neoow

Thanks all, I appreciate all the kind comments. It's been a long road to get to this point with Alfie. He's always been boisterous and strong willed and I haven't always been his favourite person. In fact, I'm still not his favourite person- my mum is! 😂 But we've gone through a lot together to get to where we are these days and we have managed to work on and build on the trust, which has certainly helped with all the changes that are currently going on in the house. 👍 Talon - I'll try and get a video of him growling at the wrapping paper... I don't think I have any to hand at the moment but with mother's day and a couple of birthdays coming up, I'm bound to have some soon. Only issue is that he clams up as soon as he sees the camera pointing at him, so I might have to get creative. It's very cute though when he growls... I'm sure that's not his intention... to be 'cute'... but I can't help but laugh when he tries to act all big and scary... over some wrapping paper! 😁

Alfie has a new challenge this week - I stuffed a small box full of paper and he's been busy working on chewing the box and pulling every bit of paper out. I'm saving the second bathroom catalogue for another time... it's twice the thickness of the last one so might last a little longer! Alfie is the same in that he doesn't chew much wood but will go to town on cardboard and paper. He also likes the sea grass mats you can get for birds, so I sometimes hang one of those in his cage. He occasionally chews his wooden toys but not often. He also loves the pressed cardboard/paper bangles you can get and will spend ages peeling and chewing those.

Like most parrot owners, I spend a fair amount of money on new toys for Alfie- whether that's to swap out old ones which have been destroyed or to try something new to mix it up a bit for him. This week I found a couple of old bathroom catalogues I got given when I was picking out new stuff for my bathroom. I popped one in Alfie's cage and he's been busy working away at it all week, turning it into confetti. He has ignored every other toy in his cage all week - even the new ones- to shred his catalogue. He's been so busy shredding it that a couple of nights this week when I let him out to play he flew over to his java tree and fell asleep. 😄 He tuckered himself out with the catalogue! Sometimes the best toys are the free ones!

So good to hear from you, shanlung. I've always admired your relationship and shared experiences with your birds.

Hello and welcome to the forums! I'd love to know more about your flock- what are their names? How is he/she settling in? And, of course, photos are always welcome! 😁

Something I've noticed recently- an influx of "breeders" (scammers) trying to sell eggs. I've seen a lot of people falling for this because they think raising a bird from an egg gives them a better experience/bond with the bird. When in actual fact raising a bird from an egg is incredibly time consuming and difficult and filled with risks. Any genuine breeder would never try and sell an egg, or an unweaned baby bird. A reputable breeder would only ever offer fully weaned birds and would only ever let the bird go when they were definitely ready to go.

Despite living with Alfie for 18 years, there are times when he still manages to surprise me. I'm having my kitchen, living room and dining room refurbished, which means we are living in a bit of chaos at the moment. Alfie has a second, smaller cage upstairs in my office, so he's living in that permanently for now as his downstairs cage is currently stashed in the garage. The cats are also shut out of the downstairs areas and I'm practically living upstairs all the time too. So we're all on top of each other and managing with less space than usual. Alfie still gets out of cage time, but he has a lot less space to play in upstairs, as I have to keep him in the office room instead of having the whole of the downstairs to play in. What's really surprised me is how well Alfie has adapted to all the changes that have been going on - as well as all the noise and commotion. I wasn't sure how well he would cope with the smaller cage, sleeping in a different cage/room and the space around him changing as well (we are surrounded by boxes and dining chairs!). I also worried about all the noise disturbing him but he hasn't seemed phased at all. He's settled into his space and routine without issues and none of the noises and moving stuff around seems to have upset him at all. We even ended up having the paths outside my house being dug up (unrelated to the above work - new fibre cabling is going in around the local area) and despite some of the work rattling the entire house, he hasn't been bothered by any of it at all. It's made me realise how lucky I am to have him. He's been taking all of this in his stride and thankfully none of my worries about how it might affect him have come to anything. I'm lucky to have such a boisterous and confident bird. 🙂 ...Although if I walk past with the washing basket he still lunges at it as if he thinks it's going to kill him... and don't get me started on how he still growls at wrapping paper.... 😂

I'm the wrong side of the pond so can't help too much I'm afraid. I would search for your local parrot recuse organisations, if you have any nearby. I know all my local rescues always have birds available. I would personally avoid anyone trying to sell birds on facebook or selling/listing websites- some of those can be scams. I'd always insist on seeing the bird(s) first before making any kind of commitment. Unfortunately there's a lot of shady people around who will happily just take the money and disappear.

