Snow

We have wanted a grey in our house for years and years. While we were raising white eye conures we never managed to enlarge the aviary or build another one to accomadate a grey. After selling the conures and relocating we just couldn't justify the expense of a grey. Then this friend of mine had a friend that had to give up her grey - Mr.Boo. She wasn't trying to sell him, she just wanted him to have a good home. She was his first mom and she had him for 7 years. I immediately said we were interested. My friend told her about us and what kind of people we are (animal and creature people) and she said she'd like for us to have him. And so now we do. Boo bonded with my sister so she has a new best friend that loves her to distraction. And I have puncture wounds everywhere.

Mr.Boo has been learning new words since coming to live with us. I am amazed at how he practices the new words and sounds! Most amazing of all to us was this: His former mom's dog was called "Zorro". Upon meeting our dogs, he called them Zorro. Now however, he has learned their names and calls them "Zorro Tucker" and Zorro Elvis". He now uses "Zorro" as another word meaning "dog". Now that's cognitive thinking! Incredible... why didn't we get one of these birds sooner? Snow

I am truly amazed at the cognitive abilities these birds have. Even though I have read and studied a bit about them, just as we did with the conures and cockatiels... it still amazes me. yes, he knows the word "No" when applied to him and how to use it to apply to me. Maybe man did not discover fire after all... perhaps it was an AG!

Thank you! I'll see if this nifty scale does grams. It might, I don't know.. we just use it for ebay and our website to figure shipping rates. I appreciate the information everyone has been so generous in sharing! Snow

I tried the walk away advice today! And guess what?? Mr Boo said 'no" when I tried to feed him... so I said "OK" and walked away. He said "No Boo". So I decided he was talking to himself and decided to try again and he walked across to the other side of the cage and just let me do my business! No bites today! Thank you!

oh! I do have a postal scale that measures down to ounces. How much should he weigh? His appearance seems to be healthy. His feathers are in good condition and he has no unseemly habits such as plucking. I will start weighing him and check back. Thank you!

I can't answer this about AG because I am a new owner of one. However, we never allowed our conures to shoulder sit. They seemed to believe that if they were taller than or as tall as us... then they were in charge and quickly became aggresive and argumentative. They quickly learned the command "down". So far, we are maintaining that with Mr.Boo. Good luck! I look forward to reading more informed answers to this in regards to AG's

Thank you for the advice! I am persevering in my attempts to get him to at least like me again. I'll try the walking away thing. He tells me emphatically... "NOoooo" when I try to feed or water him unless it's hand fed. Then he daintely takes it from me and says .. "ooooooommmmm" But mess with his dishes and he's mad right now. The bites hurt. he bit me again this evening while I was walking by. This morning he snagged a strand of my long hair. That hurt too. But I keep talking sweet to him and he listens but so far... "snap". Growl? They growl? Mr.Boo barks at me like a dog! So far though, no growls. Maybe he doesn't quite hate me then? Thanks folks for the help! Snow

This all helps! thank you so much! Boo's former mom told me he only like Kaytee pellets. But he sure doesn't eat much of them! He's getting kale, celery, romaine, carrots, mixed seed, fresh from the garden string beans, and apple slices and a few other things.... of course not all at once. I am trying to keep him a variety and keep his sugars down just as I did with my conures. So I am doing it right then? Thanks! Snow

I can't find an answer to this one. How much should I be feeding Mr.Boo? I am trying to be sensible and feed him what he'll eat.. but I am unsure of the quantities. His former mom gave him pellets and seed mix as well as other things I don't know the specifics of. He does NOT like pellets much and will eat all the seed and almost none of the pellets. I found he likes grapejuice and soaked the pellets in that and he gobbled them up then. Is this ok? How much green? How much fruit? How much pellet and seed? I can't find a standard or general diet guideline to use. Thanks for your help.. I am a little worried. Snow

Thank you... I just posted one about biting in the "Bite Me" club. Sadly, I am a member now. It's a lot like being in the "Kicked" club with my horses. Mr. Boo has given me a new meaning to "boo hoo"... I try not to cry when he bites me... but it really hurts! lol!

Celery, Mr Boo loves grape juice we found... and now he goes after any bottle with liquid in it! He does not like his pellets and I read that they should be his main staple. So I soak them in grape juice and he eats them now.

Mr.Boo bites me. He didn't tho, the first couple of days. He liked me! Then he bonded with my sister and I developed little targets on all my fingers, up and down my arms and on my hands. He has bitten me several times while trying to remove and replace his food dishes. He has drawn blood a few times and left snake like puncture wounds, one of which swelled up and was painful for several days. He is not allowed to shoulder sit. He tried at first but soon learned not to because he knows what "no" means. Our conures were not allowed to when we raised them either. They seemed to think that everytime they were high up that they were the boss! I don't want Boo to fall into this. anyway... he does not bite my sister, ever! Nor does he bite Tucke or Elvis the dogs.. he LIKES them a lot! So how do I teach him not to bite me? When I change his feed... he tells me "noooo" and tries hard to get me. If I walk too close to him while he is out, he tries to nail me... if I walk by his cage while he is in it... he reaches out to snag me... It's ok, that he didn't bond to me.. I can live with rejection... but why does he seem to dislike me so much? When his body fluffs up...he's happy.. When his head and body fluff up... he's fixing to inflict some real damage. So I have learned the signs. lol! Snow

Thank you for your warm welcome. As soon as my new computer has some pics of Mr.Boo I will share a couple with you. Yes, he's amazing! We have wanted an AG for years and years so this was really a windfall for us. I have questions that I am trying to find the answers to in the forums without re-asking and being annoying.. lol! Thank you again for the warm welcome. I am looking forward to making new friends here as much as I am learning about Boo. Snow

Hello! I am new here. I am hoping to learn as much as possible about our new family member. He is an African Grey Congo. His name is Mr. Boo and he is 7 years old. We used to raise conures and cockatiels and felt ready for this guy. His original mommy of 7 years had to give him up for reasons beyond her control so we stepped in and said we would give him a loving, permanent home. He's got a permanent home... but I am not so sure we were as ready as we thought! I had no idea these creatures could think and reason as well as they do! Boo has bonded with my sister but I am his actual caretaker because she works and I do not. I can't wait to start reading more and continue to learn. Snow