My African Congo Grey Baby - Hammer...

[texascowboy1979]

So, I got a great deal on 2 parrots... I was able to buy a 5 yr old Female "blue and gold", and a 5 week old African Congo Grey for $1200...

The guy said that he would be happy to DNA the Congo for $20... but I needed a name for it, So I named the baby "Hammer".

Hammer... Its the 1st thing that poped in my head.. IM sorry.

Hammer is adorable... but left the camera at work again... so ill post pictures later...

I would like to know if this is ok, and what you all think

I currently have Hammer in a box with wood chips... thats how the guy had him. Hammer is eatting twice a day and is very affectionate. When its night time, what do I do, do I put something on top of the box? the box is open on the top. I have him in the hall where there are no Air Vents so he wont get any direct air.

Thanks...

These pictures were taken with my web cam...

By breedergenetics at 2010-07-24

By breedergenetics at 2010-07-24

A better pic


edited: Worded it better.

 

[ShrekDawg]

awww! he's so cute and it sounds like you got a great deal! he's adorable!

congrats!

 

[Alkonost]

I would definitely vote NO on the wood chips! First of all, if it's pine or cedar or some other aromatic wood, it can cause respiratory problems. Secondly, if the baby ingests pieces, it could cause serious infection, perforation, or obstruction of the crop. Thirdly, they can get splinters in their legs and feet which would be hard to spot but then can cause infections. I always just used a plastic storage bin lined with paper towels, which I changed out at each feeding. You can cover him with towels or use towels to pad the sides of whatever container you're keeping him in, but I wouldn't use it as bedding because their nails can get caught in the terrycloth.

Did the breeder give you any information about proper hand feeding and abundance weaning? Do you have a gram scale? Do you have an avian vet? Please let us know if you have any questions. If the guy sent you the bird in wood chips, I'm concerned that he might not have given you all the information you need to have a successful and positive experience handraising your own baby bird...

 

[texascowboy1979]

Quote:
Hi.. Thanks for the info on the wood chips.. I will change it out when I get home tonight... I was worried about using towles, i was afraid he might find a way to kill himself... which is why I thought nothing about the wood chips. I did not get the bird from the breeder... I got it from a middle man. Im not trying to defend him, but I know that many people here use wood chips so I never gave it a second thought. Thanks for the info.

Regarding the Gram scale... why yes I do have one. I have a pair of Pied Ball Pythons that use the gram scale. why do you ask? I do have an avian vet as well. Dr. Ditman.

The man I bought him from was a nice old man of hispanic decent. I know he buys and sells a few birds, but has contacts for other birds I may want... he prefers not to handle larger birds like macaws, he mostly sticks to "Yellow Napes, DYH's, and every now and then a Gray or two"

I have been getting lots and lots of info on my Grey... and now that It took time to sink in, I dont think the name Hammer was the best choice... SO I plan to change it.. his DNA card will say hammer... but I think Im calling him Hunter from this point forward... He acts like a little hunter.. He gets into everything. Yesterday, I was laying on the couch watching TV and I had him sitting on my chest... He had just pooped so I know it was safe for him to be on my chest... he walked around my chest, cuddled my faced, chirped every now and then, streached each leg twice, decided to climb the couch, "The couch is against the wall so he cant fall", walked the couch top, then back to my chest, played with my digital camera, layed his face with mine, streached, napped for about 1 mins, and started the entire process agian.. I scratch his head, his cheecks and lightly rub his back.. I talk to him every now and then and he just chirps back with joy, and sometimes he falls alseep to the rythem of my chest as it inhales and exhales...

He's Awsome!!!



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

 

[Alkonost]

Quote:
Yeah, unfortunately there are a lot of people out there who are breeding and trading parrots who know very little about their true needs and common health hazards. There's a lot of old, bad information that many people perpetuate because it's what they learned and they never bothered to question what they were told. It's a sad truth, and it causes a lot of damage. BUT, that's life, isn't it? Your instincts about the towels were good, though! That tarrycloth can be pesky!

Quote:
That's great! It's important to weigh your baby daily, preferably before his first meal of the morning, so that you can carefully monitor his growth and development that way. If he's not gaining weight, or if he starts losing weight quickly, it's important to take him to the vet ASAP so that they can find out what's wrong and can treat it before it becomes life-threatening. Daily weights are super important! But, if you're using it for pythons at the same time, I would give it a good cleaning before putting the bird on it. Snakes possess a lot of gram negative bacteria because they are carnivores that parrots have no immunity for since they are herbivores. A quick wipe with some apple cider vinegar should suffice.

Quote:
Sure, and my criticisms weren't meant to be judgmental at all. Like I said, most people with bad information are well-meaning, they just...don't know what they don't know.

Quote:
He sounds so sweet! I think you're going to have a blast with him! Be careful of *where* you get your information, though. Like I said, there's a lot of bad information out there! Have you read anything about abundance weaning and fledging? I just posted a few links on another post for someone else who is hand-raising a baby, but I might as well post them here, too: http://www.itsagreysworld.com/articles/abundant.htm and here's another good one: http://www.companionparrot.com/Abundance%20Weaning.htm

Best of luck! I look forward to seeing more pictures and hearing more progress reports!

 

[texascowboy1979]

Alkonost, I read both articles... very informative... I understand not using a time table, and tending to the needs of Hunter... I ordered the book, "For the Love of Greys" along with a few others...

Keep you all posted... thanks.

 

[ShrekDawg]

awww, he sounds so sweet and hes adorable!

congrats!

 

[iddybiddy]

Adorable !!!! My African Grey is 11 y.o and is a great pet. Very talkative and repeats things that he sometimes he shouldn't. LOL

 

[crtrlovr]

I agree about the wood chips -- get rid of them asap.

I don't use towels in my baby bird brooders unless they're the sheared velour type. I prefer to use puppy pads with no added deodorizers or "attractants". They're not slick like newspaper, so they won't contribute to leg problems, and they're absorbent. We have a Congo AGray that's 9 years old. We are his 4th owners including his breeder. He's been shuffled & shuttled around, and had a "foster home" while his last owner was stationed in Iraq for 2 TODs. When his last owner got back, he got a new wife and a new home, and the bird was "too messy" for their formal dining room. He was then "too messy" for the living room and the new leather furniture. He was then relegated to an empty back bedroom with no other company (avian or human) all day long except for in the mornings when the owner would come in to change the bird's water, feed him, and maybe drink his coffee in there before going to work. It broke my heart. My DH bought the bird for me for my birthday. The bird now lives in my bird room with the cockatiels, conures, lovebird, doves, and finches, and seems happy to have the company. He doesn't like me NEARLY as well as he likes my husband (and I have the scars to prove it), but he's getting better about not biting. Since you've gotten yours as a baby, you won't be as likely to have to deal with some of the issues involved in getting an adult bird. I hope your baby has a long, happy, healthy life with you! Congratulations. All the babies are little charmers, aren't they?

 

[texascowboy1979]

Quote:
That kinda of gets my goat when people dont think LONG term for animals.. I cant wait to have kids... Yes.. it might be a slight transition when I do have kids... but my calling is animals... all the animals may have to go out side to out door enclousures until "JR" is 2 or 3... but thats in the future...

I plan raising all my animals and having "JR" take my place on day...

When I 1st met my better half, I told him... "Look, this is the way it is.... This is who I am and Animals are a HUGE part of my life... if you cant deal with it... then Im sorry....", He accepted it,,, and the get this... a year later, he reminds me of what I told him and he tells me... "I thought your were just kidding about the animals". LOL