LIKELY bringing home a 6-8 year old CAG soon- advice sought!

[MoonRock]

I am very excited to have found a 6-8 year old male CAG for adoption. I am seeking some honest advice, as I want this adoption to be a good decision.

 

For starters: I am African Grey experienced, having loved and lived with a 30 year old female CAG. Calypso was awesome, even meowing like a cat at the animal hospital, making the veterinary technician think I had a cat in the carrier. She was a sworn feather plucker, costing me $800 for routine diagnostics to make sure she was in good health despite the missing feathers. Calypso gave kisses, even pressing her big beak against my lips while making the kissy sound. She imitated water droplets, silly sounds, whistles... No other bird is like an African Grey, I think you would all agree!

 

Now I have the chance to adopt a male CAG named Oscar. FOR FREE. Now, granted, I fully understand NO bird is really free (remember that $800 "check-up"?). But I admit, not having to plunk down the initial $1000 or so to buy a parrot is very appealing. What's more, I live reasonably close to the veterinarian, specialty bird store (they sell awesome products and board birds as well) and I have lots of time on my hands as a part-time teacher working less than 20 hours a week. I could go on about my circumstances and bird qualifications, but Oscar is not without his issues. I would like your thoughts about whether or not this bird would be the right match for me.

 

Oscar "needs more taming", according to his current owners. I do not yet know if he "steps up" at all, or nips people. I think it is amazing he learned how to say "hello" given his current, "not enough attention" situation. I do have African Grey training/ taming experience, but is it just plain too late to tame a 6-8 year old bird? Interestingly Calypso was 30 when I started working with her, but from what I know about Oscar he needs a good deal of work.

 

I am willing to put in the time to work with Oscar, but am prepared to accept him as he is. I think this is the right attitude, but is there something I am missing? Could I be getting myself into a bad situation? I am waiting to hear back about whether Oscar is a nuisance screamer or has other bad habits I might struggle with. But what else do I need to consider before taking on an animal with many decades (fingers crossed) of life ahead of him? I want to enrich his life as much as I hope he will enrich mine...

 

Sorry for the long-winded, somewhat non-question. What I am looking for is whatever you feel you can offer: reassurances, warnings, or something in-between.

[danmcq]

I am willing to put in the time to work with Oscar, but am prepared to accept him as he is. I think this is the right attitude, but is there something I am missing? Could I be getting myself into a bad situation? I am waiting to hear back about whether Oscar is a nuisance screamer or has other bad habits I might struggle with. But what else do I need to consider before taking on an animal with many decades (fingers crossed) of life ahead of him? I want to enrich his life as much as I hope he will enrich mine...Sorry for the long-winded, somewhat non-question. What I am looking for is whatever you feel you can offer: reassurances, warnings, or something in-between.

 

If you truly are willing to "Accept him as he is", that is the right attitude. I can only assume when you say he is 6 to 8 years old, that his current owner is not the first? Thus the approximate age. The most import thing to do, is to get all the information you can from this current owner on what they mean by "Needs more taming". Worst case, is Oscar has been cage bound for years and has no desire for human contact other than to feed, water and clean his cage. At 6 to eight years old he is fully an adult with tons of baggage in terms of memories on how humans interact with him and whether he considers them a threat and terror inducer. It is imperative you know all this current owner can share. Also, how long has he been with this current owner?

 

The first thing you can expect if you decide to rescue Oscar, is the fact that bringing him in to a new home with strangers, new sights and sounds of the environment etc. is going to take months for him to get used to. You are going to take time just being patient with feeding and watering him while just sitting in the same room and close to the cage while you talk to him, read a book, watch TV, listen to some music etc. It will take tons of time and patience to get him properly settled in before you even consider a step up will ever happen.

