Stormy is home

[linnaete]

Hello! I recently posted on the welcome page that my family would be getting a baby CAG soon. She has finally weaned and came home today! The kids named her Stormy and she is 3 months old. Aside from my family watching a friend's parrot a long time ago when I was little, I haven't owned one myself until now. Go big or go home I suppose, but I have wanted an African Grey for a long time. I already have her scheduled for a vet visit on Saturday, and I also need to bring her in for a weight check on Saturday too. I hope that it's a positive sign that even with the stress of seeing 4 kids and our Rottweiler puppy, she still was able to calm down enough to eat some pellets and treats from everyone. The shop has her on Zupreem fruit mixed with some seed mixture. I tried some TOP's pellets and she took right to them also. I made a puree mixture of zupreem with warm water before bed and she took some of that as well. Tomorrow morning, I have some bird bistro chilling to mix with some chop to try. I have been reading up and researching what I can, and my husband is excited to do some woodworking for her. He already trialed a small table tree, and will be making some toys too. I'm a little bummed that they clipped her wings so soon, but I'm thinking about letting her fly once she molts if possible.

 

[Xoetix]

What a pretty baby!

 

[zoo mom]

Stormy is beautiful and such a glorious cloud burst.

 

[BluQuaker]

She is so beautiful

 

[Kassiani]

Awww, Stormy is gorgeous!

 

[April]

Ooh he's absolutely gorgeous! Look at those beautiful baby eyes. That's great that he's settling in so well and already willing to try new pellets and interact with everyone. I really love his name too

 

[Pixiebeak]

Welcome home Stormy!
May you have a long healthy happy life full of love sbd joy !

 

[Toy]

Aww look at that baby face. I remember bringing Jengo (CAG) home at 6 months. She'll be 24 years old in June.

CAG's tend to not like being touched, other than a quick beak swipe, so if you can now do it as much as possible. Head, neck & feet only tho, as any other place can trigger sexual desire. Very few CAG's are hands on birds, but now & then one will turn out to be OK with it. If possible lay her on her back too. Towel her so she gets used to a towel. Make a game of it.

Know that Stormy can repeat any word or sound, so use caution with anything you may not want her to repeat in the future. They are super intelligent. Jengo can beep like machinery backing up. She heard them working on the street years ago & has been making the beeping sound ever since. She used to make the sound of the refrigerator water dispensor, but hasn't done it in a long time. She imitates my U2. She talks a lot & makes a lot of whistles & different sounds.

Our CAG prefers mostly plastic/acrylic toys. Jengo is not big on chewing wood, but she loves to chew paper. She loves foot toys & toys she can pick up & toss.

I've fed Jengo Pretty Bird Species Specific African pellets her whole life. She also gets veggies, a little seed mix & now & then some fruit. She loves bananas & pistachios. She likes cool showers compared to my U2 that likes warm showers.

Jengo does wings up/big bird, dances, goes in her cage on command, takes her toys out of her food dishes on command, plays peek-a-boo, etc. She's more a sit & take the world in type. She likes to walk around on the floor. She's fully flighted, but doesn't fly off her cage, even tho she can.

 

[linnaete]

Aww look at that baby face. I remember bringing Jengo (CAG) home at 6 months. She'll be 24 years old in June.

CAG's tend to not like being touched, other than a quick beak swipe, so if you can now do it as much as possible. Head, neck & feet only tho, as any other place can trigger sexual desire. Very few CAG's are hands on birds, but now & then one will turn out to be OK with it. If possible lay her on her back too. Towel her so she gets used to a towel. Make a game of it.

Know that Stormy can repeat any word or sound, so use caution with anything you may not want her to repeat in the future. They are super intelligent. Jengo can beep like machinery backing up. She heard them working on the street years ago & has been making the beeping sound ever since. She used to make the sound of the refrigerator water dispensor, but hasn't done it in a long time. She imitates my U2. She talks a lot & makes a lot of whistles & different sounds.

Our CAG prefers mostly plastic/acrylic toys. Jengo is not big on chewing wood, but she loves to chew paper. She loves foot toys & toys she can pick up & toss.

I've fed Jengo Pretty Bird Species Specific African pellets her whole life. She also gets veggies, a little seed mix & now & then some fruit. She loves bananas & pistachios. She likes cool showers compared to my U2 that likes warm showers.

Jengo does wings up/big bird, dances, goes in her cage on command, takes her toys out of her food dishes on command, plays peek-a-boo, etc. She's more a sit & take the world in type. She likes to walk around on the floor. She's fully flighted, but doesn't fly off her cage, even tho she can.

Thank you for the hints! I am slowly learning Stormy's personality. She loves almonds so far, doesn't like pine nuts. She seems to love snow peas and carrots. I'm trying to get her on to Harrison's pellets, but I'm kind of mixing a bunch together to see which she likes best... she came home on Zupreem fruit and a seed mix. Hoping she'll settle on TOP's and Harrisons but we'll see.

I am trying to get her used to being touched, doing it as a training session with almond treats. The kids (7, 6, 6, and 5 months) are a little too hyper/quick movements but I'm trying to let them help and treat her too so she gets used to everyone in the house. And of course, getting her used to the dog also so that way when she gets her wings back it's easier. She keeps trying (successfully x3 so far) to jump off her perch and follow me when we're downstairs and I'm worried she's going to hurt herself.

 

[Toy]

I'd attach a toy to the perch/stand. Use an eye hook on the underside of the perch, add a quick link & toy. Parrots are flock creatures by nature & don't like being alone.

 

[linnaete]

 

[April]

View attachment 427589 View attachment 427590

Oh my goodness! What a little darling

 

[caspin22]

Beautiful bird, and beautiful name. You have lots of fun ahead of you! I had a CAG for many years who didn't get the memo on CAG behavior, she thought she was a golden retriever. She loved to be scratched, played on her back on my lap with her silly feets flailing around in the air, etc. You never know what you're going to get! Congrats, and enjoy her!

 

[linnaete]

So I got a little worried with some weight loss from the shop, and thinking that they really rushed her weaning from 2 feeds to none in less than 2 weeks. In order to give her a fair shot and lessen the chance I would need to bring her back to the shop longer (separated from us) for feeds, I got a high energy juvenile mix and started giving it to her at night. I just mix it a little less consistency than the instructions call for, and feed to to her with a spoon. I noticed that she started really asking for it at night now, and squeaking for it with postures that I can only imagine are baby bird mouth open/feed me signals. Is this ok to keep giving her this mixture at night as long as she asks for it? She's still eating her pellets and some treats/chop during the day, as I'm keeping an eye on her bowls.

 

[Toy]

Many often regress to needing hand fed, so I'd offer it for a few weeks, as long as she's eating her pellets & veggies. Weight loss is normal when they wean. She's so cute.

 

[Nikomania]

If you have the ability to pick up some avian formula and a syringe, she will probably benefit by having some comfort feeds. It's called abundance feeding.

 

[Kassiani]

She is just precious! What a beautiful girl