Barbara2

My breeder has a TAG that is as big as a CAG. He's HUGE! And he's not fat. He's just big! I don't know what he weighs but I know it's more than my little boy. He is tiny.

Congrats on your baby! I would love to see pictures if you get any! As to when they change to big bird sounds, it depends on the baby. Some vocalize earlier than others. Keep us posted and let us know how Archimedes does!

I order from here: http://www.mysafebirdstore.com/ Free shipping on $100 or more but sometimes there are other deals that give free shipping for less than that. The service is spectacular!

Outstanding pictures! Thanks!!!

Congratulations! And thanks for the great pics!

Welcome to a great place rubys-mum! My first tip is to read through the threads here. The Nursery and Health threads are a great place to start.

Yes, I use the Lixit bottles. It is the exact same one that Vumes uses. I did have a problem once with the water leaking out but that was my fault for improperly filling it. It is best if you fill it up all the way when you refill. I didn't and it wasn't sealed properly so the water leaked out until the bottle was empty. It's also good to check each time that the ball is at the end of the tube and not stuck up inside. My breeder said she had a bird sitter once who didn't do that and the ball had become stuck so the bird could not access the water.

I have the Lixit for Egan and it works very well. I have two so I can take the time to clean each one thoroughly (also washing them in the dishwasher) without depriving Egan of water. He seems to really like the bottle. The other two fids have bowls.

I have read that garlic is not safe for parrots so I avoid giving them anything containing garlic.

The dangers in the kitchen go beyond teflon. I'll just give my "lesson learned" example. When I first got my little Hahn's macaw he (who turned out to be a she) was with me all the time. I had Paco on my shoulder while I was cooking. I was stirring the gravy in a frying pan when Paco flew down and landed smack dab in the middle of the pan. He screamed. I screamed. I ran him to the sink and turned the water on and held his feet under the cold water. (He bit the CRAP out of my forearm. I still have a scar but I didn't feel it at the time. I didn't notice it until later.) That cured me from having my feathered friends in the kitchen around any burning element.

My TAG is very small. I haven't measured him but he weighs less than 300 grams.

You may want to consider a major in Industrial Design http://www.collegeboard.com/csearch/majors_careers/profiles/majors/50.0404.html I'm not sure if you have that option available but it combines art and sort of engineering. My son got his degree in industrial design and he now works for this company: http://www.boatechnology.com/ (I can never get their web page to work in Internet Explorer and always have to use Google Chrome.) He makes a a very good, six figure salary.

The woman playing the cello with the vibrant colors is incredibly good! It's different and a wonderful interpretation.

I crossed 3 off the list last year: Wine tasting in Napa Valley Snowboarding in Colorado Parasailing in Key West, Florida I still want to swim with the Dolphins and paddle an outrigger in Hawaii. I have others but that's it for now.

I would add: They make me laugh. Just when I think I can't get surprised by some crazy antic or smart use of sounds and language, I get surprised. Not a day goes by when my birds don't bring a smile to my face.

Now that you mention it, my little Senegal doesn't seem as interested in his TOPS lately. He gets a mixture of TOPS and Zupreem natural. He used to eat all the TOPS and leave most of the Zupreem. Recently it's been just the opposite. Might be something to it.

What a great introduction and great pictures! I can't believe that two people have already given up such a wonderful pet as a grey. Thank you for being his forever home. And that is an AWESOME play tree!

That's a tough one. It's kind of like a vicious circle. My guess is that this grey would really like to be with you but senses the fear/apprehension. That's why the bite. He bites so you try to avoid. You try to avoid so he bites. These birds are not predators so they are not going to attack without reason. Their reasons are to "chase" their loved one away from perceived danger or to protect themselves. It would help me to have more information. Do you have any kind of positive relationship with the bird? Do you interact while he is in a cage or on a playstand? Does he/she take treats from you? I'm trying to get a full picture.

Awesome story! So glad that things are going well for you and Dorian. Also sorry about your dad. Hope things look up for you this year.

Sorry. I thought of one more concern. Greys (all birds) are flock animals. The people in the workplace would become "the flock". If the grey attaches to someone and then they leave to go work elsewhere, that would be bad. (It's hard enough for some of us in families when one of the "flock" goes off to college or moves out.)

Some other things to consider: I know my grey has at least two very talkative periods a day. He talks, whistles and just generally has a great time with his voice. He doesn't care if I'm on the phone. I have to go in the other room if I want to be able to hear the person on the other end. Another concern would be what happens after 10 when everyone goes home. If there were to be a fire or some other emergency situation, nobody would be there to save him/her. My third concern is whether or not others in the workplace would be sensitive to the special considerations of owning a grey. I'm thinking things like perfumes and cleaning supplies. I'm not trying to be a "Debbie Downer" but I have to add my vote for "this is not a good idea". Kudos to you for asking for advice before jumping in and getting the bird!!

You have definitely come to the right place. There are a lot of very knowledgable and helpful people here. Welcome to you and your fids!

I have heard good things about "In a Pickle". I wanted to work with them but they didn't have TAGs at the time and that's what I was looking for.

I got my first grey from an aviary up around the Cleveland area. I'm curious if they are one you are considering. This is their link: http://www.birdfarm.com/

Any news from the doctor visit yesterday?