2 greys getting along

[Jane08]

We have been introducing our new baby girl grey to our other boy grey for the last month and finally all the patience is paying off. They were in the kitchen together and started to play together. He put his beak under her wings on her back and then around her neck and nuzzled her and she also did the same. She would then roll onto her side and then on to her back. They also started to regurgiate for each other. It was the cuttest thing ever. It has happened for the last 2 days and we are thrilled.

 

I now think to myself if we hadn't got the other grey our little boy would have been so lonely. I had tears in my eyes just watching them together and how happy they looked.

 

The next step is getting them in the same cage together....should be a challenge.

[shazbaby36]

i had one baby then i got another and after a week togther they were getting on really well with eath other so my breeder told me to try them in the same cage and i did and they were fine they really get on well i always give my first one the attention first when i get them out then the baby they are still very cuddle to me

[siobha9]

I keep mine in separate cages although as you can see from this thread they get along wonderfully!

 

http://www.greyforums.net/forums/the-photography-room/74689-so-sweet.html

 

I think it is matter with 2 definite view points. I was worried that they would love each other more than us if they had each other all day. Plus of course the cuddles dont last forever and if they fight they can't get away from each other if they are stuck in the same cage! Much as I love my hubby I would hate to be stuck in a small room with him for most of my life :laugh:

[shazbaby36]

i was always worryed about them loving each other more then me but they r still the same from when i put them in toghter

[Jane08]

Siobhan I think you are right about the 2 points of view. I had no worries about them loving each other more than us, I actually hope for that because they are birds and that is what they deserve a life partner they can love in the bird kind of way. There are a lot of things I will never be able to do for my boy grey (who loves me) and the female grey will be able to do all that for him. My enjoyment will come from watching them being happy together and giving them everything I can. They like to spend 24 hours a day with each other as they are flock birds, so I have no worries about them in the cage together.

[siobha9]

Its like wing clipping isnt it? Some people think clipping is the only way, some thing you shouldnt clip. Same with greys sharing a cage. Some think its best for the greys, and some dont.

 

I would love to have them share a cage, and seriously considered it in the beginning. But as time went on, I decided against it. They get lots of time together and lots of time apart. And that works for me and them. It is definitely a very personal choice that depends on lots of factors. I really hope it works for you... and it looks like it probably will!

[Dave007]

Some facts

 

When a person purchases a baby grey, the person is told quite a bit of information concerning the bird. Most of it has to do with feeding, vet visits and also what to possibly do with that bird when certain things start to develop. If the person is really lucky, the seller will also sit down and explain the full scope of the grey's personality, the main thing being that they are the type of bird that can be totally different from each otheer and usually develop their own individual personality. Unfortunately, it's not required and most of the time isn't explained. It becomes the owner's task to find out about that bird.

Greys are cuddly when young and eventually lose that trait. Independence and thought processes take over. People mistake that action as the grey starting to be unhappy. It causes many people to shop around for a companion grey which is fine.

If a person wants to see the full scope of an african grey's personality, that can only be achieved when that bird is allowed to become very possessive and is also allowed to become king of his own castle( his home which is his cage). that also applies to the total bonding between person and bird. When these things occur much more complex sides of a bird also surface.

A simple example of this is

Get 2 cages that are identical in size and color. Both of these cages come from the same manufacturer.

Take the perches and put them in the exact same place in the cages. Get identical toys ( including color and size) and put them in the same place in each cage. Put identical chewing items in the 2 cages. Put identical bells in the 2 cages. Put identical swings in the cages ( all of these things in the same identical areas) and you will eventually see what interests each bird. There will be differences. As the birds get older a more obvious trait develops which has to do with outward and inward personalities. As this happens it allows a person to deal with each bird according to what the bird is showing.

The full scope of 2 greys can't develop when both are in one cage because they must share what should be their own thing.Greys don't become lonely just because they're in their own home. 2 can be kept together as long as they each have their own home. When a grey has it's own home, the bird then can focus on showing the owner it's own complex personality. Cocerning what I said about those identical cages, when the end of the day arrives, even though each cage is absolutely identical in every way, each bird will go back to the cage that he *owns*. That allows nature to help each bird develop in his/her own way.

If a person has a few greys and they're released in a large room that has many different toys and/or perches, stands etc,rarely will you see those greys immediately congregate in one place and ignore everything else. Each bird takes off and goes to what attracts it. Individual personalities make that happen.

People also think that getting another identical species of bird to put in the house is the best way to go but a better success rate isactually having 2 different species together. Each species is different from each other. Putting the same species together lessens the chance of absolute, total friendship. 2 greys know each other's nature. Hypothetical birds--1 grey and 1 amazon don't know each other's ways of thinking. . Different birds in many ways.

Another way of seeing this is in the outdoors. I'm going to use chickadees and small wild gold finches small sparrows, siskins and titmice and hummingbirds as examples...a person has a feeder filled with seed ( oil sunflower seed_that the chickadees and titmice like. There's another feeder that contains thistle seed which the gold finches, small sparrows like. There's also 1 hummingbird feeder filled with their sugar water.

If 5/6/7 goldfinches come to the thistle feeders, it's guaranteed that each will chase the other away in order to get to the thistle but if a few gold finches anda few small sparrows come to that thistle feeder at the same time, both species will eat side by side with no problems. Sunflower feeder---when 5/6/7 chickadees come to their feeder, each will do what the goldfinches will do, chase each other away but if those chickadees come to the sunflower feeder with a few titmice, they will eat side by side with no problems.

Hummingbird feeders--unfortunately, there are only 4 or 5 species that live where I do but if 2 of the same species of hummingbirds come to that feeder, one will definitely chase the other away and come back to get it's fill. Then the other will but if two different species of hummingbirds come to the feeder, each will select it's own hole, drink and stay side by side until they finish drinking.

So, my feelings are that separate living quarters are most important for 2 greys for individual development. Greys ARE wild animals and will always be. Amazons fit in the same catagory.

I have 3 pet greys. They all get along in an aviary setting but I can guarantee that if they were bunched up together, there would be serious trouble with them because I know each ones personality.

Sorry for beinglong winded here but I feel that it's important that this in depth side of wild bird's personalities be told.<br><br>Post edited by: Dave007, at: 2008/04/28 19:20

[siobha9]

Dave said "Cocerning what I said about those identical cages, when the end of the day arrives, even though each cage is absolutely identical in every way, each bird will go back to the cage that he *owns*. That allows nature to help each bird develop in his/her own way."

 

I absolutely agree with this. My CAGS cages are practically identical, as I feed them the same things, if I buy a toy for one, I have to get one for the other etc. But they know which cage is theirs. Sometimes one will perch at the doorway of the others cage and have a look around, but I havent seen either of them go into the others cage.

 

And when they are out, Oisin loves the play top on the cage, and Liath loves the kitchen table. And thats where they hang out. Unless of course Liath is on me and Oisin is on his Daddy

[danmcq]

Great examples and informative post Dave. Thanks for taking the time to explain that in depth!!

 

Regarding personalities of different species. We took Dayo with us over to our friends and breeders home Sunday evening. They trimmed his nails for us, toweling required, but Dayo always takes that fairly well.

 

The home of course was filled with baby parrots of every sort and age from 2 weeks to 14 weeks old. Dayo perched on my wife's shoulder and just "observed everything very reservedly. There was a beautiful Sulfur crested cockatoo that just wanted out of his cage and so we let him out, short flight around stretching those growing wings and learning some basic flight skills, then he came to rest on my arm. We interacted for several minutes and then back in the cage he went.

 

There was a Hanhs Macaw also that just could not stand being left out, which I then let out and he immediately flew to my shoulder, snuggling against the side of my head and feeling the texture of hair, ear (tickle tickle) and finally my nose. He had a hard time reaching round to explore my nose and so flew out 2 feet then came back and attempted a landing on my nose, which resulted in much flapping and a very small puncture from those razor sharp baby nails and little blood. He then flew to me head and I placed him back on my shoulder. he sat content for another 5 minutes and then decided to have some more Nose time. This time Dayo, I guess feeling he needed to help me out, flew over to my shoulder and shushed the Hanhs macaw off which flew over to its playtop. All the while, my breeders Scarlet macaw, perched on his tree stand observing all this was laughing his head off ...he's cool and a real character.

 

We also checked out the baby Suns and Jendays and a gold capped conure. They are all only 5 and 6 weeks old respectively. I got photos of them all and we are going back next week to watch them all grow and over the next coming weeks select a Jenday to bring home.

 

After the long visit, we placed Dayo back in his carrier, got to the car and as was placing him in the back seat, noticed he was throwing up all over the place. This has never occurred before and it kind of scared us. So we went back and asked our friend the breeder to come out and take a look. After checking him out and checking the throw-up for anything abnormal he may have ingested, it was determined he must have just been highly nervous and upset from the strange surroundings, birds everywhere and possibly the perceived attack from another parrot on his lesser owner.

 

We got home and Dayo just wanted back in his cage. He never wants back in his cage. So I believe this definitely indicates he was feeling VERY insecure and just wanted back in his home, door closed and that feeling of safe and comfortable surroundings.

 

With all this being said. I am really starting to realize the very different personalities of different species and how some are very social birds enjoying of species, while Greys are very reserved and do not really take well or opening welcome a different species.

 

Conures for example, will openly go and extend the hand of friendship to another species of Conure, Macaw, Grey or Amazon etc. Yet, the Grey will just sit, watch and wish they were not there and would leave if they have the option.

[zandische]

Dave007 wrote:

People also think that getting another identical species of bird to put in the house is the best way to go but a better success rate isactually having 2 different species together. Each species is different from each other. Putting the same species together lessens the chance of absolute, total friendship. 2 greys know each other's nature. Hypothetical birds--1 grey and 1 amazon don't know each other's ways of thinking. . Different birds in many ways.

 

 

danmcq wrote:

With all this being said. I am really starting to realize the very different personalities of different species and how some are very social birds enjoying of species, while Greys are very reserved and do not really take well or opening welcome a different species.

 

What I've read on the internet and in talking to other people who own greys is that they tend to be species-specific. So they will generally be more welcoming of their own kind but less apt to accept other species like amazons, macaws etc. One lady who owns a bird store near where I live has a timneh and a congo who can't be in the same room together. And a friend's Grey bites the toes off his cockatiels if they get too close. On the flip side, my breeder raised my grey (and all of her other greys) around Moluccans and they all get/got along famously (my girl actually shows off some 'too traits from time to time.) I think that perhaps the complexity of Grey personalities and their naturally more reserved nature probably makes them treat other birds with as much caution (and perhaps more) than people. Of course, considering how much less attention they get when you split your time between two, three or more birds, it makes sense that they could develop extremes such as bonding or attitude problems toward the other birds.

 

The ideal is definitely when all of them are willing to share just the one of you. But what bird ever does what she's supposed to do? :silly:

 

I think it would be awesome to adopt another bird that is a little more outgoing (like an amazon or a mini-macaw) and might be able to teach my girl a few social skills or fun antics. I also think it would be awesome to have a flock of greys (ok, 2 or 3) because Athena has made me totally in love with all things GREY. But I think that since Athena picked me, the only other bird that is ever going to come home with us is going to be one she decides she likes too. But what happens if she decides she likes a boooooooyyy? Oh no!