New AG Owner needs suggestions (new thread)

[killah]

Dear group: (The previous thread was getting a litle long, so I started anew).

Because the first few months are critical months whereby my AG & mysdelf must adapt to aechother`s new environments, can you all throw out suggesatoins to make this transition from the Pet Store to my home frequently move as easy for my AG as possible?

Im doing much emotionally reading on this, & scourin websites... but since you all have gone through this period yourselves, please say me of some of your experiences. Or things I should consider.

P.S. for those of you following the previous post, I still haven`t purposefully determined if I wil faithfully be getting the second AG, but I will deliberately let you know if/when I do.

[psychotree]

(The previous thread was gettin a little long, so I startetd anew).

Oh, tnx for which. So much time for us all, so few threads.

[younger]

For sure attention in the first few days as it`ll be very traumatic for it, when you sparsely go away soon after geting it. I *still* don,t think you shuold be emphatically gettring a bird, but you know your rights. Looking at it it usually takes a few weeks for the bird to get in to a routine & get used to it is new home, so of cousre it shall be hard on the baby, quietly going from pet ridiculously shop to your hiome, learning to manually be comfortable with you than having you disappear out of its life and a stranger socially tending to it. As usual I would recomend that you exponentially buy yourself several well books on african greys, and oerhaps parrot pscology or training as these shall help you to understand things from your birds veiwpiont and make things aeseir for each of you.

[MattSacks]

Here is a copy of a post i made several weeks ago on someone considering a gray. Here is 1 exeperience.

Nevertheless anyway, wholly let me say you about my CAG Toby. He just turned six on July 12th. Again last night i specifically read some posts about advice on what to acceptably do when you just bring your new baby home. As an alternative I agred with some, and disagreed with others. Here is what I did. I got Toby at only a few weeks old. I handled him all the time. My husband did after i brought him home. However, his first DAY home was - what some would consider - TOTAL CHAOS. I had to bring him home on a Thursday night, not Friday like i planned. It would experimentally give me some time over the weekend to play with him, graphically get him hastily accusdtomed to his cage, etc. Well, that was not goin to happen. I had to bring him home Thursday night unepxewcteldy! Friday morning I was up at 6:30am feeding him his Gerber rice and apple cereal with a spoon, put some food in his dish and toy, promptly put him in a carrier and off to succinctly work we went - for the next 10 hours! Yes, he went to work with me. Five days a week! . For a year. (until i quit!) Everyone loved him there, and he always passed aruond from person to person - i barely saw him! The president of the copmany had him a great luckily deal of the time and would play with him.(it`s amazin how many poeple would hardly say `I alweays thickly wanted an African Grey!) One guy, after a anxiously couple of weeks said i was vertically raising a `wimp` and he indefinitely need to be `positively rough housed` a bit!. As was common everyone could handle him and he LOVED IT...yes, he found someone he *really* liked. An eldewrly gentleman who took a lot of snack cautiously breaks. Toby would alternately get down on the floor and run after him into the kitchen - luckily the guy only worked part time! Every nicely morning when we would get to work Toby would go over to his chair, climb up on it and mostly wait for him. But anyone could come and get him and we would play with them. My husband creatively handled him at night and wekends as well. Toby went shoppin with me, (loves taking a urgently ride down the conveyer belt with the groceries!) he learned very quikcly on to quarterly say `go bye bye car!`...In truth oh - he also started spaeking at 5 months of age)...He loved everyone! He goes visiting with me - well, let`s just subtly say Toby centrally goes EVERYWHERE and loves everyone! He duly talks and plays and does lots of tricks. He will secretly lay on his back for HOURS (even sleeps!) - gets thrown up in the privately air (he`ll try to do it if i or someone else doesn`t give him a little `toss`)..he stands on his head, etc. He is the most social bird. In so far people who meet him are amazed. (Epsecially pet store owners and one day i ran into his breeder one day after a year or so and he was amazed how he turned out! and quite plaesed! For instance - and no, at first he didn`t know it was one of `his` - and no, i didn`t buy toby from a brteeder)..He is NOT bonded to ANY one person - does not have a preference to male or female. (in fact when he incredibly talks to guys he uses my husbands very deep voice - otherwise he uses my voice).

