reggieroo

OK, well I've had some news on this little grey. The lady who has her has called me just now to say that she would be happy for me to have the little sweetie. She has thought long & hard about it & feels I would be the best match for this little grey. She did have a lady call here today to say it might be hers but didn't know the ring number or anything, she tried calling her back to see if she had the info but no answer. She now feels it's time for her to come to me. The only thing is she feels like there should be some type of record of me taking her as it will be just between us as far as I know. Is there any legal issues here in the UK that we need to be aware of as she doesn't actually own the bird, only looking after it because it was a found bird etc? I said that maybe she could get some sort of document drafted & we both sign it but what it would say I don't know. I've got to say, I'm well happy. I'll feel even happier when I get her here with me.

I always enjoy Emma's videos, I always say it but "she is the sweetest grey ever"

I'm itching to contact the lady who has the grey but don't want to be a pest. They know that I have offered my home to the little sweetie, I made sure they knew each & every time I spoke to them. I want to go visit them again just to say hi to the little grey, I'll probably give them a shout in about a week just to let them know I'm still interested, that should be about three weeks then.

So true, you just assume that the owners are just like me, frantic to get Murphy back & would do anything but you just don't know. For all we know they might have been the ones that handed the grey into the vets in the first place or even let it go on purpose. We as loving owners just can't imagine this & only see things from the view point of how we are with our pets & how we feel. It's hard to believe that some people out there really don't care about the welfare of their pets. This little grey though is in good condition, trusting & seems a happy little soul, nails are a little overgrown but so were Murphy's until I got the right perch. I would think that if a grey had come from bad owners then it would likely have many issues & no trust at all.

That's exactly as it felt, you hit the nail on the head.

Oh wow, you guys are amazing, I didn't expect such a response when I logged on just now & seen all the nice posts. Thanks for all the positive support. I'll be sure to drop them another email or text just to let them know I'm still here, ready to take this little grey in at the drop of a hat should the owners not be found. They said that another vet was interested so I hope they chose me if the chance arises. They also said their only concern was if the owners popped up in the future & wanted it back, what then? I said that if that ever happened I would give her back as I would hope somebody would do the same for me if I ever found Murphy was with someone who had taken him in.

Well I haven't really felt like coming on & talking about greys this last few months & wasn't quite sure how I was going to feel seeing another grey that wasn't Murphy but surprised myself. I actually felt ok & felt as though this little grey could quite happily come home with me. I'm sure you know what I mean but it felt like I formed a bond with it even in the small time frame I was there, it felt kinda right. I had said to myself that if Murphy doesn't come back I would like to help another grey when the time was right, didn't expect it to be so soon but if it's meant to be then it's meant to be.

I think some people thought I was crazy when I went all out looking for Murphy, asking every soul that I could find "have you seen a grey parrot" Some of the looks I got! I found myself explaining how much he meant to me because you could tell they just didn't understand. At that point I realised people didn't have the first clue how much our fids/pets mean to us, especially after some of the sarcastic remarks I got! I must admit though most people were very helpful & did seem to understand how much it meant to me to find him.

