Muse Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 After Marden's death, I grieved. I have not stopped grieving. I still cry every day. I did not even want to think about getting another Grey. However... Megan started acting different. She does not want to go in the playroom any more. Of course, when she is in there, she is by herself. Even if I am there with her, she has no one to play with. All of the other birds here have companions. The green cheeked conures are a family. Alex and Maks have each other. Aria has Anya, and though they have their little spats, they get along fairly well most of the time. Megan has no one but humans. She adores her daddy, don't get me wrong. And she still tolerates me, but has gotten considerably more aggressive as of late. When she bites, it has been vicious - hard and fast. I think she is frustrated at being alone. It's really the only thing that has changed. So, we started to seek another Grey. I knew we did not want to get a baby from a breeder. We wanted to adopt a bird in need. So I spoke to Matt, at Project Perry. He, in turn, set up contact with someone who is rehoming a ~22 year old formerly wild-caught Grey, who has been in the same family all his life. She said he does not like to be handled, which is fine with us. We are just hoping he and Megan can make up. They are going to bring him to us, as they feel that will make the transition easier for him. It sounds as though he has had a fairly good life, and they want what is best for him. They plan to move out of the country, and cannot take him with them. They have also stated that if it does not work out, they will take him back and keep looking for a home. Of course, I really do not see that happening. Even if he and Meg don't get along, I would not send him packing. If we got rid of every bird Megan does not get along with at this point, we'd be a one bird household. She can be a real stinker. All I can do is pray they will hit it off. For a while, he will be in quarantine (which is in our dining room). This will give him a more quiet space, and allow him to acclimate before being thrust in the middle of a giant flock. Up to now, I think he's pretty much been an only bird, except for a time when they had another bird that unfortunately died of an enlarged heart. From what she has told me, the other bird hated Peck (his name is Pecker but they call him Peck). We will see how he likes it. I have a feeling he will be happy here. Only time will tell. And then I will be back here asking for advice on how to deal with him! LOL Wish me luck........................ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray P Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 The best of luck with your new companion and I hope things work out for the both of you. I am sure they will. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murfchck Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 Best wishes for a great new family member! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katana600 Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 I am in your corner! It took me five months to get to the place where you are now. Peck may well flourish with the extended flock and Megan may enjoy his company from a distance. Whatever comes, you can handle it and we will all learn from you as you find ways to help Megan and Peck at the same time. I have the same feeling as you that he will be very happy in your home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRSeedBurners Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 Peck doesn't know how lucky he is. I can't wait to see pics. You should get pics of their first meeting once quarantine is over to. Those are always fun to look back on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inara Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 Ditto all of the above! Peck has hit the jackpot when it comes to homes, and I sincerely hope that he and Megan hit it off, or at least benefit from one another's company. My first Grey was an older rescued wild caught CAG, and a major mess emotionally, physically, and psychologically when he came to live with me and I loved him to pieces. Peck sounds as if he got a much better start in life and has been well loved. I have no doubt that he will flourish and that you will fall deeply in love with him. Be prepared to hear some interesting 'wilderness' sounds if he remembers them. Lestat used to give off some fascinating low growls, hoots, and shrieks unlike anything I'd ever heard or heard since. I always assumed he learned them in his natural habitat. I'm thrilled for you!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BaileysPapa Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 Good luck! I waited 10 years to get another Grey. I just couldn't do it sooner. I now wish I had. Not counting out all of my other birds, I feel like I missed so much without one. I'm glad you won't be saying that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvparrots Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 This is great news I can hardly wait to see and hear what happens. I too think all will be great and Megan and Peck will be okay. Of course, you know, pictures are a must. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRSeedBurners Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 I'm starting to think a video of their first meeting would be even better. How long is quarantine? I have a vested interest as, one of these days, my 25 year old CAG will hopefully be coming back into the fold and Greycie will have to meet and hopefully accept her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danmcq Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 Best of luck to you and Megan on this. I hope all will hit it off and enjoy each other over time. Let them introduce themselves after they have scoped each other out for a while on their terms. I am looking forward to hearing updates on this and of course seeing photos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brat Birds Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 How great!! Peck is one lucky bird. May I suggest that when you make the first meeting you do it in a place that neither bird considers 'his' space. Meeting in a neutral place will give neither an advantage. Have one or both of them in hand where they can not attack the other. Have toys and treats for them. Always keep them in arms reach as you start to trust them. I so hope they at least like each other!! LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muse Posted April 9, 2014 Author Share Posted April 9, 2014 Peck doesn't know how lucky he is. I can't wait to see pics. You should get pics of their first meeting once quarantine is over to. Those are always fun to look back on. Oh trust me, I will get lots of pictures. Maybe even video. I am betting on the very spoiled Miss M being a complete stinker. But she may surprise me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muse Posted April 9, 2014 Author Share Posted April 9, 2014 Ditto all of the above! Peck has hit the jackpot when it comes to homes, and I sincerely hope that he and Megan hit it off, or at least benefit from one another's company. My first Grey was an older rescued wild caught CAG, and a major mess emotionally, physically, and psychologically when he came to live with me and I loved him to pieces. Peck sounds as if he got a much better start in life and has been well loved. I have no doubt that he will flourish and that you will fall deeply in love with him. Be prepared to hear some interesting 'wilderness' sounds if he remembers them. Lestat used to give off some fascinating low growls, hoots, and shrieks unlike anything I'd ever heard or heard since. I always assumed he learned them in his natural habitat. I'm thrilled for you!! Mar and I used to watch the wild Grey videos on YouTube, and I loved the natural sounds. He learned to do that real haunting, hollow hooting sound, and I loved it. It will be nice to have one that speaks native Grey, perhaps he can teach Megan. She was never too interested in the Grey sounds. She also refuses to say "Congo African" and has truncated it to "Grey parrot" whenever she uses it. I sometimes think she does not see herself as a bird. I did get to hear a lot of those sounds at Project Perry. I assume they come from the number of wild-caught ex-breeder Greys he has there. It was breathtaking. How lucky you were to have a companion that could make those sounds. I can only hope Peck remembers them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muse Posted April 9, 2014 Author Share Posted April 9, 2014 Good luck! I waited 10 years to get another Grey. I just couldn't do it sooner. I now wish I had. Not counting out all of my other birds, I feel like I missed so much without one. I'm glad you won't be saying that. My struggle is going to be making sure I do not compare him to Mar. I don't want to shortchange my relationship with Peck. I want to love him for who he is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muse Posted April 9, 2014 Author Share Posted April 9, 2014 (edited) This is great news I can hardly wait to see and hear what happens. I too think all will be great and Megan and Peck will be okay. Of course, you know, pictures are a must. Will do! My husband got me a really nice new camera, so I will have no excuse for not taking lots of pictures. Here are some of the pictures that his current family sent me. Edited April 9, 2014 by Muse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muse Posted April 9, 2014 Author Share Posted April 9, 2014 I'm starting to think a video of their first meeting would be even better. How long is quarantine? I have a vested interest as, one of these days, my 25 year old CAG will hopefully be coming back into the fold and Greycie will have to meet and hopefully accept her. My new camera does record video. I will probably do lots of both. I am not really too sure about how long. He has not been around another bird for over 15 years. He does not go out of the house. I am thinking we may give him a couple weeks, then his first physical with blood work and a fecal smear, and then I will ask our vet what she thinks. I don't see there being too much risk here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muse Posted April 9, 2014 Author Share Posted April 9, 2014 Best of luck to you and Megan on this. I hope all will hit it off and enjoy each other over time. Let them introduce themselves after they have scoped each other out for a while on their terms. I am looking forward to hearing updates on this and of course seeing photos. Thanks, Dan! I posted a few pics that his current family sent me earlier in this thread. I will take lots of pics, I promise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muse Posted April 9, 2014 Author Share Posted April 9, 2014 How great!! Peck is one lucky bird. May I suggest that when you make the first meeting you do it in a place that neither bird considers 'his' space. Meeting in a neutral place will give neither an advantage. Have one or both of them in hand where they can not attack the other. Have toys and treats for them. Always keep them in arms reach as you start to trust them. I so hope they at least like each other!! LOL Thank you for your advice. I will definitely keep all of this in mind when the time comes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KimKim Posted April 9, 2014 Share Posted April 9, 2014 How exciting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danmcq Posted April 9, 2014 Share Posted April 9, 2014 Thanks for the photos of him. He seems to be ready to rip the camera to shreds based on his body language. He is beautiful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kins2321@yahoo.com Posted April 9, 2014 Share Posted April 9, 2014 So excited for you guys! I know you won't compare Peck to Mar. Its just you opening your heart once again. Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdhouse Posted April 9, 2014 Share Posted April 9, 2014 Almost time!! Very happy for both of you & hopefully Miss M, too. Phenix makes some of those jungle parrot sounds. Although early on, after he finally opened up, he made a lot more. Once he learned to talk human, he starting making a lot less wild calls & whistles. But he still does whenever the spirit moves him & I enjoy listening too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katana600 Posted April 10, 2014 Share Posted April 10, 2014 I was reading too fast trying to catch up today and thought that when you said your husband bought you a camera, those were pictures of Megan at your house. Then I caught that you posted pics from his former home and looked again. He is out of the cage, looking relaxed and part of the family. It looks like a lot of hard work has been done and they will help him transition to your loving home. I am watching with great interest to see how this goes. If Miss Gilbert gains her flight and becomes settled here, we may want to think about a friend. Thanks for keeping up with us on the forum and sharing this exciting new adventure in your life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murfchck Posted April 10, 2014 Share Posted April 10, 2014 Tomorrow is the day! I am excited to hear how it goes, so i can only guess your excitement! Best wishes and i will be thinking of you all tomorrow! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muse Posted April 10, 2014 Author Share Posted April 10, 2014 Thanks for the photos of him. He seems to be ready to rip the camera to shreds based on his body language. He is beautiful. In some of the things she has said, I get the impression that she is not aware of the signs of aggression. She did state he does not like to be handled, and they just pretty much leave him alone. He is not clipped but does not fly. (I strongly suspect that will change quickly once he sees everyone else wheeling around the house). She evidently toweled him to get him to go outside, and it sounds like he cooperated with being wrapped in a towel for the benefit of being outdoors (they have a chicken wire enclosure on the porch for a small fruit garden). I am betting he's very used to having his own way, and will likely need wide berth while he acclimates (within boundaries of safety). Here is something she mentioned in her email that leads me to believe he might have a little bit of aggression: "When we go up to his cage to talk to him he whistles, flashes his eyes, bobs his head and seems to really enjoy the attention. " (I wonder if by whistles she meant that "Woooooo" sound that I have observed to be a sound of agitation or excitement). We will find out tomorrow. He has been in their family, either with her family or her parents, all his life. He's never been with people he does not know. I am sure I will be back on the forums tomorrow night. Hopefully not in the "Bite Me" club thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now