How has your grey changed your life?

[Janfromboone]

For some reason today I am just bursting with love for my Tobie. He has been especially clever and funny lately and gives me the usual kisses, but they seem sweeter. When I'm sitting on the couch he will come across the back of the couch and step onto my shoulder and watch a little TV with me. After a couple of minutes he will touch his beak to the side of my head and make a soft kissing sound. Dear sweet bird. He has added many smiles, a few chuckles and lots of love to my home. What do you love most about your grey and how has he changed your life.

[Shades Of Grey]

Aww, how cute.

Well..I don't have any free time in the evening anymore and I clean more bird poop and messes than I ever thought possible LOL, but I love every minute of it. Tui has really changed our lives as well. I wanted a grey for so long but I didn't fully understand what life would be like. These last few months, I think I have worried, laughed and loved as much as I did when we brought our children home as newborns. Life will never be the same, but in a good way.

[Elvenking]

Issac has really come and changed my life a lot. Firstly, I love the little guy so much it's scary. The other day when he copied the sound of me swallowing water, I nearly blew water out my nose. He gives kisses and jams his little head into the crook of my neck to show me love or to ask for scratches too. He will make efforts to take what ever toy he wants to play with and bring it as close to me as possible so that he can be near while he whittles away.

 

I have a mission with my little grey. It is to give him the best life he can get in my home. I have those days a lot when i am overflowing with love for him. It also never fails that at some point in the day, I am thinking about him and getting back to him to give him some out-time. I will tell friends that I can't go out because my bird hasn't had enough free time yet. Sometimes I have to lie because they just don't get it. I am willing to take it all for Issac. I am able to accept all the poop no matter how much he does it and\or where. (Which is everywhere). I feel for him all the time. I keep him closely insulated from any accidents, people who don't understand birds, and in general keep him away from anything that he could be afraid of.

 

In return, I have a bird who is so gentle. Unless it comes to nail clipping....lol...he just despises that. More often than not...I let the nails go and take the many scratches on my hands, arms, and back just so he doesn't have to endure it. I will often surrender personal belongings to his curiousity or entertainment. You should see my shoes! In general though, Issac is extremely trusting and allows lots of hugging, petting and kissing. There really is nothing like having a parrot that would otherwise in the wild fly like hell away from you if you came within 50 feet of him, rub his head up against you and fluff his feathers up for human contact.

 

I look to Issac as a reflection of myself and what kind of person I am. It drives me to constantly give of myself in order to see just what kind of a wonderful Grey comes out the other side. So far it looks like I am doing good, as I feel like I have a wonderful friend and companion. I really love Issac.

[Kaleah]

I never thought I could have this kind of love for anything. Sure, I love all of my animals, but it's a different kind of love I have for Kaleah. I can only imagine this is how parents feel when they bring a new baby home. I've worried so much about the simplest things, and I haven't cried this much in awhile. Yes, cry. Like when I took Kaleah to the vet a few weeks ago, I had her all ready to go in her carrier sitting in the kitchen. I was in the living room and walked passed her cage and just stopped. Seeing her cage empty made me feel uneasy. It made me think back to before I had her and I wondered what life would be like for me now without her. I burst into tears. In the short time I have had her she has already become such apart of who I am that I can't imagine a day without her. I love her so much and I tell her constantly throughout the day.

 

I'm laughing right now because were I to say this to any of my friends, who aren't really "bird people", I would get lots of eye rolls and be told I need to get out more. But i know there's some people who understand me when I say that I feel guilty about leaving to go ANYWHERE, especially when it's for anything but work. Kaleah will scream for me as I walk out the door and it makes me feel awful.

 

To rap this up, yes I am utterly and completely head over heels in love with my Grey. She adds a brightness to my day I didn't know was missing until I got her.

[JillyBeanz]

How has having a grey changed my life? I HAVEN'T GOT A BLOODY LIFE ANYMORE!!

 

I used to come and go as I pleased, I used to have lovely things around the home that would remain untouched, I used to..... You get the picture!

 

Harvey has brought absolute destruction and mayhem to my house! He has to be the centre of the universe, or else! He would try the patience of a saint!

 

Saying that, I wouldn't be without him - and just love the end of the day when he calms down, just before "birdy byes" when he sits with me and I kiss him to death (not literally)!! The only problem I get is when he's had fresh chillis, and I forget...........!!!

[MarcusCAG]

I really don't have time this morning, I have so much to do, but I saw this thread and I just have to reply!

 

Marcus... oh, where to start? I love him so much. I love our Beaker (Quaker parrot) too but Marcus is really my bird, I think. After my 13-year-old chinchilla died this past spring, I was so devastated, and it clicked that I didn't want to adopt another rodent-type animal... I wanted a parrot. After some research (and discovering Alex, whom I fell in love with immediately), I settled resolutely in my heart that I wanted a Grey. But finances, and availability... just wasn't working out. I got rather depressed. Seeing this, my dear husband came up with the idea of adopting a Quaker parrot instead, in effect allowing us to adopt the bird who became our Beaker on the premise that, if a Grey ever came around that we could afford, the Grey would be my bird and Beaker his bird. But at least I'd have a parrot to love in the meanwhile. As it turned out, we were so blessed to have our Marcus fall in our lap a short while ago, and the boys seemed to have decided this Beaker-Daddy, Marcus-Mommy thing out for themselves as well even though they both love us dearly, and we them.

