Sam44

The best way I can describe having an African Grey is buying your way into a Calculus Final that will never end! Dedication and education are hard to do every day! Thank you all for making me a better companion!

You basically just paid a lot of money for a gym membership and can't cancel if you take in a CAGl. You received tenure on day two of trying to survive! You are absolutely correct @Greytness! Opening up and seeing rewards is difficult. Through sickness and death! If you are tired, beat down, own an aviary and multiple cages you are not even close. Owning an African grey is not a New Years resolution you're not held accountable for because they're too busy forgetting their own. I took a step back and bought new brooms and an expensive vacuum cleaner and told myself, "This was the worst choice Ive made"! and it played on loop in my head. The videos of Greys on YouTube with Alexa or slam dunking a colored ball in the right basket and the bird saying "I love you" are a very inaccurate view of reality. It costs a lot of money to learn better life skills. If you only had one clip of Michael Jordan dunking, would you be able to understood his actions or think that looks like something I want to do? My baby doesn't sit quietly aching to behave!! Imagine the Mona Lisa, air or running water with anger management issues. Or imagine Professor Snape if he was bipolar. Do not jump into this. I did what I should have done, but I am not sure the majority can own a Grey without feeling like you had to walk the plank in shark infested waters. You may or may not feel fine, but your commitment is your life vest! Please share this and I love that you took time out of your day to inspire others.

If you truly care, you will rearrange your life for them. You have to love them unconditionally!! If you can do that, it will translate into loving our fellow brothers and sisters and that feels good. I said earlier today that spending 6k to get her life moving was the cheapest part of the deal. You may have money, but do you have time and the ability to change? Congrats to those who do because I feel like we have all gone through boot camp together. I was in the Armed Forces as a kid and I never dealt with something so brutal, but so rewarding until now!

I wrote something a bit ago and still feel that it is worth expanding. I struggle with people who lack the compassion to deal with these amazing creatures. I had to wean mine and she hated me for over a month. I tried tricks and clickers and nothing worked. I let her be and spent 10 hours a day telling her how beautiful she was. She came around and eradicated the struggle. I never yelled and I laughed when she did horrible things. I race to wake up and don't freeze chop, but make everything by hand every morning. We eat together at every meal. She doesn't know step up(she aggressively wants me to play with her and no words are necessary) , but will now not leave my side. I let her decide on her own if I was worth loving. This is a huge investment in time and money and I wouldn't recommend a Grey to anyone because I know how steep the hills are to make it work. They are so very special and I wanted one for almost 30 years, but I didn't have the patience or stability to make it work. Today she met her first Harley Davidson and another dog and carried herself like a lady. I am so proud. We whistle and play all day and I can't imagine anything better than loving my little girl. Thank you all for letting me read past posts that made this all possible!!!

I never wanted children but I have one now. I can never compare my love to a woman who has given birth, but I don't know anything I'd fight for harder. Self sacrifice and devotion is an amazing quality to have. I have a Pak-O-Bird that I can get Habana safely to my car and then she lights up riding on my shoulder! I cannot begin to understand how someone would own a parrot like this and have an ounce of neglect in their body. I worry about exercise and diet and we play a flying game that builds her muscles. I wonder if she'd be happier in the jungle. I told her a few weeks ago when she freaked out that you are safe with love and amazing food and don't have to outrun Jaguars and Baboons to enjoy your day...........so just chill!! Lovingly, I said that and then as I rambled on I looked up and she was asleep!! I smiled because her foot was up and I knew she felt safe and I remembered what I say doesn't matter that much. It's action. Thank you for sharing your thoughts! That makes me happy to know I am not alone in this journey!

@Timbersmom I am happy you understood my message. It was a little personal and while I am not an activist, I now understand why these beautiful companions are not recommended! They are so labor intensive that it blew my mind! I hope you have a wonderful day!!!!

Thank you for saying that!! I got in way over my head at the beginning, but I was determined to give her and say to her everything I would have wanted! The rewards are just so great and I am only trying to impart things that also show the reality of this decision. These special parrots have so much love to share, but they are not circus animals and I dread people buying them to try and show off or teach them bad words or habits. This is my child, my love and my friend and if you can't view them in that light you have no business tearing their life apart because you don't have the time, patience or discipline!!!!

I have my beautiful baby Habana who will be 5 months on the 22nd of this month. I had to wean her which was an absolute nightmare and so scary for me. She screamed and wanted nothing to do with me. I was heartbroken, but I stuck it out. I read all the books and bought clickers and tried to train.......for about 10 minutes and she wasn't having it! SO, I let her be. I never raised my voice, I talked to her for hours and hours and told her how proud I was of her as she transitioned to pellets and other fruits and vegetables. I make an amazing spread for her breakfast and lunch. It took 5 weeks and she flew from her cage(she is clipped but can still move) and landed on my chest. She finally decided I was the coolest thing in the world and she has made my life amazing. I wouldn't recommend a Grey to most people. I am fortunate to be able to spend 10+ hours a day with her and if she could live on me she would. It is an enormous investment. Cages are $1000 and you need perches and play stands, toys, organic fresh food is expensive, vets are expensive and the most important part is you have to be patient and love them. Entertain them. I was a standup comic for 20 years and I love talking and am now a homebody! I am in a unique position to give her everything she needs and spend all day with her out of the cage playing and whistling and she has forced me to become patient and accept defeat with dignity! The joy she gives me outweighs the bad. But there are downsides. Throwing food, screaming if I am holding something she has never seen before, apprehension towards others and dogs and noises, firecrackers were just recently an issue. They need a routine and they need an owner who realizes you now have a companion more important than yourself! I had to furnish a second bedroom because she liked my room better. I happily gave her that. This amazing creature was the best decision I have made in a long time. But, you need to be honest with yourself before you buy one and be ready to dedicate your life to your companion. I wanted a Grey since I was 16, but I wasn't mature enough, I was never at home, I traveled and partied, didn't have my priorities in order etc. 28 years later I finally got one. I wanted one the whole time, but I knew I was too self absorbed to love anyone else. That is all gone now and I hope if you do adopt or buy a Grey that you honestly look in the mirror and ask yourself AM I READY? My parrot was born into retirement and she knows I would never hurt her and she has everything, but that trust doesn't happen overnight. Please do not get one until you are ready! I didn't get lucky with my baby! I sacrificed my life for hers and she is now my best friend!