Anyone own/owned a Rose Breasted Galah on here?

bobbysands81

Would like to throw a few questions at you if there's anyone that has had one here?

I have a CAG, she's very tame, just wondering would the two species get on (yes I know every parrot has a different personality!), just wondering in general would they?

My CAG is three and a half, no behaviour problems, no biting etc... are Galah's like other Cockatoo's where at about the age of 3/4 they go mental? or are they a bit more sane like Grey's?

tallus

ALL cockatoos are hugely demanding. I would not recommend getting one as a pet.

AngelicRaindrop

as tallus said Toos are a huge responability to take on. the noise is awful, even with Galahs, much more than most CAGs are capable of. being a CAG owner your probably in a better position than most to take one on.

My Galah and my Grey are great buddies, but they are not housed together and they are NEVER left alone together outside the cage unsupervised. my Galah is very friendly with everyone but this year i noticed she became much more moody during the breeding season than before.

Sigma Force

"My CAG is three and a half, no behaviour problems, no biting etc... are Galah's like other Cockatoo's where at about the age of 3/4 they go mental"

I have heard the can do, mainly with hand reared cockatoos, something to do with their feathered parents not being allowed to bring them up so they don't learn proper bird behaviour or also could be that they have bonded strongly with their owner and become a bit obsessed.
They do have a particularly strong bond with their owner.

It really depends on both birds wether they would tolerate each other, I'm not familiar with Galahs but you could try the forum tailfeathers as there's lots of bird owners on it that could offer some more advice.

bobbysands81

Cheers folks, really like the Galah's but don't think I'll be getting one!

Great pics Angelic!!! Really nice!

Sigma Force

They're beautiful birds Angerlic, so healthy looking as well. Never seen a Galah before, only ever heard Alf Roberts on home and away call people it.
Lovely bird, like a big cockatiel in pink, if I'd no birds and could bare a bird louder than a tiel they'd be very tempting. Our tiel is so demanding as it is don't think I'd be able to keep sane with anything louder lol.

Lovely to see two well looked after birds though.

One thing I would say to people considering a pal for their other bird be very careful what type you choose, we had a horrific incident when a cage door was left open where the budgies were (accidents happen even to the most careful) and a fight ensued with a hen budgie and a tiel, the tiel lost an eye since this happened I'm hearing more and more stories of budgies attacking tiels so I would strongly advise owners of smaller birds like parakeets anyway never to house a hen budgie with tiels and also be careful with other budgies being introduced to a hen budgie. They can be very aggressive towards other birds even other budgies eventhough they are a lovely bird it's worth keeping that in mind. They might be small but they think they are a terradactal..can never spell that.

Rory123

Guineapigrescue wrote: »

Alf Roberts on home and away

One thing I cannot stand for is home and away related inaccuracies! He is called Alf Stuart played by Ray Meaghar, owner of Bayside Diner and one-time co-owner of the baitshop with reformed criminal Jessie, father to Duncan, married to Ailsa (deceased), brother to the hardnosed Morag.
You are mixing him up with Irene Roberts played by Lynne McGranger, divorced to the violent Mud (deceased), reformed alcoholic, one time secretary at Summer Bay High, foster mother to Tash, Selina etc. :pac::D:pac::D

I read that flocks of Galahs are shot by farmers in Oz as they are seen as pests decimating crops... shame.
Also I never watched Neighbours myself but I did notice years ago that one of the main families on it had a pet galah in the sitting room on a perch.

AngelicRaindrop

Thanks Guineapigrescue. I take huge pride in my birds welfare. but what you cant see there is my Grey is an over preener of his flight feathers, its nothing major just look a bit rough but he can still fly etc. just making the point that no matter how well you look after your birds some just cannot deal with captivity as well as others and will start self mutilating.

