African Grey…

[Lady Jane]

If you live in Maryland, VA, NC, SC or northern Florida the best organization to contact is Phoenix Landing for any species of birds. They are not free but are treated so well in a foster home. I used to volunteer for them. They also require you take their classes on parrot care and nutrition. There is a great breeder in Florida, African Queen birds. I can vouch for Jean Patterson. She will ship a bird to you.

 

[A.K]

Hmm, thanks Lady Jane. Yeah, many others have recommended Ms Patterson. I think I’ll purchase a bird from her - if I get a baby, as I’m also looking for a CAG between 3 - 5 years.

 

[Lady Jane]

I purchased a TAG from her many moons ago and the bird was about 3 months old, fully weaned and eating pellets/veggies. She was also very friendly and did the basic like step up. Please update us on the progression to find a bird. Jean specializes is the African birds.

 

[tka]

Okay so I found another website selling CAGs; Baby African Grey Congo Parrot – Macaw Parrot Eggs For Sale
I’m super confused about them though. They say they sell ‘fertile eggs,’ which is supposed to be a sign of a scam. But, they have a video of the parrots, which makes them seem authentic… The reviews seem right as well. Their English is poor, and prices are awfully cheap. They also are collecting ‘donations for orphanages’ and selling t-shirts, which is kinda odd. I’m very confused. Could someone help me out?

There is also African Grey Parrot For sale | Terry's Parrot Farm
They say multiple vaccinations, which makes it seem like a scam… But the reviews seem okay. Their English is very poor (lowercase ‘I’s, no space between comma and words, etc) Help please!!!

Both are scams. Videos can be taken from anywhere - plenty are stolen from Youtube, instagram or elsewhere. The reviews can be easily faked.

No reputable breeder would sell parrot eggs. Parrot eggs travel extremely poorly so there would be zero chance of anything hatching from them. Parrot chicks themselves are extraordinarily fragile and require round-the-clock care from a knowledgeable carer, or, ideally, their parents.

Please read this: How to Spot a Parrot Scam

Here is a post by someone who bought from a scam website: Fertile parrot eggs

He paid the money and received nothing. The company then claimed that the eggs were in transit, required extra fees, required extra insurance etc etc. They will try to get you to part with as much money as they can before you catch on that the eggs or parrot you think you've bought doesn't even exist.

There are no bargains in birds. The going rate for a healthy, well-reared young Grey is $5000 or more. Any site selling Greys for significantly less than that is a scam. The bird simply doesn't exist but scammers are very good at hooking people in and getting them to part with obscene amounts of money.

 

[A.K]

Both are scams. Videos can be taken from anywhere - plenty are stolen from Youtube, instagram or elsewhere. The reviews can be easily faked.

No reputable breeder would sell parrot eggs. Parrot eggs travel extremely poorly so there would be zero chance of anything hatching from them. Parrot chicks themselves are extraordinarily fragile and require round-the-clock care from a knowledgeable carer, or, ideally, their parents.

Please read this: How to Spot a Parrot Scam

Here is a post by someone who bought from a scam website: Fertile parrot eggs

He paid the money and received nothing. The company then claimed that the eggs were in transit, required extra fees, required extra insurance etc etc. They will try to get you to part with as much money as they can before you catch on that the eggs or parrot you think you've bought doesn't even exist.

There are no bargains in birds. The going rate for a healthy, well-reared young Grey is $5000 or more. Any site selling Greys for significantly less than that is a scam. The bird simply doesn't exist but scammers are very good at hooking people in and getting them to part with obscene amounts of money.

Thanks, you just saved me a whole lot of trouble!

