What should I do??

[sophie]

Hi, I am new to the forum and considering buying a ten yr old timneh who seems to prefer females and I was just told that he won't let you touch him; unless you are in the shower; I this find very disapointing and I am really unsure if this is the right bird for me.

 

I will be his third owner. His first owner abused him and his mate, who died. The second owner got a new grey that prefers men. So now they want to rehome him.

 

I am not sure what I should do; perhaps it is best to and get a baby that I can train and cuddle with.

 

What do you think?

[Guest briansmum]

hi sophie and welcome. firstly i just wanted to say even if you get a baby all the training in the world does not mean it will enjoy cuddles when it's older.

 

have you met this bird yet? if not you should try so you can check it out for yourself.

 

is this your first grey? if so, i am enclined to say that one with issues is probably not the best idea and maybe a baby would be best. giving a grey a loveing home is a wonderful, commendable thing to do, but if you don't have experience with them getting one with some problems could prove to be a difficult task.

[lovemyGreys]

Hi Sophie & welcome.

It does sound as if you have doubts.There is alot to consider when re homing a grey.He is 10 years old & pretty set in his ways, will you have the time to dedicate to him ? He will need to learn to trust you & gain his confidence around you.If his 1st owner abused him he may have some problems that come with that.You wont know to what extent he has been damaged.

As for the second owners, getting a new bird & getting rid of this one is is appaling.:angry:

I admire you considering him but if you have not had greys before i think taking on a re home may be a bit much.Perhaps a baby grey would be more suitable.Whatever you decide we will help as much as we can.

[Tari]

Dealing with a bird with issues is stressful and can be heartbreaking. But on the other hand when you have that break threw that turns the bird around it can be better then ice cream. lol

But if you think there is any chance you wont keep the bird then it is best to maybe give the info about this bird to someone who well for sure give it a forever home.

Every time a bird is passed it can cause more and more problems for the bird.

I have two rescues. For one I am the fourth owner at least and he is a cuddle bug. Took us about 6 months to form a strong bond.

The other one has had maybe 5 or 6 homes and we still have not connected in the 7 years I have had him. At least not in the way I would like. He bites. But I promised Dandy I would not pass him on like a bad seed.

Do you have other birds? Have you ever owned a bird? If you answer is no maybe you should start with a baby. But as beccy says it may not be cuddle. I have had my TAG for 9 years and she no longer likes to be petted.

Good luck

[Guest Monique]

Hi Sophie!! Welcome to the forum!!! Do you have any other birds at all? Greys as a first bird are challenging, as are many larger birds in one way or another. If this is your first big bird and you are feeling hesitant I would go with a baby. You will have a lot more work with an older bird, and multiple that times 10 with a bird that has been abused. The work could be very rewarding but it is also very difficult - requiring much patience understanding, and an understanding of birds. When I got my first bird I read and read and read and read but none of it really prepared me for the experience. I'm really glad I started out with a baby. I still screwed several things up but none worse the wear.

 

Good luck on your decision.

 

Ultimately, go with your gut!!

[judygram]

Hi Sophie, the fact that you question whether you should get this bird tells me that probably you shouldn't. This bird does come with baggage that you may not be able to overcome and I would hate to see it have to go on to even another home.

 

If you have never had a grey before or especially if you have never had any kind of bird, don't get this one, opt for a baby grey. But a lot of them do not like to be cuddled especially after they mature, some don't like to be touched much at all.

 

I commend you for wanting to give this grey a home but you must have the bird's best interest at heart here and if you have doubts, then it may be best that someone who has experience with rehomes take this grey.

 

But whatever you decide to do, please keep us informed and if you do take it, we will help you any way we can.

[spookyhurst]

If you want a bird you can cuddle with, you might be better off with a cockatoo. They are big time cuddle bugs, whereas greys aren't known for being cuddlers once they mature. A Goffins might be a good choice, as they are one of the smaller Toos.

 

I adopted Nikko when she was 4 years old. She stepped up for me (and everyone else) right away, but it took 2 months before she would let me touch her a little bit, and even then she would only allow a short touch to the head. After a few more months, she allowed me to tickle her neck and head, and pet her back, but only on her terms. Sometimes she can be kind of snuggly, but it's not typical.

 

As far as training goes, I don't think a bird is ever too old to be trained. Especially if you use clicker training. Even the most scared and abused bird can benefit greatly with clicker training.

[judygram]

You are so right, Spooky, cockatoos are cuddlers, thats why they call them velcro birds, but it too may not be the right choice if she has not had experience with birds before.

[spookyhurst]

Very true Judy, I've heard cockatoos can be a handful, especially if they're male.

 

If Sophie has no bird experience, there are lots of nice smaller birds. Budgies and cockatiels have a lot more personality than some people give them credit for (I started out with 2 budgies), and conures (my 3rd bird) are also a good choice if you don't mind the noise . A wonderful first bird would be a Pionus. They had a great article on them recently in Bird Talk. If I ever get another bird, the Pionus is high on the list.