danmcq

This was the exact scenario here. I commuted to the office in San Jose weekly and stayed there Mon - Fri, returning home on Friday evenings, then back to S.J. early Monday mornings. I did this for 5 years. I just started working from home a year ago. My relationship with Dayo has moved up the ladder to the point of scratch privileges at times and hanging out together much more often, but nothing like he is with my wife. Your comments about Brutus wanting to be your husbands replacement and conversing with you in his voice is exactly what Dayo did and still does to this day. He considers himself my wifes "Mate" and constantly frets over where she is at all time. The only exception is if I have something he desperately loves like a food item or toy. Other than that, I am # 2.

LOL! I would love to hear more of Brutus and his antics.

Ah, but Dayo did not speak until 12 to 14 months old and had been "Calibrating" under his breath and we would "Think" we heard him say something. They always calibrate words until they get them to where you don't know if it's the bird or the person talking. It was not until Dayo was about 2, before he sounded just like me, rather than sounding "Muffled". Thats how much of a perfectionist greys are about anything they decide to learn, whether a human voice, sound or whistle. I guarantee they will perfect it to the nth degree.

I for one, can never get enough of any Cognitive comments or behaviors Marcus comes out with! Don't ever stop posting EVERY ONE!!! I do hope others chime in with their stories as well, we know they all have some to share, that we can all enjoy and muse over. I'll share another of Dayo this morning. He was in the family room with my wife and was still in his cage. I was in my office working, which I do 9-5 supporting software issues. When I came out for a break, my wife informed she almost rolled on the floor laughing from Dayo's behavior. He was playing with an empty medicine bottle and then threw it down to the bottom of the cage making a loud crashing sound as it hit. He then said " Damn it, I keeeeellll (kill elongated) you!!!"

How very intelligent of Marcus to ask if fur was feathers on that women. Probably wanted to make certain feathers had not become fashionable as human outer wear. His intelligence and use of the human language is amazing!!! Thanks for sharing this.

LOL! Dayo loves the sound of Zero as well. He throws them in between counts. Thanks for sharing this.

Dayo loves queen palm nut's. We live in cali as wel and have been giving them to him for years. Just as you, they are all aroundour neighborhood and most people are more than happy to give us all we can handle. Dave - Loved the video!

LOL, welcome to owning a Grey.

Just saw this, Happy B-Day Talon!!!! I have no doubt you had a GreYt one.

Hi Heather! Well I for one do not know the answer to this one. I have never honestly had the opportunity to get a good look into dayo's throat. I look forward to hearing from another on this forum that may have had the opportunity to do so, like Dave.

Welcome Katy and flock! It's great having hear. Thanks for such a nice introduction. You'll never be the same after sharing your life with a grey and you will never view non-human creatures the same either.

Your a good Man Paul!

I agree with Eshana, they are intelligent, flighted, have speech ability in some cases, have the same requirements for correct diets for good health and love being with their human flock when socialized properly. You can learn some body language as well from those wee packages of BIG character.

It's great to see the different views, opinions and comments made here in a respectful way. I love it when people can express themselves and not be attacked for it. Asking questions of why someone may allow or do something others would never consider, is fine and gives them a chance to explain WHY they feel comfortable and safe with that choice. Your all a great group of people and I am so happy your all here!!! In regards ceiling fans, both our birds know when they are on and stay away from them as well. They can both see the blades are moving and feel the air being pushed by them. I will say though, if a new bird was introduced to this home, I would never turn the ceiling fans on until they were aware of it and that it is not static, therefore can change states from still to moving. The same goes true with mirrors and windows, all would have covers or as I prefer little stickies on them so the new bird knows something is in the way of that seeming hole in the wall they can see through.

I hope this works out for you Paul. Keeping fingers crosses, even though I know the previous owner is (I would hope) looking high and low for that precious Grey.

