Hubby saw a CAG...

I have a griping suspicion that my hubby is going to try to talk me into driving up to cape Breton to adopt a congo there. They are only asking $1200 for him, I'm not sure how I feel yet or if I want to say yes or no!

If hubby took on the responsibility of his care it would certainly be a doable arrangement (since he is home almost all day) but if the little grey turns out to not like him like Kyo I'm not sure it could work out. I'm very torn.

So what do you all think?! I have no experience with large parrots... he's been talking about one since we brought Kyo home, but I've been nervous to get a second bird because of the above. Not to mention quarantine is going to be difficult... and double worry about the cats... oh I just don't know!

talk me out of allowing this. No enablers. Give me all the downfalls and difficulty of having a second bird/ caring for a cag.

Well... I'm not sure I'd let them together, not for quite a while unless you knew they got along.

And that said... don't worry about cats with a grey...they grey is more likely to pick on the cats than vice-versa.

The big birds have the cat and dog sorted around here. Louder voices, sharper beaks.

TBH? If it's hubby's bird, hubby is going to know if it does or doesn't like him before he comes home. If he's anti hubby, he's not moving in. So therefore thats not your problem....or a valid excuse

It's only been a few days but Marley and Henry are easy to have together. I just keep them on separate playstations Marley gets cuddle time in the mornings and evenings which is no issue for Henry because he's not that way inclined. Henry spends most of the day on my shoulder which is no issue for Marley because it'd scare him - he's happy on his predictable play stand, or in his cage with his foraging activities. They're really quite complementary. When I take Henry next door for a cuppa with my mother in law, we just put him and Creighton (Sulfur Crested) on different play stands. That all said, they don't fly to one another's space. That would make quite a difference.

I'm not trying to push you in any direction - promise

Our grey likes to chase our youngest cat, which as you can imagine can be quite dangerous. The cat can and would react in self defense and that would be disastrous. Double the birds is double the work, there's no getting around that. There's also no way to determine who they will choose as their person. My wife's previous grey was her bird for like 12 years and then one day he up and decided he belonged to our son and wouldn't have anything to do with anyone else.

Double the work and double the cost.
You're going to love all the parrot toys.
And now, each bird needs one of each!

thanks for the insight friends.

I wouldn't have them together, I don't trust Kyo. I'm assuming she would be a little brat and go after it.

It's a lot of thinking to do. I am just going to let Hubby think it over and hope he makes a good decision. Wish us luck!

Kyoto said:

talk me out of allowing this. No enablers. Give me all the downfalls and difficulty of having a second bird/ caring for a cag.

Click to expand...

I WOULDN'T KNOW. I HAVE SIX. AND THAT'S DOWN FROM ELEVEN. IT'S BEEN SO LONG SINCE I ONLY HAD TWO THAT I FORGET WHAT THE DIFFICULTY LEVEL OF THAT WAS...

BIG BIRD/LITTLE BIRD, LITTLE BIRD ALWAYS LOSES.

AS FOR CATS, IF THEY AREN'T BOTHERING YOUR LITTLE BIRD, WHY WOULD THEY BOTHER A BIRD THAT, QUITE FRANKLY, WOULD PROBABLY BE INCLINED TO GO AFTER THEM IF THEY GOT TOO CLOSE. (MY CAG TUSK ABSOLUTELY TORMENTED MY SISTER'S CATS WHEN WE LIVED WITH HER... HE LOCKED ONE OF THEM IN A MACAW CAGE. PELTED THE OTHERS WITH FOOD... AND WELL, GENERALLY, CONSIDERED TORMENTING CATS A SPORT.)

CAGS CAN BE NEUROTIC. THEY GET HANDLED ON THEIR OWN TERMS. THEY SET BOUNDARIES WITH THEIR PEOPLE... AND TEND TO ENFORCE THOSE BOUNDARIES WITH THIER BEAKS. THEY CAN GIVE STUBBORN LESSONS TO A MULE... ANYTHING ELSE, READ MY CAG 101 POST. IT'S STICKY-ED.

http://www.parrotforums.com/congo-timneh-greys/59366-cag-101-a.html

Birdman666 said:

Kyoto said:

talk me out of allowing this. No enablers. Give me all the downfalls and difficulty of having a second bird/ caring for a cag.