Personally I don't agree with the phrase "beginner pet". Budgies and cockatiels and other similar sized birds are sold off cheaply as 'beginner pets' as if they don't matter and don't have similar needs to more expensive or bigger birds. Same with hamsters and other rodents and even rabbits. I feel like this just leads people to believe these animals have no value and therefore are easy to look after/don't have complex needs. It also sometimes leads to people ignoring when the animal is ill and avoiding taking them to a vet because they're 'beginner pets' and can be easily replaced. My first job was in a pet store that sold small birds, fish and rodents. We sold 'starter' cages and 'starter hutches' for the rodents and although the advise to customers was that they should upgrade to a bigger cage, many didn't bother. So scores of rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, gerbils, rats etc would have just been left in teeny tiny cages/hutches for children to ignore because they were "beginner pets" and didn't matter. I was interested in parrots after meeting an African Grey and an Eclectus that came through the store I was working at. I'd never had birds before that and had never considered birds as a pet until I met the birds in store. I was curious and started reading up about them and decided that an African Grey was for me. I've always liked the idea of having an eclectus as well- but they're more difficult to find over here and have a few diet and care considerations over a grey. Getting a parrot is no different to getting any other pet, be it a dog, cat, hamster, budgie, snake... you need to be absolutely sure you can provide that animal with everything it needs before you bring it home. So do what you're doing now- read, research, watch videos, ask questions. This forum has been an absolute godsend for me and Alfie as there is so much knowledge here and I've learned so much from this place as well as other resources.

I love all of your additions- so many great points and observations. 🙂

I got Alfie when I was 17 and thought I had everything sussed. I had read every book available to me (the internet wasn't as easily accessible and full of information as it is now) and thought I'd never have any issues with owning a grey. I don't regret getting Alfie at all as I love having him in my life. But as I mentioned in my previous post, it hasn't always been plain sailing. My mum was the only person who took a real interest in Alfie when I was living at home with my family. My sister was terrified of him and my dad was largely indifferent. He used to sit and play guitar and sing to Alfie but they had a bit of a falling out when Alfie waddled across the sofa, sat on my dad's knee then bit him very hard on his finger for seemingly no reason. Dad wasn't keen after that. My mum got a bit more wary of him after receiving a few bites too- but she's always remained interested in him... just kept out of beak range for a while 😂. We also had a dog and a cat. So Alfie was largely confined to my room or I had to wait until everyone was out if I wanted to let him out in the wider house. Which meant he didn't get much socialisation from anyone other than me. When I moved out I originally lived with two guys- one who was scared of Alfie and one who was largely indifferent but not keen. Alfie's cage location wasn't great and socialisation wasn't great around that time either. I also took on more and more responsibility (and hours) at work, was trying to study for a degree in my spare time and I wasn't providing Alfie with the consistent time and attention he deserved and needed. And again, not much socialisation with anyone other than me. My two housemates moved out and I was able to shift things around so at least Alfie was in the living space instead of out in the hall. But my next housemate also was quite indifferent to him and didn't care to socialise with him for the longest time. He also despised the noise.. and Alfie isn't even THAT noisy compared to some parrots. He moved back home with his dad as we were renting at the time and he didn't like losing all the money each month. So I started looking to buy my own place. That housemate became my lodger but I made it extremely clear before he moved in- Alfie ALWAYS comes first and I WOULD be letting him out of the cage every day, so if he didn't like it, he'd have to avoid the living room when Alfie was out. Fortunately, my housemate did start to make a bit more effort with Alfie that time round and they actually started to get on. He moved out in 2020 so it's been me and Alfie ever since. My main point here for your friend's 13 year old (and sorry for the second essay!) is that it's much easier if family and even some friends are on board with getting a grey and are willing to make the effort and work with the bird too. It can be really tricky to manage if other members of the household are terrified of birds or aren't interested. And even when you think you have the whole world worked out as a teenager... life will ALWAYS throw you curveballs that you never dreamed of. My main questions when a 13 year old asks about getting a grey would be- what about when you move out or go to college/university or get a job/career. What if you have to move away from family for work/career/life? What if you want to start a family with someone who doesn't like birds? You can't plan for every eventuality of course, but you have to be prepared that there is a bird who will be with you for ALL of those changes and is depending on you to look after them regardless of what changes may happen. Is the family willing to take on the responsibility when the teenager can't/won't? And are THEY aware of what they are letting themselves in for?

