About the future

[Bwell79]

My future CAG will be with me and my family for a very long time, that being said. How will a CAG adjust to new pets in the future like a dog? Considering ample space for both of course.

 

For work I tend to travel for a month or two at a time. If I disappear from the CAG's life for months at a time how will that affect our relationship? I plan to have my wife do as much bonding as me, but ultimately the CAG will be mine and I will be responsible for it. Can anyone share some stories or opinons?

[she]

All I can advise is do as much reading up on greys as you can and find out as much information as you can.They are a massive commitment and not one to be taken lightly.Is your lifestyle such that you can give constant care and attention? You mention travelling for a month or so at a time,is this the right time for you to bring a grey in to your life? You say your wife will do most of the bonding but one word of warning,it will be the grey who chooses who he/she will bond with.I dont want to sound negative but I just want you to make sure it is right for you and the bird.They are all individual and how they react to another pet cant be predicted,some will accept a dog some wont.Some have great fun calling a dog in your voice and tormenting it lol. I guess the best time to introduce another pet to a grey is when they are very young. Best wishes sheila

[JillyBeanz]

I totally agree with Sheila - your bird will choose who is "responsible" for him/her. He may never bond to you (whether you are there or whether you are not)!

 

If you are travelling though, will this bird get the 4 hours plus it needs of interaction it warrants each day? Will your wife be able to sustain this committment alone - as you describe the bird will be "your responsibility" and you say you have a dog too, which obviously needs specific care and attention too.

 

My parents looked after Harvey when I went on holiday and they have a four year old Weimaraner - who was very interested in Harvey (for the first two minutes!). They settled in fine together - even posing for the odd photo we received when we were away!!

 

You really, really need to decide whether the attention this baby needs is available, before you bring it home.

[pearllyn]

Hi Matt!,

As Sheila and Jill have said, it will be the grey who decides who he bonds with, regardless of how hard you or your wife tries. If you can sometimes be away for months at a time, this doesn't sound to me like you can give an african grey the time and attention it needs. If your wife is happy to be the primary caregiver and the bird gets on well with her, all well and good. But if the bird bonds completely with you alone and you then disappear for months on end, that bird may pine for you and could develop behavoural problems. Or the bird might decide your wife is the one to bond with. When my cag was a year old I had to go into hospital for a week, I was dead worried because she stuck to me like glue and didn't get on particularly well with my fiance. They managed ok without me (can you believe it!!? lol) and when I came back Alfie was literally stuck to my neck for three days. Now, a year later, she is very much Davids bird!! Figure that out!! There's just no telling who your grey will bond with - maybe both of you, the only certainty is that he will change your life and need at least four hours out of his cage each day, with lots of interaction and stimulation!

Good luck!

 

Lyn & Alfie.<br><br>Post edited by: pearllyn, at: 2010/01/12 10:58

[Bwell79]

Thanks Pearlyn, that is good info. We dont not own anyother pets besides fish at this time. Is it easy to introduce new people when the Grey ages some, say 8-10 years?

[ecodweeb]

That depends on the parrot. My 17 year old is pretty friendly, my 10 year old girl is quite shy. Some people they will instantly take to, others may take warming up. Some they may never get along with.

[kittykittykitty]

I want to echo what the others have said. A grey is her own person and selects her own family/friends with whom to bond. Greys are high maintenance companions- time, energy and money. And for those who are owned by one, worth every bit of it all. Please think long and hard about it before you bring one into you life.

[BaxtersMom]

I agree with what the others have said and I would almost bet that if you are not consistently in it's life and gone for a month or two the bird may or may not like you, but will bond with your wife. Greys tend to be one person birds. My grey tolerates my husband but he can not pick him up. Only I can do that because he chose me. It's not up to the human...it's up to the grey.

 

Please read all that you can on greys and go through the different rooms and forums here to get more information. I would say if you are away that often a grey is not the right bird for you. If he or she does bond with you and you leave it can cause lots of stress on the bird and could result in plucking or other stress habits.

 

They are wonderful companions but the time and the reasons to get one have to be right. You shouldn't just get one because you want one. It's a long term commitment that needs to really be thought out..