Click to expand...

I WOULDN'T KNOW. I HAVE SIX. AND THAT'S DOWN FROM ELEVEN. IT'S BEEN SO LONG SINCE I ONLY HAD TWO THAT I FORGET WHAT THE DIFFICULTY LEVEL OF THAT WAS...

BIG BIRD/LITTLE BIRD, LITTLE BIRD ALWAYS LOSES.

AS FOR CATS, IF THEY AREN'T BOTHERING YOUR LITTLE BIRD, WHY WOULD THEY BOTHER A BIRD THAT, QUITE FRANKLY, WOULD PROBABLY BE INCLINED TO GO AFTER THEM IF THEY GOT TOO CLOSE. (MY CAG TUSK ABSOLUTELY TORMENTED MY SISTER'S CATS WHEN WE LIVED WITH HER... HE LOCKED ONE OF THEM IN A MACAW CAGE. PELTED THE OTHERS WITH FOOD... AND WELL, GENERALLY, CONSIDERED TORMENTING CATS A SPORT.)

CAGS CAN BE NEUROTIC. THEY GET HANDLED ON THEIR OWN TERMS. THEY SET BOUNDARIES WITH THEIR PEOPLE... AND TEND TO ENFORCE THOSE BOUNDARIES WITH THIER BEAKS. THEY CAN GIVE STUBBORN LESSONS TO A MULE... ANYTHING ELSE, READ MY CAG 101 POST. IT'S STICKY-ED.

Click to expand...

Kyo has her own room ( my office) where the cats are not allowed. I lock them away to take her downstairs with us. One cat is okay, the other is a huge pain. He tries to attack her if he even hears her (hell cry at the door and scratch it).

the can would have to be quarateened somewhere the cats have access, simply because our house isn't that big. That is my big worry.

Kitty gets a paw or a nose bit, and he/she will never do it again! CAGS are not exactly shy about using their beaks when something spooks them, or violates their boundaries...

My cats don't bother by birds but I have bigger birds and a GCC. I have the size of a TAG and larger. My TAG is my smallest bird and I'm telling you by cats only checked his cage out the first day.

I'm sorry - I know that doesn't help you in the fight against not getting the CAG. I can't help you there.

Kyoto said:

I have a griping suspicion that my hubby is going to try to talk me into driving up to cape Breton to adopt a congo there. They are only asking $1200 for him, I'm not sure how I feel yet or if I want to say yes or no!

If hubby took on the responsibility of his care it would certainly be a doable arrangement (since he is home almost all day) but if the little grey turns out to not like him like Kyo I'm not sure it could work out. I'm very torn.

So what do you all think?! I have no experience with large parrots... he's been talking about one since we brought Kyo home, but I've been nervous to get a second bird because of the above. Not to mention quarantine is going to be difficult... and double worry about the cats... oh I just don't know!

talk me out of allowing this. No enablers. Give me all the downfalls and difficulty of having a second bird/ caring for a cag.

Click to expand...

A year or so after Smokey owned me, I picked up Amy. Smokes was about 1.5 y.o. and Amy was 16 weeks old.
From day one,Smokey didn't think too kindly of Amy..maybe it was the "hey!!?? I was here first!" syndrome. She did everything she could to torment that poor 'lil 'zon and all Amy wanted was to be friends.

Amy had been with us for about 9 months. They were both walking around the living room,while I sat 2 feet away. I watched as Smokey waddle up to Amy..and they were doing the beaky-kissy thing,when I heard Amy yelp and Smokey went running the other way. It turned out that Smokes got a hold of poor Amys' tongue,and gave it a good CHOMP,that required me to take Amy to her doc's,where she got 5 stitches in her tongue! I thought for sure she wouldn't be able to speak any more
Other occasions Smokes would sneak up on Amys back,yoink on a good beak full of tail feathers,then beat feet to her house.
That was the last time they hung out together

Then there was this thing with the cat......:54:


Jim