CAG
New member
Hello New Member CAG here:
Basics
I recently was able to become the proud companion to one of the most intelligent animals that captured my imagination since a small child.
This is Charlie, he is a Congo African Grey, and he has been in my life for about a month now. His previous owners stated that he was a boy, however I will be doing a DNA test soon to be sure, and that he was about 6 years of age (this is debatable since the vet thinks from looking at his feet he might be in his teens, yet love him all the same). He is a big boy weighing in at 522 grams, but I think he is just genetics since the vet said he wasn't obese rather more athletic. So far everything seems to be going well and he seems to be taking well to myself and the rest of my family, including my German Shepherd.
Habitat
Not sure how big his cage is exactly, since I have since lost the specifications, but it seems decent for my african grey, of course in TX bigger is always better! There are somethings that I always try to have in the cage at all times. His food and water bowl are almost always used daily and left in the cage unless they need to be cleaned with the supplementation of foraging devices used as food dispensers. The cage has various types of perches ( different sizes and type) and at various heights. His toys are also left inside the cage and rotated every so often once he gets bored or destroys them. He has a toy he really likes so thats left inside with a minimum of 3 toys inside the cage at all times. He has two ladders but rarely likes to use them. Sometimes I find that he enjoys when I rearrange (in my case I consider myself an interior designer) his cage he explores and more curious about his environment.
Diet
Pellets comprise more than half of his overall diet. He is on Roudybush maintenance medium sized and also on Higgins Intune natural for parrots. He does not like the Roudybush and will throw all these pellets from his bowl or foraging wheel and to the floor. (btw if anyone has any suggestions for substitutes be nice to hear) The Intune he thoroughly loves and I am very happy I found something he enjoyed from the start. The other major part include of his diet includes mostly vegetables and some fruit. He is very picky so I’m noticing that most of his food goes to waste, especially with his leafy greens XD. Lastly, a small percentage of his diet includes nuts and seeds. I don’t have much of a problem getting him to eat these but I’m still learning which ones are safe and better. These are used mostly for training or for hard foraging challenges.
Health
He has had his first vet visit which went pretty well considering it was probably a terrifying experience to go through with a stranger. He has had his avian annual physical and preventative exam, as well as his intestinal parasite exam. All of his exams checked out good and negative which made me very happy to know. Going to have to save some money since he will be going back to complete his Avian Profile and a Chlamydophila exam. His wings have been trimmed before I received him and currently not sure if he was even flighted. He had his nails trimmed and he didn’t like that much. He is very active, vocal and starting to really warm up to us.
https://www.dropbox.com/sc/9otfvyxqohxp2ar/AAA4DD4R_ED8setbK_A6HaFUa
I really hope that I am able to contribute with my ideas and opinions and hope to receive the same. I am so excited for this new chapter in my life.
Basics
I recently was able to become the proud companion to one of the most intelligent animals that captured my imagination since a small child.
This is Charlie, he is a Congo African Grey, and he has been in my life for about a month now. His previous owners stated that he was a boy, however I will be doing a DNA test soon to be sure, and that he was about 6 years of age (this is debatable since the vet thinks from looking at his feet he might be in his teens, yet love him all the same). He is a big boy weighing in at 522 grams, but I think he is just genetics since the vet said he wasn't obese rather more athletic. So far everything seems to be going well and he seems to be taking well to myself and the rest of my family, including my German Shepherd.
Habitat
Not sure how big his cage is exactly, since I have since lost the specifications, but it seems decent for my african grey, of course in TX bigger is always better! There are somethings that I always try to have in the cage at all times. His food and water bowl are almost always used daily and left in the cage unless they need to be cleaned with the supplementation of foraging devices used as food dispensers. The cage has various types of perches ( different sizes and type) and at various heights. His toys are also left inside the cage and rotated every so often once he gets bored or destroys them. He has a toy he really likes so thats left inside with a minimum of 3 toys inside the cage at all times. He has two ladders but rarely likes to use them. Sometimes I find that he enjoys when I rearrange (in my case I consider myself an interior designer) his cage he explores and more curious about his environment.
Diet
Pellets comprise more than half of his overall diet. He is on Roudybush maintenance medium sized and also on Higgins Intune natural for parrots. He does not like the Roudybush and will throw all these pellets from his bowl or foraging wheel and to the floor. (btw if anyone has any suggestions for substitutes be nice to hear) The Intune he thoroughly loves and I am very happy I found something he enjoyed from the start. The other major part include of his diet includes mostly vegetables and some fruit. He is very picky so I’m noticing that most of his food goes to waste, especially with his leafy greens XD. Lastly, a small percentage of his diet includes nuts and seeds. I don’t have much of a problem getting him to eat these but I’m still learning which ones are safe and better. These are used mostly for training or for hard foraging challenges.
Health
He has had his first vet visit which went pretty well considering it was probably a terrifying experience to go through with a stranger. He has had his avian annual physical and preventative exam, as well as his intestinal parasite exam. All of his exams checked out good and negative which made me very happy to know. Going to have to save some money since he will be going back to complete his Avian Profile and a Chlamydophila exam. His wings have been trimmed before I received him and currently not sure if he was even flighted. He had his nails trimmed and he didn’t like that much. He is very active, vocal and starting to really warm up to us.
https://www.dropbox.com/sc/9otfvyxqohxp2ar/AAA4DD4R_ED8setbK_A6HaFUa
I really hope that I am able to contribute with my ideas and opinions and hope to receive the same. I am so excited for this new chapter in my life.
