poddypod Posted July 25, 2010 Share Posted July 25, 2010 Hi, im new to this forum, and looking to buy a first time bird ! im thinking about a african grey... they sound like the best to me. im really looking forward to having this bird as my companion. i was just wondering if its a good pet to have as a first time bird keeper ? and does anyone know of anywere to get a hold of one ? near the northeast of england? thanks alot. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayd Posted July 25, 2010 Share Posted July 25, 2010 Welcome Paul, Glad your here!! I just made a new Thread that might help you, please check it out....Jayd http://www.greyforums.net/forums/showthread.php?190489-Welcome-PROSPECTIVE-and-NEW-GREY-Owner-s.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poddypod Posted July 25, 2010 Author Share Posted July 25, 2010 HEY, thanks ill give it a look throuh now ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xtreme575 Posted July 26, 2010 Share Posted July 26, 2010 Jay's compilation is excellent, I'd also suggest reading "Parrots for Dummies". It was a great starter read for me, and it addresses all types of parrots. It did stear me towards a grey for sure though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poddypod Posted July 26, 2010 Author Share Posted July 26, 2010 Jay's compilation is excellent, I'd also suggest reading "Parrots for Dummies". It was a great starter read for me, and it addresses all types of parrots. It did stear me towards a grey for sure though. yeah had a look cheers ! deffinetly going to get a african grey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malikah Posted July 26, 2010 Share Posted July 26, 2010 You have never had a bird before? Not even a finch? In my opinion an African Grey is not a beginner's bird. Start with a parakeet and then a cockatiel or conure. I think the parakeet is the most under-appreciated parrot there is. Did you know that parakeets are actually very good talkers? They have gravelly little voices but once you get used to their "accent" you will be amazed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayd Posted July 26, 2010 Share Posted July 26, 2010 Jay's compilation is excellent, I'd also suggest reading "Parrots for Dummies". It was a great starter read for me, and it addresses all types of parrots. It did stear me towards a grey for sure though. Hello again, glad to hear from you. Thank you all. In choosing a first bird, only we know ourselves, we know our limits, our devotion, our determination's, and if we follow through or not... To someone who wants a Grey, a Keet or 'Tiel would never satisfy them. There have been a lot of people who have crossed this forum, 1st time parrot owner, 1st time Grey owner! What ever bird is chosen, will all stand behind you, yell at you when you do wrong and praise you when you do right!!!! Before making you decision, please check out our "Other Birds" and Amazon Room", and read! Read! READ!!! Where here for you... Jayd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvparrots Posted July 26, 2010 Share Posted July 26, 2010 Hi Paul, so glad you decided to join the Grey Forums before becoming a parront. There is oodles of helpful information here and lots of great people who are are willing to help you. My TAG, Ana Grey, is my first big bird. I spent a couple of months here reading and asking "silly" questions and getting to know everyone. I grow up around animals so I knew they poop wherever they want and get stubborn some times but if you treat them with love and respect they love you back a thousand fold. So read, read, read through the many informative threads here and ask any questions you might have. Can't wait to hear how your search for your grey goes. Welcome to the Grey family!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave007 Posted July 26, 2010 Share Posted July 26, 2010 (edited) It's always good to know all aspects of owning a parrot, especially a grey. African Greys are well known for their intelligence, problem solving skills, and especially their talking ability. They're well known for their talking abilities (note: not every African grey will talk!!). A subspecies is the timneh African grey. That bird also talks but has a different personality. If you want a bird that loves to roll around and play or loves to cuddle, then an African Grey probably isn't for you. They love to be around but they lose their cuddliness by the time they reach adolescence. They are also known for their sensitivity and resistance to change. For this reason I consider them a parrot for advanced bird owners. They may be prone to feather plucking and can generally get upset over the smallest of changes, including you wearing certain clothes, someone new placed in the room, you entering the room too quickly, etc. It doesn't apply to every grey but you'll see loads of people having this problem with african greys as opposed to other species. They have to be given an extra amount of hygiene because of their skin. It is important that an African Grey to be very adaptable to change when it's a baby and get it use to new things frequently without upsetting it. And you need to put new toys in the cage frequently, otherwise it will get bored. But you will probably need to introduce the toys slowly to get him use to it. Like all birds, they are messy. Of course, this is in general, every bird is different. Because of all this, make sure