RE: Day six of owning a Congo African Grey parrot, and I am stressed.

Posted by cfraser (A) on September 16, 2012 at 19:24:01

In Reply to: Day six of owning a Congo African Grey parrot, and I am stressed. posted by Elizabeth on September 16, 2012 at 15:32:54:

It will get better. They are not very difficult to look after, not after a short while. What they are is very bright and require a lot of stimulation. You do not need expensive toys. Like with human children sometimes, they would probably rather play with the toy's packaging than the toy. And they will be a perpetual "terrible two": they know what they're not allowed to do, and as soon as your head is turned they will do it. They do not understand punishment, so don't even consider it (there is none in the wild...only permanent "lessons"). My personal opinion is they don't really understand cause and effect beyond the very rudimentary anyway (besides trained situations).

I roll up newspapers and let mine shred them, he can do a couple newspapers a day sometimes. One thing you can do is roll up newspaper or junk mail (opened, no gluey stuff) and put it in a toilet roll or half a paper towel tube. Thread a string/rope through the tube and hang it so the bird can pull the tube up to him and chew. Show him how, they learn fast. You will find that good/safe parrot toys are quite expensive, and they still don't last very long. Plus that Greys are ridiculously picky and may not like whatever you buy. So see what he likes to chew on before splurging. Mine doesn't like chewing leather or rope for instance, staples of most parrot toys. A toy that you can hide peanuts (in shell) in is quite good, but the toy will take an incredible beating...

Be wary of the Grey sites that have a bunch of semi-hysterical women on them, giving advice. Just saying...you'll *certainly* notice them. The types who really do treat their birds like children, clean/scrub down their cages multiple times per day (not kidding), etc. etc. They really do make keeping a Grey seem hard, when it's really just the opposite, they are very hardy/"durable" birds, and they are quite happy just to see/hear you when you can't pay more direct attention to them.

BTW, most Greys will say no more than 1-3 distinct words before they're a year old. Once the eyes turn yellow, be careful what you say (even now maybe...), because they'll have a new word almost every day, a word they never forget, in between 1 and 2 years old and then it tends to slow down a bit unless you go out of your way. At a year old they practice talking a lot, like a human baby. It usually takes 2-3 days before they get the word right, you don't really have to help them in the meantime, nor continually repeat the word like for cockatiels etc. Often hearing a word once is all it takes for the bird to learn it, especially if it's a word you apparently enjoy using!

It is worthwhile to take the bird to a vet and have a whole blood analysis plus checkup done. The store may have already done it, some around here insist on it (so you can't say the obvious later). DNA sexing was $40 when I had it done a decade ago. I don't recall why I had it done, since it makes no real diff to me in the end, but I was trying to pick a male (especially tough at 10 weeks old) at the breeder and I did. My vet was shocked as she was sure it was a female, but he acted like a male (a tad "pushy" IIRC) even as a baby (he is still the tiniest CAG I've ever seen though...Napoleon complex in birds?).

This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors:

Follow Ups Full Thread

Topic - Day six of owning a Congo African Grey parrot, and I am stressed. - Elizabeth 15:32:54 09/16/12 (31)

Sheeba says, have patience!! - Cuernavaca 14:25:12 09/21/12 (2)

RE: Sheeba says, have patience!! - cfraser 18:21:27 09/21/12 (1)

RE: Sheeba says, have patience!! - Cuernavaca 18:31:31 09/21/12 (0)

RE: Day six of owning a Congo African Grey parrot, and I am stressed. - Fretless 17:53:15 09/20/12 (0)

I have had one for 28 years.... - cjfrbw 22:15:36 09/17/12 (0)

It really didn't look hard in "Rio" - AudioDwebe 15:19:55 09/17/12 (0)

Who are you going to leave this bird too? - Kloss 07:25:48 09/17/12 (1)

To be fair, yes actually I did think about owning a Grey for years.. - Elizabeth 14:19:50 09/17/12 (0)