I've seen birds of all ages up for adoption, younger birds as well as older birds. People rehome for many reasons - some people don't do their research and realise how much time birds need or how messy and noisy they can be. Some people start a family and can't cope with managing the pets as well as the new baby. Some people have a change of circumstances- they might have to move where they can't have pets, they lose their job and can't afford it etc etc. Maybe their jobs change and they are working so many hours they can't provide what the bird needs any more. Some people sadly pass away and their friends and relatives don't know the first thing about bird care and aren't interested to learn. Some people get ill and can no longer look after the birds. Personally, I would prefer someone rehomed an animal if they weren't able to provide the care it needed instead of holding on to it and making it's life a misery- like in Sydney's example above. I've been in the situation where I had to seriously think about rehoming Alfie. The idea crushed me but I wasn't giving him what he needed at the time. My work/life balance was non-existent (all work), I was trying to study in the free time I did have, I had some personal issues going on, I shared a house with people who had no interest in Alfie (and one was terrified of him) so it was difficult to manage his out of cage time. I decided to make a determined effort to make the changes needed to make it work for Alfie. And if I couldn't do it, then I would have rehomed him in the hopes that someone else could. It took me a while to turn it around but we're in a really good place now and I wouldn't be without him. I'm fortunate enough that I was able to make the changes needed at the time. Otherwise Alfie would have been yet another bird in a rescue centre and there was no guarantee that he would have found his forever home. Apologies for the essay and for derailing the conversation somewhat. 😕

After he throws it out, does he climb down and eat it later? Sometimes Alfie will throw stuff out of his bowl only to go retrieve it later. You can get some bowls which click into place and the bird can't pick it up and tip it out... doesn't stop them scooping it out, however. Does he like foraging toys? You could put the food into a foraging toy instead of a bowl. Might slow him down a bit! 😂 Like you say, he's not starving himself. He gets plenty of food elsewhere. It's obviously just a little quirk of his.

I have no idea if there's much difference between males/females temperament wise. I call Alfie a male but actually have no idea if he's male or female. I was told he was a male but I've never had him DNA tested to confirm either way. Some people suggest males will bond better with female humans and females will bond better with male humans but I don't know how true that is. Alfie previously bonded to my male lodger and he also goes absolutely gooey for my mum. I've only ever had Alfie, so I have no other birds to compare him to on that point I'm afraid! I got Alfie as a baby (approx 11 weeks old) and finished off his weaning process. If I was going to get a second bird, I'd check rescues first I think. There are lots of birds in need of homes. Several members here have rescued birds and have amazing relationships with them.

They seem to like a routine and will fall in line with yours. They do benefit from getting a lot of sleep overnight in a dark/quiet space so you may have to consider this if you're getting a bird up early. With Alfie I work 8-9 hours a day and whilst most of that is working from home these days previously I had to be on site all day, 5 days a week. So Alfie would come out of his cage to play in the evenings for 2-3 hours and longer at the weekends where possible. When I'm working from home I have a second cage upstairs in my office so he can come and join me and we keep each other company. On quieter days I'll let him out in the office so he can play on his tree and around the room. When I let him out of his bigger cage downstairs he has the whole downstairs of the house to play in. I also have two cats so he doesn't get the full run of the house, I have to keep them separated when Alfie is out and about. When I'm on site for work and Alfie is left in his cage he has plenty of toys to play with and foraging opportunities and I leave the radio on for him.

I saw and responded to a thread from a new member asking about parrot ownership and just thought it might be useful to have a thread on the best parts of parrot/grey ownership as well as some of the worst. A lot of videos and social media sites always seem to promote the best things about parrots and maybe sugar coat some of the 'bad' or undesirable parts of parrot ownership. So... what would be on your good, bad and ugly lists in relation to living with parrots? Good Greys make great companions. It's a very rewarding experience. I've been learning about training the last few years and getting a successful recall or when Alfie asks to play our little colour game is very rewarding. Bad The mess from dust, dropped food and shredded toys is never ending. You can't be too house proud with a parrot around 😂 Poop. Everywhere. Ugly The occasional 'unpredictable' bite which can really hurt your feelings! And of course, some parrots WILL draw blood. (I'm very thankful Alfie is not one of them) What would you add to these lists?

I'm in the middle of some house renovations in the house (having the kitchen replaced and some other bits of work in the living room/dining room). So I've had lots of contractors coming round and measuring up. Alfie likes when they use the laser pointers to measure, as they make a little beep noise that he can mimic. He managed to confuse one contractor a couple of times because Alfie was making the beep noise before he'd pressed the button to get the measurement. 😂

