Barbara2

Fantastic pictures! She looks like a real sweetie!

I'm pretty sure mine are 1". I have a TAG and he's smaller than average. (Less than 300 grams.) He does fine on them.

I would be apprehensive about using any type of acrylic paint. What is non-toxic to humans could still be toxic to birds. This is one suggestion I found on another web site: 2) For bolder color - I like the method of using the confectionary coloring paste sold in bakery supply stores or where baking accessories are sold in department stores. This thick gel substance makes very bold coloring when only a few drops of water are mixed with a small glob of the paste. I brush this on the wood like paint and the colors are striking. The same site noted that they had heard that tempra paint is also safe but it wasn't stated with much assurance. I would check further into that before I used it.

Great pictures! You must have a nice camera. She looks right at home....as she should!

1. I am a retired educator. I worked for the same school district for 35 years; 23 years as an art teacher (grades 7-12) and 12 years as the district technology coordinator. 2. My dad was in the Air Force. I lived in Alaska, Virginia, South Carolina, England, New Jersey, Illinois, Virginia (again) and Ohio. 3. I met my husband when I started teaching (we just celebrated our 35th anniversary) so we have never known life other than pretty much 24/7 together. 4. I have 5 children and 12 grandchildren. Number 13 is due the end of next month 5. My father-in-law (RIP) played professional football for the Steelers for 10 years.

I sort of think of it the way you might think of a child. Some children are just naturally shy. It's their personality. Other children are ready for the stage from the time they can first begin to react with their world. Some children are more aggressive than others and gravitate to sports. Then there are those who prefer to sit quietly and read for hours on end. Our greys are the same way. I have had two young greys now. (I tragically lost my first one just after his first birthday.) They were both TAGs, both males but different as night and day. I haven't done anything different with the second than I did with the first other than visit with him numerous times before he came home. (The first was shipped to me and I never met him until he came home.) The first was very cuddly. He was fine with new toys but did not like strangers. He was very apprehensive when my young granddaughters were over and preferred to stay in his cage. My new grey is very adventurous, doesn't like cuddles or scratches, LOVES bathing and showers (first one hated that) and is very accepting of the young granddaughters (as long as they are not in touching distance). So there might be some things you can do to make him more comfortable around others but most of those things involve training the people, not the bird. They need to talk softly, offer treats, things like that. Anyway, that's my 2 cents.

It was around 60 yesterday. It's already 50 right now. Of course it could be 20 tomorrow. You never know. (We live here but go south for a couple of weeks every year around February when we're sick of the cold.)

Welcome from another Ohio parrot owner. (Opposite corner of the state.)

Minor blunders, and I'm sure there will be more! LOL! I was taking Egan's boing out of his cage for cleaning the other day. I didn't realize that he had jumped on it while I was fiddling with getting it unhooked from the cage. In pulling it out the door I dropped the boing with Egan on it. He gave a little yell and stepped right up to be put on his playstand. No harm, no foul.

Congratulations and welcome home, Bella!

I have the boing inside the cage also and Egan spends more time there than anywhere else. I also bought one of those stainless steel bells that are in a tube shape and hung that at the top of the boing so it hangs down in the middle of the spiral. http://www.mysafebirdstore.com/product.cgi?group=2300&product=2301 He LOVES ringing that bell, but the clanger is too far up and he can't reach it to break it.

I had one and got rid of it. One reason is because the one I had was designed poorly. I had to spin the cage in order to remove the grate and tray for cleaning. I think some of the newer corner cages have the tray and grate split in two parts and coming out of the side. The other thing I didn't like is that it was too big to fit out the door so I had to take it apart just to get it outside for a thorough "hose down" cleaning. I didn't do that often but even a couple of times a year made it a pain.

The red tail is looking good! Thanks for sharing the latest! (I knew you got updates on Sunday and have been watching for the latest pics.)

I'm also lucky with Egan and baths. He also lets me know he wants a bath when he starts dunking in his playstand water bowl. So I get out the spray bottle and spray him while he raises his wings and turns around for me. I tried putting a bigger bowl in his cage but he seems to prefer the small bowl and the "shower".

That is great news! What sorts of things did you do? I'm just curious. Egan is just 6 months old and loves me but I want to be prepared for a time when that might change.

Our little Senegal molts at this time every year. We give him extra "shredding" toys so he doesn't try to help his body remove the feathers and we do spray him with water and aloe vera juice. But it is very normal!

I usually order from here: http://www.mysafebirdstore.com/ She is pretty prompt and I usually get my order in less than 5 days. She also has a large selection of toys and toy parts. I feed a variety of pellets including Roudybush and Zupreem. My Senegal likes a combination of Zupreem natural and TOPS. My mini-macaw just likes the Zupreem Natural. My grey will eat just about anything I put in his bowl. He has mostly Roudybush right now but also eats Zupreem natural and some kind of nutty flavor pellets.

VERY carefully! Actually you may never be able to leave the two birds out together without keeping safe space between them. I've had a Hahn's macaw and an African Senegal for over 17 years and they still don't like each other. Can't wait to see pictures of your new baby and your Cockatoo!

I've not been involved in that discussion but they do have one: http://www.justicequest.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=205

The day will be here before you know it. Then you will find that your worst time of day is the time that you are still awake and your grey is sleeping. I miss Egan even though he is home! (P.S. I have a lot of other NC online friends. We post on a crime message board about the murder of Michelle Young.)

Lots and lots of people view, enjoy and appreciate your thread even if they don't post. (Prior to this post there were 25 replies but 277 views.) Lots of people like to look even if they don't have anything to say.

Your English is VERY good! Welcome to this forum! Your idea to have a recording of your voice is a great idea! You might also want to include some music since most greys seem to enjoy it.

I used the vet wrap for mine. (It's also known as co-flex if you want to do a google search.) I bought mine from my bird's breeder.

I know that I have read that some red feathers can be an indication of vitamin deficiency. I can't remember what vitamin it was now. I'm sorry I can't be more specific. I read the article quite awhile ago.

Not silly at all. A lot of it comes down to the individual grey. I've had Egan home for over 3 months and I'm just now learning SOME of his signals. I have more learning to do. I know when he wants to come out and when he doesn't. I know when he wants down from his playstand. (He was clipped at the breeders so he is not fully flighted.) I know when he has emptied his food bowl. I only heard him growl in the first day or two that he was home. So all I can say is to observe, react and see what works. They are similar but oh so different!