pikachu Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 I'm new here - I've been lurking & reading posts for a few days and I have to say that I am getting really nervous. I am currently waiting for my new baby CAG to come home. After reading posts about hand-feeding gone wrong, I am quite content now to allow the owners to feed him since they know what they are doing. I guess what I need is some assurance that bringing him home will go well. I was up late last night doing laundry & reading some of the posts on the health board. They have me scared that something will go wrong. I am so worried that I will make a mistake. Please tell me it's going to be okay! Nice to meet all of you, BTW! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cupid Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 Try to hold off on getting your new baby if possible until its weaned so you dont have to hand feed it. and take some pictures when you can too. =) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave007 Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 Well first, you made a wise choice in insisting that the bird be fully weaned before taking him home. That aside, just what are you referring to when you say that you're nervous and scared.?What have you read that frightens you? Be more specific. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pikachu Posted September 6, 2011 Author Share Posted September 6, 2011 Thanks. He will not come home until he is fully weaned. Right now, he is at 19 weeks. I was there and was able to watch a feeding for the first time. He was really into it, so I know he is not ready. He is still taking two feedings a day. I had been really excited, but now I'm worried. Worried about making sure I feed him enough... Worried about his crop emptying... Worried about seizures... Worried about my cleaning supplies... Many things. Basically, I think I was up way too late last night reading posts about people losing their baby...made me question myself. I'm glad I have more time to get ready! I'll post pics soon - they are on my phone. BTW, his name is Maui. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvparrots Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 Hi pikachu, not to worry so much, if your baby's breeder is fully weaning your grey before you bring him home all should go well. Make sure that the breeder is willing to receive calls and questions after you bring your baby home and that should be reassuring. I was a first time parrot owner when I got my first grey and her breeder was a true gem. She even called me when I got home 3 hours later. We talked before I received my baby and for months after. Millie sent me home with oodles of information, magazines and food that lasted a couple of weeks. Millie was a great breeder and was always there for me. So relax and congratulations on your baby grey. I'm looking forward to seeing some pictures and hearing more about your little bundle! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave007 Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 OK, steop by step Feeding him--all parrots need to have food in their bowls 24 hrs a day. They don't eat like people. There's no breakfast, lunch and supper for a bird. Different foods including parrot mix, veggies, bird pellets and once in a great while friuit is given. Fruit isn't important. Veggies stay in a bowl for a few hrs until they shrival or dry up. It'll be hard to find out which veggies he likes. That takes time. The other foods ( pellets--parrot mix are always there. Water must be changed once or twice a day depending on how dirty the water gets. Crop emptying---that only applies to unweaned baby birds that are being fed formula. A full crop means that the bird is full. Weaned birds have no visible crop. Seizures in birds can't be predicted. I can say that they're extremely unusual but birds can get them for specific reasons and that happens when a bird is much older. Any species of parrot can have seizures but again, it's rare. Cleaning supplies---cage bottoms need to be covered with newspaper and changed daily or every other day. You should have some cvinegar which a little is mixed into water so the cage bars can be wiped down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pikachu Posted September 6, 2011 Author Share Posted September 6, 2011 Thanks Dave for the great information. I worry about him refusing food. I know that he does eat some pellet, but he is sorta picky with fresh foods. Right now he plays more with it than i think he eats. Our cockatiel refuses to eat anything except seed. He is a rescue. Cleaning supplies - My main concern about cleaning supplies was prompted by posts talking about supplies & things being toxic. We have other pets, but it never crossed my mind that they might be toxic to my birds! The posts where people came home to dead birds broke my heart. I have someone come in every two weeks to clean. She uses Pine Sol, which I read can be toxic. Does that mean if they get into it or does that mean that just breathing it can kill them? Also, I'm also worried about birds & Teflon. Are all non-stick pans coated with Teflon? How do I know if my pans have it? Is it the dark coating? I am so grateful for this forum - it has given me much to think about to protect my fids. I was just so excited about our new addition - after reading about the heartbreak of some, it made me realize that even though these creatures have long life spans, I will eventually have to deal with their mortality & that made me sad. @ Luvparrots - that is the absolutely sweetest picture of your baby! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave007 Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 ******Are all non-stick pans coated with Teflon? How do I know if my pans have it? Is it the dark coating?**** Just about all non stick cooking utensils are Teflon coated or are coated with another material just like Teflon. The smell is what harms them. Most of the time, it's the dark coating which is Teflon. Under certain conditions, it can be used but the bird needs to be in a part of the house where no odors get there. Then, a person needs an high exhaust fan to pull the smell out. It's best that you replace all Teflon items with stainless steel, heavy aluminum or iron cooking utensils because unfortunayely, people can't smell the actual Teflon odor. ****She uses Pine Sol, which I read can be toxic. Does that mean if they get into it or does that mean that just breathing it can kill them?***** Both. It can be used but the bird has to be far away until the smell disappears. Vinegar and water are good for cages. No chemical products should be used in or on cages or the immediate surroundings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pikachu Posted September 6, 2011 Author Share Posted September 6, 2011 WOW! Thanks! So much to think about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barbara2 Posted September 7, 2011 Share Posted September 7, 2011 My bird was in the "came home and found him dead" category. Understand that this was a problem from the breeder who does not run a closed aviary (meaning they have all their own birds and don't bring any from outside). My bird had a fatal disease that he carried probably from birth and it just happened to activate while we were away for a long weekend. If it hadn't been then it would have been some time soon. It wasn't anything to do with the breed. It could have been any breed of bird that had this fatal virus. Don't get turned off to greys because of my isolated incident. I sure didn't! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted September 7, 2011 Share Posted September 7, 2011 Pikachu, you sound like a worrywart, you don't need to fret about what you can't control, you always hear about the awful ones but these are just a few of the many thousands out there that are healthy and fine, you do your research and plan the best you can and hope for the best. Dave has given you some excellent advice and keep reading the threads as you will learn a lot before you bring Maui home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pikachu Posted September 7, 2011 Author Share Posted September 7, 2011 Aw, Barbara2 that is so sad. I can't even imagine how you felt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barbara2 Posted September 7, 2011 Share Posted September 7, 2011 Aw, Barbara2 that is so sad. I can't even imagine how you felt. It was but would be more devastating if my experience clouded the judgement of a would-be owner. It was definitely an isolated incident. I have since adopted another baby from a trusted local breeder with a closed aviary. He is awesome! Lesson learned from me is that you search out your breeder and know what you are getting. If it's an older rescue, take them to a vet and have them tested for the major illnesses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pikachu Posted September 7, 2011 Author Share Posted September 7, 2011 I'm glad my breeder is paying for his first vet visit. Hopefully all is well. @ judygram - not a worrywart, just realizing how much I have to learn from veterans like you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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