you do TONS AND TONS of research before buying an African Grey parrot. Also meet some in person/people and discuss all things concerning greys. If you have family, they also need to be very involved with your grey. You would want the bird to get along with as many in the family as possible. You need to know exactly what you are getting into. All parrots need the following things: * A large cage with a variety of toys * A varied diet, including vegetables each day * Much interaction time with you outside the cage each day. He should be out of his cage for *at least* a few hours a day. I hope that helps! Edited July 26, 2010 by Dave007 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poddypod Posted July 26, 2010 Author Share Posted July 26, 2010 Hey thanks everyone, everything that all you have said is very helpful ! i feel welcome in this forum ;d . also if i were to choose an african grey/ it chooses me. would it be better to get 2 of them for it to play around with ? i have no issues with money. ? thanks alot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malikah Posted July 27, 2010 Share Posted July 27, 2010 Hello again, glad to hear from you. Thank you all. In choosing a first bird, only we know ourselves, we know our limits, our devotion, our determination's, and if we follow through or not... To someone who wants a Grey, a Keet or 'Tiel would never satisfy them. There have been a lot of people who have crossed this forum, 1st time parrot owner, 1st time Grey owner! What ever bird is chosen, will all stand behind you, yell at you when you do wrong and praise you when you do right!!!! Before making you decision, please check out our "Other Birds" and Amazon Room", and read! Read! READ!!! Where here for you...Jayd So then you end up with 3 birds instead of one. We are all entitled to our opinions, and I will still stand by my opinion that a person should get some experience with the easier parrots before purchasing a grey. I wonder what percentage of first time parrot owner + first time grey owners are successfully nurturing happy healthy grey birds. Jay being in the rescue business ought to have a good idea. I'm sure the statistics are much much better for those who are lucky enough to stumble upon this forum. But like everyone else has said, it's your decision and I wish you the best! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayd Posted July 27, 2010 Share Posted July 27, 2010 (edited) So then you end up with 3 birds instead of one. We are all entitled to our opinions, and I will still stand by my opinion that a person should get some experience with the easier parrots before purchasing a grey. I wonder what percentage of first time parrot owner + first time grey owners are successfully nurturing happy healthy grey birds. Jay being in the rescue business ought to have a good idea. I'm sure the statistics are much much better for those who are lucky enough to stumble upon this forum. But like everyone else has said, it's your decision and I wish you the best! Statistics first, Opinion second, [this is neutral...statistics only!] The most popular bird to give to shelters or released in the U.S. is the Cockatiel followed by Conures,[believe it or not]. Some States have groups who are trying to ban 'Tiel breeding. The most abused and re-homed is the Cockatoo! The most resold birds are the Grey and Macaw's, their mostly bought for status, then sold when the people get tired of them. The bird with the most psychological problems? the Grey, followed by the Cockatoo.[ wrote "Macaws" wrongly]. The easiest bird to re-home or move? the Amazon.[most] Opinion: The bird to choose must be challenging enough to keep the mind occupied, it must also have traits that carry over to a Grey for comparison. Would a keet be serious enough of status to occupy a persons mind who wants a Grey? So, does this person have a mind that needs preconditioning? The answer still remains, The person has to look into their heart, and decide. Jayd Edited July 28, 2010 by Jayd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elvenking Posted July 27, 2010 Share Posted July 27, 2010 Hey thanks everyone, everything that all you have said is very helpful ! i feel welcome in this forum ;d . also if i were to choose an african grey/ it chooses me. would it be better to get 2 of them for it to play around with ? i have no issues with money. ? thanks alot LOL....be very careful jumping in so deep with these birds. I had a conure before my grey, and its not even like that same animal. They are extremely rewarding birds to own and conversely high on attention requirements and prime dedication. You will learn many things from owning a Grey. I was pretty well prepared for a Grey when i brought Issac home, but he amazes me both in his ability to entertain, and keep me on my toes. I would also read Dave007's "Ten Resons Not To Get A Parrot" and make sure you can deal with all of those frequently. If you get through that list and still say, 'Yes I can do this' then I say go for it. As far as getting two, LOL, I can bearly handle one...I am not sure if having two reduces the attention they require from you, or doubles it. Others can comment. But I can honestly tell you that it is a major commitment to raise a Grey correctly and give them a good life. "Good life" is the key term there and that is what this community wants for all Parrots and birds alike. So final thoughts, incredible birds