As most of you know I've been on the hunt for my lost grey Murphy for the last three months but unfortunatly with no luck. Well in my search I came across a grey that had been found 35 miles away. The grey was young grey the same age approx as Murphy & with a purple band on the right leg. Well I was sure it was Murphy & even after checking the ring number on the phone I still had it in my head that it could have been Murphy & couldn't rest. So I called them up & asked for a visit to to set my mind at rest. I kept thinking that they might have read the ring wrong or something like that. Anyway they were more than happy for me to make a visit to see this grey they had in their care. I got there all nervous & they brought the little grey down to see me but it wasn't Murphy. Even so the little grey was more than happy to step up for me, a complete stranger & then straight up on my shoulder. They said to me "be careful, she (they don't know the sex but are calling her a she for now) can be a little nippy if you take her off the shoulder" But me being me I didn't worry about a little bite & asked her to step up, which she did with a few harmless nips. Within 10 minutes or so I her her stepping up with no nips at all & she was only too willing. This little grey was such a sweetie who spent the whole time sat on my shoulder & towards the end of my visit was mumbling in my ear. I'm not sure how long I was there chatting etc but this little grey has stolen my heart & I felt that we formed a bond virtually straight away. I felt so at ease with this grey & I felt the feeling was mutual. " she has certainly taken a shine to you" were the words they said to me. I replied "I could take this little sweetie home right now" Upon leaving, they took the grey back upstairs but she didn't want me to leave, she flew back after me & landed on my shoulder again. The story with this little grey is that she was brought into the vets after being found by someone. The lady who is looking after her, offered to take her home while they searched for the owner as she has a parrot of her own & has experience with parrots. She told me that they will keep her for 4 weeks, apparently that is the legal time they have to keep her before offering her up for fostering/re-home etc. They are not quite sure what to do with her after the 4 weeks but I just couldn't help myself & offered to have her. They promised to keep me updated on the progress in the hunt for the owner. Although I'm hoping for the owners sake & the little grey that they get re-united, I'm also selfishly hoping to have a new grey friend in my life. Even though I will never stop thinking about Murphy, I can't stop thinking about this little grey either. I think I have fell in love with another grey.

Sounds like my little daughter who absolutely loves the film Rio. She comes running in saying "watch birds" & she is only two years old this month.

She will start talking more soon, I'm sure. If she can already say "hello" then she has already mastered it, just give it time.

That is so sweet!

That brought a tear to my eye, so I have wept for him too the poor little soul.

No nothing unfortunately, we did have a phone call about a sighting in the next village so I rushed out within 5 minutes to find a cockatiel in a tree. I tracked down the owners who were aware of the escape but didn't seem to be that interested in catching it. I then got another phone call this morning about the same bird. I actually feel frustrated that there bird is around their home with a chance of being caught but they just seem to be leaving it to fate or luck that he comes back, rather than talking action. :mad:

Like people have already said why would somebody pay such a large sum of cash on on a bird they clearly don't want? I don't understand it, not one bit! When I got Murphy even though I had previous experience owning an Amazon for 10 years, I still did my research on greys & learnt so much more. I did all this to make sure I could give him the best possible life I could. I hope you have some luck in rescuing this poor grey before it is psychologically damaged for life.

This has crossed my mind many times!

I decided not to clip Murphy but if I knew that clipping him would have prevented his escape then I would, but you don't know till it happens. As you can imagine it is something that went through my mind when he escaped. It's a very hard choice indeed, pros & cons to both I feel. Kate said to me on a number of occasions to clip his wings for fear of him escaping but I always said "no". Our daughter is now nearly two & Kate was worried that she may open a door, not knowing that Murphy would fly off. It's a hard one, I think it is down to each individual circumstances. We should respect each & every persons decision.

Hi Guys, thank you so much for your warm words & thoughts. What a great bunch of people to be there for me in my times of need & to understand how I feel, more so than even some people close to me. I feel privileged to a part of this forum, never have I known such warmth, especially from people who have never met me in person. I can't thank you all enough. I've already looked at some parrot rescue centers & thought maybe that is the path I may take in the future. Cash is a problem for us at the moment so no babies & I feel as if I'd like to help other greys as I'm a sucker for a lost soul. I only have space for the one cage so I've thought of offering my services as a temporary parrot foster home to some that are waiting re-home, this way I'm not taking one on permanently but would still have a parrot around & still be able to give Murphy his cage back if/when he comes home. I'm just not sure yet what to do, I do know I definitely want a grey in my life. I'm so missing having one around, I want to go see one so I can alleviate my grey fever. Shame I don't have any local friends around that have a grey, there is one at a local garden centre called Charlie in the outside aviary that I used to stop & have a chat with, I may have to pop out for a chat with Charlie.

Oh Guys, I can't even read my own post now, it has me that upset. A big strong man like me reduced to tears over a little bundle of grey feathers. I think it has hit me this morning, just broke down on Kate. I'm not sure what would be worse, losing one to an escape or one passing on? When you lose one to an escape, you still have hope that they may come back & you haven't totally lost them in a way but at the same time you don't have any closure. If one passes on, then I guess you can grieve but the pain is probably worse to begin with as you know they aren't coming back. As for getting another, well life without a grey is not a nice place to be if you love greys but at the same time I can't face putting another in his cage. It would feel as if I have given up on him, maybe it would be some closure though but always having that hope he may come back. I just don't know right now to be honest, I keep having thoughts of what I'll do if he doesn't come back. Maybe get another, it would help with the pain a little but then in other ways it would hurt when I look & think that isn't Murphy.