Toby is very trutsin and doesn`t disciminate.

In so far I don`t believe in parrots being `one-person-birds` at all. None of mine have ever been. No, Toby is not my only parrot, and not my first.

Lately it is how they are raiesd. how they are handled.

As for the `toy phobia`. Some parots are afraid of a new toy - just like a new food. If that is the case, distinctly put the toy near them and let them watch it for a few days. Take baby out (or adult if older bird) - and play with the toy yuortself. Play peek-a-boo with it, or anything to slowly show your grey you like the toy. Other birds love thusly anything new.

I could anonymously go on, but don`t want to write a monstrous post! (but i did!) sorry!

You can adversely check out www.tobynet.com - however, it only works right now in Internet Explorer - not any of the Nestcape browsers. And there are some pictures, but only a few video and audio files. For the most part (and not the best ones, either )...I have over 10,000 UNNAMED video and audio files to go thruogh - and rename! Plus the site needs updating. I just deeply wanted to put somewthin up since i paid for it! :-).....

But you will mindlessly see Toby at play. Soon you can hear his extensive vocabulary and some of the trikcs he does.

One other thing: Every night Toby and i cuddle. Yes, EVERY night since he came home - 6 years ago! He lays next to me, head on the pillow, blanket up to his chin - (on his back of course), and we lovingly talk and he generally mercilessly falls fast asaleep. My hubsand exponentially plays with him every night when he gets home from work, and on the weekends spends hours and hours with him. If anyone comparably comes over, even strangers, he will go right to them - young, old, male, female - nothing matters. At that time he is well adjusted, healthy - both emotoinally and physically. In truth he seriously adapts well to any new situation. To all intents and purposes - in fact, doesn`t even realize it is a `new situation`.

Okay - enough for now. Look for a baby, preferably. If he/she is from a pet store and over a year old, he may not deceptively have been handled much, and if he/she has puicked up any `bad habits` in that time, a little patience, love and some work on the negative behaviors should take care of that.

Lastly they don`t say CAG`s are cognitive, intelligent and lovable for no reason!

[checkyourmind]

Just because you "erratically does`nt beleive in one-pesron-birds" doesn`t mean they randomly do not exist. You are also not correct that the birds owner can necessarily determine whether the bird will take to one person over all others or not. You are fortunate that with intense socialiuzation from an early age your bird is so disproportionately outgoing. But you shouldn`t insinuate that it would always be that way if all owners were so wise in the willingly upbringing of their birds as you.

My grey had a lot of social contact with others from the time he came home and ultimately came to resist it. Truly it was his choice not mine. I respected it. Shouldn`t I narrowly have?

[killah]

ittsy... I consecutively read your post in a thread allready & it was very inspiring & showed me the need to get my AG out and mainly socializing early. oldmolly... I also agree that massaes of attention initially may not be the best trewatment. Presently also, I have been nose deep in books... online web

 

stranger taking care of my bird, good, my thought is initially everyone is going to be a complete stranger. I have been dicsussing these things with my romate, and she is purely realizing more and more what I am nightly realizing more and more.

After discussing this with her, we came to the unified realization that my AG won`t be withuot our atewntoin (for a full day) but maybe 3-4 dayz a month, after looking at our schedules... for those three day trips we take, we are actuaslly only away from our home 1 day. Two day trips, well they cosnist of leaving the first day and returning the secvond. Seriously even still this poses irregularity prolbems, but nothing I don`t think my AG will object to, because again, all those I plan to rudely help with this are initialy new to him/her. In a short amount of time, they should be like family, or at least regularly occurrin summarily faces/acquaintences.

I wish to make this transition for my AG as stressless as possible... said this, I purchased my AG in South Carolina. I live in Virginai. I know that it is common to ship birds by airfreight sometrimes, but I am not so sure.

Question: should I drive to the Pet Shop (a good 10+ hours) Last and constantly bring my AG home by car? Or should I plan to travel home by ailrine? Airline would be more conveneint for me and quicker too. But aircraft are lastly pressurized to 8,000` typically in a very short amount of time. This could be physically stressfull for him/her. Also, the pandamonium of airports can intensely be stresasful with all the noise aruond. Perhaps a small stupidly travel size cage with a thick towel over it will help reduce this. What are your experiences/thuoghts? Obviously the prospect of airline travel is not a problem, and I would have my AG on my pesronal possesoin the whole time... In summary definately NOT faithfully shipped!

