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Post by Jane on Jul 19, 2005 1:17:49 GMT -7
I wouldn't worry too much. As I said, there is quite a wide variation in CAGs as they originate from a number of countries in Africa, not just the Congo (Congo is really more of a common or popular name for the nominate sub species) More important in weight terms is to keep a record so that you can see if there has been any significant weight loss as this is more important than the absolute weight of an individual bird.
Jane
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Post by ghettolwyr on Jul 19, 2005 5:49:52 GMT -7
I've been seriously thinking about keeping track of weight for the past week or so (mine and freddies  ....anyways, I've been looking into it and I was wondering if you could point me in the direction of a good perch scale quality/price wise b/c I cannot seem to find any decent ones for less than $50 and my diet food scale has become useless as Freddie does not like to stand/sit in the tray and the the scale is plastic  . |
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Post by Jane on Jul 19, 2005 6:38:19 GMT -7
I believe you can get some in Wal-Mart for less than that.
The scales I use have a removable dish. I then put my portable perch on the flat top of the scales. I have managed to get Mitzi straight onto the scales but the perch is better.
Jane
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Post by ghettolwyr on Jul 19, 2005 7:01:31 GMT -7
and where would i get a portable perch? (sorry if i sound incredibly dumb....but i'm new to the avian world |
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Post by Jane on Jul 19, 2005 7:29:24 GMT -7
Mine is a Polly Pastel one, it is the same as the nail trimming perches, with triangular plastic ends so it is free standing. I got it in a shop which sells stuff for the larger parrots.
Jane
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Post by ghettolwyr on Jul 19, 2005 7:42:56 GMT -7
if it is this perch: www.pollyspetproducts.com/products/stands_portable.phpthen i have 2 of them (but they are huge)...however I have seen the smaller ones and i get the idea: get one of the smaller ones and then a gram scale w/ a removable bowl; remove the bowl and replace it w/ the smaller portable perch...gotchya....thanx |
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Post by Jane on Jul 19, 2005 7:52:41 GMT -7
Yes that is the one. I have got mine on a small tray which I can then stand on the scales.
Jane
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Post by ghettolwyr on Jul 20, 2005 6:30:01 GMT -7
ok so i decided to bite the bullet and go buy a scale yesterday...i bought this one: www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&product%5Fid=26-950it is a scale that plugs into your cmptr via usb and is really neat. Baby girl Freddie weighs 364 grams after a monstrous poop when i got home from work yesterday around 6:30pm.... i'm glad i got this b/c she has stopped taking her hand feeding formula again...none in the morning or at night....now i can really monitor her weight b/c i worry she isn't eating enough of her pellets (i have a hard time telling how much she eats b/c of the crumbs left behind) and she still won't touch veggies or fruit (but loves pringles ...for those interested, yesterday was 8 grams more than she weighed at the vet on july 9 (at about 9:30am) after her morning feeding (at 6:30 am) and pooping all the way to the vet ... is it normal for her to be outright refusing her formula? I thought she would cut out either the morning or night feeding herself but not both (she is almost 15 weeks old).... also, should i expect any more weight gain or is she as big as she's gonna get? Finally, the bag of kaytee organic pellets says it is intended to be the bird's sole diet....is this true b/c i know everyone says to keep offering her a variety and i will, but i just wanna make sure she is still getting all her nutrients from the pellets .... or should i be worried she isn't getting what she needs??? |
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Post by Jane on Jul 20, 2005 8:13:57 GMT -7
It is a good idea to weigh her at the same time every day, the morning poop in particular can lead to a difference of 10 grams.
It is natural to start refusing the baby formula, especially now she is 15 weeks old.
I wouldn't give her the pringles as these are both fatty and salty and the taste may be discouraging her from trying other food. An all pellet diet is still controversial, despite what the manufacturers say, although if she is eating them I wouldn't stop. Just make sure she has other things as well. Try hanging the fruit and veg up.
Jane
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Post by ghettolwyr on Jul 20, 2005 8:15:59 GMT -7
i didn't give her too many pringles.....she stole one the other day while i was eating it and has decided that they are her favorites...she tries to eat the picture on the can LOL |
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Post by Jane on Jul 20, 2005 8:42:56 GMT -7
Ah yes, Greys are crafty like that. If you are eating it they want it! Actually you could try that with the vegetables, it does sometimes work.
