Doug

I don't get my TAG for another two weeks. The breeder is currently feeding her African Grey Special (Pretty Bird Pellets) with extra calcium. Any thoughts on this food? One site lists the ingredients as follows (although this is not the type with extra calcium, for which I cannot find a listing). Any concerns? INGREDIENTS: Corn, Oats, Corn Gluten Meal, Wheat, Potato Protein, Soya Oil, Coconut Oil, Calcium Carbonate, Dicalcium Phosphate, L-Lysine, Choline Chloride, Natural and Artificial Flavors, DL Methionine, Isoleucine, L-Threonine, L-Tryptophan, Vitamin E Supplement, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Ferrous Sulfate, D-Biotin, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Zinc Oxide, Manganous Oxide, Niacinamide, Magnesium Oxide,Vitamin B12 Supplement, BHT ( as a preservative), Copper Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Sodium Selenite, Folic Acid, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Mononitrate, Natural and Artificial Colors, Menadione Dimethylpyrimidinol Bisulfite (source of Vitamin K3), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Cobalt Sulfate. I plan to make some cooked beans & veggies (portioned and frozen) and feed that in the morning and give her pellets in the evening. (I have to make a simple routine for feeding as my wife and son will have to handle it when I am away on business.)

After a lot of time on line and a lot of angst, I have settled on Elegua (eh LEG wa) because it lends itself well to nicknames: Ellie & Ellie-bird. (Even though Elegua is typically a male god, there is also a path of Elegua where the essence is of a woman.) Elegua is the Lucumi* version of Eshu, who is a spirit of Chaos and Trickery (seems appropriate!). One source said, "Since he is as playful as a child, tops, marbles and kites hold a special fascination for him." Again, appropriate!! The same source described Elegua as being "Like a very large and powerful child". Another source says, "This extravert loves being the center of attention." Since Elegua is a messenger to the higher Gods, of course he has a command of all languages. (*Lucumi is an Afro-Dominican/Afro-Cuban ethnic group. Many Lucumi claim to be of Yoruba ancestry. The Yoruba are from Southwestern Nigeria, Southern and Central Benin and Central Togo which are within the Timneh's natural range. I picked the Lucumi variant because of the sound and because my wife & I plan to retire to the Dominican Republic, so it seemed extra fitting.)

I will pick up my grey in two weeks. I need to buy a carrier for the trip (1.5 hour drive). Any recommendations?

I plan to make several natural wood perches to provide grip variety and bird amusement (messing with the bark). After some research, I found that hibiscus is a safe wood (and I have plenty of it!). I cut a nice perch and put it in the oven for an hour at 350 deg. F. Is that enough to kill any bacteria or other nasties that might be living in or under the bark? (It makes a pleasant aroma in my kitchen!)

Doesn't the Kool-Aid mix have the same dye as the standard food coloring? Why not just use that? (It is more concentrated and a better value for your cash...)

Are wine and beer corks okay to use to make toys? It seems like they would love to tear them up. I would, of course, sanitize them first.

Everyone is emphatic that we should not buy twine at the hardware store due to potentially toxic chemicals. How do we know the stuff at the craft stores are any better? Does anyone actually have direct knowledge that some hardware store twine have chemicals? Or is that just something that we accept on faith?

For making my own toys, I am looking for chains. I know that I'm supposed to avoid zinc plating. What about: * Nickel plating * Chrome plating * Brass plating? I looked at the toys for sale in the local pet megamart. The chains are not stainless so they must be one of the above.

Also, what type of wood are you using?

Any reason to avoid food coloring?

Does anyone own either of these cages? If so, what are the pluses & minuses of the cage?

Jeanette said that she will send a picture of the baby every week so we can watch it grow. I'm not sure if that will make the time go by faster or slower!!

I have no idea how I'm going to tolerate the wait. Sigh...

I have a LOT of scrap sisal (1/4") that has been outside for over a year or two (used for my hop vines, but I replaced it all when I made a new arbor). It's a bit dark from exposure, but I think if I soaked it in a mild bleach mixture then rinsed it several times, it should be free of any germs or such. What about aluminum carabiners?

Maybe I just haven't seen it, but I'm surprised that they don't make food/water dishes with a hinged lid. Entertainment with dinner...

I thought about that for the start, but I am struggling with the end. You don't use glue, do you? Are there safe glues for bird stands/toys?

Can anyone reply to these questions? I expect that I will be doing a lot of DIY stands and toys.

But what about things like straws and whiffle balls (both seem to be commonly mentioned for DIY toys)? They would be very easy for the bird to tear off pieces. Is that of concern?

I had a pair of cockatiels years ago. I've been wanting to get a grey but I wanted to wait until our house was cat-free. When it was, we were (unfortunately) cash-free! I saw the signs for the SWVBC Bird Fair so I talked to my wife about the possibility of getting a grey now that she's working again and money isn't so tight. She begrudgingly agreed (she remembers the mess from the cockatiels) so my 8-year-old son and I went to the Bird Fair. (I wanted my son's "buy-in" because I want him to spend a lot of time talking to the bird when I am away on business trips. (Since he talks almost non-stop, it is just a matter of where he directs his output...) We spent some time talking to Jeanette with Mountain Ridge Aviary (Mt. Solon, VA). I couldn't make a commitment at the time as I had to research the process/requirements to bring a bird into the Dominican Republic (we plan to buy a vacation/retirement home there). Once I went home and checked on that, I called up Jeanette and reserved the baby TAG that she had at the show. My son and I are VERY excited. (So much so that I am wasting time on this forum when I should be working...) We haven't selected a name yet as we are waiting the results of the DNA sexing. (Late next week...) I am looking into west African religions/mythology/words as that seems appropriate! Maybe Anansi or Shango? Of course, another option is west African words that moved to this hemisphere. My brother-in-law is Puerto Rican and he suggested a number of words that have become part of the everyday language of Puerto Rico. I'm considering malango/malanga (prone to mischief).

How do you start and finish wrapping the twine?

I will be getting a TAG, so I am considering the following playtop cages: Prevue (from Amazon) (cage dimensions: 36" W x 24" D x 36" H) King's Cages (cage dimensions: 34" W x 26" D x 41" H) Any comments? Both are 3/4" spacing, which seems to be typically recommended for TAGs. From those that own these particular models, any issues with latches, casters, hinges, etc.? Is one design better than the other? Is one better quality? Any other options for a similar-sized cage for roughly the same price ($400 - deliverd)? Other considerations?

I won't get my TAG until mid-September, but I figured I'd best start immersing myself in research now. I look forward to reading through the forum and learning a lot over the next three months.