Our Grey Friends

[Journeyman]

Let's share our experiences on how our Grey friends live and grow with us.

Edited April 20, 2010 by Journeyman

[Journeyman]

I have a 3 year old male CAG and he and I live together by ourselves. I consider him my roomate with feathers and a beak. I've been living with him (and him with me) since November 2007. Cosmo, that's his name, moved in with me when he was about 13 weeks old. Since then, we've developed a trusting relationship based on unconditional love. However, Cosmo has been testing my boundries lately. One important, and frustrating condition he constantly tests is his freedom. As you probably can tell, I'm a bit liberal on the subject. He insists on coming out of his cage (I call it his house) on his own. He can do this when he needs to or wants to when I'm home, so far so good. This tenuous agreement has been in effect for about 6 months now and is being tested every day. He uses every means to get and keep my attention, including switching his heat lampon and off knowing I'll stop what I'm doing to walk over to offer my hand, to stop him from a dangerous act. He never chews at the electric wire, he just switches the "rocker" on-off switch while he looks at me. That's just one example of how he "tests my patience.". Will anyone share with me their trials and tribulations with living with these captivating and almost Indescribable (except to another CAG owner) creatures.

[danmcq]

They do know how to get our attention don't they. GreYt topic!

 

Well, you asked for it... :-)

 

Here is a link to "Dayo" writing a book from his perspective:

 

http://www.greyforums.net/forums/showthread.php?160392-Dayo-Writing-a-Book-for-his-future

[Jayd]

Yes, read Dan's book!!! To second what Dan said, read any of our post's that has "Spock" in the title...Jayd

[Journeyman]

That's great! I have tons of pictures, and a video series entitled "I'm Cosmo". The video series is basically a day in the life of an African Grey and his take on situations as they arise.

[Dave007]

Having 3 is a bit different than having 1. More personalized effort has to be given to each one but on the good side, as they get much older the diferences in their personalities shows up more easily so tending to each gets easier when a person knows how to deal with each one. All of them are different than each other so I know exactly what to do. Some require more attention than the others. Adoptees are probably the hardest to find out about because they have personalities that have already developed from the past.

[Jayd]

So true Dave, not for the faint of heart....Jayd

[Elvenking]

The great thing about Issac is that he always wants to be with me. There are not many things that I do not find endearing about Issac. I love all his little calls and coos as he is growing and trying to learn mimicing. He is more than anything I had in mind when first looking for a bird, and in a very big way. His is so my friend and companion. It is truly frightening sometimes, as I have never loved anything so fragile, so much. I would have to say that he has found a couple ways to push my buttons. He tries to get at my plants and chew the leaves no matter how often I remove him from them. Working on the computer has become a task requiring a lot of strategy. And for some reason, everytime I open the refrigerator (the one in my apartment that I do not own), he wants to bite the seal that goes around the door. He is such a rascal. Even given that, he is impossible to get mad at. All I have to do is look at that little inquisitive head of his, and I melt into love for him.

 

I have to honestly say that Greys are the best kept secret in the pet world, and they are also more than the majority of people in this world understand. I am a very proud Grey owner!

[Journeyman]

Having three must be a test! Cosmo basically runs the apartment where we live. When he tells me it's time for him to go to sleep... (he'll say, "Rick, it's time for sleep". Since he was a baby, every time I'd put him to sleep as I'd cover his cage I would say "It's time for sleep")... I have to lower the TV, shut off all the lights, cover his cage, and Astro's cage (he's my yellow-sided Conure) and keep as absolutley quiet as I can. One night for example, I dropped a spoon on my kitchen table while I was eating a midnight snack, Cosmo exclaimed with anger from his cage in the living room, "For Christ sake, be quiet! It's time for sleep!" I kid you not! He's been able to understand the words I use when I'm frustrated (and also not proud of). I never yell at him. Just the inanimate objects that don't seem to do what I want them too when I need them to do something, if that makes any sense. I have quite a few hilarious stories as well as some videos that will probably knock your socks off!!!

[Luvparrots]

Well let's see, my Ana Grey will sit on the top of my computer screen and turn off my computer. She does this to get my attention. She knows it irritates me and her newest phrase is, "No, stop it." with a little chuckle.

Edited April 22, 2010 by luvparrots

[Elvenking]

"For Christ sake, be quiet! It's time for sleep!"

