What is a healthy weight for TAG?

[DENA]

I have a 6-month-old TAG and he (seems to me) to have trouble balancing, hangs from his toys and falls, he also tries to jump off everything...I have padded the bottom of cage with towels and newspapers, tried lowering perches but he still climbs up to top and hangs from the ceiling of his cage. Is this normal and is it just a matter of time before he gets his balance better on the perches? The breeder said he hadn't learned to perch until a few weeks before I got him. She had him in an aquarium. I asked about the weight because I don't know if he is too heavy and that this could be part of the problem. I took him to vet for a health exam and he weights a little over 300 grams. He eats Zupreem pellets but I am trying to convert him to Harrisons....Any help with this is appreciated thanks! Dena

[ZoesDad]

Hi Dena

I'm a new TAG owner myself but can tell you a bit about my bird's development over the month that I've had her with me. Hopefully, that will help you out a bit. I picked her up from her breeder at 12 weeks of age after visiting with her every weekend for 4 weeks. From about 2 months of age she had quite a strong grip but was not yet able to perch. By her 10th week, I was told that she had begun to perch. She had several falls while in her cage over the course of her first 2 weeks with me (especially at night) but has since been very good at keeping her balance. I have not heard or seen her fall for quite some time now. (She is 4 months and 3 days old.)I have found that she has a definite preference for her flexible perch and wonder if your bird has the proper perch diameter for his/her foot. (Apparently, their toes and nails should cover 3/4 of the perch circumference and natural branches are better than dowels.)

As for your bird's tendency to hang upside down from the cage top, Zoe used to do the same thing but stopped soon after I filled her cage with more perches (especially the flexible rope one) and toys.

Hope this helps.

PS I feed Zoe Zupreem too. Why are you switching to Harrison's?

[Guest Monique]

Our 3 3/4 month old TAG that came home last Saturday is very able bodied and climbs, perches all over and has not fallen. He was raised in a cage vs. an aquarium. How long have you had him? What is the state of his wings, has he ever flown?