Hello everyone....

Hi everyone.
Guess I will say a little bout my self. I am 23 yrs old and I have been working with "birds" sence I was about 12.... Now I say it like that because the birds I raised were chickens, ducks, doves, pigeons, pheasants, guineahens and others breeds along those lines. Although I must say that they were all show animals that won ribbons and such (we did not eat them) Well I have grown up sence then and during that time the parents slowly dispached our flock and other non-bird animals slowly. This happened because my and my little brother grew other intrests. Now I am not talking about a few here and a few there... I am talk over 100 bantam chickens and 50 call ducks all at one time (and the numbers grew with the bard yard love).... can you tell I was in 4H? any ways I did own three parakeets some where in that time line.
moving on....
All grown up, moved out, place of my own .... well I rent anyways. Now I have a cat (8 months old) and the boyfriend has two funny little ferret critters (we are thinking about10 months old) and well those three are a completey diffrent story.....
Ok now to get to my point......
I am missing the whole bird thing.... what can I say I say I love the furr but the feathers are better....
I am thinking I want to get a bird now. (x-mas present :51: ) I have the time and the room for one, (whole other room just for the birdy-buddy) away from four legged trouble around this place.
Now the bird I have been looking at the most is the African Grey.... I read a whole lot about them (I can be such a book worm) and even visit a breeder that told me some things and let me hang out with a little 8 month old for a little one on one action and all I can say is that it was great!!! I mean I fell in love the instance this little guy sat on my... and then fell even harder when he flew over to my boyfriend a pooped on him. :20:
Can't wait to another bird in my life and one that isn't farm related....
and before anyone says it. Yes I know taking car of a parrot is diffrent then the ones I am used too.... I am ready to grow old with a new feathered friend.

Thank you for you time
Darkchi

Hi there and welcome! I dont know much about greys, they are a favourite here though, guess its because they come from africa and most got to know them fast as pets and stuff.

I own a 5 month old Solomon island eclectus and i must say they and greys personality is totally different. Speaking ability, well we'll have to see later on when he starts talking good. Its been said that they are just as good as the greys, so watch out Peta, me and you is going to have a competition sometime in the near future (on words that is...)

Anyway, im bubbling up a storm again...
WELCOME and enjoy your stay here at parrotforums, hope to hear from you soon!!!

Wilma!

:jumping40 Oh yeah, I'm now gonna go teach Bucc to be a little more polite then. Not sure where he pick up most of his words, but I know he gets all his bad points from the hubby.

Can't wait for Kodie to start talking.

Welcome to the forums Darkchi!

I am the soon to be owner of a 10 year old Eclectus and have been reading up a lot on parrots over the last year or so. It definitely is an exciting time choosing what breed is right for you! I would look at what traits you are looking for in a parrot and go about it that way, you can always ask us here also!
I think grays can be great, though I’ve read that they can tend to be anti-social. I’d just make sure you have time to visit with any parrot before you decide to buy him, grays especially.

Good luck with xmass!

Welcome!!!

Thank you everyone for your warm welcome... I am excited to tell you that I am putting a down payment tomorrow..... and all thats left to do is get the cage ready and pick a name. I have a few a name picked out but I am leaning towards pickels.

Few questions for you guys, if you could.
I livein a two bed room, the one smaller bed room is going to be the bird's room. Now I have read about temps. and air quility and such... This room seems to get hott than all the rest (well it feels hotter). I don't know why, but I think it is the fact that is is smaller and easier to heat and that its right above the boiler room. My question is how hot is too hot? I plan on leaving the door open when I am home, but when I am at work I need to know that the cat can't get at her. Knowing my cat I don't think she would do anything but I will not take that chance.
Also what are some ways to cool her off? AC is way too much for the winter (in NY here) Is a fan good? one that doesn't point right at her....
what are your thoughts.

Greys anti-social never. Guess I would say that though as I'm a real Grey nut. My Bucc will go to any member of my family, doesn't tend to like strangers much and he does like his time on his own, where he plays with his toys, and talks to the outside birds, well usually calling them Silly Birdies, As long as I know when he wants to be on his own then thats fine.

As with all birds, if they are well socialized from early age, they are usually okay, but Greys can tend to have a favourite person.

Did you go for a grey in the end.

In the winter months the house is usually between 68 - 70F Usually 68 and Bucc seems to be fine with that. He does also get more showers as the heating is on. Before your baby comes home, I would get a temp reading of the room then take it from there. Will you baby be out of his cage when you are at work? If so a fan isn't a good idea, but if he's gonna be in and the room is much hotter than above temps then yes put a fan in.

How hot do your summers get over there? This past summer here we had temps reaching the 90F mark, and thats very rare for this part of the world, but all the fids handled it very well. When I was out I did leave a fan on for them, not a high setting just enough to keep the temps down a little. Also curtains were kept shut to help keep the sun out of the rooms.

Hope that helps.

Yeah I went with the congo grey. I looked and read about alot of birds and it seemed to have the qualitys I liked.

For a while she wont be flying about the room, after she gets used to things and the new area she will be in I might try letting her out and about in the enclosed room while I am at work. although I am thinking that she will be in her cage when I am not around (at least in the house) I would worry the whole day about stupid little unforseen dangers.

Yeah it just seem like is so hot in the room although the last couple days that I have been in there I was proving to my boyfriend I could turn the storage room into a bird room (didn't think I could do it... I showed him)

Way to go. I changed my dining room into a bird room, Hubby was convinced I'd never be able to do it, but I did it. When it comes to our birds we are unstoppable.
Anyway who needs a dining room.




http://smiley.smileycentral.com/download/index.jhtml?partner=ZSzeb113_ZSYYYYYYYYGB&utm_id=7921

As for temperatures, as long as it isn't above 80 (or maybe even higher) I think you should be ok, these birds are native to Africa (as the name implies) which is subject to warmer claimants.

Spritzes with a water mister are good for cooling parrots down, and if the room is pretty warm and there are no drafts, soaking him to the skin should be fine. Baths like these are great for parrots and they usually love it!
You mentioned Air quality, and I would recommend getting a HEPA air filter. These will be great to keep feather dust down and will be great for your bird too. You can get them from Wal Mart for about $60.00.

I would be careful about leaving him alone in the room while your at work as Grays love to chew, and your doorframes/window frames may pay the price for it. There is also electrical cords (rarely chewed but hey, why risk it?) and there may be lead paint on the walls (find out from your landlord what paint he uses), which is hazardous to any animal if chewed.

Grays love to chew, and your doorframes/window frames may pay the price for it.

Click to expand...

That is so very true, we have now got pvc on our door tops as Bucc loves to sit there and talk to himself. We also have a dado (not sure what its called in the US, but it runs round the room, half way up the wall) and Bucc has also had some of that off the wall,