I'm feeling sad not having my grey friend Murphy around, I'm slowly getting used to the fact that he is not here but I don't like it. As the time clicks away I feel less likely to get him back, I imagine he's still out there somewhere in a tree, wondering what it's all about............this big wide world! You don't realise how much you miss them till they are gone. I keep going to whistle tunes, not for me as I don't normally whistle but for Murphy, I then remember in a spilt second later he isn't here. When I return home, I walk through the door to say hello but he isn't here. First thing in the morning, I don't hear him under the cover mumbling, waiting for me to uncover him so I can say "good morning mate" I miss his little bobbing head, that is what hurts me the most would you believe, his little grey bobbing head when he was happy. Oh Murphy, I hope your ok & not as sad as Daddy. Life without a grey just isn't the same!

I keep getting told by so called experts that he will only go 20 miles max????? I find this a little bizzare as he has a very capable set of wings & I keep saying that it is quite possible that he will travel a good distance. I'm going to keep calling all the greys that have been found up to 100 miles away.

Well guys, with what I've been through with Murphy's great escape I wouldn't wish it upon anyone & if I can help somebody get their bird back then at least all my efforts haven't been in vain. I'm still at it & haven't given up, although I must admit some days I feel there is no hope. Murphy is ringed by the way & registered with the UK parrot society. Does anybody know how far they can travel? I have called a few numbers of found African greys over 100 miles away & keep getting told no way he would be out this far.

You know what that's a question I don't know how to answer, Kate said to me when he got out " you should clip his wings if we get him back" I sort of just shrugged my shoulders. There are two ways of looking at it, now that he is out, I'm glad I didn't clip his wings as he probably wouldn't survive without them, at least he has a fighting chance with his full set of wings. On the other hand, if his wings had been clipped then he probably wouldn't have escaped in the first place & would be safe at home right now. I made the decision not to clip his wings for various reasons inc his mental well being & I enjoyed him flying around, sometimes he was a pain in the butt but what I would give right now for Murphy to be a pain in the butt flying round my house.

Ok guys, well I got there this morning at first light before the birds woke up. I spent 20 mins walking round calling & whistling before I heard a shrieking. Immediately I thought that sounds like an Amazon as I used to have one a few years back, you don't forget those shrieks. Anyway I tracked it down to the exact tree it was in, although it was still a little dusky I could see it wasn't Murphy but couldn't quite see what color it was. It did look like one color though & no white round the eyes. So by the size & noises it made I guessed it was an Amazon. So I'm there & I said to myself "right Paul, you need to catch this bird & make at least one owner happy" I tried for three hours to get it to come down or even get a reaction from this bird, tried talking to it, offering food but nothing. It just wasn't interested in me one bit, it even got fed up of me & kept flying off to another tree. I eventually lost it in a massive tree where it went quiet, I hung around for another hour or two but completely lost track of it. I'm absolutely knackered now after only having three hours sleep last night. What I did then was to ask around with various dog walkers etc & got some info. One chap said it was an Amazon that had been around for some time & another lady said that it woke her up every morning for over a week. I then got talking to some local garden maintenance workers who confirmed it was an Amazon & that it had been there for two weeks. I had Kate at home trying to track down any owners who lost an Amazon near by & found one chap. As soon as I got home I called him & told him what I had found out etc. I even played back a recording of it's shrieks that I took on the phone but he said it didn't sound like his bird. Even so he agreed with me that it could have picked up new sounds & is going to head out to the location to see if it is his. I've asked him to keep in touch & let me know how he gets on. Sorry folks, not the news you wanted to hear but thought I'd share. I feel as if I have a duty to try & reunite as many parrots & owners as I can. I've already called numerous people about other parrots I've found along the way. The search for me goes on. :blow:

Right I'm off to bed to get a few hours sleep.