Thoughts about puppy in the window

[KevinD]

I was just curious about folks not thinking before they get a Grey.

Kinda like the puppy in the window.

I'm going to phrase this in general terms, as it has nothing to do with any registered member here, but who knows who reads here.

This is the first time I have run into this.

Folks get a grey, and when the novelty wears off, all kinds of excuses are made to offload said puppy/grey.

Has anyone run into a person that saw they owned a grey and just thought it was the coolest thing in the world, and was warned its a till death do we part kind of thing, and a relationship that takes years to cultivate, and said relationship may change often and you don't bail at the first sign of trouble.

Excuses could be "after two years we found out everyone in the family is allergic to said puppy/grey"

The excuse is kinda lame as you would have known this BEFORE two years.

I'm kinda feeling some guilt for showing Sukei to them in the first place as they went overboard and got two greys.

If this was a close friend, would you have any thoughts for said person?

 

They already knew Sukei and I have our ups and downs, but the commitment is always there,  and we work through issues, no matter what.

I tried love is not always a feeling, but rather a constant commitment to a relationship, sometimes the feeling is there, sometimes it is not, but you work through it and the feelings return for both you and your grey(s)

They are almost more human then we are.

 

I dunno, I hope this makes sense. I re read it twice, and it barley makes sense to me, maybe you folks are more in touch with your inner self LOL

 

 

[SRSeedBurners]

I always down-play the fun of having a bird.  They are a ton of constant work if you take care of them properly and most people are too lazy to keep it up for years on end.  I always wonder how I'm going to keep it up if I make it into my elderly years but my Dad is 80 and still takes care of cattle and horses and works outside daily.   If he can do it, so can I.

[neoow]

I think this is true of any animal- how many hamsters, gerbils, rabbits, guinea pigs, fish, cats, dogs, parrots, reptiles etc etc are bought on a whim and then abandoned because they're too much work? Some will buy them for children and then wonder why the child loses interest or stops cleaning up after the pet. Others will see a pet in a film, a book, in a pet store or at a friend/relatives house and think that they want one themselves, without doing research or putting the effort in to learn about their care.

My first job was in a pet store and I sold animals to people knowing that the child would probably lose interest or the adult hadn't done enough research. We had leaflets we handed out which was a basic care guide but all too often people would buy the smallest cage, stuff the leaflet in their pocket and think they knew better. Or maybe even went in with the attitude "it's just a hamster" or "it's just a budgie" as opposed to "this is a living breathing animal that deserves the best care and attention".
I've seen posts where people will allow their small animal or bird to suffer and die of illness because they see it as a throw away or starter pet. They have the attitude that 'a new one will cost me £10 whereas the vet will be expensive'.

I will be the first to admit that for a time I was failing to provide enough attention for Alfie. I got him when I was 17 years old. I fell in love with parrots whilst working at that same pet store. I did loads of research and reading and spent all my savings on Alfie. I thought I knew best and I thought I could provide a good environment for him for the rest of his life. I thought I had life all mapped out as you do when you're 17. But life is tougher than that and it's guaranteed to change. I started a career in IT and worked my arse off, which meant I was putting longer hours in the more I progressed. I was trying to study for a degree at the same time. I lived with housemates who didn't like Alfie and the layout of the house didn't work either. I spent less and less time with Alfie to the point I considered rehoming him. But I couldn't do it to him. He didn't ask for any of this. So I figured I would try and re-prioritize everything. My housemates moved out and I shuffled things around. The house still didn't work so when I moved into my own house I made sure the layout worked and he was the centre of attention. I have spent years working on and rebuilding our relationship and trust and I don't always get it right- but I'm trying as hard as I can to provide him with the life he deserves. And I'm glad I made that choice because I don't think I could have forgiven myself if I had rehomed him.

[Timbersmom]

I'm not sure if it is possible to explain to someone how much time and effort are involved in living with a grey. I certainly had no idea. When I rehomed Timber, I was totally ignorant. I've had pets all my life, but he's different and I know you all know that. My cats and dogs (through the years) needed care and attention, but not like a grey. Cats in particular are very independent, and don't want my constant companionship. Timber, on the other hand, wants me in the room with him all the time. The flock mentality I suppose? It's hard to explain to someone (and have them really understand) the difference in the relationship.

When I got Timber, I was at a point in my life were my children were raised and my husband and I had plenty of time to spare. I wasn't retired then, but except for my work hours I could devote much of my attention to him. As neoow pointed out, life happens and not always like we planned or expected. Some adjust and make room for the grey they acquire, some do not. It makes for many sad situations,