 

[Toy]

Most parrots end up being one person birds. Yes an adult parrot can bond with you. As I posted before I got my previous B&G Macaw "JaJaBinks" (passed August 2020) from her previous owners who had gotten her at 5 months of age & then abused/neglected her. She was 2 years & 1 week old the day I got her. They couldn't handle her. She lunged, tried to bite & screamed a lot, so they kept her in the dark 24/7. Her vocabulary consisted of Hello, Whatz-up & Shut Up. In reality they had no idea how to handle a parrot & especially one that was going thru the terrible 2's. She had a tiny junky home made cage, a one inch dowel rod for a perch, no toys, no daily interaction & a bad diet of wild bird seed & peanuts. Not how you raise a macaw at all. I had no cage for her. Ordered one as soon as I got her home. We kept her in a large wire dog crate, with perches, food dishes & toys at night. During the day she was on a play gym. She came to me super filthy. Her back & wing feathers curled up in the air she was so dirty. Her toenails were at least 2 inches long. I stuck her in the tub & scrubbed her twice to get all the dirt off. She sliced the palm of my hand open with her long nails & screamed a lot. Then I clipped her nails. After clipping one nail she just held hr foot up for me to do the rest. One the way home with her I promised her she'd never be in the dark again & she'd have lots of good food & toys. After getting her all cleaned up I stuck her on the play gym & gave her a good meal. She went crazy she finally felt clean & well fed. She feared being touched & would run screaming in fear. In her mind that meant being hit or stuff in a small cage & put in the dark. She'd ACK so loud the nieghbors could hear her outside with all doors & windows closed. A macaw ACK goes right thru you it's so loud. It took 6 weeks for the cage to arrive. During that time I changed her name & worked with her daily to earn her trust. By the time the cage arrived I had taught her to step up/down. Yes I got nipped many times. She watched me assemble her cage, place perches & toys inside. I sat her on the door & let her explore it. She spend one more night in the dog crate. The next day we moved everything around & placed her new cage in front of a window. She loved her cage. She bonded to me & wouldn't let anyone else touch her in the almost 20 years I had her. I could rub her feet, stick my fingers in her mouth, peel her beak, etc. She quickly learned to go back to her cage on command. I could let her cage door open, as she would pretty much stay in or on her cage. She'd come looking for me. She loved helping with daily chores. I taught her to dance, wave her wing & say bye-bye, etc. She loved going to the Harley club & hearing the motorcycles fire up. She loved going for rides in the truck or just hanging out on our front porch. She'd yell hello to anyone that walked by. She LOVED Halloween & yelling at he kids. She'd scream & scared them then laugh. So as you can see you can take an adult & turn them into a wonderful companion. It takes time, patience & understanding. Other parrot owners have posted the same about the adult birds they got.

The 2 sites you posted above are scams. Red flags: Cheap prices, eggs for sale, etc. I found info on this site you posted: Puppy Scammer List Website: Terryparrotfarm.com Scroll down to read posts by people that got scammed.

Some info on the other site you posted, again scoll down to read the posts of those that got scammed: Macaw parrot eggs for sale 2021 Reports & Reviews - ScamPulse.com

Cheap parrots are far & few between. Unless you are able to find a person wanting to give up their bird for cheap & can go see it in person & take it home that day, you will get scammed. Unless you are able pay a honest breeder or parrot store the asking price for a bird you will get scammed.

 

[A.K]

I purchased a TAG from her many moons ago and the bird was about 3 months old, fully weaned and eating pellets/veggies. She was also very friendly and did the basic like step up. Please update us on the progression to find a bird. Jean specializes is the African birds.

I will for sure keep you updated. Thing is, I can’t actually get a bird till around Jan next year. In a bit of a tricky situation right now. I’m in Canada, temporarily, and unsure of where I’m going to stay forever. It’s either Australia or Ohio. I know I said I’m in Ohio, but that’s because most likely, I’m going there. I’ll be settled down in around late April this year, and will buy a CAG early next year. It’s confusing and LONG LONG story, also it reveals way too much personal information, that I’d rather keep to myself. Hope you understand…

 

[A.K]

