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The Oldest African Grey?


JillyBeanz

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Everyone reads intently about how CAGs/TAG and the ages they reach in both the wild and in captivity, but generally when people discuss them on forums etc they are all relatively young - nobody seems to have an "old" CAG or TAG.

 

With reports that they reach between 30 and 60 does anyone have or know anyone who has CAGs/TAGs between these ages (or older)?

 

When I was looking around the internet for information about ages etc I came across a story about a guy that owned an 86 year old CAG - it was bought from Harrods, London, and was passed through the family on the death of each owner. She laid for the first time at 44 years old,and made the sound of bombs coming down as she was kept in London during world war 2!

 

I know this is an astonishing age - but where are the "older" parrots?

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Oh my goodness Jill! David and I were just talking about this yesterday!

And I have read about that Harrods grey too, some time ago tho! This will be an interesting thread! Thanks for asking about older greys! I've used my Karma for tonight but you shall get one tom!

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I too have often wondered about this. Everyone on this forum (and others) seems to have babies and if someone talks of taking in an older grey, older seems to mean aged between 5 to 10 years old. I think the famous Einstein grey was a good age but I don't believe he could be considered old for a grey either.

 

Good post this!

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Well, I opt to continue the "Rumor" of Churchill having a parrot that was 104.

 

Now, to continue the rumor with a bold faced lie, but you can't prove it. :P ....

 

According to my sister's aunt (whom are both dead so you can't confirm this)who was a friend of the blacksmith that dated the chamber maid who changed the paper in the cage, the parrot no longer is in his right mind being over 104 years old and saying over and over "bury it in me winnie" or was that the chamber maids howl? hmmmm!!!

 

I don't know..... :P<br><br>Post edited by: danmcq, at: 2010/01/21 00:42

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My grey Baxter is 13 years old. I think he might be the oldest one on this forum. Does anyone know of one older than Baxter on here? I've also wondered this same thing. Why don't we hear about more older greys? It kind of worries me....what happens to them once they get older? Do people just quit talking about them? Or worse, do they not make it that long in captivity? Or do people just get rid of them and so on? Wish I knew.

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Dan, you totally confused me there! :silly: :silly:

We had one on another forum whos history could be traced back 80 years so his actual age was anyones guess, he was getting very old and frail but his mum rarely came onto the forum and not been on for a good 12 months now so whether Hector is still going no one knows.

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I have an acquaintance with a 21 year old female CAG. I have yet to meet her personally, but we have talked about getting together with our greys. She is flighted and her owner is now "semi-retired" so they hang out quite a bit. He told me that he lost track of how many phrases she says, but she certainly can request whatever it is she wants, and she has never seen a closed cage! He left it open for her whether home or not! I can't leave Paco alone for a minute or he's hopping off looking for me and getting into all sorts of mischief along the way, I've tested this...

 

Besides a grey, there is a local amazon parrot that is reported to be the oldest parrot in the city I live in. There are vet records for her that go back 65 years, so she is as at least that old. It was this story that helped me find an avian vet, I now take Paco to her vet.

 

Here is the link, and a newspaper article about her in case anyone can't open the link... She lives in a feed store!

 

http://www.bclocalnews.com/fraser_valley/abbynews/community/80300327.html

 

"HI, LORETTA

 

 

Loretta – a yellow-naped Amazon parrot – is believed to be Abbotsford’s oldest pet, at age 65. She has become a bit of a celebrity since being featured in The News in June, said Shauna Roe of The Valley Feed Bag, where Loretta resides.

 

“A lot of people come in to visit her, and they didn’t even know she was here (before the article).”

 

Roe said Loretta is doing as well as expected for a bird her age – around 100 in human years – and still emits her favourite phrases such as, “Hi, Loretta!” and “Bye, Loretta!” on a regular basis. Her trademark hysterical laugh is still a crowd-pleaser, too.

 

Loretta has resided at The Valley Feed Bag for about 20 years, after being donated by a customer following the theft of the store’s former parrot, Gus."

 

Ryan

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Ha Ha! Dan - funnily enough - Winston Churchill himself is still alive and works in the chip shop, round the corner from my auntie in North Shields, Tyne & Wear, England (and his co-worker is Elvis Presley)!

 

From this forum you're right Ramsabi - Sheila's Blue is in his 40s - the oldest anyone on our forum has mentioned in my time here.

 

My presumption about the older greys is that people who have had them years and years don't join forums and don't talk about their birds ~ they've just become a fitting in these people's lives.

 

I'm really interested in this topic though - and hope we uncover some "elderly" relatives. :)

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Deb - Sorry if I confused you with my whimsical post making lighthearted fun of the Churchill parrot story of 104. It has been a macaw, a grey and even a cockatoo!

 

The reality is, Parrots do have very long spans and as some have noted, there are actual true records of them hitting 70 and 80.

 

But, all the data that can be found is very minimal and only a few birds out of millions. This the various guestimates by very respected vets and researchers in the avian field of average longivity ranging from 40 to 60 years.

 

I am positive there are rare incidents of Greys or other Parrots living to 70 or 80. But, suspect that is a .5 percent range just like humans that reach a 100.

 

I also think once a person has had a parrot for so many years. They just don't go to forums etc. and talk about. IN fact, those with parrots and have had them from weaning to perhaps 30 or 40 years may not even use the internet at all as they are older people also and find no interest in it at all.

 

So, we just do not have enough data to give an exact "Average" on human raised and kept Parrots lifespan.

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Beaker is 18, and his mother was imported 14 years prior to his hatch date in 1992. The breeder still has her, so that makes her at least 32.

 

I have a rescue that was an import, but no date is available. The owner I acquired him from had it since 1984, which puts him at least 26.

 

And yes, these older birds have quite a bit of grey :)

 

I consider all my birds to be rather young, and work hard to make sure they remain healthy to live long (doing things like very little seeds, adequate exercise, etc).

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I have had my CAG since Oct.1980,he was 1 1/2y.o. when I bought him.That makes him about 31years 9months old now.He getting along good still for an old guy.I'll post some pics of him soon,I just got a new computer and haven't transfered photo files yet.

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Welcome 1JBird!

 

Wow, now that is one of the oldest Greys on this forum.

 

Why don't you introduce yourself in the Welcome room so all will know we have a new member. :-)

 

Looking forward to hearing your greys name and I am sure you have tons of stories to tell of this very long relationship and perhaps some photos to share. I am sure with 3 decades of experience with you grey, you will have a lot of helpful things to share with us about greys.

 

Thanks for coming and joining our forum. :-)

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I think that does make you the oldest owner (not you, your birdie!!!) I can't believe your grey is nearly as old as me (and older than some members!!)

 

Welcome to our family - please do get some photos sorted and join us - we would love to know more about you. I'm so glad I started this thread - I've enticed a new member! :)

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You have to include the fact that people that have owned fids for 40 years probably don't even know what a computer is.

 

No insult intended, but my mom is 68, and had she become owned by a grey at 20, I'm CERTAIN she'd have NO idea how to find this forum today.<br><br>Post edited by: Lambert58, at: 2010/01/28 02:06

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My cousin Bernard who owns Blue is a member of this forum,he does not post but reads through the posts.So I guess at 45 Blue and Bernard are the winners lol.hear is a pic of the old man. Oh by the way he is coming to me on Friday yippie. Birds031.jpg

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