had to use a fogger and am terrified to do so around the birds. I supposed if I had to, then I would take everyone out - and keep the birds in the garage (non attached) in their cages. But for how long after? The foggers say 4 hours.....but I'm sure that's not even close for birds. This is going to drive me crazy!!! I am now going to try Advantix on everyone and see how that works. My poor old dog is allergic to fleas bites and now looks like a junkyard dog. Has anyone had to use a fogger?

Well I found out tonight that he will eat off of a spoon! He saw Keegan (my Hahns) nibbling a bit of yogurt and so he did too! He was sitting on his porch at the time. So then (since he was in the mood) I got him to take some cooked carrot and some corn pieces. This was a good night since he has NEVER taken food off of a spoon (I thought that he'd be afraid of it) and the veggies were really tiny. So now I'm going to try various nuts and seeds. Also, thanks so much Dan for all of the advice !!

Well, it's a natural dehydration process....but since the ingredients are simply "sweet potatoes" then I'm pretty sure the sugar is the same as the sugar found in the actual sweet potatoes. Isn't it? This is from the company.... FRONT PORCH PETS

How should I offer peanut butter? He won't come to my finger or a spoon that's for sure. I offer a bowl of various goodies in his bowl to see which ones he likes. Most so far have ended up on the floor.

@Ray.....that is EXACTELY my goal for Tesla. I am going to switch his normal perch for a Sandy perch when they come in. I have tons of treats to try now but nothing so far.....lol.

What do you guys think of these? Maybe the french fry cuts would be good as a training treat. SAM'S YAMS

Alrighty....no Cheezits (more for me) and only dark orange cheeses....like Cheddars and such. I tried all sorts of seeds, nuts etc....and not big whoop from him. My other bird LOVES almond pieces and pumpkin seeds, but not this one. I am always adding it to his mash to see which ones he eats. I know he also ate a walnut in the shell before. What about a little bit of pasta? Plain. I'd like to do this daily so I want to find something he can have. I am slowly starting to make the cheese pieces smaller too so that he doesn't eat so much. I think he's doing a lot better and I did order him 2 Sandy perches. Thanks!

I have this book and really love it!

We want to teach Tesla to go to his perch so that one day we can open his door with him on the perch to get him to come out of his cage. This is the 2nd step really....it took him awhile to take a treat from me, and he will only take the BEST things (unfortunately this is Cheezits and cheese). From this step I hope to get him to take other foods that are better for him. P.S. That is Keegan in the background....he is clicker trained a bit and is jealous. He is trying to make quiet noise since that's when he gets treats....not for screaming.

Well he always has the sandy perch and it does look like he uses it (not sure if it's his nails or his beak or both) but his previous home says that his beak really gets extra long and curls under. Not sure if this is a normal thing or only certain ones. I made a video of him taking a treat from me. This is really huge for him since he would never take one from me before. Unfortunately it's only cheese or cheetoes but we'll graduate to better things later. I think he may take pasta also.

I do have another question.....how do you guys get your "unwilling" birds out of the cage for beak and nail trimming? The previous owner says he needs that all the time, and his nails already need it now, but I wanted to wait a couple months before subjecting him to that.

Thanks guys, that was not me in the video but the bird behaviorist. The method that I am using will be positive and clicker training. The door training is my first step....just to get him to step on a perch that is on the cage door and take a treat (which he is now doing) and then he gets a click and a treat. He will continue to do this until he is solidly coming to the perch. The trainer says that this will take a long time and should be AT LEAST one - two weeks depending on him. She did use some stressful force measures and says she needed to see where he was at already as far as training. It would be so much less stressful if he'd let me get him off the cage someday for his wings/beak/nail clippings. She does come very HIGHLY recommended by all of the avian vets in my area, so that is why she came. She does all of the clipping etc.....also. That is all I have to go on right now....you wouldn't believe what the pet shops told me to do. I really appreciate all the help!!! That's why I am here. I know this will take a LONG time and we have a lot to learn along the way. Thanks again!!!