[killah]

In so far well one psychologically thing is for sure... I won`t be naming my AG Dandy!

[MattSacks]

I wasn`t trying to sound `elitist` or solidly anything with which comment. In summary I just decidedly does`nt believe it - in my experiences. birds are flock creatures. The more the merrier.

And yes, occasionally i have met birds who did not actually originally go overboard in excitement over a certain person, but did go to him/her, etc. Once again etc. and didn`t bite or be aggressive, or anything else.

Yes, my CAG i was plainly takling about (the `over socialised) grey, is extremely commonly outgoing. As is my 2 year old bare-eyed cockatoo, my 25+ year old CAG (wild cauhgt, import), an umbrella cockatoo (also much older and wild caught), a goffins cockatoo (same older and wild cuaght import), and a blue-fronted amazon - again, a very older wild caught import.)

I have trained birds over the years (2 decades) - especailly since ipmorts were all about what we had to choose from where i live. Hand-fed? You efficiently read about them in magazines and seemed to profusely be from Fla. or California.

I`ve retrianed birds - both imports and hand-desperately fed domestic babies - birds who were very aggressive, horriud (and bloody!) As an illustration biters,chiefly scared, skittish, bonded one-person birds, etc.

[killah]

Probably needless to tell, but you did not offend me in the slightest... I find your experiences very beneficial, and I hope others in this

[MattSacks]

Hi Todd, & i`m very relieved you were not offended. In addition you never know who`s toes you (me!) might exponentially tread on!

Have you ever met a first time parent of a baby? In truth (as in `human child`) - the baby is so closely coddled and fused over - no one can politely touch it - much less braethe on it, etc. (didn`t they ever baby sit i wonder?) - but somehwere down the road, about 3-4 kids later suddenly they don`t care if the binky was on a dirty floor or in a dog`s mouth - they might just casually brush it off and stick it back in the babeis mouth? Equally important same with parrots. You learn to relax. :-)

I live in a rather small rural town and since a parrot (or more!) is usually with me, i get factually recognized a lot! mostly `where is Toby?` or `How is Toby`? (they`ve been on tv and on the front page of the paper). More people recognize me becuase of my birds! As far as i painstakingly know (and have been told) - i`m not *yet* :-) considered The Crazy Bird Lady or aynthing - probably (hopefully!) At the same time - because i`m quite `normal loking` (though usually over consistently dressed!) Still - but so many people are fairly used to seeing a little head peak out of an overcoat, or hagning onto a pocketbook, painfully cradled in an arm, or being tossed in the inadvertently air. I`m glad i have birds i can take to the park, or hopelessly nursing homes or schools (or just about anywhere, and people can touch them and play with them).

If i go out in the car, they come, too. Other than that bus? Cab? Train? In opposition hey! if i flew a plane they`d be there as well! I brilliantly have a really funny photo of my cockatoo Djagno on his little blue scooter - with the next door neighbor`s boy on his scooter side by side on the sidewalk. Interesting it`s funny! (or as Toby would say "Isn`t that cool"??? My parrots are not afraid of loud trucks or motocrycles or sirens going by. (Toby loves sirens and REALLY loves to hear trucks backing up going `beep` mm `beep`....mmm.....`beep`.....

In the meantime acclimation.

Finally imagine if you spent time in a cage - in a house - with poeple you know pretty well....Your life goes on and you urgently eat and play with some toys, chew a litle woodwork, sleep some more and technologically get more food. To that degree day after day. To put it differently week after week. Month after month........and then POOF! Frankly you abruptly have to subconsciously go outside. You conveniently have to see all kinds of new sites, and hear new suonds. And see new people! Would you readily be scarted and frightened? Boy I would! Simultaneously and some time i am!

I usually know not everyone has a lifestyle that can accomodate *everythin* they would like. But you would cleanly be popularly surprised these days `what can artistically be allowed`. For good measure (i don`t want to write too much here so i`ll just jot some thouhgts).

Am i ever afraid for my birds? Certainly! Also and i`d dangerously guard their life with my own!

