Greetings from Cairo, Egypt

[jakesmom]

I'm going to make this really short since I've typed two really long intro's and for some reason they are NOT going through.

 

My name is Kathy...I'm currently living in Cairo, Egypt due to my hubby's job.

 

I love to read, cook, go to the gym and love on my bird. :-)

 

Think I'll leave it at that to see if this one goes through. :-) Glad to be here because I have a LOT of questions about adopting a Grey that's been abused and neglected.

 

jakesmom :-)

[danmcq]

Welcome Kathy!!

 

Nice introduction and it's great to have you here.

 

What type of bird do you presently have and for how long?

 

There is a ton of information on this website you can find by simply typing in the topic to search for.

 

There are also many members here that will be more than happy to answer any questions you have on rescue and adoption. :-)

[judygram]

Hello and welcome to the family, Kathy, glad you could join us. I'm sorry your first two attempts at your first introduction didn't come thru, it could have been during a time the site had a slight fluctuation, we have all suffered thru a similar problem before. But don't let that dampen your enthuiasam for becoming a member here.

 

We would love to hear more about you and this grey you are talking about. I commend you for adopting a grey that had been abused and neglected for these are the real challenges but with lots of love can offer the best rewards. How long have you had this grey and how old is it?

 

Please read thru the many threads here on various topics for lots of useful information that may help you with some of your questions. If you have specific questions just ask, we will do our best to answer and help you in any way we can.

 

If you have a picture of Jake that you would like to share with us please do, we would love to see him.

[lovemyGreys]

Hi Kathy & A Big

[jakesmom]

Thank you for the welcome, Guru. I'm so glad the post FINALLY went through...not sure what I was doing wrong. :-) I will attempt to retype the first message I typed and lost.

 

We will be in Cairo (via Houston, TX) for a year this January. When we moved here I noticed there was a little bird shop (about the size of most master closets...haha) and as dirty as a pig pen, about 10 minutes from where I live. I'd never owned a bird but after a TON of internet research I decided to purchase a baby BOY budgie and teach it to talk with the hopes of avoiding the inevitable culture shock and home sickness. So everyday I went to the little shop and waited for one particular little boy to reach five weeks and eating by himself so I could bring him home. I was soooooooooo excited (will send photos) the day I brought him home. Jake, who's cere turned from a bluish tint when he was a baby to...you guessed it, BROWN when SHE was about 7 months old will be a year old in February. I tried calling her Jackie but gave up since she was always saying, "Jake is a pretty boy." LOL!! I figure if boys can be named Sue, then my girl can be named Jake...haha!!

 

Anyway, I still stop in the bird shop every once in a while and a couple months ago I noticed the most pathetic, bald chested African Grey you ever want to see. The bird (don't know the sex) is waaaaaaaaaay up on a top shelf (about 6 feet high)in a filthy cage with only sunflower seeds to eat, no toys and not even a roost. My heart just about broke. I asked the owner about the bird...he wanted 2000 Egyptian Pounds for it and said it had been passed through several different Egyptian families and then just dumped at the shop. Can you believe it? NO ONE is going to pay for that poor bird...it's got the saddest eyes I've ever seen. He said the bird (I've not heard it say anything) has a good vocabulary but it's in Arabic. Good thing I'm taking Arabic classes. I've started going there each day to give it some fresh fruit and veggies as well as some toys to play with. My driver talked the shop owner into putting a makeshift bar in the cage for a perch. The bird is not very nice and doesn't like me at all (bit me pretty good today) but it's not a problem...I have a lot of love, patience and time. Yesterday the shop owner offered to let me take the bird home for 3 months to try and love it back to being a sociable bird. Now here's my BIG question...the bird is 12 years old...IS THAT POSSIBLE? And can you put a grey with a budgie (separate cages of course) and still live in "relative" harmony. Jake pretty much rules the roost here. Our children are young adults in the states, so Jake IS our child, ONLY CHILD!! I want to help the bird but at the same time, I won't make the commitment without thoroughly researching it from every angle. Now here is one more thing to think about....we will probably only be here for about 4 years and I've been told by several people that because of bird disease risks, I would not be allowed to take an African Grey out of the country.............aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!! I hate to do NOTHING for the poor bird, but I know they can live a very long time too!! I'm just not sure. Maybe some of you can shed some light on this that I've not thought of...sure would be appreciated. :-)

 

Thanks in advance...sorry if I rambled on to much. :-)

 

jakesmom

[jakesmom]

Bummer...picture didn't show...sorry, probably too big of a file...will try placing one in the "Photo Album."

 

Thanks for the BIG welcome everyone...this is my first bird forum. :-)

 

jakesmom

[judygram]

Rambled on, never, we love to hear the stories from our members, it tells us so much about you and I see your dilemma.

 

Yes, in my opinion, a 12 year old grey is capable of being socialized, especially if you are willing to give it a lot of love over a long period of time and be very patient with it. You sound like the type of person capable of accomplishing this and it sounds like this grey needs you. He may not like you very much right now but I believe this bird will come out of his shell and flourish with the right family.

