SRSeedBurners

Just have a sniff of that Grey when you're in the mood. They smell go good!

I'm on the fence about the actual (non) safety of dairy. It seems to be on the no-no list everywhere you read but most of that is people just repeating what they've heard or read. All three of my birds love greek yogurt. GreycieMae will eat it like she eats ice cream - <gulp><gulp><gulp>. Cheese is her number one favorite food on the planet. When I first started giving it to them (after GreycieMae stole a small block and ate the whole thing) I watched their poops really closely to see if there was any change in that or their behavior. I never noticed a thing. With that said, I don't give it to them regularly, jsut as a treat every now and then.

I know how hard it is. We spent the last week just holding Raven and taking turns being with her. She got to the point where she couldn't hold herself up or perch. One of the hardest things I've had to go through. I still hate thinking about it.

Just don't mix them and they'll be fine. Birds are very fragile and it doesn't take much to hurt them, even from a dog that means no real harm. You even have to watch the bird because they may see the dogs as a threat and go after them, not realizing how badly the dog can hurt them. You'll have to train them kids too - bird safety at all times. Open doors, burning stuff on the stove, etc....

Sounds like you got it well covered. The biggest mistake people make is ignoring them when the novelty wears off. They're like a child and if you treat them so, they can put up with a lot.

Love that lil robotic voice. So cute. I've never been around quakers. We have several wild flocks of them here in Dallas propagated from released birds.

I "hide" her in a pak-o-bird. However when she gets spotted, she's usually the center of attention and everyone wants to see her. Kids have a sixth sense and can seemingly spot her through walls.

Your schedule sounds ok to me. Your time away is not too drastic. As long as you make the time quality time. My GreycieMae is on my shoulder when I'm home. Where I go, birdy goes, within reason of course. She gets to go shopping at Walmart, Home Depot, you name it.

As an example: I got my Grey at nearly the same time as my manager where I work, within a couple weeks of each other. I refuse to live at work and will skate out of here every chance I get to go home and have my Grey velcro'd to my shoulder. PLUS my wife doesn't work and is home with them too. My manager''s grey lives at home from ~9am until one of them gets back home around 8pm DAILY during the week. He's had all the typical issues that Greys have: some neurotic behaviors including plucking itself bare. I've had ZERO issues other than she thinks she's boss bird and highly jealous over me. Every time my manager comes to work with a new story about something wrong with his bird, I get tired of listening to it. I've told him that Greys don't do well completely alone all the time. Before we got these Greys, he had a Quaker that he had to rehome because "all it does is screech". Birds really have to have your attention, Greys especially (as well as cockatoos, etc).

From a study out of the University of Michigan Range of lifespan in captivity: 40-60 years Typical lifespan in captivitiy: 40-50 years Average lifespan in captivity: 45 years Average lifespan in the wild: 22.7 In general, it's harder to survive in the wild for most animals, although there are lots of exceptions but not many for prey animals.

They have their routines. When it's not so hot, they will start and finish their day terrorizing the neighborhood by flying from end to end and making quite the racket. When it's hot like it is now, they follow the shade from one end to the other gradually through the day. I usually don't turn their fan/mist on till around 10am. Toby the Caique loves to get down in the grass (dirt now that the heat has killed everything) and forage around, pack rocks up the wire etc. He's an industrious lil fella. Rio the Jardines has a little fort that he hangs out in nearly all the time. Greycie will happilly spend her day preening ( a girl's got to look stunning ) or putting one of Rio's forts through the wood chipper. She loves to chip wood. She also loves to swing from her yellow chain and relishes it when I come in to give her pushes. Just like a kid. We have two little carriers that we use to transport them to and from the Aviary - I call them the short buses. Tthey board the short buses to get to and from their day skool. The running joke around here is Toby usually goes straight to the principal's office. Caiques can't be good to save themselves. Toby and Rio will happily board the short bus to come in for the day, however GreycieMae thinks it's a great game to go straight to the top of the aviary and hang just out of reach. She will hang-walk along the top and I really think she is mocking us when she does it. Rio in his fort:

It's basically just a 24 inch industrial drum fan sitting on a 2.5ft box jumps stand I made. Sitting in front of that is the tri-pod misting system the Murfchck pointed out in her thread sold at Lowes. The part that really makes it all work is the bamboo shade that I strung across the top of the aviary. It helps tunnel the mist through the whole aviary whereas before it was just blowing through the top. I've come out several times to check on them and Toby or Rio will be hanging off the wire directly in front of a mister getting soaked. Greycie will sit in front of them now too. Last summer she was scared of it but she's come around.

It's HOT here in Texas. Like 101 in the shade HOT!!! GreycieMae's got it covered though...

Enjoy the baby face and get lots of pics. It won't last long!

Oh my god...her most private moments on the internet, for all to see. That last photo is hilarious!

Love the way she says 'I love youuuuuuu". So sweet. And I didn't know Frankie stayed in so much trouble.

Where at in Texas - it's a big state! I'm in North Texas (DFW) along with Murfchck and Reptoman. Greywings is from South Texas, can't remember who else that's still active.

Looks greyt! Some birds won't use lower perches but it looks like you got one that will. Might try hanging something made of thin wood strips and plastic straws. Mine loves to shred those all day long.

oh. my. ghord. How did you teach him to do that? I swear, my bird must be at the far left outlier when it comes to Grey smarts.

Spoil that girl extra rotten. Hope she's keeping cool under this massive heat dome!!!

I love it when GreycieMae waddles on the floor. She also has the cutest little hunker down and run/hop. Soo so cute....

Pics of those other critters would be cool too. Not sure I've ever seen a pet Red Fox.

Nothing comes up 'Tower Mister by Orbitz'. Is this what you are referring to: Orbit ArizonaMist

Kane - isnt' that the little macaw you were raising. Has it truly been a year already. Crap! Happy Hatchday Kane!

Looks very similar to the ubiquitous cage I use for Greycie. Does the top tray come off so it has an open top? Sometimes I feel it helps 'expand' their space if the top is open and airy. One other thing I would check is the casters and the connection between the casters and the cage legs. Those usually will go bad first.