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Post by ghettolwyr on Jul 8, 2005 12:13:32 GMT -7
Hello all, I am new to the site and to being a CAG owner as well. Baby Freddie was hatched on 3/30/05 and came home on 5/22/05 (too early, I know). We live in Chicago. He/She has been flying for a couple of weeks now and we are taking our 2nd trip to the vet tomorrow . We will get all of our tests (DNA too) and a wing/nail clipping. This vet is a specialist for exotic birds while the 1st vet was just a general practicioner who told us Freddie was healthy the day after we brought him home. He is very cuddly and playful. Hopefully I will be able to get some pics to post tonight. I have a question for everyone tho. My household consists of me, my mother and baby Freddie (among other pets). Freddie has decided that his favorite place in the world is on top of my mother's head (she has long hair that has been dyed purple). Occasionly, he will try to land on my head but doesn't seem to like it b/c i have a short hair cut (flat top) so he can't get a grip and use hairspray. This habit is starting to get slightly annoying . Is it permanent? What does it mean? How can we break Freddie of this habit? We tried having my mother wear a hat which worked for about a day. However, it no longer works as Freddie either attacks the beak of the hat or plays comfortably with the air holes and lettering while sitting on top of Mt. Mom ;D. Any help would be appreciated.
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Post by Jane on Jul 8, 2005 12:46:53 GMT -7
They like to be high up. In the wild it is safer for them to be higher up and they can keep a better look out for predators. There is also a dominance issue about being higher up. At bedtime they will roost on the highest available perch. I think you will have to keep taking him down and telling him "no" because they can be trained out of behaviours you don't want. Has your mother tried to break the habit using a towel on her head? I know the hat didn't workand I know she can't wear a towel all the time but a towel might look more alarming and if it is piled up and twisted it might be more difficult to get a grip. I haven't had this particular problem myself but I know a towel on my head spooks mine.
Jane
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Post by ghettolwyr on Jul 8, 2005 13:14:35 GMT -7
We understand about our baby wanting to be higher, but i am taller than my mother and, therefore, offer a higher perch....we were thinking maybe the bird understands that my mother is the "Flock Leader" (boss lady) and therefore wants to dominate her....or could it mean that our baby has chosen my mother as his favorite human?
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Post by Jane on Jul 8, 2005 16:10:59 GMT -7
It could be that, or he might think and accept that you are the flock leader, not your mother, and therefore he is trying to assert himself as the second in the pecking order. On the other hand he might have chosen your mother as his favourite person because if this happens they can be quite reluctant to land on or go to a less favoured person. Mitzi won't go to anyone except me.
Jane
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Post by ghettolwyr on Jul 11, 2005 6:14:10 GMT -7
Well the problem of flying to the head has been solved - freddie can no longer fly (at all). We went to the vet this saturday and I'm still a little bewildered about the experience. I'm not sure if i'm happy about it. I think the vet cut off too many feathers. She cut off 6 primary flights from each wing. Freddie cannot even use his wings to help him up to his perches (his wings are now useless). Ater a few disasters from the floor perches we have which are a couple of inches (about 7) off the floor we thought well maybe there just isn't enough height for him to get the glide factor that he's suppose to have so we put a ton of pillows on the floor and completely surrounded his cage. Then we placed Freddie on his top perch on top of his cage (about 6 feet high) and waited for the disaster. Disaster it was, as Freddie dropped like a brick. He tried to fly to a stool which was about 3 feet away from his cage and he missed . He was uninjured, but we are very sad. Will he get better or will we have to deal with this for the next 6 months? I cannot believe she cut off so many . They also did a test for psiticosis and a cbc as well as a dna test. The DNA test will take a month, but the results of the others will come back by the end of the week. They trimmed his nails as well. It didn't look like they ground them down too much at all, but he has completely lost his gripping ability and is now very unsteady. They said they were going to cut off his band b/c the band can cause injury, but later said Freddie had been too traumatized already and that the band could wait. I must say that this whole experience has been extremely stressful for my mother and I and I cannot even imagine how Freddie feels. He seems to be back to his normal self (It took a couple of hours after we got home tho). He is chattering away (not talking...just the normal baby grey chit chat - we think it's almost talking there also seems to be a newfound interest in his toys now that his favorite pastime, flying, is gone... is my experience the norm? will it get better? I hope so b/c this has been just awful
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Post by Jane on Jul 11, 2005 7:20:00 GMT -7
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Post by ghettolwyr on Jul 12, 2005 11:11:16 GMT -7
Well, baby Freddie spoke for the 1st time yesterday . I called home from the office and my mother was already there. She said "are you sitting down? I have something to tell you." I thought Freddie may have injured himself as a result of his bad wing clip, but she said that he finally spoke...he said "Hello!" I didn't believe her at 1st, but then I heard it through the phone...sure enough "Hello!" However, it was not in either of our voices, it was more computerized (we think it may be the pedophile answering maching guy "Hello!, I am unable to take your call...."). Unfortunately, there were no more hellos upon my arrival - I really wanted to hear it in person . I am so proud of our baby; he is only 13.5 weeks old . Do you guys think I might get some in person hellos today?