Most parrots end up being one person birds. Yes an adult parrot can bond with you. As I posted before I got my previous B&G Macaw "JaJaBinks" (passed August 2020) from her previous owners who had gotten her at 5 months of age & then abused/neglected her. She was 2 years & 1 week old the day I got her. They couldn't handle her. She lunged, tried to bite & screamed a lot, so they kept her in the dark 24/7. Her vocabulary consisted of Hello, Whatz-up & Shut Up. In reality they had no idea how to handle a parrot & especially one that was going thru the terrible 2's. She had a tiny junky home made cage, a one inch dowel rod for a perch, no toys, no daily interaction & a bad diet of wild bird seed & peanuts. Not how you raise a macaw at all. I had no cage for her. Ordered one as soon as I got her home. We kept her in a large wire dog crate, with perches, food dishes & toys at night. During the day she was on a play gym. She came to me super filthy. Her back & wing feathers curled up in the air she was so dirty. Her toenails were at least 2 inches long. I stuck her in the tub & scrubbed her twice to get all the dirt off. She sliced the palm of my hand open with her long nails & screamed a lot. Then I clipped her nails. After clipping one nail she just held hr foot up for me to do the rest. One the way home with her I promised her she'd never be in the dark again & she'd have lots of good food & toys. After getting her all cleaned up I stuck her on the play gym & gave her a good meal. She went crazy she finally felt clean & well fed. She feared being touched & would run screaming in fear. In her mind that meant being hit or stuff in a small cage & put in the dark. She'd ACK so loud the nieghbors could hear her outside with all doors & windows closed. A macaw ACK goes right thru you it's so loud. It took 6 weeks for the cage to arrive. During that time I changed her name & worked with her daily to earn her trust. By the time the cage arrived I had taught her to step up/down. Yes I got nipped many times. She watched me assemble her cage, place perches & toys inside. I sat her on the door & let her explore it. She spend one more night in the dog crate. The next day we moved everything around & placed her new cage in front of a window. She loved her cage. She bonded to me & wouldn't let anyone else touch her in the almost 20 years I had her. I could rub her feet, stick my fingers in her mouth, peel her beak, etc. She quickly learned to go back to her cage on command. I could let her cage door open, as she would pretty much stay in or on her cage. She'd come looking for me. She loved helping with daily chores. I taught her to dance, wave her wing & say bye-bye, etc. She loved going to the Harley club & hearing the motorcycles fire up. She loved going for rides in the truck or just hanging out on our front porch. She'd yell hello to anyone that walked by. She LOVED Halloween & yelling at he kids. She'd scream & scared them then laugh. So as you can see you can take an adult & turn them into a wonderful companion. It takes time, patience & understanding. Other parrot owners have posted the same about the adult birds they got.

The 2 sites you posted above are scams. Red flags: Cheap prices, eggs for sale, etc. I found info on this site you posted: Puppy Scammer List Website: Terryparrotfarm.com Scroll down to read posts by people that got scammed.

Some info on the other site you posted, again scoll down to read the posts of those that got scammed: Macaw parrot eggs for sale 2021 Reports & Reviews - ScamPulse.com

Cheap parrots are far & few between. Unless you are able to find a person wanting to give up their bird for cheap & can go see it in person & take it home that day, you will get scammed. Unless you are able pay a honest breeder or parrot store the asking price for a bird you will get scammed.

Thanks for all that information on your Macaw. These forums are amazing. I will SO refer to them in the future. A huge thanks to everyone here, who has saved me a lot of money and time. I’ve decided on getting a 3 - 5 year old CAG. You guys are amazing, giving me a whole new perspective on these wonderful parrots. Thank you so much.

 

[A.K]

I purchased a TAG from her many moons ago and the bird was about 3 months old, fully weaned and eating pellets/veggies. She was also very friendly and did the basic like step up. Please update us on the progression to find a bird. Jean specializes is the African birds.

Just a question; you say you bought your TAG at around 3 months. During that parrots puberty, did it kind of ‘abandon’ you, and start looking for a mate? Just wondering…

 

[MnGuy]

Wow, your cage is very nice. I see what you mean when you say big cage! Caught a peek of your African Grey hidden in there, he (or she) is very cute. Do you use natural perches only? Like literal branches? Or do you have a couple of smooth, straight perches as well? Which wood do you use? Sorry about all the questions… *sheepish grin*

Thanks. She is very cute. I use several natural wood perches of different sizes and different types of wood. I also have two flat platforms so she can choose to stand vs perching on branch.

Like many here, I also adopted my grey when she was an adult, and she has been a great bird. Definitely consider adoption. Any bird -- baby or adult -- will have its challenges and personality quirks.

Good luck on your search.