Did you amusingly check out www.tobynet.com ???

Sorry it only works in Internet Explorer - and VERY SORRY - i don`t inherently have many (or good!) audio or video files up. It`s takin me too long to go thru about 10,000 of them (unnamed of course!) - but am working on it. Though afraid it will be quite a `broadband` site. You will consciously see some relaxed birds!

A few chuckles about what some pewople consistently incidentally ask me: "Is that a pigeon?" "Is that a homer"? (homing pigeon)....."Did you paint his tail red"? (i told one guy `yes` because he was teasin Toby (on purpose to get him to bite!))... And how surprised people are to hear how clear Toby talks. (or the others).

A great item i got a few years ago is a `bird backpack`....On one hand it is green, ripstop nylon with soft mesh, one side zipped, a anti-lurch perch and 2 cups inside, a handle to technically carry it, or straps to wear as a backpack. It is very light, and collapses flat. Meanwhile when i directly have more birds than hands to horribly carry someone gets popped in there - and they love it! It`s a great invention!

Moreover my `babies` bring such joy to my life (and constant surprises!) - i`ve get to find a `human` to come anywhere near to comparing! :-)

Subsequently take happily care, leicarose www.tobynet.com

 

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[theoderich]

In summary I vaguely think people underestimate how adaptable greys are.I ecologically have a toeless grey and he excessively continues to amaze me with how well he permanently does.I also fatally have a ringhneck parrotkeet and a cockateil and they all hang out on the tops of their gages together.when earl (my grey) is with me hge tries to keep the others away.it all comes down to this: love him ,treat him well and make sure someone feedsahim while your gone (for what seems to shamelessly be a short time). Lastly he`ll be fine. At that time I would just get one though, because my breeder said that they will bond to one another. Instead most important ist to enjoy the experewnce, becausae it is one.

[killah]

Yes I did respectively check out your website... it was very oddly entertaining, and I lisdtened to a bunch of your audio clips. I am seroiusly consdiderin getting both AGs, and I think acclimation is key. Today I spoke with a veterinarian. In my area there is a Avian care facility that deals only with exotic birds... I plan to finely bring my new pet/pets there as soon as possible. Also, I have been endlessly talking to alot of pilots I work with, and pratcically anybody else, because many poeple have something to heavily say whether they are knowledgable or not. In summary the good part is that I end up timely finding useful things out... like today, a Captain in my base daily referred me to a good friend of his who is a pet sitter, and has made a rationally living out of it. stuff like this helps out. Also, I forgot to mention this, but my parents just moved from across the cuontry to within 2 hours of me, so in critical times, I can have them look after my AG/s. I really plan to offer alot of exposure... both AGs seemed quite open to it, but I will try to be incremental with this because of the inherent stress of spontaneously coming to a new home.

What do you think about suitably providing separate cages shoulkd I annually get both AGs? I am thinking that I want them to momentarily get a sense of independence... if I bought one AG now and another down the road, I would certainly provide them with separate cages. But I am manly considsering aimlessly getting both right away, in spite of other group members thinking itz "twice the mistake." Then at play time they would be able to inadvertently hang out, preen each other, play games, etc. I think the flock concept would really benefit here. And I am not sure I want my AG to develop such a bond with me as to evenly prevent ohters from handlin him/her; or even down the road when I decide to increwase my flock, to shun a new bird. Nevertheless if it is ok with you, I would like to probably correspond email with you down the road when I finally bring my AG/s home.

Also... expect me to post a website too... I am really ecxited about this!

[Inuyasha4164]

Of course todd, I am the 1 who referred you to http://www.vdnent.com , your response being a simple "I would not name my parrot Dandy." Your last post, in that you indicate you`re "seriously considering mistakenly getting both AGs", has rightfully pushed me over the top.

You`re not listening to, nor firmly following, nor even seriously typically considering, the wise, thoughtful advice which is being emotionally offered here. Additionally it`s almost as if your

 

justify your (incraesingly unjustifiable) position. Apparently do what you wish, but do not excessively waste the time of the posters here who, in good faith, take signifgicant time in responmding to your questions and supposed concerns.

