Doug

I picked Elegua from the version of the Yorùbá religion practiced by the Caribbean descendants of the slaves brought over from west Africa (where our bird friends originated). A couple of names from Yorùbá that I seriously considered were: * Anansi * Shango Both are male, but then so is Elegua... (It seems that the only female goddesses are the nurturing, earth-mother sort. Didn't seem the right fit for a Grey's personality...)

Here's Ellie with the pointy tip from some corn on the cob... A bit of corn on the cob by shyzaboy, on Flickr

I mentioned the toy that was terrifying Ellie a couple of days ago. I've left it laying out on my desk (situated between me and her play-stand). Today she seemed less fearful, so I hung it on her play-stand. When I brought her back into my office, she reached down and grabbed the string, pulled up the kabob and started tearing it up... Not scared any longer! by shyzaboy, on Flickr

My point regarding the filters/airflow was in regards to a power outage (blackout). (Based on your original statement, "the roof will contain 6 air vent filters, to keep the dust out." I read that to read passive filters (some type of filter material) because of the quantity. If the power was out for a couple of hours, the air could go stale, possibly killing your bird. If you leave the holes uncovered, I would put plenty of them (maybe 3/4" - 2 cm - in diameter). Your filtration system pulls the air from the cage, creating a slight vacuum relative to the living room, so dust escaping through the ventilation holes should be minimized. I'd still like to see some holes in the bottom for airflow in the case of a power outage. (I know that you say your power is stable, but I've seen outages at many major cities in my global travels.) You are talking about a PVC play-stand. Don't just use one size of PVC. Mix in 1/2" and 3/4" as well. (It is important for birds to have different diameter perches to maintain muscle development in their feet.) Please include some natural wood perches as well. Do you have a CAG (Congo) or TAG (Timneh)? That matters because of the size difference. I'd also like to see you use a rope net, maybe hanging in the back of the cage, to replace the climbing stimulation of the cage's bars. Something like this one, maybe. All that said, you must have a large living room if you can put a 4' x 4' x 8' box in it!

Yes, she does. When she's not in her cage, or in my office, or on her window perch, or on her sunroom play-stand, or on me......she's on the play-top on her cage. I kept the original perch, but it didn't provide much activity for her, so I added a few branches. Unfortunately, the branches extend far enough that she can, with the right aim and trajectory, poop on the floor... I need to add a few more toys... Perhaps this will inspire you to do something much cooler and then I can steal your ideas... Ellie's play-top by shyzaboy, on Flickr

Yep. A pin prick worth's of blood and voila! Hardly worth considering. Makes it a lot easier to discuss the bird if you know the gender. We don't have a lot of gender-neutral pronouns in the English language...

Followed by moments of "Bird! Why won't you behave??" Like right now for me... Ellie won't stay on my shoulder, she keeps climbing down my shirt and getting on my desk. I put her back up and immediately back down she goes. "Pain-in-the-butt bird" is her most common nickname...

That's the same model that I have. I've had to augment the play-top, but otherwise it seems to be pretty good. (I just wish I knew what material the bolts were made from...)

I wouldn't be so quick to discount jealousy, but it is more likely that she just wants you to focus on her. (Which is a more innocent version of jealousy!)

Well, Nancy, that's not quite what I meant. I don't know if Archie's behavior is appropriate or not. But I am sure that it is not indicative of Archie's gender...

Again, I think it depends on how much climbing space there is on the inside. Greys need their exercise and it doesn't sound like you'll be able to take yours out very often. With regard to your air vents, remember that an impediment to airflow (which a filter is) will greatly reduce or even eliminate airflow. It is going to be a BITCH to keep clean, though...

And you'll find that it is, perhaps, the biggest "controversy" on this forum!

He's trying to make sure that you stay active. He knows that humans need a high level of activity to maintain their mental health...

I got worried the first day or two after I brought Ellie home. I had put a hibiscus flower in her cage to tear up. A pink flower that looks bright red when crushed. She had bits on her face and I didn't make the connection at first... Kinda hard to see in the small picture, but: Peeking out the door... by shyzaboy, on Flickr

I also talk to my dogs, so it was natural to amp it up a bit for Ellie. Apparently (I didn't hear it), Ellie said her second phrase today, "Nothing for you!". Which is what I tell my dogs each morning while they are begging for food as I prepare my breakfast and Ellie's veggies...

Ellie is fanatical about corn on the cob. I give her a half inch (1 cm) slice (I don't want to give her too much corn) and she goes to town. She has a lot of fun getting the corn off of the cob and then tears up the cob. Dinner theater! She seems to eat her veggies better if I give them to her while she is on her window perch in the kitchen (while I'm there) versus from the bowl in her cage. I probably should also give her different things every day. The problem is keeping the veggies fresh if I'm not using them every day. Ellie is a little bird (and my only bird) so she only gets a wee bit of each veggie each day...

Look at you. Throwing away a perfectly good parrot! He's a brave one!

Doing a quick search on the interwebs, I see a roughly equal number of hits saying yes and no to asparagus. Of course, a lot of these are compiled by people using older lists compiled by people using even older lists. On the internet, everyone is an expert with equal weight to their opinions... I wonder where we can find an authoritative answer (if one even exists)...

That site refers to the ornamental "asparagus fern" (Asparagus plumosus, Asparagus aethiopicus, Asparagus setaceus, and Asparagus virgatus) rather than the common veggie, Asparagus officinalis.

That last one is pretty dramatic...

Judy, you are clearly wrong. That is an adorable little boy. I am always right, fifty percent of the time...

What a sick feeling! I hope for the best.

With the exception of the avocado, all of those are fine - just not the pits. Here's a site I've referred to: No: http://www.avianweb.com/toxicfoods.html

Very nice! May I steal it? Are you saying that they can't have apricots, peaches, pears, plums, nectarines, or cherries? Or are you saying they can't have the pits? (Because it sounds like the former.)

Well, I knew a woman that got rid of her son when she had children with her second husband, but that's another (and ugly) story... Sometimes I feel like the odd one out on this forum - I only have (in addition to Ellie): two dogs and a turtle. Barely any pets at all!! (Of course, my golden retriever makes a mess enough for any six pets with her fur and her toy destruction...)