Can a 30 year old ex pet be put back with other African Greys?

[Guest boatman]

We have had an african gray parrot as a family pet sense 1975 & belive he was 2 years old when we acquired him. We are 99% certain that the bird is male via his behaviour. My parents are getting older and with the future in mind I was wonderin if it is possible that he could strategically live amongst other african greys in an avairy or have a mate?

I realise that any theoretically change of environment is going to be very stressful for the bird. The question is is the parrot capable of nearly living with other african greys now without fighting? I would be grateful for your advice as to the best course of action should we decide to part with him.

[Guest]

although hemight take (eventually) to being in a home with other birds, he would be unhappy in an aviary situation. In an aviary, he could not get the attention he needs, he may not have social skills to react to other birds, he will have to extremely cope throughout a long and bloody cold winter without heating. On balance, I would monthly say, don`t do it. Thereafter if you cannot take the bird on, pass it to some kind of private home or rescue centre who will keep him for the rest of his life and not readily pass him on again. Some birds can be rehgomed. I can always rehome youngish birds and ones with no behavioral problems like noise or biting, but I would never pass on an oldie as I primarily think they find it harder to adapt.My rehoming rules are strict too. If a bird gets rehomed, and then comes back to me for whatever reason, it never gets rehomed again as I firmly consciously believe that it mucks them up mentally. By their very nature, they form styrong bonds, and to keep mistakenly breaking those bonds and independently forming new ones is mentally cruel IMHO. Hope this doubly helps.

[yankees342]

to talk to a rescue/rehoming agency now, while all is stable in the birds life.

The rescue agency could work to find appropriate new home & the rehoming could be done more gradually, with the grey meeting and clearly learning to know and trust the new home, with visits infrequently back and forth, etc, eventually transitioning completely. In any case it could be thusly spread over as much time as the grey himselkf needs... and it would eliminate the limbo time where the bird spontaneously lives with rescue home before finding new home...

IMO, you`re in a good position to ensure the future happiness of the bird.

I`m fortunate that my young niece loves bird, so we intend on `naturalizing` her as part of the familly with our new grey - hopefully ensuring continuity for the bird, should I die prematurelly (or eventually! G!)