 

But to the point of the thread: "How has your Grey changed your life?" In many ways, but what popped into my head immediately when I read this is that, honestly, I think Marcus is helping our marriage a lot. Not that it's in bad shape, but it's a marriage, with its ups and downs. With Beaker, who is so readily transportable with his obedient Step-ups, we can take him anywhere in the house and be with the other animals, in rooms with the television and the Internet, anywhere... essentially, we can live our 'normal' lives with him involved with us in those rooms too. But with Marcus, since he has such "Step up!" issues, at this point he is essentially confined to the boys' bedroom where their cages are. (Because I do not at all trust him walking out of their room on the floor to other parts of the house with our cats and even our dog around, roaming at will.) So to spend time with Marcus and now Beaker--who, for all his fiesty lunges if Marcus gets too close, seems very unhappy now if he is out of sight of his new Grey flockmate--we have to stay in their bedroom. In the bedroom is a china closet, a futon, a guitar, their two cages, and an old record player with a broken CD player attachment. Basically, it's just us and them. No TV, no Internet, just the occasional record that we sing along with and they try to sing with, too. So when I say Marcus has been helping our marriage, I mean it in the sense that we are all spending quality, direct time together. And lots of it.

 

Marcus chases my husband, literally giggling all the way in my voice, as my husband walks on his hands and knees in circles around the room. We try to use primitive versions of Model/Rival teaching methods for the boys as we think to. Beaker and Marcus are very attentive and very appreciative of all the petting and loving we give them. And my husband and I--especially me--feel very contented with the 'children' that we are blessed to care for and protect. Because we have no children yet, and I honestly think it will be a while before we do. So Beaker, but especially Marcus, is filling such a deep hole in my heart with his love, his tenderness, his surprise vocalizations that are so appropriate in context, his antics, and his intelligence. I love my Grey. What else can I say?

Edited November 10, 2010 by MarcusCAG

[Ray P]

Corky will be 10 years old on Dec. 5, 2010. The first time we saw her she was 9 weeks old when she run up the wifes arm and took a big poop. We brought her home when she was 14 weeks old and life has never been the same. Never in a thousand years would we thought she would be so intrenched in our life. There is not one thing she does it`s every thing she does. To explane it all would take a book.

From the day she came home she has never been away from us. We have traveled all over the country with her and would never think of leaving her with anybody. If we go she will go.

 

P.S. She is spoiled and she is a brat

Edited November 10, 2010 by Ray P

[katana600]

I know our grey story has been the highest of highs and the lowest imaginable lows to lose two in one short year, but I have to treasure the changes they made in my life. When I made the decision to take Kopi knowing he could be afflicted, I know for sure I wouldn't have it any other way. Our kids are grown and I was dealing with an empty nest, so I had a lot of time to expend on our greys and it has paid me a thousand times over what I invested in them. Since bringing Kopi home in March, I was so tuned in to his dietary needs, that I lost 25 pounds myself by eating his "leftovers"... you know, the day old veggies that I didn't trust to give to him. LOL. One thing is for certain, it was a powerful feeling to wake up in the wee hours and wish for the clock to go faster so I could get up, uncover his cage and fix his breakfast. I am still in awe of the raw intelligence and the capacity for making choices and of course the communication of these magnificent creatures who have been the greatest gift in my life.

[Janfromboone]

What strikes me about all of these stories is what a big presence a little grey bird is - with out fail. Everyone sais it differently but the bottom line is that the bird has a huge impact and a huge presence in our homes. MarcusAG talked about how the birds have brought she and her husband together. I have to say that the same thing has happened in our house. The bird talks just like Frank which endears him to Frank. We laugh so much more. The bird will be upstairs talking and I'll hear Frank downstairs laughing at what he said . Franks laughter makes me smile. The bird is more mine than his but he talks about it as much as I do. We had dinner with friends a few months ago and Frank was telling some of our funnier Tobie tales. They are still talking about the stories. At a time in our lives when we are taking care of aging parents and on that score we are trying to keep their spirits up in their poor health. The first thing they want to hear is what's Tobie been up to lately. Before long we've got them laughing. There is a kind of magic with grey parrot ownership - wouldn't you have to agree.

[MarcusCAG]

There is a kind of magic with grey parrot ownership - wouldn't you have to agree.

 

That is an awesome line... for some reason, reading that just made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Thank you.

 

And you are so right. A little grey bird has more of an impact than most of us ever would have realized without experiencing their love and intelligence firsthand.

[Codys Mom]

to start with we have Rudy our little girl she will be 2 years old on May2nd 2011 and she is becomeing more independant every day but she still loves her cuddles and her attention then we decided to add another grey a cag this time but we were going to wait until next spring and adopt from a great breeder that was until I heard about Cody our new baby cag and his handi-cap, when we went to meet Cody it was love at first site handi-cap and all ,we have to be careful on how we pic him up and handle him because of his foot being turned sideways but he will grab a hold of your finger and step up and he is learning to get around pretty good and he flys really good and he will sit with you for hours and play with foot toys , I would be lost without my Rudy or my Cody , I just love my greys and I think everyone should have at least one grey in their house they are amazing birds

[katana600]

Jan, Thanks so much for starting this thread. It is just what I needed right at the perfect time. You are right about the "magic" of having a grey companion in the house. I laughed more in one year than in the previous ten years combined. I still can not get over the feeling that I had every single morning when I looked at the clock to see if it was time to get up yet. It reminded me of my little girls at Christmas time. I started every day with a smile just in anticipation of uncovering a cage to see that eager little face ready to come out and greet the new day! Every bird is special and wonderful, but our greys are something more. That is why we have such a dedicated forum. It is magical... and I believe!