Inky

Thanks Shelly. I guess that given I am newly disabled it's something that I can't help think about and I think that anyone who used to walk and now can't would feel the same. I'm just really trying to make sure that a Grey is for me and I'd rather ask these questions now than when I have finalised my purchase. I have been reading some of the replies that people have received before about height and whether it affects a Grey's behaviour and found a really useful article that basically supports your advice - Grey's do not link dominance with height. Thanks for taking the time to respond. By the way I rang the pet shop to give them feed back and they absolutely did not care that I felt the birds were not being loved enough. As you say 'no attachment to the pets, just a [pound] sign.

Thnks JayD. I will try to give as varied food as possible as you suggest, but there will be some days where I may have to go with the simpler diet. But I now have enough to start the ball rolling in the right direction. I have just been reading the threads on flighted v non flighted birds. I will not buy a baby that has been clipped but I am worried that since I am in a wheelchair, at the times that my husband and our housekeeper are not around that I will not be able to keep our CAG in check. Any thoughts?

Thank you!

just need to make final decision betwn CAG and TAG.....????

This is Newbie Inky. i went to Margate (on the English coast and two /two and half hour drive from London) to visit some baby greys. I just wanted to spend some time with one before mine arrives. Anyway, I was horrified at how the pet shop was treating them and raising them. They had told me the greys were 14 weeks but I could see that they were obviously older and so they eventually admitted that the Greys were 21 weeks. They had not been trained at all to step up, they were aggressive, their feathers looked dull and their eyes were so sad. They had been taken away from the mother as eggs and they had been clipped after 7 weeks. I then realised that I would never buy a parrot from these people. They also stated that they only fed their Greys seeds and not pellets nor much fruit. I was so upset I was tempted to buy the parrot just to give it a better life. Then I remembered the advice that I have been given on this forum, that it would be better for me to get a well adjusted baby. Anyway, the reason I have posted this story here is not just to vent (thank you for letting me do so) but also because I noticed that since I was in a wheelchair the Greys were going for my head or shoulders. I could not get any of them to step up onto my hand. I therefore wonder if my CAG will try to dominate and perhaps will not listen to me because I will be lower down than my bird when I am in my wheelchair and the CAG is in his cage. Also the perches that I have seen are higher than me when sat in my wheelchair. Any advice anyone? Thanks in advance. Inky

Hi, Harrisons High Potency food pellets state that they contain all that a bird needs to eat from a nutritional perspective (although you can give other foods for variety), does anyone know if these claims are true? Thanks. Inky.

Not sure you read the article but to be honest it does make some very credible and interesting claims. Anyway I'm hoping our whole family will get on with our baby male CAG when he arrives - I can't wait! Thank you though as Jayd states your post is helpful.

Hi this is Newbie in Wheelchair. Thanks to all those who replied to my previous post, and as a result I decided that I am def going to purchase an African Grey. However, I have just been reading an interesting article: Congos and Timnehs Is There A Difference by Jane Hallander. http://www.africangreys.com/articles/greys/species.htm Anyway she surmises that perhaps Congo African Greys have more phobias and problems than Timnehs due to possible differences between their domestic habitat and their natural habitat. Does anyone have any experience or reasoned opinion on this topic? Was was going to buy a Congo because they are the most common in the UK but perhaps I should go for a Timneh - all opinions welcome. Thanks again in advance. Inky

Great Post - Thank you!

I think that I will take your advice and have a perch over looking the garden for variety. Although I think that the perch will have to go in my study because I will let him out whilst I am in rooms other than the lounge (which I am really anal about keeping tidy) everywhere else in the house is up for grabs and given that we have another 10 rooms or so this shouldn't be a problem - hopefully. Can you believe that I now have to be patient for 3 weeks for the bird to be fully weened and able to come and live with us.

No I'm actually going to buy the cage off him as well. It's more that he's happy with us and where we live and that the bird takes to us. He says that all his birds are so tame they should take to you straight away but if not then he will spend the day with us to see what the problem is and whether we can sort it out - he just seems to care a lot about the birds which is wonderful. So price is almost the same in the USA (given the exchange rates).

Butttaxi, I'm absolutely going to avoid what happened to you if I can. The breeder said that his birds are really tame so they will go off with anybody so chances are that I would not get the bird back living in London.

Thanks. I will indeed spend the £1000 (is this the same cost in the USA) and reserve mine today. I agree with the obvious it's more the less obvious - you know something really useful that I might have forgotten. Thanks I will browse around the nursery just in case there are any useful tips. I'm very excited - the breeder has warned us though that if he doesn't think the bird will be happy (he will visit our home) or doesn't take to us he will refuse to sell. I like him already - how caring!

thenabrd, I'm glad to hear that the birds can be happy to ride in the car. That would make our lives easier since we could take with us when we go out for the day. I live in London so I was thinking that I could sit my African Grey at the front of the house over looking the road. That way he can watch people going by and the traffic etc whilst we are away. The back of the house overlooks the garden but it is South Facing and right in the sun, which I understand is not very good for the birds.

Will do thanks for the tip. Have you ever tried to use a flight lead (so bird can fly around on the lead but return to you as you pull the lead in)?