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I am feeling a bit stressed just not sure if best idea. (just fear of new things as I get old perhaps?)
Anyway, the bird is great, sweet, four months old and can say some words.. I just feel out of my depth. I want to play with him, but no shrill screeching, and he does not like to be petted, which is my favorite activity.
I need to find him more handheld chew toys, so when he is sitting on my leg, he can keep busy.
I guess parrots are lust chewing machines..A life devoted to moving the beak..
Anyway, i like him and he likes me so that is great.
Part of my problem is the purchase was a bit unexpected.
I finally decided to go out and look for a new pet cockatiel after a long mourning for my previous bird.
So while looking I meet this really extraordinary African Grey.
Since the 'right combo' of bird and person is really the most important and this grey was just a right match for me... i decided to jump off the cliff and bought him.
So in a sense i was not ready and wanting a big, hard to care for bird.
But he was there, i was there, we are already bonded..
So I am just having jitters scared of my new responsibilities..
Just wanted to vent. Thanks.
Follow Ups:
I have had parrots most of the last 35 years or so. My beloved Manfred(African Grey Timneh) passed away after 25 years last October, a long and expensive illness. I was so attached to him, very difficult time when he died. But a few months later I was helping a client with a turntable and I heard a bird in the background, he said he had an African Grey that needed a home, she didn't really fit where she was. So he brought her down from Washington and she immediately climbed up on my shoulder and it has been a strong bond ever since. Sheeba is 8 years old, weighs 550 grams, and is very, very stubborn. She will get her way, most every time. But as long as she is with me, on the couch listening to music or watching TV or even outside when we work in the garden, she's very happy. She rarely bites hard and is actually potty trained, she will usually only use her cage. She has never had an accident when on my shoulder.
Here is a link to a forum that has a lot of Grey owners and tons of information, I found them when Manfred fell ill last year. Just have a lot of patience and you will be amazed at the intelligence of these amazing birds. Sheeba loves to play catch with rolled up socks. Her vocabulary is without end, simply amazing. I even have this backpack with a cage built into it to take her on walks, she loves it.
Good luck!
Thomas
Portland, Or.
Sorry to hear about your loss. It even makes *me* sad to think of it. Even Elizabeth mentioning her recently departed cockatiel makes me sad to think of when my favorite one died. That said, I still hope to outlive 'em all...
That's a pretty happy-looking bird in your pics. That's just one thing I like about birds (and e.g. dogs): there's never a doubt what mood they're in, not even a comprehension of guile.
Here's a pic of mine when he was (I guess obviously) still quite young, enjoying some corn as a reward after a bath. I really ought to take them more often, it's been years since I took any, I'm just not the photog type.
Sheeba loves corn, too. But she's really a broccoli bird, thick stems are her favorite. It's a strange bond between bird and owner, I never thought I would miss Manfred so much when he died. It took months to come to grips with his passing. My wife wanted me to get some "help".
They are loads of fun, if I had the space I would have more birds, just love the action, noise, attitude.
Thomas
I've had this big Congo boy for around fifteen years, and he's the perfect poultry pal. Loves music of all kinds, and particularly loves "jamming" with a good jazz sax player. He's pretty good, too.
You've already received some very good advice, so I'll just recommend a couple of things. Try a corrugated cardboard box as a chewtoy, preferably one big enough for him to get inside and gradually chew his way out. Mine spends a few hours a day working on his. Keeps him busy and keeps his beak nicely trimmed.
Second, many parrots engage in what I think of as 'counting coup,' and this can be mistaken for aggression. For example, mine tries to quietly sneak up on my me or my wife when we're busy and distracted while working around his cage, which is always open during the day. If he's successful, he'll gently pull our hair or clothing to let us know that he 'got' us. It's just a game, but it might freak out someone who doesn't know the rules.
Good luck on your new kid, and as others have said, even though the bird will continue to get smarter and more attuned to your interaction, it will always have the emotional maturity of a precocious two-year-old attention whore.
was well over three years (wild bird) when I got her. Yes, her, you can tell the sex by the behaviors sooner or later, don't ask, I don't want to get in "libber hot water".
She's still going strong. Can speak, but doesn't want to, but they have interesting personalities even without the talking part, and she sings and whistles pretty cool when she wants to.
Fights with the dog, browbeats the male Mealy Amazon who is her companion, generally a wrathful and very strange creature, just the exotic touch to keep the household from getting too boring.