At 4.5 months old, he is just an infant. It is natural for them to want to be with and protected by the flock (You). I know it's hard, but you do need to get him into sometime of routine on being in the cage for periods of time, just console him when you hear those pitiful cheeps but leave him in the cage. When you do have the time to give full attention to him, let him out with you. Believe me, he will learn very quickly that flying does not work. They are super intelligent. However, you should use precautions and ideas as the others posted above.

Wooooo Hooooo, thats wonderful. Those moments are always special. Thanks for updating his progress, your doing a great job.

It's always best to think about the future and an event that could make your bird suddenly go into a panic attack. That is normally what will cause an injury with a harness device not proper for a bird. Once they are in flee or die mode, they will injure themselves unintentionally. Just some food for thought.

Welcome back, it's GreYT having you again!!!

You have a wonderful holiday as well. Thanks for sharing this video of Emma, I always enjoy them. She is so clever!

LOL! Ditto Rays comment. Thanks for sharing the photos and idea for others.

It's good to hear from you again Paul. I do hope this works out for you if the previous owner of the Grey does not step forward. I know it would never replace Murphy (Hopefully Murphy will be found and returned), but if it works out, I have no doubt you would both be better off together.

I am writing a book about Dayo, from his perspective. Heres a snippet: Dayo - My life in a Human world, as a Congo African Grey Parrot My name is Dayo. I wanted to share my life to this point. The reason for this, is my Human Parents both will pass on before I will. My future home will need to know my background to understand me and interact with me properly. My Mom and Dad spent years teaching, loving and caring for me. I am a sentient being, intelligent, talkative, comedian, demanding and most importantly fully flighted. I enjoy my freedom most of all. Now, on to my story. I am a Parrot species called “Congo African Grey” (CAG) that originates in the Congo Rain Forests area of Africa. We are known to have life spans up to 50 or 60 years in the wild. However, the average in the dangerous and tough life of the wild is around 30 years. It is thought the average is 35 to 40 years in captivity. However with a healthy diet of other than just seeds and nuts enhanced with Pellets, Vegetables, Fruit and plenty of exercising like flight and playing, we are expected to live close to our wild maximum life span in captivity. At some point in time of the distant past, my Parents were captured and shipped to the United States and a Parrot Breeder purchased them legally over 25 years ago. I do know this was made illegal by the U.S. Wild Bird Conservation Act of 1992. The Breederplaced my parents in a small 3 x 3 x 4 cage with a small nest box in it. They lived out the rest of their miserable lives (compared to the wild) in captivity. I do not claim that all Breeders provide this type of living condition, but most do. Also, there are many hundreds if not thousands of breeding pairs that were born in captivity and never knew what it was like to be in the wild; therefore being in the company of Humans and their environment is natural to them. I was hatched on the 28th of April 2007. The first memories I have, is of feeling the warmth of my mother and father keeping me and the rest of my Clutch toasty warm and safe under them as they would sit and droop their wings down to keep the area enclosed and warm. They also fed us great warm food regurgitated made especially just for us. Then one day when we were about a week or two old, while my parents were out, I felt a strange warm “Something” pick me up and it also picked up the rest of my clutch!!! The unfortunate part is, our eyes were not yet open when we were taken from the nest, so we do not know what our parents looked like. I guess I and my clutch were lucky; some babies are taken from their parents before they even hatch. However, some Breeders leave the chicks with the parents until 3 weeks of age. We were then placed in a plastic container with material on the bottom and placed in a warm box with added humidity, it was called a Brooder. It was really a rather small place, but so is a nest of a wild African Grey Pair, which normally sets up home in the hole of a tree. I never felt the nice warm underbelly of my parents again and miss the gentle nuzzles, feeding and pampering by my parents. But, the things handling me and the clutch are gentle, but their hands are a little cold compared to the warm bodies of our parents. ...........................End snippet>>>>>>

Thanks for sharing this story.

Been in the blocked rut for a year now... but who cares, the masses will never read it, just the next loving soul that will have the honor of caring for Dayo when we are too old or dead...but so is the way of all creation... a dust paricle in the end...