to own...probably the most connected you may feel to a pet, but they require a commitment that you won't be able to fathom until you own one. Good luck. Ohh, and money does help to keep them on a good diet and provide lots of entertainment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elvenking Posted July 27, 2010 Share Posted July 27, 2010 (edited) So then you end up with 3 birds instead of one. We are all entitled to our opinions, and I will still stand by my opinion that a person should get some experience with the easier parrots before purchasing a grey. I wonder what percentage of first time parrot owner + first time grey owners are successfully nurturing happy healthy grey birds. Jay being in the rescue business ought to have a good idea. I'm sure the statistics are much much better for those who are lucky enough to stumble upon this forum. But like everyone else has said, it's your decision and I wish you the best! I have had a couple of conures in my life, a cockatiel, and have been around my brothers cockatoo enough to know her demeanor. I am not so sure that owning any other type of bird would do the experience of owning a Grey any justice. I think the closest match might be having a 2 year old child in the house. You will need patience for sure. What you think is asked of you for owning a Grey, will be shattered and you will be required to give more. It's almost certain. That said, it is also a very magical experience. I thought the whole idea of a bird bonding with you for life was very special, but I didn't realize how much I could love an African Grey Parrot. I think my bond with him, blows away the bond he has with me. My heart is in that bird. Edited July 27, 2010 by Elvenking Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted July 28, 2010 Share Posted July 28, 2010 My opinion is if you end up still wanting a grey just get one, two greys will be too demanding of your time and since you have no experience with them one will be more than enough for you to handle, besides if you get two and they bond with each other then they may not bond with you. In any case do lots and lots of research before you plunge into this, you need to know this is what you really want and you can handle it, ask questions and we will do our best to get you some answers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poddypod Posted July 28, 2010 Author Share Posted July 28, 2010 aye thanks everyone! took everything into consideration ! and will make my mind up in a month or two ! and keep yas updated ;d Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shanlung Posted August 2, 2010 Share Posted August 2, 2010 Paul, I do feel that you will be one of those who can live happily and well with a grey not withstanding that will be your first parrot. I was one who got a grey as my first parrot. I had wanted one for 30 years. I am so glad to finally did that. I had done my research, buying books and reading all that I could prior to that. Of which I found 95% of what was written ( to be fair, in 2001) were wrong altogether. Here is Tinkerbell with me. Tinkerbell then went on to bring magic into my life and touched the hearts of many others around the world. I wrote of the life we have to open a window to others on the world we lived in and on the training that we have done and the things we have done . For them to decide if living with a flighted grey at home is worth the while for them. Check out Tinkerbell website as that might be very helpful to you. http://www.geocities.com/shanlung9/'>http://www.geocities.com/shanlung9/ A summary of Tinkerbell can be found here http://shanlung.livejournal.com/8284.html If you are sensitive and can treat a grey with dignity and respect as an intelligent sentient, you should go and get a grey. I have looked at perhaps 20-30 greys. When I saw Tinkerbell for the first time, in my heart, I knew we were meant for each other. The money could not come out of my pocket fast enough especially as another person then was also looking at her. Go look at greys. There will be one that jumped out. The one that touch your heart (might look good, might look bad, or big, or small) will be the one you spend rest of your time with. You will find your money cannot come out of your pocket fast enough too. You find your life never to be the same after that. Warmest regards Shanlung 山龍 http://www.geocities.com/shanlung9/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jamalbirdbiz Posted August 2, 2010 Share Posted August 2, 2010 Greys make great first birds. Starter birds are akin to starter marriages - we are talking about commitments and working ur way up is not feasible considering that both marriages and pet keeping are all about until death do you part. what do u start with a finch keep it for 15 years and then get a cockatiel which should live 25 years. well dont forget the conure that is another 30 years . do the math u will have finally gained the experience deemed appropriate by certain people that will have prepared you to embark on owning an african grey and by then you will be close to dead so who will take care of it when ur dead? it doesnt make sense. getting a smaller bird and then abandoning it as u work ur way up is cruel and i hope that is not what people suggest should be done to attain the ultimate parrot one desires. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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