Hi All
I am new to this forum, I found it while doing more research on the African Grey. A bird I have wanted since I was 9 (I am 47)
so I am going to open myself up here and give you as much information as I can about me, and hopefully I will get some insightful answers
I live in Toronto, Ontario and it is just me and my american bulldog/boxer cross in a large 1 bedroom apartment. there is enough room in my apartment for a cage with a maximum foot print of 48"x48" so a fairly large cage in my living room is not a problem. there are also pockets of space for play stands etc. even my computer desk has room for a table top play stand.
I have multiple chemical sensitivity so I cannot use air freshers and many chemicals to clean. I have to use natural cleaning products
for cooking I use cast iron or stainless steel (frying pans) the only thing I have with a Teflon surface is my waffle maker
I work in a bar as a bartender / barback, and have no problem with either buying or making toys and other items for a grey and spending money on the Grey
I have gone through many lists of Foods for greys and have been able to find organic for most of the fruits and veggies and I am willing to pay the extra for it
I have found a vet that isnt that far
I have had other birds (Cockateils, Conures) in the past and as much as I have loved these birds I have always wanted the beautiful Amazon Grey
so from what I have read so far, the above seems to be perfect for a grey.
now here are my concerns
my dog is kind of needy and likes to spend a lot of time beside me. is this going to be a problem for a grey or will the dog just be a weird member of the flock (the dog will be watched very carefully to make sure the bird is accepted as a pack member) but she is so easy going I dont forsee this as a problem
my main concern is my job. I am working mainly nights (which isnt the problem, the grey would probably sleep for most of my shift) my concern is for when I get home, there is a bit of commotion with taking the dog out and unwinding at the end of the day. will this disturb the grey, sleep patterns etc
and every sunday through the year I work a day shift start at 2 and finish at 9:30 dont usually get home until 10:30 or so and have to take the dog out. so this is my #1 concern because it is a regular shift for me
also with my job there might be the odd time where my schedule changes for business needs. Generally speaking my schedule has remain constant for 4 years, will the Grey adapt to this routine weekly or is it something that will throw them completely off
I used to go camping, but I have purchased a trailer in a campground. it is 2 hours away will the grey be ok travelling in a travel cage for 2+ hours with any problem. There is also room at the trailer for a large cage and play stands
Thanks in advance to everyone that responds to this