I'm thinkin' you should have gotten a macaw.
"Man, that mouse is Awesome." - Kaemon (referring to Jerry, of Tom and Jerry fame)
When you die? They live a very long long time up to 50 years. Not to bust your chops but as I understand your retired? Most folks who buy these birds shouldn't, if elderly no, if not home much of the day then no, if not experienced with AGP then again one shouldn't own one. Hope you thought this through..Seems to me from your post you didn't and the bird will suffer for it.
I.. i... iiiiiiiiiiiiii deleted this message.
Edits: 09/17/12 09/17/12
so long as someone else owns them. I hear they can be not so easy. We have a cockatiel here, about 20 yrs old I suppose. My wife feeds him, but he loves me better, which irks the wife of course...
His name was Mozart. He was a good boy. We had a lot of fun together. I took a long time to mourn him.
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?).
I want him to practice flapping his wings.. A LOT. If he is gonna lift his big weight, he is going to have to flap like crazy.
His wings are clipped (which i hate but?? Anyway, i am trying to get him to flap for awhile every day, a few times..
I am pretty cetain my guy is a boy, as he behaves like a male. Though I have never cared for a Grey, only Cockatiels and Parakeets. LOTS of Parakeets.
He won't get much longer, but he will bulk up a bit. They generally don't like much petting, except head rubs. Mine is about 16 years old, and her eyes never really turned yellow-not uncommon among domestically raised Greys. They are very intelligent and sensitive birds. They don't like change. Bird toys are expensive, and most are rejected by the birds. A cheap alternative is to buy some cheap wooden spoons used for cooking. They are safe, cheap and at least my birds like them. Yes, clip the wings. One time, when I was about to clip wings, my Grey flew into a window-even though it was dark and obviously a window. She had a scar on her forehead for years. Clipped wings keep them out of trouble. Are you sure of the sex? There are ways (sometimes) to visually sex them, but a DNA test would be definitive. At about a year or so old, they can get rather bratty or agressive-its when they test their limits. It will pass.
Just for your information, look up "Alex the African Grey", and Dr. Irene Pepperberg. You will be amazed.
Good Luck,
Jack
Edits: 09/17/12
Wonder how they react to music. Do they pick up words from the songs. Any preferences to particular music; Lady Gaga?! How about attention span?
Cheers
Bill
The first i noted about my Greys musical interest was he was sharply shaking his head every few seconds. I knew he didn't like the music. More modern Jazz. rather complex.
Playing Beethoven piano sonatas great, no problem,
Jazz trios playing bop no problem.
Stereolab, not only head twitching but alternate wing twitches...
Right now play Properbox Fats Waller four disc set, no problem.
Since the bird probably has never heard music before coming home with me, I assume he will gradually get used to music.
But lucky for him i am not a death metal freak.
My bird loves VERY heavy music, which I rarely play these days. He was "brought up" with classical/jazz radio on all day though... Many women dance with their birds. Yes, the birds do seem to like it, but no way I'm doing that.
My bird doesn't learn words from anybody but me. He sometimes understands (to some extent) stuff he hears on the radio, especially weather reports, based on his response. My theory is that they don't understand "words" per se, like we do. Our understanding of words makes it quite easy for us to understand people with different accents and extremely different voices. I think birds only relate to the sound. For instance, my bird loves it when I whisper. He doesn't understand that the words I'm saying are the same as when not whispering: they are different "words" to him.
Greys are not cuddlers, like larger macaws and cockatoos typically are. You have to keep patting them to keep them from fidgeting. One reason to know if they're male is you shouldn't really stroke the backs of males once mature or near, it sexually stimulates them and is a bit unfair...
Yes, the wing-flapping is good exercise, I encourage it. I do not and have never clipped my birds. It's a personal choice, there are as many arguments for as against. I have plenty of flying room, but the Grey doesn't do house laps the way say the cockatiels did. IIRC the Grey flight feathers will not be fully grown again (after baby clipping) until after 2 years old. It is probably a good idea to have a baby clipped, almost all are, certainly if from a store. My bird is physically very small, but weighs 510g, so lots of compact "muscle". He was the exact same size when 10 weeks old as at 10 years old, but ~50g/2oz heavier now.
Hell, I don't even like to keep the bird in a cage, and I never even latched my Grey's door until he was ~2 and was getting too bold. Before then, e.g. he'd come and sit by the house door (like a puppy) when he heard the garage door open. It was obvious he had never been there very long...