 

[A.K]

Thanks. She is very cute. I use several natural wood perches of different sizes and different types of wood. I also have two flat platforms so she can choose to stand vs perching on branch.

Like many here, I also adopted my grey when she was an adult, and she has been a great bird. Definitely consider adoption. Any bird -- baby or adult -- will have its challenges and personality quirks.

Good luck on your search.

Thanks MnGuy. For sure considering adoption.

 

[Nikomania]

If you want a baby and are willing to shell out the current going rate for CAGS, I'd recommend our local breeder who happens to be the head bird keeper for the San Diego Zoo. We purchased Maalik from him but then acquired a second CAG baby (same breeder) when his previous owner realized he was way over his head managing 2 CAGS.

Rainforest Aviary. His birds are phenomenal. He ships, too.

 

[A.K]

If you want a baby and are willing to shell out the current going rate for CAGS, I'd recommend our local breeder who happens to be the head bird keeper for the San Diego Zoo. We purchased Maalik from him but then acquired a second CAG baby (same breeder) when his previous owner realized he was way over his head managing 2 CAGS.

Rainforest Aviary. His birds are phenomenal. He ships, too.

Okay. Yeah, I’ve heard of Rainforest Aviary. I’m worried about getting a baby because they might ‘abandon’ me during puberty. Looking for a life-long pet, so… His prices seem a little too much, $7000, so I might go with African Queen Aviaries, who are selling it for $700 less.

 

[Toy]

I would suggest once you figure out where you will land, buy a cage, as they are a bit hard to get right now. Put in your order for a bird, buy the cage/toys/perches/etc, so you have everything ready when you get the bird. If you land in OH go check out "In A Pickle" parrot store. They have everything for parrots. That way you can see first hand what you are buying. They don't ship tho. You could call ahead & ask if they have any cages in stock in the size you need. They had several medium-large parrot cages when I was there, plus play gyms, tons of toys, perches, food, etc.

 

[A.K]

I would suggest once you figure out where you will land, buy a cage, as they are a bit hard to get right now. Put in your order for a bird, buy the cage/toys/perches/etc, so you have everything ready when you get the bird. If you land in OH go check out "In A Pickle" parrot store. They have everything for parrots. That way you can see first hand what you are buying. They don't ship tho. You could call ahead & ask if they have any cages in stock in the size you need. They had several medium-large parrot cages when I was there, plus play gyms, tons of toys, perches, food, etc.

Yeah, that’s exactly what I planned to do. Looks like ‘In a Pickle,’ is perfect. Thanks again for all your help

 

[Lady Jane]

I never saw any puberty signs. The TAG was a very sweet, smart and fun bird. She was never a one person bird either because i continued to socialize her to new people and situations which is very important. Also to new toys and foods.

At the time i bought her Jean had a friend in my state that had a few of Jeans young birds. She was a person who took excelent care of them until the sale. Dont know if this is still happening. It allowed me to just drive a few miles to see if this bird liked me which she did.

 

[A.K]

Okay so ANOTHER question. This one is kinda more important than the previous ones. I’ve heard of the deadly Teflon Flu, which causes a horrible death in parrots. I haven’t really understood this flu, so if someone could explain it to me…? So non-stick cookware has it right? So is any cooking with these pots unsafe, or is it only when raised to a certain temperature? Is there any cure for breathing these toxic fumes??? Are all non-stick cookware coated with this, or are there other brands that make it without Teflon?

 

[Sparkles99]

Non-stick is never safe. Check toasters & other appliances too. Glass, aluminum, stainless steel, cast iron, enameled cast iron are all safe choices.

 

[Hankmacaw]

Teflon is the killer any thing that uses teflon in it's manufacture is a danger to your bird. Teflon kills by fumes causing a reaction with the lung tissue and the bird virtually suffocates.

There are numerous non-stick cookwares today that are not dangerous in any way to your bird.

PTFE & PFOA are the two items you must avoid. If what you are purchasing does not say PTFE and PFOA free then DON'T.

These sets on Amazon are PTFE and PFOA free. https://smile.amazon.com/s?k=ptfe+a...+AND+PFOA,aps,1102&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_1_13

 

[A.K]

Ah okay, thanks. Is there a cure for a bird that’s inhaled the fumes?