First Time CAG Owner

[Guest warner]

I am getting a CAG this next week, and as a new owner I have a lot of questions.

 

First, we are waiting for the cage to arrive, so "Buzz" (short for Buzz

Aldrin BTW) is sitting at the store on hold. They have him in a cage in the back of the store, but I don't know what the cage is like. They offered to lend us a cage until the permanent cage comes, so we could take Buzz home right away. We figured that it would be too traumatic to put him into the borrowed cage and then put him into another cage when his permanent cage comes, so we are simply waiting for the permanent cage to come before we gring him home from the store. It is supposed to arrive this next week. We want Buzz's transition into our home to go as smoothly as possible. But are we being too timid?

 

Also, I want to make this apartment as parrot-safe as possible. What things do I need to look out for that might not seem obvious? Are large mirrors a problem if his wings are clipped? My bathroom has a huge mirror over the sink. Do I need to cover that mirror when Buzz is out and about, or would it be no problem?

 

In addition, I am concerned about making sure the cat and dog don't cause any problem. Do I need to lock the cat in another room while Buzz is out of his cage (never unattended of course)?

 

Also, I have seen "shower perches" in bird catalogs. Buzz has never had an actual shower of any kind so I wonder if taking him into the shower might be too traumatic at first? How easily do CAG's adapt to showers?

 

Finally, I need to decide where to place the cage. I have read that CAG's like the cage to be against a wall so they can feel somewhat secure, but the only place in the living room where the cage would have the long side against against anything like a wall is in front of the balcony window/door, which has vertical blinds. My wife is concerned that this location could be a bit cold and/or drafty in the winter. The location she prefers in on the right hand side of the sofa about four from the stairs. I'm concerned that such a location might be a bit stressful for a young parrot since the dog rushes past there all excited when he knows he is going out, and the only side of the cage that could be against the wall there is the short side. Another location we have considered is th computer room, which is "bedroom". In that location the cage can be longwise against the wall, but Buzz will be away from all the action.

[Guest DjHarlequin]

(sigh)

 

I think that you underestimate the devastating result of pdd and pbfd. I think you also underestimate the risks.

Of course, if you are happy to expose your parrot to the (very real) risks, that's up to you. I know I do everything possible to protect my parrots from those particular risks.

[micah]

Hi Guys, Can I just throw my 2 cents worth in?

My CAG, Geordie (see the thread about "Who has the best parrot") is nearly 5 years old and she gets cranky if she doesn't get her coffee.

You guys are saying that coffee is bad for Greys but to what extent?

Bear in mind I don't mean Geordie has 20 cups a day, just the odd dip into mine. Admittedly, it makes the next toilet trip a bit runnier than normal but is that a problem? Isn't it a trade off with letting the parrot know she is sharing something of yours?

BTW, we have had her for all her life and she is probably the best behaved bird I have ever seen. She goes everywhere with me, shops,

Post Office, Bingo, even to the Car Boot sales (That's what we in

England call Flea Markets) and although she is devoted to me, she will

"Step Up" to anyone, male or female, adult or child, with not an ounce of hesitation.

One last thing. If ever my wife and I have to go out together and leave Geordie at home on her own, we leave the TV playing the Cartoon

Network and she has learned a lot of the theme tunes but her favourite cry is "WILMAAAAAAAAAAAA", lol

[Guest warner]

In alt.pets.parrots.african-grey, "Glenn H. VanGraafeiland"

 

8 months old.

[Guest DjHarlequin]

Absolutely not salted though!!!

[Guest DjHarlequin]

But if there were viruses around which could not be seen and *would* cause the death of your children and for which there was no cure, no innoculation, would you *still* have allowed your kids to mix with potential carriers?

Imagine A.I.D.S with no need for body fluids to be exchanged, but a simple contact by brushing against them or being in the home of someone who is a carrier and where the virus is on every surface. Would you let your kids play with or visit then? This is what PDD and PBFD is like.For someone like me who has lots of birds the threat of these 2 in particular, makes my blood run cold. For one lapse, might mean that I watch as one by one, my birds die, with no chance of saving them. I would not be able to visit my bird keeping friends, nor would they be able to visit me, until every one of my birds died, or was put to sleep and my home treated with a fungicide, then wait for 6 months and get perhaps another bird and watch it in fear in case the virus is still here.God it is too horrible to even think about.

[Guest DjHarlequin]

It indicates that the bird has had something toxic and the body is trying to get rid of it. That should send you a big warning.

