pikachu

We got to visit with our CAG until she was ready to come home. At first, we held her on our lap on a towel. After she could perch well, we started working with her on "step up". Be consistent. Say 'step up' each and every time you want her to step up. Practice step ups from hand to hand, person to person & then finally perch to hand, etc. When you want to put her down, say 'step down'.

Just wondering how Kazoo is?

Ha ha! It's a bath. Our CAG looks just like that when she "bathes" in her water bowl. Makes me laugh every time! They are so goofy.

Just wanted to add that we were on the waiting list at Varietees & it moved rapidly. I think this is mainly because people sign up & then when they are called, they either have purchased a grey or have changed their mind.

This is so very sad.

A bird behaviorist has told me that these birds really need 12 hours of uninterrupted sleep. Not only does our CAG get this but she is placed in a sleep cage, in a separate room to achieve this. Sometimes in the afternoon she gets noisy. Or, she repeatedly makes the smoke detector noise. When I put her "in bed" for the night, she gets totally quiet.

I would have it checked.

Forgot about Parrot Posse. They are good people too. I know them well.

I live on the east side and I have a few suggestions for you. We got our baby grey from Varietees pet store in Valley Park, MO. They are not breeders, but a bird store. I know that some people are cautious about buying from a store, but I feel this is one of the good ones. They get the babies when they are quite young & hand feed them. We were allowed to visit anytime we wanted & they were very willing to answer questions. They were VERY patient when we were having issues with the bird before we brought her home. Even after we paid for her, they were willing to set us up with another baby if we wished. They wanted us to be happy. Our girl was not sent home until she was totally weaned, which in her case was almost 5 months! So, yes, we visited her twice a week for all that time. It was a very long drive for us. It is a very clean store & I think that the birds are well-taken care of. They do have a waiting list, but it really was just a couple months before we were called. Another option is Pecan Acres in Waterloo, IL. I believe they are actual breeders. Another option is Paula Corbett in Maryville IL. She is a very nice lady. The reason why we didn't go with her is that I believe there is smoking in the house. I know the babies are kept away from other birds, but I don't know what she does to keep them away from the smoke. Finally, I have seen what I think are breeders at the different Parrot shows around the StL area. However, I don't know anything about them.

Maui loves a little natural peanut butter on bread. She definitely knows what I have in my hand when I am approaching her cage.

Kingsnake, you think that is bad, mine heard the smoke detector. And would practice it ALL. DAY. LONG. We ignored it & would put her in her sleep cage when it was close to bed time. Seriously, I'd have a headache at the end of the day. Now, she makes the noise less frequently. I don't know what she doesn't mimic pleasant things - like the Cardinal which lives outside the door.

Yes, that is exactly what she is doing. At first, my girl would say things that sounded robotic. Then they became more clear. Now, she runs through her whole "routine" and then does a lot of mumbling, like she is having a complete conversation in a foreign language. A few days later, she is chattering about something new. Congratulations! This is a fun time! Maui is a month away from having her first birthday, btw.

What's on the perch looks like from a grape in the picture.

Doug! Where have you been?! You were missed!

My CAG has clipped wings which are growing out, but my tiel's wings look like that.

So, so happy for you! What a sweetie!!

That is an excellent idea, Wingy!

The tornado flattened houses & farms east of us. One family was trapped in their basement, with the house complete gone on top of them. Good idea to have pellets down there. Some water bottles is a good idea too.

This is a great thread. I have thought about this myself.

Please make sure to have a plan for your birds & other pets in case of severe weather. And, make sure everyone in your house knows "who" they are in charge of. Don't want to forget anyone! Living in "tornado alley", we get tornados that come through even in the winter. Even though we have had four emergencies in the last few months, I feel it still takes too long to gather everyone up. Sometimes you just have a matter of a couple minutes. We keep travel cages under each bird cage at all times. Make sure everyone knows what to do. When the Good Friday tornados came through, my kids were alone & had to take care of all the pets themselves. We got home right after the tornado hit our property & they had all the birds in the basement bathroom, the cat in the shower in same bathroom, themselves & the dogs in the basement bedroom. It is really tough trying to do it on your own. Please practice. What do all of you do in case of a severe weather emergency?

Dave, you're referring to his beak, right?

If it is a baby, make sure that you have your perches down low at first. Also, remember "what goes up, sometimes comes down". Greys like to climb & hang upside down while they play or forage. They are often clumsy. I can't tell you how many times my girl has fallen. So, while it s great to get a big cage & fill it with toys, they can (& will) fall.

I think it is a developmental thing. My grey is on the timid side. She felt comfortable in her cage & would play, but not so much on her tree stand. It took months for her to start to wander around. Now, she climbs down & up. Even goes on the boing hanging at the bottom. She would also not play with anything hanging there. She has JUST started to pull the toys up to her and chew on them. She is almost a year old.

Both CAG & Quaker are left-footed. Poor Cockatiel doesn't have grasping ability like the parrots and I always feel like he is missing out by having to peck everything.

We have two children, the eldest is getting married in three months. Her fiance comes to visit every weekend, sometimes with his son. So, in three months all of them will be gone, but they will visit. I have no doubt that the birds will take it in stride. I can't imagine if we waited to add the birds until everyone left. Our birds ENHANCE our family. Everyone takes great joy in having them around. I think to wait would have robbed them (my family) of their joy.