Hi A.K, welcome to the forums! There is a wealth of information here so it's worth taking some time to read back through the archives. I'm afraid I can't point you in the direction of any any vets/breeders/rescues etc in your area as I'm across the pond in the UK. In terms of criteria for living with parrots and greys in particular I'd probably go with the following: - You need to have lots of time. Parrots need lots of time and attention. They aren't just going to sit in the corner looking pretty. They want to be involved in the family (their flock) as much as possible. Someone once described parrots as being like toddlers with a can opener attached to their face. I can't agree with this more! - You need to be patient. This is so important with greys. They do everything in their own time. You can't rush them. They can be extremely change adverse at times... new toys are scary! New perches will eat them! Sometimes even new hairstyles/clothes on their human's are worrisome too. You have to work at their pace, not yours. - You need to be tolerant. Parrots are not domesticated animals like dogs and cats. They are smart, intelligent beings with a lot of their wild instincts left. They will quickly learn how to push your buttons. They can be noisy, they are messy, they can be destructive. They can be trained but positive reinforcement is key. Parrots will never react well to shouting or punishments. Greys make for wonderful pets and companions. They will quickly take over your life and you'll never remember what it was like before you had one. And yes, they are a massive commitment - basically similar to having a child. But they are incredibly rewarding in their own very unique way.

Alfie does exactly the same- he'll throw or push something off his shelves and make the 'oop!' noise that I make when I drop something. 😂

Alfie is terrible with toes/feet too. I have to keep them well out of his way. He doesn't really spend much time on the floor so when he does go on it he doesn't run around, he takes slow deliberate steps and takes everything in. Only time I see him running is when he's on his shelf and he's attacking his foot toys.

Haha these are all really funny! I'm sure I have loads of stories with Alfie but I'm struggling to think of many right now. He learned the sound of the smoke detector when we were still living at my parents house. My mum went through a spell of burning everything and setting off the smoke alarm. Unfortunately Alfie associated the noise with my mum being in the kitchen, so whenever she walked past his cage to go to the kitchen he'd start beeping like the smoke alarm! My dad had been round lots to help with the garden and if he wanted to called me he'd walk into the house and yell "Trina!" and then I'd respond or come downstairs. One day he had finished in the garden, told me he was leaving then left. A little while later I heard "Trina!" in my dad's voice from downstairs. I assumed he'd forgotten something and come back so I went downstairs... but he wasn't there and his car was still gone. It was Alfie. He nailed the voice PERFECTLY. When we were still living with my parents if my mum called me from downstairs Alfie would answer "WHAT" in my snotty teenager tone. 😂

Alfie has always preferred whistles and noises over words. He knows the odd word and phrase and he does like to mumble sometimes. But he LOVES to whistle. He'll regularly whistle his own tunes as well. The worst noise he ever learned was in my previous house. His cage was in the hall near the front door and he learned the noise of the key turning in the lock. Which wasn't a problem until I was home alone one night, knowing full well my two housemates were out all night... then I suddenly hear a key turning in the lock and start panicking that someone is letting themselves in. 😂 It took me a good few moments to realise it was Alfie!

Never ever try and rush things with a grey. I believe from your posts that you have only had your second bird Bubbles for a month or thereabouts. Moving to a new home with new people, new animals and a new routine is a massive upheaval for a bird. They need time to settle down and familiarise themselves with their new environment and everyone/everything in it. This can take a while on it's own. And then suddenly there's another grey encroaching on their cage/space. You have to go at your birds' pace, not your own. It may take weeks, it may take months. But every time you try and force a grey to do something they really don't want to do you could set their progress back. Similarly, your first grey, Ziggy has suddenly had a new bird appear in his space- so that's a change that he needs to get used to as well. He may be a bit more curious than Bubbles as he's already familiar with your home, routine and family etc. But he still may take some time to get used to the new addition, especially if he's been an only bird for a while. It's also worth noting that your greys may NEVER get on. That's always a possibility and one you'll have to manage if it happens. This is one reason why I haven't added another bird to my house- I've had Alfie for 18 years and he's used to being an only bird. I'd only ever consider adding a second bird if I knew I could give them enough time and attention separately and away from each other, if they didn't get along.

Wow sounds like you definitely have your hands full with her! Wishing Tinkerbell a very speedy recovery! I don't know if it's true but I always get the impression that conures think they are bigger and stronger than they actually are... I quite often see stories of them getting into scrapes where they picked on another bird and came off worse.

I love all of the stories of your greys seeking you out! Alfie's main cage is in the living room - which is open plan with the dining room and kitchen. I have two cats so when he is out of his cage I have to shut them upstairs and he gets the downstairs. He mostly amuses himself but if I start cooking dinner he'll usually fly over to the dining table to see what I'm up to and if I go back to the sofa he'll usually fly back over to his shelves above the sofa or he'll come and join me on the sofa. It's very cute to have a bird shaped shadow following me around. He has a second smaller cage upstairs in one of my spare bedrooms where the computer is so that we can keep each other company whilst I work from home. If I have a quieter day then I'll let him out in the room but have to keep the door shut because of the cats. He has a java tree on my desk and another shelf to play on, plus the play top on his cage, which he still doesn't particularly like being on. He'll often come and sit on the back of my chair to supervise me at work.