newbiecag
Just Hatched
Joined: July 2017
Posts: 5
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Post by newbiecag on Jul 30, 2017 22:09:28 GMT -7
I adopted a CAG about 6 months ago. He is 15. Just recently he regurgitated in my hand it was pretty weird. We are making progress slowly but surely. He has been to the vet since I got him so I know he is healthy. I wasn't able to hold him for a few months when I first got him. Well the past few days he has been bobbing his head when I give him a head scratch and when I was holding him he started making weird sounds and dropped his feathers and was head bobbing. Is he trying to mate with me? Lol this is my first CAG so I would really like to know what's up. I took classes before I could adopt him but you know how it is, you start questioning things. He has also found a card board box that he loves and has torn a hole in one side and goes in there to rip things up. Does that have anything to do with him being hormonal? I have read a lot of articles and I'm wondering if there is something I should do around the house or in his area to stop this or if it is just a normal behavior and I shouldn't be worried?
Please help me out .
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Post by Jane on Jul 31, 2017 0:48:12 GMT -7
Hello and welcome to the forum.
That is mating behaviour and both males and females do the same display. Greys love to chew up paper and cardboard but is he definitely a male?
Jane
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newbiecag
Just Hatched
Joined: July 2017
Posts: 5
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Post by newbiecag on Jul 31, 2017 10:27:39 GMT -7
Well they said he is a male and the vet didn't correct me. He is 15. How would I know if he is a male or female? He's been a boy for 15 years lol
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Post by chris on Jul 31, 2017 11:03:23 GMT -7
From what I've experienced and EVERYTHING I've read, a grey that is chewing and destroying things is a happy grey!
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Post by Jane on Jul 31, 2017 12:33:34 GMT -7
I wondered if you knew for certain he was a male from DNA sexing. Some members have thought they had a male and then their Grey laid an egg!
A good way to tell is to look at the red tail feathers, the smaller underside feathers have a delicate silver edging in females but in males it is solid red.
Jane
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Post by Haz on Aug 1, 2017 18:54:29 GMT -7
One member had a CAG he thought was a male for 15 years then "he" laid an egg. It is best to discourage mating behaviour but destroying cardboard is a fun pastime for greys.
Haz
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newbiecag
Just Hatched
Joined: July 2017
Posts: 5
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Post by newbiecag on Aug 7, 2017 20:31:44 GMT -7
Thanks everyone for the input! It's so awesome being able to ask questions and getting replies from experienced AT owners. He continues to do the weird mating thing I try to distract him but handing him something that he loves. Lol. It actually works. I'm hoping he is a boy . He is a rescue and they told me he is a boy. He is 15. So i hope they weren't wrong. He does not have the silver lining on any of the red feathers. Also, I read somewhere that males usually have the pointed feathers around their eyes and females have round feathers around the head area. Is this true?
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patch
Weaned Todd
Joined: June 2017
Posts: 28
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Post by patch on Aug 8, 2017 15:25:21 GMT -7
When we got our grey in 2002, I really didn't care what his/her sex was. He is ours, and will be ours for the rest of our lives, so who cares? Since then, dealing with him seems to lead me to believe he is male. Some Grey owners stock up on phone books for the birds to shred. As I always say, "Keep that beak busy!" You can cut squares of cardboard from boxes and stick them in the bars of the cage for him to discover. Give him a little plastic food container that he can chew on and use to dump water out of his water dish. Ours absolutely loves an empty (cleaned, of course) prescription bottle. Or you can use an empty vitamin bottle. Anything they can chew to relieve boredom-even empty toilet paper tolls or paper towel tubes, are of interest. Go to the craft store and get some plastic or wooden beads to string on (undyed) leather to make toys for him. You're going to have so much fun! Let the bird tell you what he really enjoys! Offer him a taste of whatever healthy food you are having. Mine even likes a sip of beer sometimes!
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Post by beakertrout on Aug 9, 2017 10:28:09 GMT -7
Beaker loves junk mail.
If I ever figure out a way to make toilet paper out of it I'll be rich!
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