how to prepare for baby?

[jriley]

I was just sitting here allowing myself to get excited about bring home the baby umbrella 'too tomorrow and I realized I don't quite know how to prepare things for her.

She's three months old and still on two feedings a day. She's almost entirely fledged (has some noticeable quills on her head). I don't know how well she perches. It's been ages and ages since I've had a baby and that one I bought not realizing he was a baby (my very first sun conure, back in 1993).

Of course, I'll ask the lady I'm getting her from the specifics, but I'd like to have things set up beforehand. I have two cages she could possibly use. One is a really big macaw-sized cage that is about four feet wide and three feet deep and stands about five feet high. That seems like it would be way too huge for a baby, though perfect for when she is moving around well. The other is an Amazon/African Gray sized cage, about three feet wide, two feet deep, four feet tall. Should I use one of these? Or should I go with something even smaller until she's weaned? I do have a conure age that is two foot by two foot by about three foot tall.

Should I have perches down low in the cage and have the food dishes low or on the floor of the cage? I have lots of rope bendy perches I can use. What about good toys for that age? Should I have a plush toy for comfort? I have one of those rope circles with all the fluffy bits that has never even been used.

Should I sterilize any of the things that were used by the Amazons just in case they were carrying any bacteria or viruses? Of course, I will thoroughly scrub all the cages once they're gone, but wasn't sure if I needed to use any special products on anything that would be reused by the baby.

Should I plan for a new bird checkup right away? I'm a bad birdie mom in that I never did that for either of the Amazons because I was confident in the people I got them from (I know, I know, they still could have been carrying something). I'm feeling a little anxious about having such a young baby. I'm a little unsure about how to provide food, but will have a long talk with the current owner about those specifics.

Can anyone recommend any links to information about taking care of young birds? I want to make sure I do everything just right!

Here's a picture she sent me