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Post by ghettolwyr on Jul 12, 2005 11:14:04 GMT -7
oh...and by the way....he must think he is a big boy now that he's talking b/c he is now refusing both his morning and evening hand feedings....
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Post by Jane on Jul 12, 2005 15:54:12 GMT -7
They don't always sound like someone in the family, although some do imitate a particular voice. Mitzi seems to have her own voice but I have heard talking birds who do sound exactly like their owners. They can be shy about talking as well, which might be why he didn't say anything when you arrived home. I am sure it will only be a matter of time.
Jane
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Post by lidiam on Jul 13, 2005 1:52:47 GMT -7
Joshua has my voice when talking to me and other women, but he greets men with a much deeper voice. It's quite funny to see his confusion when there are women and men in the room. Lidia
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Post by ghettolwyr on Jul 13, 2005 5:53:11 GMT -7
Update: He still will not speak to me in person . Although mother said that as he was about to be put in his cage last night we were all talking (me, mother and freddie) and as i was saying "UP!" to get him off my mother's hand he said "hello" and i just didn't hear it b/c he said it in a softer voice than 2 days ago. Also, he's back to eating the handfeeding formula - 20ccs last night and another 20ccs this morning - i'm glad b/c i was getting worried - the visit to the vet must have shook him up more than i thought... oh and the vet called - freddie's cbc is normal - we are still waiting on the psiticosis (spelling test and the DNA test
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Post by ghettolwyr on Jul 18, 2005 6:35:58 GMT -7
OK....so I have never heard him say hello in person (although mother swears he said it) on a more serious note - We went to the pet shop over the weekend b/c it is a place we generally like to go and they had a baby grey that is approx 2-3 weeks younger than Freddie. This grey was gargantuan when compared to Freddie. When we were at the vet a week ago, the vet told us that Freddie was approx 350 grams (and this was normal). The grey at the pet shop was like 2lbs. (double Freddie) - is Freddie a runt? I will tell you that the bird at the shop was never allowed to fledge and is in acrlyic cages all day (no climbing on bars to exercise for him) - he was so heavy, he couldn't even step up My mom thinks Freddie is smaller and lighter b/c we let him fly and compared the two birds like and athlete (Freddie) and a couch potato (pet shop bird)....is this accurate? On another note - I saw these beautiful acrylic cages on www.cagesbydesign.com I was wondering what the consensus was about acrylic - is it safe? does it provide for enough air and sound flow? is there a less expensive alternative to the above website because while mother and I do well, WE ARE NOT RICH... by the way...thanx for all the help, advice and good info so far
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Post by Jane on Jul 18, 2005 7:03:18 GMT -7
Congo African Greys can vary quite a bit in weight depending on their genetic origins. Some are naturally smaller than others. It is the same with colour, some are paler grey. Timnehs don't tend to vary so much because they come from a smaller area to start with. Of course, individual Greys can still get overweight for their build due to lack of exercise and/or overeating. Regarding acrylic cages, this came up on the forum quite a while ago now and this is the reply I posted: "This site has some info about cage materials. www.forthebirdsdvm.com/cagemade.htm If you scroll down there is a paragraph on acrylic cages. The advantages seem to be debris containment. The disadvantages seem to be air quality and ventilation issues and overheating." Jane
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Post by spookyhurst on Jul 18, 2005 14:28:22 GMT -7
Aren't Cameroon African Greys supposed to be a bigger than Congos? Maybe that's what the bird in the pet shop was.
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Post by ghettolwyr on Jul 18, 2005 18:46:04 GMT -7
i dunno spooky...but it doesn't matter....i love freddie no matter what her size by the way...just heard from the vet....freddie is female
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