African grey for $25? Is it a joke?

[inge]

I posted this elsewhere in the general forum, but tonight I happened across an ad for an African Grey being offered for $25, allegedly due to excessive swearing.
It is hard to believe that someone would sell an expensive bird like this for such a low price. Or rather, sell it cheaply and let someone else re-sell it for profit which seems highly likely.
Cage and other accessories are not mentioned, so presumably are not included.
We have been thinking of getting another conure, but not sure we are ready for a bigger parrot.
I keep reminding myself:
If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Truth is, I am sorely tempted to contact them and see if they are legit.

 

[RavensGryf]

Do you want a parrot who swears excessively? LOL :11:
Well, how about contacting them at least to get your curiosity taken care of. Now I'm curious too...

 

[inge]

@RavensGryf: We are all sailors in this house, or at least we talk like we are! Actually, the example used in the ad was "wankers" which I find funny--there are some worse words in my book. I will have to use an old email addy in case it is just a phishing expedition, but I am going to check it out.

 

[RavensGryf]

Go for it... I'd love to hear what their response is!
I'm just glad my birds haven't picked up any swearing around here... It's usually exclaimed, and they say birds pick things up that are said in an excited tone. My boys are very innocent, they only say clean things haha

 

[inge]

For some reason, I do think it is a scam.
However, if it is legit, couldn't the bird be "re-assimilated" so that the swear words were not their main or most common vocabulary?
I have a dusky conure--she doesn't talk. Not sure how it works with birds like greys who have such verbal capacity.

 

[inge]

I asked if the bird was DNA-sexed, recently vetted, how old, any other words, what food, and if cage & accessories are available. I probably should have asked more. As a newbie bird owner, that was all I could think of.
I should have asked if it was a congo or timneh!

 

[RavensGryf]

Hmm, we'll see if it's a scam if they answer back and how they answer.
When Robin my Red Bellied says things that he learned many years ago, and if I don't particularly want him to keep saying certain things (though not anything bad), I just ignore him, and when he says other things that I love, I react to it positively. He still very occasionally says the old stuff, so once something is a part of their regular vocabulary, I don't think it will ever completely go away, but it can become much less.

 

[Kiwibird]

I'm curious now too. I could see someone having inherited or been given the bird, realizing it swore, and not wanting it for that reason alone (not that the bird knows any better). You will never be able to "train" the naughty words out of the bird, but you can ignore them, and give praise and encouragement when the bird uses a positive sound or word. Over time, the swearing will become less. I'm sure if Kiwi could speak, he would have a rather 'colorful' vocabulary My hubby does have a bit of a potty mouth, and while I try not to swear in everyday speaking, if I screw up on one of my crafts projects or stub my toe or something....lets just say I have a very unladylike vocabulary in me somewhere deep down:54: Thank god Kiwi is not a talking parrot

 

[Sterling1113]

I know the feeling- I came across an ad yesterday for two FREE umbrella cockatoos and their big double macaw cage(they shared). They didn't have ANY toys that I could see and they looked really beat up Dirty feathers, skinny, etc. I didn't even contact them, there's no way I'd have room. It would just make me sad.
None of my birds swear.. but I'm sure they would!! I'm waiting on Yoshi to say something bad.. even though he hasn't said anything yet haha.

 

[inge]

So someone finally texted me back and it was indeed an "April Fool's" joke.
Seems like a lot of effort but apparently some people get their kicks in strange ways!

 

[RavensGryf]

OMG that is REALLY stupid if you ask me.

 

[Kiwibird]

I agree that is pretty stupid. It's one thing to pull an April's fools joke on friend and family, but random strangers? And to drag an animal into it? What a weirdo.

 

[getwozzy]

OMG what a horrible joke- poor bird...if they even actually have a bird.

 

[MonicaMc]

Glad it was just a joke!


In all seriousness though, if you become the "crazy bird person", people may start giving you birds worth hundreds of dollars, maybe even a thousand or so, for free.


I haven't purchased a bird in 10 years because I found it pointless to do so. People have been giving me birds because I love birds, I have birds, I know something about birds, etc. Why should I purchase birds when people are giving me rehomed birds for free? (and I'm not even looking for free birds!) Technically speaking, my current flock are all free birds. However, being free doesn't make their value any less! I still spend hundreds of dollars on them for food, toys, perches, dishes, medical expenses, etc. My smallest and "cheapest" bird (value wise - i.e. from a petstore or breeder) is my most expensive bird (medically speaking). She's geriatric, and with age comes health problems. She has cancer (tried to remove it via laser surgery, unsuccessfully), had sinus problems, had reoccurring bacterial infections and was underweight. I've surprisingly been able to get her back up to a weight that feels healthy and haven't had to do anything drastic with her. (no meds, no sinus flushes, no daily supplements besides RPO or coconut oil to try and get her to gain weight - which she's currently not on) Right now, I'm just monitoring her. The only 'extra' thing she has is a heat lamp which she uses throughout the day as well as at night.