 

Lots of the members here have other birds besides their grey and they do get along, certainly not in the same cage but in the same room. I personally have a sun conure and a grey and they don't particularily like one another but I love them both and usually have them out of their cages at separate times. Since Jake was there first, he would be the first bird you get out of the cage first, first fed and so forth, so he does not lose his place as number one bird.

 

I don't know about not being able to bring the grey out of the country when you leave, maybe some of the other members will know more about that, but hopefully there will be a way.

[danmcq]

What a tragic story of that poor Grey.

 

That is a VERY TOUGH decision only you can make. I do understand there are very tough guidelines on bringing a Grey back into the USA. I believe (could be wrong) that you must be able to prove he was not captured in the Wild.

 

The best scenario would be IF you could afford to rescue that poor guy, nurse him back to health and show him what a true loving and caring home is like. There age does not matter, as far as being able to tame him. But, it does make it more of a challenge.

 

Then, if you could not bring him back, you could find a good home for him before you came back. If that was the case, you could start looking months a head of time, find someone and start letting them come over and ensure they are a match and getting along well before you must leave.

 

It would be heartbreaking to leave him there, but if possible. it would be the right and humane thing to do. :-)

 

As I prefaced this with though, only you can make that dicision.

[jakesmom]

Thanks for all the feedback from everyone. It's now 10:15pm in Cairo, 2:15pm in Texas. I've been trying for an hour to upload pictures of Jake and an image of me for my avatar and have had NO success. I KNOW they are scaled down to the correct dimensions...aaaaaaaaaargh!! Remember how I told you I have lots of patience...well, must have been a lie because right now I'm stressed out and tired. LOL!! Going to bed, will try again tomorrow.

 

Regards,

jakesmom :-)

[chapala]

Anything you can do to help this bird would be worthwhile, poor thing. Did I read correctly that the store owner wants you to take the bird for 3 months, socialize him so he's easier to sell, then return him to the same horrible conditions at the store? Too bad he apparently is not willing to improve his bird care.

 

As far as importing, it is possible, but not sure if this bird (possibly wild caught) would qualify. Here's a site to check out requirements. It lists a little info towards the end for birds not of U.S. origen:

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/ncie/returning-pet-bird-import.html

 

If this bird could be brought to the U.S., he would have to be quarantined for 30 days at one of the three quarantine facilities in the U.S. I believe they are in New York, Miami, and Los Angeles. It is an expensive process (quarantine fees, vet fees), but you may want to look into it.

 

Yes, I think you could have the Grey in the same house/room with the Budgie if they are separated, and after a quarantine period.

 

Let us know what happens with this poor Grey. I hope you can make some kind of difference, even if temporary.

Reta

 

Reta

[Guest]

Hi Jakesmom, welcome here

I am your neighbor in Israel and hope you will like it in our grey-community

[siobha9]

Hi Fairy, I didnt realise you are in Israel, what a beautiful beautiful country. I have been there on business a couple of times, and took the opportunity to see a little of Israel. I have friends there on assignment now in Ashkelon. I am hoping to visit them in the New Year assuming their assignment doesnt end!

 

Hi Kathy,

 

I know JUST how you feel. I saw a bird in a pet shop once, again on the top shelf in a tiny cage. I challenged the pet store owner, and eventually he got his Mum to bring her home. The poor thing was 7 years old, and had lived on the top shelf for 3 years. She was the "mascot" for the store. I don't know why I bothered though, because a week later he brought in a Blue and Gold Macaw who is "Not for Sale". He has lived in the store since he was a chick, almost 18 months now.

 

Siobhan

[jakesmom]

Yesterday when I went to feed the Grey,(I renamed him/her? Billy)at 10:30am, it didn't have any food or water. Most Egyptians are not pet lovers and it's very obvious that most of the itty bitty pet stores are here for one purpose and one purpose ONLY...to make money off the expats (foreigners that work here). For the most part they don't know and don't care a single thing about the animals...just house them and hope they sell. There is only one pet store that I've found that I will even consider purchasing bird seed from and even that store is deplorable by American standards....but my choices are so limited, I have to choose the best of the worst. :-(

 

jakesmom

[judygram]

That is simply despicable that they could treat these magnificent creatures that way, without food and water, I wish there was something that could be done for these animals. It breaks my heart to know that there are animals that go without the basic needs much less the love of a companion, you really are in a horrible situation.

[jakesmom]

Below is my image picture that I still can't seem to get to post in the correct spot. Annnnd then you'll see "Jake" my precious little monster. I know, I know, she looks like a sweetie, but looks is only feather deep...LOL...she pretty much "rules the roost" (pun intended..haha) around here. And when she doesn't get her way, WATCH OUT!! We thought she was a boy for the first 6 months and when we found out she was a girl, my hubby said, "well, that explains the attitude...LOLOLOL!: Of course, I had to sock him good for that remark. :-)

 

I'm still doing some testing with the pics, so I hope they don't show up a monstrous size. My apologies if they do...I promise I'll get better at this. :-)

 

 

 

[chapala]

Your Jake is a beautiful Bidgie girl! She looks so sweet, but photos can be deceiving!

Reta

[Laurie]

I love the picture with the bird "eating" your glasses. :laugh:

[judygram]

Thats a cute little budgie, Kathy, thanks for sharing a couple of pictures with us.