 

 

Now that is funny! I would die if Issac ever spoke with such assertion. Well get your videos up, I wanna se Cosmo!

[esknomoe]

I can second what Dave has said about adoptees. I adopted Brutus, who is 12 years old, from a previous owner, and more things are being revealed to me every day about his personality. I get little clues all the time about his previous owners, by the things he says. He is an accomplished talker, as well as an encyclopedia of sounds. I love him dearly, and we are continually developing a relationship of trust. I am still learning his body language. I'm comming to believe that I am much more liberal in my dealings with him than the previous owners. He's free to come out of his cage at all times, when I'm home, except for bedtime. I just can't get mad at him. He's not real demanding. He just seems to enjoy the time I spend with him. He still is testing my boundaries, from time to time, and I am his; but it's all good.

Edited April 20, 2010 by esknomoe

[Jayd]

A while back, Spock landed on Maggie's head and started to peck at her head. She told him, "Do you want a time-out Spock?" He replied "Hell NO!" and flew off. Yesterday, Spock got into something on the counter and knocked it off. When Maggie asked him, "Spock, what are you into?" he answered "Nothing!"

Salsa sometimes gets loud and Joey says assertively, "Salsa, Shut up!". Joey (sad) when first rescued, would say things like "get a lawyer", "are you going to feed me?", "you can run but you can't hide!". He doesn't say these things anymore...

Buddy, our Mitered Conure who we rescued from a really bad home, used to say "Wanna get some crack?", and numerous other (dirty) phrases. Now, he says "Good morning", "I love you", "good night"...plus other good phrases. He is an extremely good talker. He would still just as soon bite you as look at you. We have to give him a broccoli stem to chew on so we can clean his cage. We have accepted that he will never be friendly to us but we know he is happy now.

Jayd

[danmcq]

What great glimpses into the lives of a few of your parrots Jay.

 

Thanks for sharing this "Speck" of what I am positive goes on each day.

[judygram]

A while back, Spock landed on Maggie's head and started to peck at her head. She told him, "Do you want a time-out Spock?" He replied "Hell NO!" and flew off.

 

Thats one of the funniest things I have heard and I bet you were laughing so hard at that, at least Spock is honest!

[Spock]

We were getting a little worried for a while when it took Spock almost a year before he started talking...now, he carries on conversations by leaps and bounds. Yesterday, Jay was on the computer and he asked Spock to get off the counter because he was playing with items that he wasn't supposed to...he replied "I don't think so!"

Later that night, he was waiting for Jay to make his formula. Apparently, Jay wasn't going fast enough and he flew over and told Jay "WANNA EAT!"

Jay's getting over a cold and has been sneezing so Joey has been mimicking him with an Aaaccchhoo! I always say "Bless you" to Jay. Joey now says Aacchoo! and Spock says "Bless you!"

Maggie

[judygram]

I can imagine there is never a dull moment in the Jay and Maggie household, those birds must keep you all in great spirits and laughing at their antics and the way they say things at the most appropriate times, what a hoot!!

[ecodweeb]

Talula has started to make specific calls for when she wants either me or Jeff. She wants Jeff's attention more often than mine. She's also trying to figure out how to get the screw top lid off the yum yums (nut) jar. She's a floor walker, and she still gets confused as to where her cage is since it got moved to the living room. She's making other bird calls and we tend to have the big sliding glass door open. Came down stairs the other day to find that like a small flock of some kind of little bird was nested out in the tree just outside my balcony calling at her, and she was responding. One even flew INTO the house and then back out!

[Janfromboone]

Great stories! I too want to see Cosmos' videos. Tobie and I have a little time in the morning before I go to work and while I fix his food and water and clean his cage he must give me at least 50 kisses, some on the back of my head while I'm leaning in the cage wiping the grate off. And he gives me "I love you's and good mornings. When I walk in the front door squeeks and that alerts Tobie that some one is home and it's "Hellllooooo" and then non stop chatter for the next hour. If I'm home Tobie is out of the cage and if I'm downstairs or upstairs he goes with me most of the time if I'm planning to stay a while. I just love his friendship and his upbeat funny little personality. Sometimes he can get annoying, but I have T-stands or playstands in every room if I don't want him on my shoulder or if he is picking at the furniture etc.