The Galah could wake the dead in the morning she is that loud! its horrific sometimes. definately not a bird for a newcomer to parrots. but you raised a good point. no spieces of pet bird should be left on their own together unless they are a bonded pair etc. unsupervised. I have seen some terrible accidents. only last week a friend of mine lost her lovebird after his beak was literally ripped off

Rory as far as i know Galah is a word used to for fool in Australia correct me if im wrong ,so my cousins tell me. and all cockatoos over there are seen as pests, like we see rats. purely because they can live in flocks of hundreds of birds that will come down and destroy whole crops in literally minutes

Jules

Alf Robets always called people galahs not Irene - sorry for the OT!

Sigma Force

"Thanks Guineapigrescue. I take huge pride in my birds welfare. but what you cant see there is my Grey is an over preener of his flight feathers, its nothing major just look a bit rough but he can still fly etc. just making the point that no matter how well you look after your birds some just cannot deal with captivity as well as others and will start self mutilating"

Feather plucking is so common even in smaller birds who sometimes aren't as easily bored, it's very frustrating for the bird and the owner no matter how much time you spend with them. There's lots of toys and things that can be done to help it, I've saw on tv once a feather duster being used so the bird plucked that instead not sure how safe that is but http://www.24parrot.com/ do some brilliant toys and some dvds as well going to order some hopefully for Xmas if not just after for the birds.

Have you ever tried a pinata with the birds? I got a wee chimp pinata from that website but so far the tiel just gives out to it now and then but I think he will eventually figure out it's for shredding, you can fill it with treats or food as well. Very cute.

Love window shopping on that site they have more choice for bigger parrots love the idea of the puzzle boxes and the toys you can build up for your bird.

Huge choice out there for birds now, although postage can be pricey.

Anyone see the documentary on Australian parrots (it'll probably be repeated) can't remember what channel it was on, just caught the middle and end of it, so lovely to see them flying free and in flocks.
Our two budgies are currently in a 4 foot long, bout 2 and half food wide and about 3 foot high shiplap shed raised off the ground, with access (unless weather is stormy or there's a high wind) to a approx 12 foot flight by 6 foot wide and they love it, love to watch them fly about, from a distance it almost looks like they are flying free.

One is a hen and she is a totaly b***h but we still love her to bits mad and all as she is. According to her her shed and flight area is no longer up to her standards and she's trying to chew her way out (that would take her a couple of years lol) she's already chewed up on of the perch stands so have to invest in some more chewy stuff to save the shed. She's a total head case and much smarter than she lets on. She'll be heading for 9 years soon and knows every trick in the book.

Birds are great, very demanding no matter what type but so much fun.

Rory123

Jules wrote: »

Alf Robets always called people galahs not Irene - sorry for the OT!

My point was that his name is Alf STUART, not Alf Roberts. The surname Roberts belongs to Irene Roberts... I was only taking the p**s by the way. Meh!

*lone tumbleweed rolls across boards.ie*

AngelicRaindrop

yes i know of that site, i buy my pelleted food for the parrots there. I have tried alot for my grey. his Vet is well aware of the situation and we have tried many things, including blood tests and the like. Its just the way he is. I was just making the point that parrots are seriously high maintance and not for everybody. even when you are doing everything you can properly they can still start to self mutilate if only at a small level like mineand also like mine it can form a life long habit very easily.

Its just something some petshop owners neglect to tell people when they are about to spend over €1000 on a bird.

bobbysands81

By sheer accident one day I put some of this rope in my Grey's cage - I just tied it in several places where she lieks to stand. She has each individual strand of thread preened to bits and I reckon this stops her from over-preening herself as well, she can stand for hours messing with it and preening.

AngelicRaindrop

yup i tried sisal (sp?) rope before hes not bothered with it im afraid

tallus

bobbysands81 wrote: »

By sheer accident one day I put some of this rope in my Grey's cage - I just tied it in several places where she lieks to stand. She has each individual strand of thread preened to bits and I reckon this stops her from over-preening herself as well, she can stand for hours messing with it and preening.

Go to one of the craft shops, and buy some beads, thread them onto rope, and tie a knot after each bead. The bird will have hours of fun opening the knots and playing with the beads.