Your next hurdle is going to be bath time! Babies aren't too hard, they usually sit there looking stunned, but eventually they will resist a bit. And more eventually they will tell you when they want a bath. They are very dusty, and a bath only "lasts" a few days before they have that chalky look again. Mine likes freezing cold water, so getting him to bath is harder outside the winter.
I know if a bird has not been near runningwater or a pool of water they can be hard to get INTO the water. So I have been taking my new guy into the tub with a few inches of water and just sprinkling him a bit.
He seems OK with it.
My last guy love to have thumbsex. Always left hand. Probably an average of once every two days for the last 16 years...
A few times he would go for a week without wanting sex. Other days three times a day.. He certainly enjoyed it. Watching him twist up in orgasm was fun. And i was pleased he was happy.
PS I am obviously not embarassed to mention it. Birds have a right to sex as much as anyone.
Perhaps if it was a female bird I'd be less turned off by either...
Nope, still not interested. :)
My male cockatiel had no issues, he'd just jump on the nearest female one during "that time". Then they'd pretend to look after the eggs, he was never happier than when sitting on eggs (that never hatched).
Inside his box on the floor, he had chewed out the bottome, I tape more, chew tape, so it was a nest, he sat on the comb in there every day for years.
I wished his next life he could raise a family..
GOOD FOR YOU...as a friend of mine says..' it's all about the animals'..and in this case ..birds. you did the right thing. Sounds like he has a caring owner. how old are you and how long do they typically live...?..take good care of him..
and the rest of us here as well. Some breeds live to be one hundred.
"Man is the only animal that blushes - or needs to" Mark Twain
Since i am in my 60's. My bird will most likely outlive me.
I already have a paln got another person to takee him when i croak.
Which may be anywhere from ten seconds from now, to twenty years..
It is hard to say because diets have immensely improved over the last 30 years that I've had pet birds. So nobody could possibly know how long an already long-lived bird brought up on a modern diet etc. could live. It was really common way back for Greys to have a seed-based diet, something totally unnatural to them, yet they still lived for (reportedly) even more than 70 years in numerous cases (hard to say for sure since it was often more than a human lifetime and dates forgotten, but we live longer now too).BTW, Greys love safflower seeds, and they are actually very good for them. IMO these probably help replace the Grey's natural diet of palm oil (Greys naturally occur only where oil palms naturally occur) and keeps them really busy since the seeds are so tiny. Just as a treat though, mine only gets them after he's eaten the main food. [He learned that quickly when "young" and would throw out his main food so I'd give the safflower. Stomach won out and he stopped that eventually since I knew his game.]
You may have better luck finding decent pure red palm oil locally than I have. Used to be in grocery stores (for West African cooking) but not for years that I've found around here. Red palm oil doesn't necessarily look red over here, more like orange. Drizzle a tiny bit on food, they love it, especially good for new (to bird) foods you'd like him to eat.
Edits: 09/18/12
(seond best talker after the African Grey) that Mom bought him in 1955. ASFAIK - he's still going. They told us lifespan was up to 100.He was hilarious at times - especially when imitating the sound of group conversation from the next room. I actually had a conversation with him one night while in High School. I came home and everyone was in bed - he had been left uncovered. I picked up the cover and he said "what you doing"? I said "I'm covering you up". He said - "Why" to which I answered "I'm going to bed". He said - "OK - Good Night".
As God is my witness!!
After Dad died in 1966 he eventually became a bit mean from lack of attention - Mom was a night nurse - so we found him a good home. They DO need attention - i.e. just being in the same room with you.
"Man is the only animal that blushes - or needs to" Mark Twain
Edits: 09/16/12 09/16/12
making a CD of your favorite movie lines and playing it all the time you are not there. The fouler and more profane the better. Put it in a player on repeat. I love foul mouthed birds.
ET
I actually do not want him to pick up any bad words.. Odd, but no, not any.
Hello, thank you, I love you, goodbye, Let's play, Time to go to bed.
The meaning of life is 42.
These are the phrases I would really want. Plus a real understanding of "NO". My Cockatiel understood NO perfectly. Along with 'I'll be right back' and 'Time to go to bed'.
,
.
You are more brave than I - too much time commitment for me, but your new buddy should be able to keep you happy into your dotage!
.
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