 

The only thing I can offer you, is you must be willing to accept and love him unconditionally, with no expectations that Oscar will be a loving grey cuddle muffin in the future that will step up and enjoy spending time sitting with or on you. He may also never say any human word other than "Hello" as you mentioned he does. If you are not willing to accept "as-is" and that you could spend decades with this glorious grey you have been given the opportunity to provide a forever home to, then do not rescue him. We just hear to many stories of greys bouncing from home to home several times because the people taking them in did not really have the commitment to take them in unconditionally.

Edited February 3, 2013 by danmcq

[judygram]

Hello Moonrock and welcome to our family.

I agree with Dan in that if you are willing to accept him as he is then it is the right fit for you. You already know a lot about the grey and their behaviors and that will serve you well in the coming weeks, months and years to come in providing him with what he needs. Sometimes no matter what a bird has had to deal with before coming to the right home they settle in and become a fine companion with someone who knows what they are getting into.

Dan has already given you some sound advice, time and patience will work wonders if you allow him to go at his pace never forcing for more than he is willing to give and do encourage the present owner to provide as much information about him as possible as it will help in the adjustment to his new home.

Congrats to you for I sense you have already made the decision to get him, you just needed a little reassurance so go for it.

[MoonRock]

Thank you for your thoughtful reply danmcq. Yes, I am truly ready and able to accept Oscar as he is, without the expectation he will ever greet me with Calypso-sized kisses and excitement, or become the next Alex and start counting blocks. I actually already admire this bird for his toughness- I do believe he was cage-bound for quite some time, perhaps many years, and still he has a certain spark and adaptability. I think it says quite a lot that he does not feather-pluck.

 

Oscar's age is approximate because of a sad story. The original owner suffered a stroke recently and her son and daughter-in-law are trying to rehome him, as she cannot care for her bird any longer given her condition. It seems she quite loved him, but even before her stroke he did not get a great deal of attention. Her son and daughter-in-law are trying their best to find the bird a good home, as no one in the family feels they could keep a parrot. I doubt the son and daughter-in-law had much contact with the bird before now. And while somewhat invested in finding this bird a good home, they seem pretty eager to have him gone. Let's face it, they have their hands full with a sick parent and caring for the bird is just one more tricky thing to do. But Oscar needs a good home, now.

 

As for Oscar's baggage and current needs, I know I will have a lot to work through with him. I am pleased he is apparently drawn to females, as that *might* make his taming a little easier. His cage is a reasonable size but he has only one toy in it and what looks like one, too-short sandy perch. One toy and one perch! What?! It is amazing Oscar even says hello, as I noted before (and yes, I understand that "hello" may be all he ever says- I am fine with that).

 

The more I think about Oscar, the more my heart aches for him. I would really like to bring him home, and make his next few decades joyful ones. I know to read and talk to him, as well as play music and the television. Oscar really is a "project bird", but strikes me as special already. What a tough cookie!

[MoonRock]

Hello Moonrock and welcome to our family.

I agree with Dan in that if you are willing to accept him as he is then it is the right fit for you. You already know a lot about the grey and their behaviors and that will serve you well in the coming weeks, months and years to come in providing him with what he needs. Sometimes no matter what a bird has had to deal with before coming to the right home they settle in and become a fine companion with someone who knows what they are getting into.

Dan has already given you some sound advice, time and patience will work wonders if you allow him to go at his pace never forcing for more than he is willing to give and do encourage the present owner to provide as much information about him as possible as it will help in the adjustment to his new home.

Congrats to you for I sense you have already made the decision to get him, you just needed a little reassurance so go for it.

 

judygram, you remind me of a Grey (which of course is a huge compliment). You were very perceptive and sensed I had already made up my mind to adopt Oscar. Indeed, I have. And thank you for your encouragement- while it is a very big decision to adopt a Grey in need, I am ready.

 

I love Cockatoos, macaws, and of course, American parakeets/ budgerigars/ budgies. But there really is something so deeply special about Greys! I cannot wait to "spoil" Oscar with awesome food, great toys, and plenty of out-of-cage time.

 

One last thing: I highly recommend the book, Of Parrots and People, for each and every person on this forum. If you read it, please let me know what you think!

[danmcq]

It's to hear you are committed. Your right, he needs your home now. The sooner he is out of that environment, the better. I hope to hear tons of updates and see photos as you have time.

[SRSeedBurners]

judygram, you remind me of a Grey (which of course is a huge compliment). You were very perceptive and sensed I had already made up my mind to adopt Oscar. Indeed, I have. And thank you for your encouragement- while it is a very big decision to adopt a Grey in need, I am ready.

 

I love Cockatoos, macaws, and of course, American parakeets/ budgerigars/ budgies. But there really is something so deeply special about Greys! I cannot wait to "spoil" Oscar with awesome food, great toys, and plenty of out-of-cage time.

 

One last thing: I highly recommend the book, Of Parrots and People, for each and every person on this forum. If you read it, please let me know what you think!

 

 

I have 'Of Parrots and People' in my Amazon basket with a few other selections. Will have to pull the trigger on that one. I agree with your comment about something so deeply special about Greys. I've had several birds and the one that I can't stop thinking about is my former Grey. She was/is a special girl.

 

I almost hate to ask but what became of Calypso?

[Greywings]

Congratulations on deciding to bring Oscar home, I think you will be seeing a new bird emerge from that limited past. It will take time and patient observation to help him move forward but I know you can provide both. Gilberts story would be a good placed to study up on opening new horizons for Oscar. Excited waiting to hear of his arrival in your heart and home.

[MoonRock]

i was texting with the soon-to-be previous owner of Oscar, the 6-8 year old male CAG I hope to adopt. The owner decided she wanted $500 for him. I think this is a good price, even for a less than fully tamed bird. However, this is a bit of a curve-ball for me since I do not have the full $500 at this time. I had a lot of bills this month.

 

Luckily the owner has agreed to a payment plan, and she seems eager to have me adopt Oscar. One of her friends was interested in him, but she felt Oscar was not an appropriate bird for a first-time bird owner. I was texted a great photo of Oscar, his glorious red tail very visible, but it also made me sad because he has one toy and one perch at this time. I said it before and I will say it again, I am amazed Oscar has kept all his feathers, learned some neat sounds and even "hello", and developed a sense of humor (according to his current owner) in his current situation. I am so eager to bring him home that I cannot sleep at night! Tomorrow evening I go to meet him, with a small chance of bringing him home immediately (though we agreed to a few meetings before I could have him).

 

I know the following sentiment is just preaching to the choir, but I would like to share my feelings anyway. Animals are special. Birds are special. But there is something so heartbreaking about a profoundly intelligent creature, like the African Grey, spending life locked away with minimal interaction. If you have a Grey, you have GOT to make plenty of time to get to know and cherish your little feathered person. He/ she will be unlike any other bird in your life, and you owe it to him/ her to make life as wonderful and special as it is supposed to be in the wild. I read recently that birds are still not considered "domesticated". I also read of previously owned cockatoos being released out into the wild, and later teaching their new flock human words. Birds don't forget. Birds feel pain, joy, love, jealousy, EVERYTHING that we do to some degree or another. I firmly believe that. So if you have a Grey, as you very well might if you are reading this, please go over and say to him/ her how much you love your special bird. Believe me, you will be understood.

 

[danmcq]

I know the following sentiment is just preaching to the choir, but I would like to share my feelings anyway. Animals are special. Birds are special. But there is something so heartbreaking about a profoundly intelligent creature, like the African Grey, spending life locked away with minimal interaction. If you have a Grey, you have GOT to make plenty of time to get to know and cherish your little feathered person. He/ she will be unlike any other bird in your life, and you owe it to him/ her to make life as wonderful and special as it is supposed to be in the wild. I read recently that birds are still not considered "domesticated". I also read of previously owned cockatoos being released out into the wild, and later teaching their new flock human words. Birds don't forget. Birds feel pain, joy, love, jealousy, EVERYTHING that we do to some degree or another. I firmly believe that. So if you have a Grey, as you very well might if you are reading this, please go over and say to him/ her how much you love your special bird. Believe me, you will be understood.

 

 

Well said!

 

I am so happy they will take payments and prefer you over another interested "never owned a parrot" person. Hopefully those sleepless nights will end soon with you and Oscar starting a life long relationship together. You both deserve this from what I have read from you.

[murfchck]

I know the following sentiment is just preaching to the choir, but I would like to share my feelings anyway. Animals are special. Birds are special. But there is something so heartbreaking about a profoundly intelligent creature, like the African Grey, spending life locked away with minimal interaction. If you have a Grey, you have GOT to make plenty of time to get to know and cherish your little feathered person. He/ she will be unlike any other bird in your life, and you owe it to him/ her to make life as wonderful and special as it is supposed to be in the wild. I read recently that birds are still not considered "domesticated". I also read of previously owned cockatoos being released out into the wild, and later teaching their new flock human words. Birds don't forget. Birds feel pain, joy, love, jealousy, EVERYTHING that we do to some degree or another. I firmly believe that. So if you have a Grey, as you very well might if you are reading this, please go over and say to him/ her how much you love your special bird. Believe me, you will be understood.

 

 

Well then, now that tears have stopped... Very well said!

[MoonRock]

I met Oscar tonight. He was in a cat crate while his cage was being cleaned. Oscar gave me a rabid velociraptor growl upon seeing me, and if I adjusted myself in my seat too quickly or looked him too long in the eye, he screamed/ growled even louder. I was in love. Oscar, obviously, was not.

 

It was very sad to see this beautiful but stressed out bird getting harassed by a little boy who, let's face it, was a brat. The family's 7 year old boy kept throwing apple bits into the crate, running about and screaming. Supposedly the boy was trying to impress me. I didn't have the desire to tell this demon child that I am impressed most by well-behaved children.

 

All the while, Oscar growled, and it was nearly ear-piercing. However, I continued to speak to him calmly, softly telling him "good bird" for each brief moment he was quiet. I started attempting extinguishing behavior, turning my back on Oscar whenever he growled. Soon he became curious about why I wasn't paying him attention, so he quieted down long enough to do the following: whistle at me, meow like a cat and fake a series of sneezes. This stressed out bird obviously wanted so much to connect, but was confused about how to get what he wanted. I even played peek-a-boo with him for a few seconds, which surprised and delighted him.

 

It took some time, but I finally got a good look at all of Oscar, and what I saw concerns me. Oscar appears to be blind in his right eye, or at least visually impaired. His owners claimed it was nothing, they never saw it before, they would have heard from previous owners if something had happened to the bird. Yeah, right. Oscar also appears to have a misshapen talon, but I am not certain of this.

 

Against my better judgment, I agreed to a $500 adoption fee for a half-blind bird. I had to really convince the owners to honor the payment plan we had already discussed. It felt crazy, haggling for a bird that would only continue to be harassed by a little boy and neglected by his owners. When I mentioned to the forum the one sandy perch in Oscar's cage, I was only describing what I saw in a photo. What I saw in person was worse- the one perch in the cage was hardly long enough for a 'tiel, and his one toy is sized for a macaw. Unfortunately I feel I need to leave Oscar's cage as-is until I can acclimate him to my home. If anyone feels I need to get him good perches ASAP, and to hell with his anxiety over new things, please let me know. I am determined to do what is best for my new little guy.

 

So that is my sad but hopeful story for tonight. I met Oscar, so far he hates me, his former owners are pretty bad, he has a terrible cage set-up, he is likely blind in one eye, but he is a strong, even humorous bird.

 

Please feel free to offer your input, I am looking for even more guidance now that I actually have Oscar home. *HOME*

 

P.S. I hope Oscar never learns my nickname for him: VelOSCARaptor.

