Grey expectations... advice please!

[Conureflock]

Hi all,

Just as a backstory I have 3 conures and a Hahns Macaw. The 3 conures get along beautifully and spend several hours out together everyday, with my interaction some of the time but mostly exploring with one another. They are housed separately however, too worried about moving them in together but that’s another story!
Merlin, my Hahns Macaw is a lovely boy, can be loud and craves attention sometimes but I don’t mind it. Unlike the conures I have a much more personal relationship with Merlin, he is never out in the same room as the conures (purely because I’m worried they may fight) and probably 70% of the time he’s with me on my hand, flying to me, sat on my chest or shoulder when he’s out. He does have another indoor cage that he sits in with the doors open playing with his toys. I also have an aviary that they all use (but the conures separate from Merlin, in the summer).

My question or area for advice is that I’m considering buying an African Grey. I love the species and have read a lot about them. I considered buying one instead of Merlin but got deterred by the dust aspect but I find myself looking for a grey again. Despite wanting a new bird I obviously really want to continue my relationship with Merlin, making sure I don’t push him to one side if I got a new bird but if I were to get a grey I would insist on my mother bonding more with the bird than myself. (I’m 19, apprentice living at home at the mo!)
My mother is maybe more enthusiastic about a grey than I am, I love my birds and that has seemed to rub off on her. My question is would I be able to get the two out at the same time? Ideally with my mum occupying the grey and me occupying Merlin.
Also one issue I had when I first got Merlin was that he was quite aggressive to the conures if they landed on his cage. They’ve learnt their lesson now (with minimal injuries) but I’m concerned that a grey could really do them some damage.
They would all sleep in the same room all in separate cages, but this is also the room the 3 conures spend most of their time out the cage.
I was also just wondering peoples opinions on greys in terms of how social they are, with people as well as parrots, I know Hahns macaws are a lot smaller and I wasn’t thinking they were going to be best friends but it’s be nice for Merlin to have a companion just in the same room and to share aviary time with.
Any thoughts or advice greatly appreciated!

 

[Laurasea]

Aww... You have a lovely flock....
But as hard as free advice is to hear, I would encourage waiting.
We just had a wonderful responsible member, who is in college make the very tuff choice to re-home. As college, working, not yet in career and having your own place .. makes it really hard to give the attention deserved.
You already have four, and one is devoted to you and takes most your time.....
You have a hopefully a long life and many changes ahead....would waiting be to hard?

 

[noodles123]

Greys are a powder-down bird and macaws really shouldn't be housed in the same area with them- they have a hypersensitivity to the dander more than other parrots. Also, you are not really in a place where you can easily project what your life will look like in 3 years, let along 10,20,30,40 etc. Please wait until you are living in a place, supporting yourself, out of school, in a steady job and ready for children. There is no sure-fire way to know if they could be out at the same time and even then,it could turn on a dime. Getting 2 birds like that means that you need enough time to play with each in separate spheres and there is no way that you have that kind of time..

 

[SilverSage]

You have had some really great advice here already. I know it can be frustrating to hear people tell you to wait, but if you came truly trying to find what’s best for the birds, this is it. Wait. Wait until you are established in your career, living on your own or with a significant other, until you know what life is going to be like. What happens to that grey when you move out? He says goodbye to you? To your mom? Is your mom committed to having that bird for the rest of her life and then finding someone to take it for the last half of its life after she dies?

The powder issue has been mentioned; what’s your plan for that?

How old is your macaw? Has he gone through puberty yet? I have SEVERAL birds in my flock that were sent to me because they hit puberty and the owners had added too many birds too soon and couldn’t handle the maniac teenager parrot anymore.


Please put this dream on hold for now and enjoy the birds you have


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk