Should I get an African grey

Katiejayne

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Sep 30, 2013
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Parrots
African grey
Green cheek conure
Please help, I have been and seen a thirteen week old African grey she is a sweet heart. And my heart wants her so bad.
However my brain says is it best. I've never had an African grey (my mum has one) I've had budgies, Cockatiels and conures but not this large!
I know how demanding they are but also my mums really hates everyone but my mum is this very common? I don't want to alienate all visitors into my house. Also I found conures quite nippy and they hurt and I'm thinking a beak that size is gna hurt a lot! I've been pondering a few days now as I know this is a huge decision and a lifelong one? But my mum says it's so worth it for the love they give you.
What do you african grey owners say?
 
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Katiejayne

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Green cheek conure
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Forgot to say I work three fourteen hours shifts a week for half the year and four six/seven hour days for the other half.
 

Birdman666

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Sep 18, 2013
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San Antonio, TX
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Presently have six Greenwing Macaw (17 yo), Red Fronted Macaw (12 yo), Red Lored Amazon (17 y.o.), Lilac Crowned Amazon (about 43 y.o.) and a Congo African Grey (11 y.o.)
Panama Amazon (1 Y.O.)
Parrots have to be socialized to accept strangers. If they are not, then they only accept and allow the person that handles them regularly to handle them. This is not peculiar to CAGS, but CAGS are pretty well known for only being handled on their own terms.

And a CAG has a beak like a scissors. If this one is sweet to you, and allows you to handle it, then chances are it will continue to do so. However, all birds can and will bite, if provoked, or spooked by something.
 
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Katiejayne

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Yea it was lovely to me let me stroke her, rub her head and even kiss her beak.
 
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Katiejayne

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If anyone else can help please I'm still in limbo just want to know what it's like owning a Congo African grey?
 

thebirdnerd

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Dec 28, 2010
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Parrots
Whitefaced Pied Male Tiel- official greeter at the Rainbow Bridge, forever in our hearts,
Turquoise Mutation IRN,
Congo African Grey- please come home to us,
Blue mutation IRN
Greys my opinion are amazing birds... You really have to have one to understand the incredible companions they make, if that makes any sense...greys are often misunderstood birds as many people think they are standoffish. However, when a grey bonds to you, it is for life...As long as you socialize them properly when young, you will not have any problems... Yes they can have a strong bite, but so does most other pet birds. I've been around birds for years and been bitten by pretty much everything.. A bite from a conure or caique could hurt just as much as a grey...Anyways, as long as you do your homework you won't be disappointed .
 

Featheredsamurai

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Aug 24, 2011
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California
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African Greg
2 cockatiels
The key is socializing, and continue socializing even after they enter puberty. CAG's are A bit nervous. You should definitely harness train if you get a young bird, taking them out and about is a easy way to keep them from becoming phobic or neurotic. All those different experiences :)
 
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Katiejayne

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Ok thank u everyone I cudnt resist and ive brought home a baby! She is so loving and adorable I will post a pic later as can't do it from my phone :)
 

MenomaMinx

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Oct 20, 2013
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New Jersey
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Kumiko the Calico Macaw DNA sexed female 8 years old:On her second month as a service animal–I'm very proud of her:-)
Congratulations :)

Pretty much take the bird everywhere, and you'll be fine. Stay away from the feather tether harness – they're dangerous, and not even made anymore by the manufacturer. At this point, your best bet to my knowledge is the aviator harness. There's a competitor, that I think may come out of Australia although I'm not sure, that has plastic snaps that might be easier to work with a young bird with – but I don't know how strong though snaps are and you certainly couldn't use them past babyhood.

My CAG Valentino never bit anyone , however he was obsessed with anything female and was known to growl at men if they got too close to a woman in his presence {his youngest girlfriends were four years old – Leah and Gigi; his oldest girlfriend has been 85 for the last couple of years at least, her hair is pink in the front and white in the back, she is tiny, Italian, and curses – Yolanda's my idol!}

Getting back on topic, make sure everyone you know handles the bird while still young enough that they won't be intimidated by it. My Valentino was very outgoing and social and a legendary prankster – 911 wouldn't even go to my mom's place for ages unless the person calling could actually see her while on the phone with them because he had pranked them one too many times.

A few months before his murder at the young age of 21, my friend Red brought up that her mother died of cancer. Valentino's favorite beagle died of cancer, so the subject interested him. He asked my friend Red, "how so?" After she got over her shock that we were telling the truth about the bird understanding human speech, she explained to a very attentive parrot about cancer.

I'm not sure exactly what is complete vocabulary was in numbers, but I do know that when people were not in the room and he wanted to lure someone to an apartment door, he could convincingly through his voice around the apartment through a locked cage {using several different voices at times} and he would answer the people behind the door using grammatically correct English and sound effects to keep them at the door until he lost interest.

You needn't take my word for it, as I just got off the phone with Red and my mother is on a recliner across from me. Both of the them have witnessed this on various occasions.

Valentino was also a service animal for an aphasic person a.k.a. me; which means basically word salad and I know huge chunks of about five different languages – which means he could fix some of my mistakes, even when they weren't mistakes.
My friend Rose comes over and learns that Valentino uses the word rose for pink. She was really excited that the bird knew how to say her name and tried to get him to say it – while wearing a blue shirt. She's arguing, "but I'm rose!" To which he kept insisting, "blue".

they don't come out of the box that way, but 21 years from now you can be having some very interesting arguments with a bird – and losing – as it should be :)




..
 
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Katiejayne

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African grey
Green cheek conure
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Wow I will be very pleased if my parrot accomplishes any of this! he sounds like an amazing parrot congratulations! I have the aviator harness however I haven't attempted to put it on her yet I think il do it tomorrow :)
Thank u for your advice!
Do you have any advice on when to start training her or tips on how to do it?
 

MenomaMinx

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Oct 20, 2013
74
1
New Jersey
Parrots
Kumiko the Calico Macaw DNA sexed female 8 years old:On her second month as a service animal–I'm very proud of her:-)
Tons....but I'm about to get of the bus right now.wait until I get back to my laptop--this is a smartphone keyboard......takes forever
 

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