[chelsearv]

Thank you for the update. I am about to adopt a 15 or 16 year old TAG named Fred. His description from the adoption middle-woman is "beautifully feathered, very curious, and animated". In spite of such favorable characteristics, I'm preparing myself for a patient, long-term transition period. Your story is inspiring and I'd be interested in hearing how your relationship unfolds with VelOSCARaptor the cat-bird.

[Timbersmom]

Hurray for you and for Oscar! Keep us posted. The only new perch that seemed to initially alarm my rehomed TAG, Timber, was the boing. I added other perches to his cage without him reacting much. He wouldn't necessary hop right on them, but they didn't seem to scare him. It took him some time to start liking the boing, but now it is his favorite thing to do the "sit and chew" on. That said, every bird is different. Timber's vet said to never use a sandpaper surface type perch because it can hurt their feet. Others with more experience will chime in. God bless!

[Greywings]

Great to hear how the into went, despite the dinosaur antics and sound effects you have made a wonderful base for a trust building relationship. I would place at least one more good sized perch in that cage before putting him in there, his surroundings will change and his people will change and we know the stress levels will improve dramatically for him so one perch will be a minor adjustment with any luck. You can place any other perches and toys where he can view them and get used to seeing them prior to placement. He will most likely be protective of his cage so respect that. You are off to a very good start just follow through, good on you as our Aussie friends say.

[danmcq]

I agree with he others comments on additional perches. Perhaps you could put one or two in the cage while Oscar is in the carrier I presume you will briing him home in. It sounds like Oscar has been in a non-loving terror filled environment with that young child acting like one that is undisciplined and we know how child can be around critters if not corrected.

 

I am impressed with the methodology you used in your first interactions with Oscar. Based on your description of that, it sounds like Oscar realized you were different and interesting enough to communicate back to a little. I hope you are able to get him home soon.

[MoonRock]

Thanks for the input and encouragement. Oscar's cage has been partially covered for today, as he seems to feel calmer with only the front and a bit of one side of the cage visible to "outsiders". This, of course, is a temporary situation, and over the next few days Oscar's cage will be less and less covered during the day. I will also be adding additional perches, one at a time, very soon.

 

I am trying to show Oscar with my body language and speech that I am confident but gentle. I am convinced the velociraptor scream is simply a defense mechanism to keep potential "mean humans" away. Oscar really craves attention, though, and when I came home from work (I was gone for less than 5 hours) he puffed up at me in confusion/ excitement/ hope/ frustration and then decided to stick to feeling excited and flapped his wings while bobbing up and down in greeting. It wasn't a perfect reunion, I will admit, as the slow beginning rumble of the velociraptor growl became audible. However, for nearly the entire 10 minutes I was sitting by Oscar's cage, he meowed at me, fake sneezed, bobbed and flapped his wings, and meowed some more. I even felt comfortable enough to offer a piece of fruit through the cage, and it was taken gently enough but quickly discarded. I know to be careful of Oscar's huge beak, as we have a lot of trust to develop.

 

As you can see, Oscar is making amazing progress with me. I will continue to expose him to me and his new life in small doses (which is why I time my "acceptance training" for about 10 minutes at a time). This is intended to keep his AG curiousity in tact, as he seems to wonder what I am doing when I am not in the room with him. But it also allows him the space to do his own thing and analyze his new world.

 

Of course, we could take some backwards steps in our bonding/ training. In fact, we almost certainly will. But I am prepared to spend the time and effort to enrich this handsome, funny bird's life, as he will enrich mine.

 

Warmly,

MoonRock and VelOSCARaptor

[danmcq]

You are doing everything. Oscar could not have been rescued by a more perfect fit for his needs. I am looking forward to hearing constant updates, as it is so good reading of a poor abused grey's progress in a loving home with a knowledgeable parrot owner. Your posts will also give others in similar situations a good example and ideas. I like the word play on "VelOSCARaptor".

[MoonRock]

Oscar is settling in very well but loudly. Please feel free to follow my thread, "Oscar's training journal" in the training section of the forum, if you would like to know how everything is turning out.