Those have always been one of my favorite birds - stan2 23:23:22 09/16/12 (1)

My last great bird, also a cockatiel, live 17 years, he died in my hands.. I cried a lot. - Elizabeth 10:56:28 09/17/12 (0)

RE: Day six of owning a Congo African Grey parrot, and I am stressed. - cfraser 19:24:01 09/16/12 (9)

At four months my guy weighs 480 grams, just over one pound. - Elizabeth 20:59:36 09/16/12 (1)

Some tidbits - Jack G 04:58:56 09/17/12 (0)

RE: Day six of owning a Congo African Grey parrot, and I am stressed. - Bill the K 20:05:06 09/16/12 (6)

Music? My guy seems to dislike 'complex' music. but enjoys simple instrumentation - Elizabeth 20:54:33 09/16/12 (5)

RE: Music? My guy seems to dislike 'complex' music. but enjoys simple instrumentation - cfraser 11:39:43 09/17/12 (4)

I have been sprinkling him with water in the tub now and then in prebath fun - Elizabeth 17:06:49 09/17/12 (0)

Actually i have helped all my birds to masterbate. Thumb sex. - Elizabeth 15:02:02 09/17/12 (2)

That and dancing with birds won't happen here - cfraser 13:10:39 09/18/12 (1)

The last few years my cockatiel seemed to 'sit' all the time. He had a white plastic comb he sat on - Elizabeth 23:01:11 09/18/12 (0)

RE: Day six of owning a Congo African Grey parrot, and I am stressed. - calloway 17:35:35 09/16/12 (4)

Pretty safe bet that it will outlive her - kavakidd 17:41:11 09/16/12 (3)

This is true. Congo African Grey lifespan average is over 45 years, up to claimed 70 years(rare) - Elizabeth 20:47:25 09/16/12 (2)

RE: This is true. Congo African Grey lifespan average is over 45 years, up to claimed 70 years(rare) - cfraser 13:27:58 09/18/12 (0)

Dad had a Yellow Naped Amazom - kavakidd 23:29:01 09/16/12 (0)

I recommend............... - Awe-d-o-file 17:08:02 09/16/12 (1)

I thought about movie lines.. But not naughty ones... - Elizabeth 21:04:13 09/16/12 (0)

How 'bout a pic? nt - geoff 16:16:39 09/16/12 (1)

I do not have a pic.. And i am superstitous about pictures anyway you might stick in the freezer? LOL nt.. - Elizabeth 21:06:54 09/16/12 (0)

Good luck to you! You just bought a 2 year old child! - Enophile 15:44:13 09/16/12 (1)

Yeah, i do nothing but sit around listening to music anyway.. nt - Elizabeth 21:05:06 09/16/12 (0)

Follow Ups

RE: Day six of owning a Congo African Grey parrot, and I am stressed. - cfraser 19:24:01 09/16/12 (9)

At four months my guy weighs 480 grams, just over one pound. - Elizabeth 20:59:36 09/16/12 (1)

Some tidbits - Jack G 04:58:56 09/17/12 (0)

RE: Day six of owning a Congo African Grey parrot, and I am stressed. - Bill the K 20:05:06 09/16/12 (6)

Music? My guy seems to dislike 'complex' music. but enjoys simple instrumentation - Elizabeth 20:54:33 09/16/12 (5)

RE: Music? My guy seems to dislike 'complex' music. but enjoys simple instrumentation - cfraser 11:39:43 09/17/12 (4)

I have been sprinkling him with water in the tub now and then in prebath fun - Elizabeth 17:06:49 09/17/12 (0)

Actually i have helped all my birds to masterbate. Thumb sex. - Elizabeth 15:02:02 09/17/12 (2)

That and dancing with birds won't happen here - cfraser 13:10:39 09/18/12 (1)

The last few years my cockatiel seemed to 'sit' all the time. He had a white plastic comb he sat on - Elizabeth 23:01:11 09/18/12 (0)

RE: Day six of owning a Congo African Grey parrot, and I am stressed.

Post a Message!