No. Would you share avocado with your bird so she knows she is sharinf something?? Some things must not be shared. As an alternative, off her her own cup with apple juice or similar in it, take a sip and leave her the rest.

Don't you worry about disease?I know someone with a beloved bird with beak and feather disease. If such a person had your bird on them, they might pass the virus on.

Lol, she isn't spoiled really is she? :0)

[micah]

I stand corrected.

No more coffee for Geordie but apple juice sounds like a good idea.

Am I worried about her going to other people?

No, My kids (grown now) were more valuable to me than a parrot but they went to school, swimming etc and I didn't worry about the physical condition of their friends.

[micah]

No offence intended but should I put her in a glass case?

She can't go walkies on the floor in case she gets some carpet fibres in her stomach.

She can't fly around in case she bangs into windows.

She can't have her wings clipped in case she falls off her cage.

She can't meet people in case they have held a bird with a virus.

She can't go to the vets in case there is another parrot in the waiting room.

She can't fly outside in case she picks up a mite

Not much of a life for my pal is it?

[Moddy]

I don't think that putting him in the borrowed cage then changing it a bit later on is going to do any harm. Because cage trust needs time to build and it's alot better then him sitting by himself in the back of the store. Depending on how long you would be borrowing the cage for.

 

I don't see any problem with mirrors? Unless you think he is going to fly into them? It's basically just like a window if he flys into it a few times you can almost gaurntee he won't do it again and who knows some birds like looking at themselves. I wouldn't worry about covering up your mirrors. There isn't much "house proofing" You can do. Except making sure he won't jump onto a heated stove or into a pot/toliet/garbage ect.

 

You can introduce your bird to the dog and cat as long as you feel they would just be curious and not vicious and NEVER leave them unattentded!! My cat and bird are best friends they play around with eachother all the time but I would never leave her alone with the bird. So if you have them all out. WATCH THEM. If it's a large dog I suggest to not even bother well in fact a small dog either, there hyper active and scared of most things so I don't think introducing a dog in the picture is good at all...

 

He can adapt to showers it would take awhile and well your not sure if he likes them? The best thing to do is try and if he doesn't he's not going to be sccared.

 

I'm not to sure if they like being up against the wall because of that. It's just really a normal place anyone thinks of putting their cage. I think that which ever you do your bird would addjust and later on prefer.. And the dog rushing by seems like a good thing. Once your parrot get's used to it and knows he will have some entertainment and if you say things like "Wanna go outside? Come on" Later he might learn to say something like that when the dog goes by. Birds like interacting with other animals. And yes I agree with your wife, windows/doors never such a good idea because it does get cold and you don't want to readjust them each season it's not healthy. Also he might be able to chew up your blinds. Keeping him in the main room is also a but must because he might get lonley.

[TheGreyMiester]

micah wrote:

No offence intended but should I put her in a glass case?

She can't go walkies on the floor in case she gets some carpet fibres in her stomach.

She can't fly around in case she bangs into windows.

She can't have her wings clipped in case she falls off her cage.

She can't meet people in case they have held a bird with a virus.

She can't go to the vets in case there is another parrot in the waiting room.

She can't fly outside in case she picks up a mite

Not much of a life for my pal is it?

 

Agree, I mean after all, these birds will live to be 50 or 60 years old. So the occasional coffee dip means that it will live 50 happy years verses 60 long restricted years. I say don't worry so much about health and let the bird be happy, because it's going to out live most owners anyway.

 

And for cats and dogs? all it requires is common sense and responsibility. Kick the cat out side when the bird is out and you did tech your dog to learn what no means... Right?<br><br>Post edited by: TheGreyMiester, at: 2007/03/24 01:37

[Sticks_n_stones]

Watson's cage is in front of the window in the breakfast room. (In fact, he's taken over the ENTIRE breakfast room, but that's OK. ) We installed a piece of Plexiglas over the lower half of the window because he liked to "beak" it. We were afraid he's break the pane and cut himself. He can't break the Plexiglas. We also placed a couple of bird feeders outside his window and he loves to watch the activity. He mimics most of the birds now.

 

Beware of placing your bird near blinds. We found out the hard way that a beak is no match for vinyl blinds! The beak works better than a hole punch. :ohmy:

[Guest Monique]

Moddy's comments are really good. If you think your Grey needs more security (even starting out) then you could half-way cover up her cage with a sheet so she can peek in and out.

 

I would not put her in a bedroom though, I would have her where you can interact with her on a regular basis. UNLESS you invest in a play stand!!! Then you can let her sleep in her cage and be in there when you are not home. And be on the play stand (which you put wherever) when you are home. That's an even better idea!!