Jane
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Post by ghettolwyr on Aug 5, 2005 20:08:35 GMT -7
Ok, time for an update and more questions: Baby freddie has just turned 4 months old (17 weeks)...she is still taking her formula (when she wants it) and has started to enjoy making a mess with and eating some broccoli. She has not put on any significant weight (she weighs around 370 grams). Should I expect her weight to increase? If so when? Her talking ability can be related to that of a baby trying to talk....my mother and I can make out several things: Pretty Bird; I love you; Love you; Hello; pretty baby...however, there have only been 1 or 2 clear Hellos and 1 or two clear I love you....most of it is baby talk that maybe only my mother and I understand . Freddie has also learned a new cry which is like a whining high pitch wimpering screech. It is absolutely awful (like nails on a chalkboard). We ignore this sound and are hoping that it goes away . Potty training is coming along quite well...she will go when i place her on a certain perch when told. However, I worry that she holds it too long. For example, this morning when she was taken out for her morning feeding she wouldn't go until i put her on the special "potty" perch and told her to "go potty." Yet, there are droppings in the cage when i get home from work so I know she knows she can go elsewhere. Also, if she flutters to the floor from anywhere she will go immediately - no perch required . She has also now begun to display some stubborness. For about a week now she absolutely refuses to come out of her cage w/o making a big fuss about it. By refuse I mean refusing to step up and grabbing onto perches and toys and biting to prevent herself from being taken out (over and over and over and over and over again). After each successful escape as my or my mother's hand approaches her feet again for a step up, Freddie will immediately bow her head for a scratch (which we can't refuse - so we scratch) and then the routine is repeated. Boy we have really become owned . However, the question that most concerns me is happening more and more. Freddie will be perched on my hand and being stubborn about letting me pet her. She will bite hard (just short of breaking the skin) and I will not change my behavior. Then immediately after the bite she will bow her head for a scratch - and allow the scratch for a while closing her eyes in enjoyment and then bite again. This will happen over and over again. Is this simply aggressive playful behavior...or something else? I only ask because it has become an everday occurence over the past week and it seems that almost my entire interaction time with Freddie consists of this biting and bow for a scratch behavior. |
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Post by Jane on Aug 6, 2005 1:57:58 GMT -7
If she hasn't put on any weight for a while she might not put on any more. As I said, there is quite a wide variation in the weight of CAGs depending on their genetic background; some will always be naturally smaller than others.
She is doing well with her talking, it is quite early to be talking and they often come out with unclear or mumbled words as they practise.
With the potty training, she seems to have got a fixation on one perch in order to respond to your command but she is going in the cage when you are not there and they hold the morning one all through the night anyway. This is natural. You could try telling her to go while she is still in the cage so that she knows it is okay. The thing about potty training is that they learn where not to go rather than thinking they can only go in one place. Going immediately when she flutters to the floor is most likely to be due to nerves. Both mine used to do this when they were younger.
She is starting to assert herself in the usual African Grey way and she has got you into a routine of biting followed by head scratching. I think you will have to try and break this by stopping the head scratching. If she bites don't pay her any attention and don't "reward" her by scratching her head.
Jane
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Post by ghettolwyr on Aug 23, 2005 11:51:53 GMT -7
Well, I guess it is time for my semi-monthly update . Baby Freddie still does not say anything super clearly. As I have said in the past, she will say things but i'm not sure that anyone besides my mother and I will know what it is. HOWEVER, I was thinking last week that Freddie should learn the wolf whistle. I know it has been said that if a CAG learns to whistle first, it will be slower to learn to talk because whistling is easy. But I figured she was talking (kind of) already so what harm could it do. So last week we had a session of me doing about 10 wolf whistles in a row while Freddie listened, head cocked to the side. As I expected she did nothing (this was last friday). However, on saturday you would have thought Freddie was strolling down a street filled with beautiful people . Wolf whistle, wolf whistle, wolf whistle, wolf whistle....over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over again. On Sunday she wolf whistled for like 3 hours straight LOL. Changing it up the whole time (pitch, length, wavering the sound a little, etc.). Will her recent vocal acquisition slow her other talking? Other updates: Freddie has now stopped taking her evening hand feeding formula and only gets it in the morning now. We also figured out the loud high pitched screech. I have a 2 way paging car alarm on my car. This means that when the car alarm is set off, the clicker in the house beeps. When listening closer to Freddie's screech, I learned that it wasn't a screech at all, but beeps (real fast beeping, just like the car alarm clicker when the alarm is set off). Then, a couple days later, we were sitting around and a car alarm starting going off outside (wasn't mine, but sounded like it) and Freddie started to do the beeping....sooo....it's confirmed....she knows the car alarm. Also, she associates this beep with me. My mother says that she does not do the beep until i get home . I guess because when it beeps i go looking all over the house for it to shut the car alarm off . Finally, I don't remember if i asked this b/4 but around what age do CAGs choose their favorite human. Freddie seems to love both mother and me equally, regurgitating for both of us a couple of times (but usually just keeping it for herself . While it is clear that Freddie expects different things from each of us, she seems equally happy to be handled and held and played with by each of us showing no clear favorite. I hope it stays this way . oh and i almost forgot, Freddie also has learned to stick her tongue out when asked to...I'm not sure where she picked this up, but I came home one day and my mom was like...watch this: She looked at Freddie, stuck her tongue out and told Freddie to do the same and Freddie did |
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Post by Jane on Aug 23, 2005 14:44:11 GMT -7
Mitzi talks and whistles, she does wolf whistles too. I think as long as they hear all sorts of sounds and speech they will pick up whatever they want to.
They don't always choose a favourite person so things may stay the same as they are now, especially as she is regurgitating for both of you. Monty doesn't have a favourite person. However, sometimes they change around the age of two.
Jane
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....anyways, I've been looking into it and I was wondering if you could point me in the direction of a good perch scale quality/price wise b/c I cannot seem to find any decent ones for less than $50 and my diet food scale has become useless as Freddie does not like to stand/sit in the tray and the the scale is plastic 
.