I do plan on purchasing a bird someday, when I'm ready! Until then... well, I've already turned down one free conure (including everything he owns - and he's an uncommon species within captivity - same species as Jayde), and am on the fence about adopting a free cockatoo. (person who has him would like me to foster to adopt him) If I do take on this cockatoo, it wont be until July. He doesn't scream, he doesn't bite, he doesn't do much 'cockatoo' stuff - except he does snuggle. And he likes to snuggle against your chest. He's missing a couple of toes and a lot of feathers, but besides that, he is not a maniacal cockatoo. Although he would be an easy bird to care for, I'm not sure I am ready for a larger parrot.


Although this 'too would come with a free cage, perches, toys and some of what he's currently eating (everything being free), I still have to consider whether or not I'm ready to expand my flock. Whether or not I'm ready for the extra expenses of owning another bird, and not just any bird, but a larger parrot. I wasn't even looking for another bird when this 'too was offered to me. The person who has him was ready to send him home with me the day I met him, which I guess says a lot about the kind of person she feels would be ideal for this bird (someone like me), so I was kind of caught off guard. (not to mention flock dynamics! and if adding another bird may upset any of my current birds!)



I always thought it was weird when other parrot enthusiasts were talking about having to turn away free birds because they didn't have the room, time or perhaps the expenses to take on another bird, free or not.... and now I'm in a similar position.




You have already inherited one conure. If people started giving you birds, or you started buying more birds, it could be very easy to become overwhelmed without even realizing it. Dogs generally get along ok with each other, but that's not always the case with birds. With multiple birds, it may require multiple cages, which means that you're going to require space. Many people have given up bedrooms (guest rooms), dining-rooms and even living-rooms for their birds, myself included! Some end up building aviaries or additional rooms for their expanding flock. Sometimes it can be a delicate balancing act making sure that you have enough time to clean and feed the entire flock, while giving attention to the birds that require it. (not all birds require one on one attention to be happy)



I'm sure you've already considered some of what I've mentioned, since you have already considered bringing in additional birds into your home. It's not really a far-fetched idea though to get an expensive bird for free or cheap! It happens all the time! And a lot of "free" birds do end up being very expensive to care for, especially if their environments and/or their diets have severely been lacking! There are a lot of health problems related to poor diet and care, which can equate out to a lot of medical expenses.



If you'd like to get more experience caring for parrots, look into a local parrot rescue! I do believe Florida has several parrot rescues and some I'm sure would appreciate volunteers! There you can learn about the various diets and the various species of parrots! It would be a great way to get to know the various species without having to own them! (unless of course you connected with a bird and wanted to take them home with you! )

 

[inge]

Hi MonicaMC:
What a great response and I agree 100% with everything you are saying. We have always said, there is no such thing as free pet. Our purebred German Shepherd was purchased by friends from a breeder (pre ordered in fact) for about $2K. The friends had her for about 2 months before realizing it was not the right puppy for them, and my husband was already smitten with the dog, so they gave her to us. She is awesome, but within the first month, we spent several hundred dollars on vetting, spaying, mange treatment (yes!) and of course, training classes, toys, carpet cleaning (puppy!), etc.

I know I got lucky again with this birdie, she came with at least $1000 worth of accessories. But I still need to have her thoroughly vetted ($300+), and we have purchased a small 2nd cage, plus accessories for it, and I am thinking of a backpack for her....you get the idea.

You are so right. Probably when the right bird comes along, it will be free!

I need to change my profile. I am from Florida, but I live in SE Texas I saw an ad on craigslist for a parrot sanctuary not far from here that is looking for volunteers--they don't adopt, but one can foster but only with a commitment to volunteer so many hours per month. It sounds like good experience for me, since I am new to the bird world and don't know much about different types of birds.

Thank you again for that very thoughtful post.
(But what kind of April Fool's prank is that? Can you imagine how many calls, texts, and emails that poor person got? (Someone did the prank on her, put her # in the ad).)

 

[MonicaMc]

Ah, dogs! That reminds me of a labradoodle that ended up being $4k for the original owners because they were stupid enough to give the dog to the wrong kind of pet store and then had to pay for her to get her back out. The new owner didn't get her for free, but she did only have to pay a fraction of the cost to adopt her. (couple hundred)

Sounds like the rescue near you (in Texas! ) would be a great opportunity if you have the time to help out!



I can indeed imagine how many inquiries that person got putting up such a stupid ad! Here's a better prank!


[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2zUf06iy1A"]Best Shift Ever - Waitress Receives Life-Changing Tip - YouTube[/ame]

 

[inge]

That was sooo awesome, MonicaMC. Wynnie thinks so, too, she was giggling along at the end when the friend showed up! That is my idea of a prank!

 

[MonicaMc]

LOL! Gotta love it when conures laugh!

Well, my own Charlie does a full on laugh, going as far as pinning his eyes and sticking his tongue out of his mouth! It's hilarious! Even more hilarious when something funny comes on TV and he laughs first!

Jayde cackles and doesn't do quite as dramatic of a laugh as Charlie's but it's still rather cute!