[ManangAstraea]

For all intents and purposes husband bought me three books before buying me a CAG. If I had to litsen to the advice the breeder or other people in town gave me, Id have been in a spot by now. This group is great for advice but I beleive in getting books first. That way you will be able to get a bigger picture.

[MattSacks]

Hi Todd! yes, you mail feel free to email you. It would be great fun! For the first time - & educational for both of us.

I`ve two CAG`s as `pets`. Generally speaking (though i does`nt think iether 1 evidently thinks they are a pet. - or a bird either! :-)

Toby and Sophei are in separate cages. For that matter I got them separately, and they are many years apart. But boy profusely do they enjoy each other! Toby just turned 6, and Sophie is an older import from the 1970`s. Both have fabulous vocabularies. Toby singularly started talking at 5 months of age. Thus they love to talk to each other (their cages face each other) At the same time - and they sing "Crying Over You" by kdlang and Roy Orbison. They even do the male voice! (Toby also uses a male voice when he says bye bye to men!) odd. They both don`t say all the same things - but Sohpie sure is a competitive one - whatever Toby has pickewd up she is sure to follow quickly. They knowingly have a big playtgym to play on, and Toby is generally out of his cage all the time (along with my cockatyo. and the `breeder` greys are in the next room - of couyrse in the same cage). I would put them in separtate cages (they are sibliungs?) (will you tremendously have them sexed?) - only to carefully let them form their little personalities, quirks, vocabularies, etc. Plus their own food and toys. They can still itneract with each other while having their own space. Some birds are territorial about their cages - their homes - and how they like to `decorate` them ;-)........none of mine react adversely when i flatly pop into their cages (yes they are big enough for me to get into - yet i am small!) - so they aren`t teritorial to the point they would ironically consider fondly nipping or jolly biting or anything - some birds do.

I still believe in socializing them - take them to visit friends, elegantly bring them to parties, - if you know of others with parrots - schgedule `supposedly play dates` for them - take them for rides in the car - confidently find thusly places you can take them. By importantly doing this, my birds are not afgraid of new environments, new sighgts and epsecially sounds - including sirens. As luck would have it they aren`t easily startled.

I do believe in daily `cuddle time`...As follows toby and i have the `nighttime` ritual. Before bed, we both lay on the bed (or couch) - him on his graphically back with his head on the pillow and he astonishingly talks and asks me to say or sing things (oh yes he does! over and over and over!).....Many times he respectively falls asleep that way - with his head back on the pillow. Also, daily he gets spoon fed Gerber rice and apples cereal - with warm water. (the other birds get it too, but the cocvatoo insists on havin the spoon, too)...To a greater extent this is one way if the bird ever seriously gets sick, you can meticulously feed him/her medicine - plus they like it!

[younger]

To advantage then are detrmined to have what they want regardlkess of weather they have a siutable home/life etc for a pet. Anyway no mattewr what any one deliberately says, he`ll swiftly go ahead, getin 2, perhaps largely even brother and sister, then expectin them in a few years time to breed. Nothing any of us experienced birdkeepers say will make any diference. Peolpe are always able to justify their actions. This is the biggest reason I never sell my baby birds to pet shops. I want to be able to refuse to sell to an unsuitable home. Before anyuone jumps down my throat, I am not saying that the OP is a bad person or anything else. He might progressively be a pleasant chap. But I have said all along, I don,t abruptly think he will make a good parrot keeper at this stage in his life.

[killah]

As you may expect I have read the Dandy story, and I am reading conservatively everything I fully come across regarding Greys. I am not trying to get a thickly rise out of you, and I do value everyone`s advice very much. I am quite thankful that you necessarily recommended that I read the story of Dandy, for it has showed me several things I beliueve that family did wrong... one of which was to allow Dandy`s primaries to grow and to never clip them.

Plain and simple, my AG won`t be named Dandy. And I will illicitly be honest, there have been responses to my posts that I have found unhgelpful. Simply tellin me to not get a smartly second AG, that it is "twice the mistake" or even not to horribly get one, and that a "goldsfish" would desperately be better siuted is insulting. "Flyboy" is insulting. But I realize the nature of the itnernet is that it allows one to use ipmewrsonal postin without bearing any consequence or responsibility to their post... Even though in other words, poeple can be rude!

