Trina Posted October 8, 2007 Share Posted October 8, 2007 Sorry, I had to get one of the members here to fix up my profile as the photo was too big....so I can't help you. But I imagine that your new baby is BEAUTIFUL:lol: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trina Posted October 8, 2007 Share Posted October 8, 2007 Opps I was still reading page one! Your baby is beautiful. :whistle: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdmom Posted October 9, 2007 Share Posted October 9, 2007 KatB, Welcome, I am also new to the forum. I adopted a CAG Charlie, who was no longer wanted by his owners in April and I also insisted on a clear vet CBC and exam. Poor little guy, he was really sweet, they just didn't have a clue. But I needed to know he wouldn't bring home an illness to my first grey, Buddi. So, You are doing the right thing! I told the woman if the bird came out healthy, I wanted to see the report and I'd pay for the vet visit if he was healthy, but if not, no go--she'd have to get him healthy first on her dime. She took him in and it worked out fine, the CBC was normal. It cost me $200 but it was cheap insurance. Good luck to you! joanne aka birdmom, buddi and charlie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdmom Posted October 9, 2007 Share Posted October 9, 2007 Trina, What a beauuuutiful bird you have. Is it a female? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdmom Posted October 9, 2007 Share Posted October 9, 2007 Hi Kat, That's normal. The new pin feathers coming in have a shell around them, it's kink of like a fingernail that's splitting and when they preen, they're cracking the shell, so that the new feather can burst out. But you can't rush it, the new feather has to grow to a certain size, then the bird can pick open that little shell. You may be feeling the shell remaining at the base of a new feather. Don't worry about that. ONce you start regular bathing, those shells are really much easier for Birdy to pick out of there. They should do it themselves. Some don't know how, you may have to help a bit. But the pin feathers are sensitive so don't try too soon. Shower at least twice a week, buy a shower perch and let the mist hit them not the hard spray, greys don't seem to like the hard spray. I just move the shower head over them for a while on and off. Lukewarm water. Best of luck Birdmom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 9, 2007 Share Posted October 9, 2007 Ow, KatB he is GORGEOUS {Love-0002011D} What's his name? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trina Posted October 9, 2007 Share Posted October 9, 2007 Ying Mo is a boy, BirdMom. We think he is really nice too!:whistle: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatB Posted October 9, 2007 Author Share Posted October 9, 2007 Hi-- Unfortuately I didn't know what to expect or ask for at the vet. Since I didn't ask for a CBC, all I got was a "looks fine to me, that'll be $32, please." The vet is one I've been taking my dogs to for years and I asked his office if he also treats birds. They said yes, but now I'm thinking not so much. I'll look for an avian vet, but it's too late to return the bird -- I've already paid for him and besides, I've already fallen in love with him! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatB Posted October 9, 2007 Author Share Posted October 9, 2007 Birdmom-- Good info about the pin feathers and shower. I feel so clueless! But I will learn. I have given him a couple of baths using a spray bottle. I put him in the bathtub and went to town with the sprayer. He wasn't particularly happy about it, but he wasn't terrified or angry, either. Just appeared slightly annoyed. I did think about the shower but was afraid I would scare him. I'll give that a try after the spray bottle becomes routine to him. --KatB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatB Posted October 9, 2007 Author Share Posted October 9, 2007 FairY -- So glad you asked about his name According to the previous owner, the pet store personnel had named him Pegasus (he was there til he was 15 months old) and she didn't change his name. I debated over whether he would be confused over a name change, but finally decided the goal is for him to forget his past traumas and maybe a name change will help. Not to mention, I didn't think Pegasus fit him at all. So he is now Oliver, as in Oliver Twist. My son jokes that we should teach him to fetch money and send him out into the world to collect cash for his own pellets Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 10, 2007 Share Posted October 10, 2007 :laugh: your son is funny! I love the name Oliver. I think you've done very well in changing his name. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 10, 2007 Share Posted October 10, 2007 KatB, How is Oliver now? Did you get rid of all the "critters". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatB Posted October 10, 2007 Author Share Posted October 10, 2007 Hi, Debbie -- So far so good! Haven't seen a creepy since Saturday and I brought the cage back in Sunday afternoon. Joanne suggested there might be eggs, so I'm keeping a sharp eye out for any hatches. I'm not sure what their gestation period is, but it's been almost 4 days since I saw the last one, so I'm hoping there won't be more. Oliver is doing great! He's eating like a horse, although he doesn't seem to like veggies -- He wolfs down just about any protein, fruit and bread, though. He's learned when I say "Be nice" to duck his head for scratches -- if he's in the mood. If he isn't in the mood, I can say "Be nice" all day long and will just get a nip for my troubles! --Kat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danmcq Posted October 10, 2007 Share Posted October 10, 2007 Nice Photo KatB!! It sounds like Oliver is quite the character and having fun with you . :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatB Posted October 10, 2007 Author Share Posted October 10, 2007 Yes, I think he likes it here. He just today has started exploring the outside of his cage -- from play gym, down the back, across to one side, up that, back across the top to the other side -- and he's even gone inside all on his own a few times. I have one of those long spiral rope perches attached to his play gym and hanging down the front of the cage with the bottom attached near the bottom of the door entry, and that's his favorite place to sit -- like an old man sitting on his front porch watching the street traffic go by:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nevjoe Posted October 10, 2007 Share Posted October 10, 2007 It's a good feeling knowing the joy your are having your Grey. Life will be different. Good Photo. Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatB Posted October 10, 2007 Author Share Posted October 10, 2007 Thanks, Joe. Things are moving slowly, but even at that I think they're moving more quickly than I really expected. He isn't talking or even chattering yet, just an occasional "beep" like the sound a smoke detector makes when its battery is low. Sometimes he seems to like me and want my company, other times he acts almost like an un-tamed bird -- scuttling away from me as I approach as if he's afraid of me. I haven't introduced him to my dogs yet. I'm not worried about the dogs' reaction to him -- they'll do what I tell them to do -- but I'm not ready to take the chance Oliver might flail around his cage in fright and maybe hurt himself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 12, 2007 Share Posted October 12, 2007 It might be better to inroduce the dogs when Oliver is inside his cage for the first few times, Kat. No? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatB Posted October 12, 2007 Author Share Posted October 12, 2007 Agreed. And one at a time, calmest dog first Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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