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I have questions, my baby grey comes home tomorrow? I was told to keep her in her cage the first day. I disag
7 Responses to I have questions, my baby grey comes home tomorrow? I was told to keep her in her cage the first day. I disag
Congratulations! Your diet plan sounds right on. An organic diet is best for everyone, not only greys. I would definitely take her to a vet ASAP just to be sure she is healthy. I honestly don’t know a lot about baby greys. I got mine at 18 months old. He is now thirteen years. What I do know is that I love my holistic vet over the two traditional vets he had previously. He has liver disease and she has done remarkably well with his numbers coming down where the others had failed.
I would see how she does when she gets home. Keep an eye on her and see how comfortable she seems before making a decision on letting her out. If you see a vet before bringing her to your home, the vet will also be able to give you some suggestions about whether you should let her out of the cage the first day.
Best to you and your new friend.
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The first day it is better for the bird to stay in the cage where she feels safe as she adjusts to the new environment.
Continue to feed the bird a balanced pellet mixture as its main diet
The 20/20/20 sounds rigid and she can be out more than that but if the bird doesn’t know you are the boss, she will be and that won’t be pleasant for either of you
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any time u bring a new bird home u should keep it in the cage until it becomes used to u. and its new home.
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Our Congo was out in the morning, and again all evening as a baby, as soon as he feathered out, with several noon ‘nap’ hours. He wasn’t allowed to roam freely because we knew he needed discipline to be safe, but we think that outside stimulation made him more of a family bird. He’s two now, and we can lay him on his back and cover his breast bone in raspberry kisses, and tickle him, and hang him from one finger while kissing his beak. He knows how to have fun in his cage, and he does not have a squawking problem. It seems like lots of people think that birds must be treated a little icily, but you and I know that we wouldn’t treat a child like that, and a bird deserves no different.
Pellets prevent favorite food picking. We use them like they’re a dish full of Flintstones vitamins. We offer a moist meals a few times a day — eggs for breakfast, veggies or fruit for lunch, and for dinner some pasta, or well-cooked meat. There’s a Hahns eating cheese ravioli on my shoulder right now. The Healthy Bird Cookbook is full of good recipes.
Bringing her home and a vet visit can both mean high stress, , but getting them all out of the way the same day is almost a must. Breeders don’t always play by the book, and sometimes they just don’t know. You sound like a great parent, to research your babies this much, so I think you can use your judgement just fine.
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We have an Orange Wing Amazon … and I used to have an African Gray … don’t leave the bird in the cage! Yikes! My husband has handled James Bond (his band was 007 so he HAD to name him that) from day one. Do that and the bird will bond with you much quicker. You may have to force yourself on the bird even if it bites a little at first … you have to show it that YOU are the boss and over some time it’ll become your best friend. They’re mostly a one person bird … but my husband and James are inseperable. We actually take him down to the cape with us when we go camping and everything … on the beach, the woods, whereever. He hangs out outside with us on the awning of the camper. Very cool. He doesn’t fly away or anything. We ofcourse keep his wings clipped but he loves the outdoors …we even have a huge cage in our yard so when we’re outside he can be too … great! They LOVE baths … spray it as often as you can. Any old (clean) spray bottle will do .. a mist or whatever … James loves his baths and fluffs up his feathers and goes crazy .. .hangs upside down, sings, etc … Our bird does talk quite a bit but my old Gray was the BEST talker!!! Turns out all African Gray Congo’s do … enjoy it! Although it may drive you nuts at some points … they imitate EVERYTHING! Change voices, mimics sounds, etc. Someone we know had to keep changing his phone ringer every day cuz the bird would copy it and would “ring” every time the guy was in the shower! LOL As far as the food goes. Our bird does have pellet type food. My husband has come up with his own mix of the gray flat oval like pellets, a colored pellet mix, dried bananas, dried prunes, dried pineapples, raisins, all different nuts, etc. we make a big batch (a bit costly but if you go big it will last you a few months), and we also feed him every day food as well. In a separate bowl we give him what we eat. If I make my kids pancakes in the morning, I give him some cut up (no syrup) … I’ll make grilled cheese for lunch and give him the crusts, and if we have pasta & my homemade sauce & meatballs for dinner … he too eats it. Their isn’t much they can’t have. Eggs, toast, pb&j, meats, veggies & fruits (fruit and canned), potatoes, rices, anything! all good! You should get a list from the breeder of what they CANT have… or find a breeder who CAN give you more info. Also, don’t use anything teflan ( i know it stinks but you can’t …) and you can’t spray anything around it … no hair spray, furniture polish, nothing aerosol. Um, anything else I can think of … or if my husband comes home sooner I’ll let you know more … he’s a HUGE bird nut! Good luck with your new baby bird!
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sounds like you’ve done all your homework and that you are ready to be a responsible parrot owner, have fun and good luck!
used to raise birds
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Aww- I bought my goffins home when he was 10 weeks old (the breeder said he was weaned, he wasn’t)…. he didn’t fully quit begging for baby food until he was over a year old.
I was in college, and took him EVERYWHERE. He was rarely in his cage except when I was gone. I was never gone for more than 6 hours at a time. He even came to work alot with me (with mentally challenged people). My parents would set a place at the table with him (he really bonded with my mom), he’d go to parties, and hang out with my friends. He was a typical college bird as a baby. Probably ate too much junk food, but he’s turned out okay
He has never had screaming issues.
He is not afraid of very much of anything.
He uses words in context and is very well mannered.
Since he turned 4 year old or so, he hasn’t been so codependent (he started going thru adolescence around that time).
He’s pretty darn well adjusted and will let almost anyone handle him.
I think that this is because I totaly spoiled him as a baby!
Good luck with your new lifelong companion! How exciting!
used to raise birds
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