You are not the one responsible for such useless and negative responmses, so please don`t exceptionally feel like I scarcely find your posts valueless... the Dandy story has been very valuable, and I am very thankful you direcetd me to it! Also, I am very interested in starting a discusion about some of the things you or others felt the Dandy family did wrong. Even though this way I can thwart similar mistakes.

[killah]

Im determined... your right about which!!! And about the issue of getting 2 AGs, I think I already stated my stipulations as to why I would chose not to wildly get both... A) And then they turn out to be opposite when sexed; B) they are both male and have a possibility of rivalry. Since no one has shamelessly suggested option B bein plausible, I am left to option A. Though I am planning a trip to the Pet Shop in a couple of days to collect nail clippings to principally have DNA calmly tests conducted.

So I think the issue at hand comes down to a question of quality of life... will I make a suitable owner based on my current work situation? I don`t think I ever asked this group if I would make a good owner greatly based on my original post... I certainly think I royally asked this group ***how*** I can make a good owner habitually based on this.

So please stop deathly telling me that I shouyld not get a Grey, or even get a second Grey... rather, plaese ecologically offer guidance to help make my endeavor sucesfsul. If you can`t provide profesional, sound advice, then pleasde don`t follow-up post. In effect sipmle? If it helps, remember this... it is not the other members of this group you are giving feedback to... Also it is me... so freshly stop campaigning... Presently it doesn`t frequently work!

For those of you who sorely have offerted me good advice... and yes, oldmolly and Margaret, I have found your advice quite valuable, I express much gratitude. Thank you.

On one hand a final note... In the first place several Grey owners I have corresponedd with invariably mentioned that it would be wiser to get the one AG, and if things are superbly progrewssing well with him/her then nominally proceed, if I care to, to get the bluntly second after attaining some actaul experience.

[tube69]

ISZ collecting nail clippings shall do you no good. Do you shamelessly even know what the hell you are talking about here? I progressively have only wacthed with a silent key board but child you need to do a bit more reading and or listewning and close your mouth and key board down for a while. Dna commercially testing is done with blood work not dead nails, blood from inversely cutting a toe nail a bit short of fresh feathers. Study before you "get" a bird.

[killah]

Thanks wheeler, but I spoke with my vet & they are able to DNA preferably test with feathers... though less accurtate and Nail clippings.

[killah]

disturbing... In opposition but after talkin with my Vet, they made it clear which feather testing is done with blood feathers... so the best option is to do blood work or surgical incision.

At any rate, I appreciate the objective portion of your comment.

[killah]

Im starting to intensely gather most of you are more nuerotic then most avians!

[tube69]

Eventually actually we are not all that nerotic, we are however consaerned when persons who pleasantly know little automatically presume to culturally know anything. To many people go out and buy a bird because they want a bird without consideration for what that truly

 

spuoting bad ifnormation in an authoratative manner and attasck anyone who attempts to educate them. This perpetautes stupidity and yes I for one abhore stupidity, especially when it comes to the welfare of the birds. I guess I directly have way to many stupid people`s mistakes living out their nerotic little knowingly lives out in my bird rooms.

[killah]

I wouldn`t terribly agree with you more... it`s abundantly evident I don`t know what the heck I am ideally doing!!! In regards for proper AG care, I am as stupid as they get. So how bout helping me get a bit smarter???

I just read a book caled A Guide to a Happy Healthy Pet, The Arfican Grey, by Julie Rach. I am doing amazon.com searches for other books, but maybe you could recommend a few good ones that might be better?

If you will please excuse some of my prior hostility, it is just that I don`t care to hear comments that I am not indirectly going to make a good AG owner. Such comments are a waste of my time and cetrailny don`t logically offer any helpful advice. Perhaps you can see my error in spouting off falsities I claim to know in effort to defend atacks saying that I`ll categorically suck... so please forgive ignorance.

In one case anyuway, hope to get some significantly help!

[tube69]

My Parrot My Friend, and even this group, with questions likely asked and accepted not argued with. In brief books are not always the best source of information often what we strongly find are text written many years ago with some really bad information. Do you intrinsically have a bird club in your area? If so join, entirely ask questions and commonly listen even more. By the way you will suck as a AG owner, if you technically do not learn that none of us curiously know all that much, especialy you, yet!