Bringing Home Parrot

[Gadejfan]

Hey guys. My name is Chris. I work at a pet store and i just got offered a free grey parrot. (Really i got offered my pick of two greys and a b&g macaw.) Well here is my situation:

The b&g is out of the race because he is bonded only with the main owner.

The first grey is a male and is very talkative and GOOD at it. Though he is temperamental. My problem is that i want a bird that is gonna be down for a little holdin no matter what!

The second is a female and is supposedly as sweet as can be at all times. (What i want) Downfall: She plucks. They said it is only because she dislikes the male and that she didnt do that at her mom's house. But people will tell u anything when they want to get rid of something.

 

I definitely want the female because i want a sweet loving parrot. I just dont want to get this parrot home in hopes of her feathers returning and it turn out that she has a medical issue. I know a good deal about birds as far as basic facts and stuff like that because i volunteered at the local zoo for three years and took care of two b&g's and a sulfur crested cockatoo (as well as many more lol), but as far as plucking and what not, im at a loss. What do you guys think about my situation? What are the chances of her feathers returning? Should i just go for the male? Help please!

Thanks, Chris.

[birdhouse]

Welcome to GF Chris. Any grey adoption is always a big decision. But rehoming an adult & it's baggage, a little bigger still. So I really want to say how great it is that you're really making the effort to try to figure out what's best before you sign up, here.

 

First, easiest part is that any new bird, young or old should be vet checked asap. If you can make an appointment before you even pick them up so much the better. Any arrangement you make w/the previous owner should be w/the understanding that you can return the bird, if there are surprises at that point. It would also be good to get any available medical history/documentation you can from the current owner.

 

Now the harder part. What motivates a plucker can often be a complete mystery, unfortunately. It's very possible that the female is plucking because of the male. It's also very possible that the current owner thinks that, but is completely wrong. And it's possible that she's become a chronic plucker. So even if the reason she's been plucking doesn't exist anymore, she could continue out of habit. Also, those feathers might not come back, or might partially come back depending on if she's done permanent damage by now.

 

Now, the hardest part. Realizing that you're about to make a decision based on who these fids are in their current home. Once they're rehomed, that can totally change. It might not be obvious currently, but they might be too strongly bonded to a previous owner to be happily separated from them. They may be bonded to each other or even the B&G no matter how it may seem on the surface. Maybe the male is, in fact a sweet heart. He's just acting out vs say plucking because something in his current environment is making him a little nuts.

 

Almost all greys are very much their own birds who only grace worthy humans w/their special form of affection. Many adults don't tend to be traditionally sweet & cuddly. And even the best & worst tempered of the bunch have good & bad phases.

 

So if you commit to adopting a grey, you've committed to loving an amazing little personality who will certainly surprise you in any number of ways. Not the other way around. How the fid's going to relate to & bond w/the humans in their life is, in all honesty a total crap shoot which is subject to change w/o notice at any time.

 

Greys are endlessly surprising. Greys are amazingly intelligent. Greys are wonderful. But greys can be deeply emotional & on average, aren't easy. So the real question is can you wait patiently (big word around here!) for months or even a year to find out who you brought home & then be happy to love & respect them no matter who (s)he turns out to be after they've unpack their baggage?

 

...and that's kind of huge. But the answer to that one question will pretty much answer all the rest.

[murfchck]

Welcome Chris. You got sound advice from Birdhouse, not much i can add to that! I have a nudist blue and gold, no chance of ever getting his feathers back but he is my sweet love bug. Of five parrots, he loves snuggling as much as our umbrella cockatoo. Our two gerys each show their affection in their own way and to their chosen, hubby has Gabby who tolerates me and i have Bongo who only lets hubby pick him up when i am not around. There is no way of telling if either of those greys will unpack their baggage and be like you expect. Case in point, Gabby, when we went to pick her up she let me hold and handle her even gave me kisses which assured the people we got her from that all would be good. She got home with us and turned on me! The next "kiss" i got from her resulted in the first of many bites to come. She was smart enough to know to do anything to get out of the home she was in and excelled with her acting.

Spend some time with these two and let them choose you instead! That will make your choice easier. There is no better feeling then having a grey come to you and in their special way say "I pick you!".

[danmcq]

Welcome Chris!

 

Birdhouse provided excellent advice and comments. Plucking is many times a mystery as noted and even avian vets are perplexed many times. I won't try to add anything to all the information already posted here. The bottom line is, if you decide to rescue any parrot, it must be done unconditionally with the rock solid intent that your home will be the last home. If your going in to a rescue with expectations you have and want such as a bird or any other creature enjoying cuddles, scratches and being with you most the time. Then a grey like you describe may not be what you want. You just never know IF they will stop plucking or IF they are a cuddle muffin, especially greys. One note on a female being wanted because you believe they are more prone to being gentle cuddle muffins. This is absolutely not true when it comes to greys. Regardless of sex, they either will or will not want lots of interaction with scratches and hanging out with you or will prefer to sit, chill, preen and eat on a stand or couch etc. with you in the same room. Adult greys are much more independent than other parrot species such as a Macaw for example. I wish you the best in coming to the right decision.

[katana600]

Hi Chris, thanks for coming in and also for putting some tough questions out there for yourself before making this leap. It sounds as if you already have a soft spot in your heart for parrots and have a little experience and enough of an interest to work in a pet store. Don't rush into it, if it is meant to be, it is a lifetime together that you are going to commit yourself. The other members have given some great advice. As an adopted parrot companion, I have a couple of thoughts. It is harder than I thought it would be and more rewarding than I could have imagined. I get the impression that these three parrots came from different homes. It could be that the female is plucking from distress at being displaced from her original home. There is just no way to know how things will go if you bring one of these birds (or a new chick) home. Would you still be able to love her and commit to forever if she plucks at your home? Would you still be able to keep him or her if you never get to hold them? Rehoming is such a dear issue to me because the Timneh African grey (TAG) we have had about four homes before us and each one was well meaning and tried hard, but each time it made his life just a little harder. Holding an adult parrot is going to always be on his terms and based on trust and perhaps on their mood at the moment. My final thought is there is no such thing as a free bird. Our first experience was a healthy baby African grey that opened our eyes to what we didn't know and our vet bills were in the thousands of dollars when we lost him after only seven weeks in our home. One thought that comes to my mind is since you are in this unique situation because you work at the pet store, would it be possible to foster the female grey for a little while? Being in a home with you may be more calming for her and you will have the opportunity to make her life better away from the pet store while still keeping her available for adoption. It would give you a little time to consider if you are ready to make a full commitment.

[Greywings]

Some great advice given by everyone so far but keep firmly in mind that each grey like us humans is a very unique individual. As arule most are not cuddle birds, but some are, some are talkers some never do. Some are always going to pluck and some never pluck again once they are healthy and comfortable but we love them either way. Some have baggage from previous homes that can take years to unpack, others are happy and at home from day one no matter their history. I live with 4 rescued or rehomed Greys 3 CAG 1 TAG Pookie is 24 years old and came to us from a couple that had always loved her but needed to downsize their flock she and I bonded from the start but she had a history of nailing the husband. Joe arrived under odd circumstances as his owner was quite convinced he was possessed by something unholy he adjusted quickly and adores my middle son and is a super talker, have no signs of possession other than him possessing our hearts. Whisper was a confiscation from a road side zoo before she came to live with me she is a cuddle girl but bites most every one else, not much of a talker but a very smart girl. Smartee Pants is a little guy even for a Timnah and has a backwards twisted foot, he was found by a swimming pool looking for water was dehydrated and underweight, have never found his family. He is bonded to my youngest son and is the one to bully the other birds a very funny little guy loves his head rubs and thinks he is a hat. These are just a few examples from our home of life with recycled grey birds.

[Talon]

Everyone has given you great advice. I do have to sat though..I have 2 greys, and my cag is a cuddler but only on her terms. I dont believe any grey is the right choice if you are looking for a true cuddler....birds (excepts cockatoo's) aren't like cats or dogs in that sense.

[judygram]

My problem is that i want a bird that is gonna be down for a little holdin no matter what!

This statement disturbs me as generally greys do not like cuddling, yes a few do but to take the chance that you get one that does is remote and the worse thing you can do is take one of these greys in and it doesn't work out so therefore that bird is looking to yet another home. You might want to look to another species of bird especially the toos for they are noted for being "velcro birds".

[Dave007]

Hey guys. My name is Chris. I work at a pet store and i just got offered a free grey parrot. (Really i got offered my pick of two greys and a b&g macaw.) Well here is my situation:

The b&g is out of the race because he is bonded only with the main owner.

The first grey is a male and is very talkative and GOOD at it. Though he is temperamental. My problem is that i want a bird that is gonna be down for a little holdin no matter what!

The second is a female and is supposedly as sweet as can be at all times. (What i want) Downfall: She plucks. They said it is only because she dislikes the male and that she didnt do that at her mom's house. But people will tell u anything when they want to get rid of something.

 

I definitely want the female because i want a sweet loving parrot. I just dont want to get this parrot home in hopes of her feathers returning and it turn out that she has a medical issue. I know a good deal about birds as far as basic facts and stuff like that because i volunteered at the local zoo for three years and took care of two b&g's and a sulfur crested cockatoo (as well as many more lol), but as far as plucking and what not, im at a loss. What do you guys think about my situation? What are the chances of her feathers returning? Should i just go for the male? Help please!

Thanks, Chris.

 

You never did say how old these parrots are. Age can make a big difference as far as what permanent baggage/habits these birds have or have not developed. Everyone here is talking about adult birds.

 

That also applies to birds that have been confined together.

Edited May 30, 2013 by Dave007

[birdhouse]

Good point, Dave. I think I set the tone there because of how I read OP. Chris said the male was talking & good at it. So I read that to mean over 1-1/2 yo. At least a tweener. But I shouldn't necessarily have made any assumptions about the female based on that. My bad.

[Luvparrots]

As I understand this, you work at this pet shop and you are leaning toward the female. I am assuming then that you have the ability to spend some time with this little lady and therefore see if she likes you also. Perhaps you could take this grey home and see if you two are compatible and see if the plucking lessens. Frankly I find that if you want a certain pet you know so almost instantly so if you have any doubts, I would just not choose neither and pass until I find the grey I really want. Greys live a long time so, I would want to be certain that I am giving a re-homed grey final forever home.

[Gadejfan]

Well i think i have decided on the female. But these are the messages i just got from the wife of the current owner and the second one kinda scares me. (And the birds are not in the pet store. THey belong to someone that came into the pet store. Also i know the sex doesnt determine their nature. Please go reread my OP lol)

Edited May 31, 2013 by Gadejfan

[Talon]

Wow! I would snatch them just because they obviously are being treated poorly in my opinion. That being said.... having a bird in your house for a week or so won't give you any clue as to how they will behave or act towards you. An adult gRey with baggage from being mistreated can take yeas to acclimate, trust and bond with you if they ever do. My grey came with no abuse, but I was her 4th home and it took her 2 and a half years to settle into her true self with us.

 

Personally, I think you need to learn more about the personality of a grey, how they behave, how they react, and how to handle a rescue as that is what you are looking at. They require patience, tolerance, lots of tlc, lots of love and an understanding of how they view us humans based on their past experiences. My advice is to do much more research as your expectations are far fetched in what you are looking for in a grey.

 

Just my opinion is all, I am sure you will do as you please, but please take the time to understand what you are getting yourself into....sounds like a rough road ahead, but one that will be worth it of you have all the patience and open mildness that is required.

 

Please keep us posted on your decision, we are here to help.

[JeffNOK]

I have been reading this post, and have to say that I advise caution. I hate the situation these greys are in, but please take some time and reflect on your expectations and if you are fully prepared to undertake this commitment. If you can foster one for a period of time, that might be a great start in exploring an adoption. Is the fact that the grey is being offered free of charge influencing your decision to a large degree? It may seem like a great opportunity, but really the normal initial cost, though considerable, is just the tip of the iceberg. If this grey had a price tag of $1000 would that be a deal breaker? Is this truly the bird that you want to share your life with? I believe cost should be well down the list in deciding on a parrot to live day to day with for decades. Pretend for a moment that cost was no issue and that you were free to find that perfect avian companion without any financial considerations. Would this be your choice? I know that you have some experience with parrots, but my impression is that as far as living with a companion bird--this is still new territory for you. If I am wrong and missed something posted earlier, I apologize. All I can say, is please stop--think--reflect--and try not to make any quick or impulsive moves. I am so glad you are here, and I don't want to sound like I am telling you what to do. Just please count the cost and be 100% sure. Best wishes.

[danmcq]

Wow, That shot of your conversation with this person is shocking to me! "I'm a mean person and don't want a bird in my house".... UGH!! No wonder this grey is plucking. he poor thing needs to be rescues and get the loving and caring forever home she truly deserves and would flourish in. A two week trial period is not nearly long enough for you to get any idea of this greys potential to become an integrated family member. As Jeff put it so well " Just please count the cost and be 100% sure", I ditto.

[Dave007]

I'll go one step further---you shouldn't be bringing in an animal to any house that has another person who hates that type of animal. It really doesn't matter what kind of experience you've had with birds in the past. It's a good chance that that other person may hurt the bird because of a minor incident. Birds ususlly bite when a person does that and that bird will definitely dislike that person and usually bite

. Bringing a rehomed parrot into a house means that the whole family has to be involved in making that bird feel comfortable. Not only is 2 wks enough to make judgements but 2 weeks isn't enough time to have feathers grow back in and you don't even know what's making her pick and pluck. What happens after 2 weeks? Back to the owner?

Get another kind of pet that the whole family enjoys. You're not doing the bird any favors by putting time limits of anything you wanna happen.

Edited May 31, 2013 by Dave007

[katana600]

If I am reading this cell phone copy, is the current "owner" that is saying she is mean and will not permit the birds in her house? Geeze all mighty, that exchange makes me want to rescue the birds AND her husband. It is very difficult to speculate on what is best for you in this circumstance. There isn't a parrot lover among us who wouldn't want to make life better for these three based on the text conversation alone. Under the best of circumstances, rehoming a very well loved younger grey is complicated. Long term care of a former breeder is a different endeavor altogether. If that is the situation here, it is just too hard to tell. Even with two years of loving Gilbert and still working to gain his trust, I would not feel up to the task of this one, they might well need to go to a professional rescue and be evaluated before finding homes. Again, without actually being there, seeing them, interacting and trying to understand the dynamics, it is a tough question. What I implore you to do is to look deep inside yourself and ask will you commit and keep one of them regardless of how long it takes, if ever that she may become your loyal and entertaining companion. My heart goes out to all involved. Thanks for listening to the little voice inside that says you need to get more information. It could be an entirely different scenario than the way it sounds on the first layer.

[Acappella]

Oh jeez, I just want to rescue these poor babies. We are being cautious in our advice because we know how much damage a bad living situation can do to a companion bird, especially one as sensitive as a grey. If you cannot take these birds in, can you find your closest rescue and facilitate them getting out of their current situation?

 

If you do decide to re-home one of these fids, please jump in with both eyes wide open and your heart ready for set backs, disapointment, and frustration. Remember, you know that everything you are doing is to make his/her life better, but all they know is that another strange human is changing their world. Sounds like they all have ample reason to distrust people, and so you're going to have to work at building trust before you try to work on anything else. How long that takes depends upon the individual resilience of the parrot. If you can meet them where they are and let them control the pace that trust can be built over time. Those of us walking this path ahead of you will always be here to advise you and cheer you on.

Edited May 31, 2013 by Acappella