Hey!
I've had a look around the forum and definitely felt it was worth registering to be part of such a wealth of knowledge, although I'll be asking for advice far more than offering it
As you might have already guessed from my username, my name is Mat (yes just the 1 't'!) and I'm from South Wales. At the moment I'm studying at Bar School and should be finishing in the next few months although God knows if I'll get a job in that particular profession lol.
Anyhow, enough about me and more about my gorgeous new friend Kodie. She is a Congo African Grey and she is 6 months old. Her breeder's dog's name was Cody and it was the first word she picked up from listening to the dog being called each day and it stuck. Thankfully I love her name and didn't even entertain the thought of changing it!
Despite never owning a bird before, I have wanted an African Grey for a long long time. Due to the price tag they usually attract and the fairly special care and dedication they require, I had always convinced myself that now wasn't the right time to bring one home.
Just after Christmas 2013, I had the opportunity to purchase Orange Winged Amazon for a very reasonable price, although upon meeting the bird I eventually decided against it. The bird clearly hadn't been socialised properly as a youngster, had not been DNA sexed and most importantly, didn't fill me with the awe and excitement that interacting with a Grey does. I resisted the urge to settle for anything less than what I really wanted and resigned myself to not getting a parrot for a number of years.
A few weeks later I was visiting my local pet store with my girlfriend and saw that they had a new CAG in. (You'll all have to take my word for it that despite what I am about to say, I'm really not this corny all the time!) I had come across many Greys before but this time it was different. As soon as I approached her cage she stopped doing what it was she was doing and walked up to the bars and started "clicking" at me. Next I put my finger in to stroke her and immediately she bowed her head down and let me stroke and ruffle her feathers on her neck. She then climbed up on my fingers and used them as a perch whilst gently 'tonguing' the fingers of my other hand. We played through the bars like this for about 45 minutes before I had to leave.
I was back the day after next, hoping silently that she hadn't been sold. I wanted her so badly but I wasn't sure whether it was right for me to take her on. Did I have the money spare (bar school isn't cheap!)? Did I have the right personality for the task of spending the next 60 years looking after a perpetual toddler? Would I have the time to dedicate to her or the space at my home that she needed?
All of these questions became less and less imposing the more I thought about them. I visited Kodie at least 3 times a week for about 6 weeks. I knew a number of the members of staff at the store personally and they all agreed on a few things; That both they and the breeder thought she was an exceptional parrot (she was talking and mimicking a great deal for her age and she was very good with both male and female staff); and that Kodie was quite clearly very fond of me. The money was the real sticking point, but after my girlfriend and I spent about two hours playing with Kodie in the back room of the shop we decided that she was such and extraordinary find we would go home and see what, if anything we could cut back on to afford her.
Well we did go home, and when we went back to the store the next day there were cheers all around. One member of staff told me that a number of people had been interested in her, but they were so glad that we were the ones going to be having her. We paid for her and her cage in instalments over the next 4-5 weeks, visiting her in the store as often as we could (sometimes 5 times a week!)
Eventually the day came when it was time to make the final payment and take her home. I was literally bouncing with excitement, but at the same time, a little upset and anxious. Upset because it was obvious Kodie was attached to her carers at the store and I was taking her away from them, and anxious because I wasn't sure how she would react to her new cage, home and family. I had all sorts of worries, like her becoming withdrawn, aggressive or self-destructive.
Well, Kodie has been living with us about a month now and, as far as I can tell, she is extremely happy. Our bond became twice as strong within 15 minutes of her getting back to the house - my guess being that as the one thing/person she was used to she felt safe in my company.
Here is a picture of her. As the tech-savvy amongst you will notice, this is a snap-chat picture, but it is by far my favourite picture of her so far!
Here is a picture of her in her cage.
Well, that is pretty much my intro. Thanks for taking the time to read it
I've had a look around the forum and definitely felt it was worth registering to be part of such a wealth of knowledge, although I'll be asking for advice far more than offering it
As you might have already guessed from my username, my name is Mat (yes just the 1 't'!) and I'm from South Wales. At the moment I'm studying at Bar School and should be finishing in the next few months although God knows if I'll get a job in that particular profession lol.
Anyhow, enough about me and more about my gorgeous new friend Kodie. She is a Congo African Grey and she is 6 months old. Her breeder's dog's name was Cody and it was the first word she picked up from listening to the dog being called each day and it stuck. Thankfully I love her name and didn't even entertain the thought of changing it!
Despite never owning a bird before, I have wanted an African Grey for a long long time. Due to the price tag they usually attract and the fairly special care and dedication they require, I had always convinced myself that now wasn't the right time to bring one home.
Just after Christmas 2013, I had the opportunity to purchase Orange Winged Amazon for a very reasonable price, although upon meeting the bird I eventually decided against it. The bird clearly hadn't been socialised properly as a youngster, had not been DNA sexed and most importantly, didn't fill me with the awe and excitement that interacting with a Grey does. I resisted the urge to settle for anything less than what I really wanted and resigned myself to not getting a parrot for a number of years.
A few weeks later I was visiting my local pet store with my girlfriend and saw that they had a new CAG in. (You'll all have to take my word for it that despite what I am about to say, I'm really not this corny all the time!) I had come across many Greys before but this time it was different. As soon as I approached her cage she stopped doing what it was she was doing and walked up to the bars and started "clicking" at me. Next I put my finger in to stroke her and immediately she bowed her head down and let me stroke and ruffle her feathers on her neck. She then climbed up on my fingers and used them as a perch whilst gently 'tonguing' the fingers of my other hand. We played through the bars like this for about 45 minutes before I had to leave.
I was back the day after next, hoping silently that she hadn't been sold. I wanted her so badly but I wasn't sure whether it was right for me to take her on. Did I have the money spare (bar school isn't cheap!)? Did I have the right personality for the task of spending the next 60 years looking after a perpetual toddler? Would I have the time to dedicate to her or the space at my home that she needed?
All of these questions became less and less imposing the more I thought about them. I visited Kodie at least 3 times a week for about 6 weeks. I knew a number of the members of staff at the store personally and they all agreed on a few things; That both they and the breeder thought she was an exceptional parrot (she was talking and mimicking a great deal for her age and she was very good with both male and female staff); and that Kodie was quite clearly very fond of me. The money was the real sticking point, but after my girlfriend and I spent about two hours playing with Kodie in the back room of the shop we decided that she was such and extraordinary find we would go home and see what, if anything we could cut back on to afford her.
Well we did go home, and when we went back to the store the next day there were cheers all around. One member of staff told me that a number of people had been interested in her, but they were so glad that we were the ones going to be having her. We paid for her and her cage in instalments over the next 4-5 weeks, visiting her in the store as often as we could (sometimes 5 times a week!)
Eventually the day came when it was time to make the final payment and take her home. I was literally bouncing with excitement, but at the same time, a little upset and anxious. Upset because it was obvious Kodie was attached to her carers at the store and I was taking her away from them, and anxious because I wasn't sure how she would react to her new cage, home and family. I had all sorts of worries, like her becoming withdrawn, aggressive or self-destructive.
Well, Kodie has been living with us about a month now and, as far as I can tell, she is extremely happy. Our bond became twice as strong within 15 minutes of her getting back to the house - my guess being that as the one thing/person she was used to she felt safe in my company.
Here is a picture of her. As the tech-savvy amongst you will notice, this is a snap-chat picture, but it is by far my favourite picture of her so far!
Here is a picture of her in her cage.
Well, that is pretty much my intro. Thanks for taking the time to read it
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